Illawarra Zone Superintendent Richard Cotterill is encouraging residents to visit their nearest RFS station. Picture: ANDY ZAKELI
Rural Fire Service stations across the Illawarra will throw open their doors tomorrow for a community open day.
Residents will get the chance to have a close-up look at firefighting equipment and gain an insight into how a station works.
‘‘It gives people an opportunity to meet their local volunteers, to see who those people are and what they do and talk to them about why they do various things,’’ Illawarra Zone Superintendent Richard Cotterill said.
‘‘There’s also the opportunity to say thanks to our volunteers for the time and effort they put into protecting their communities.’’
RFS crews are bracing for a hectic bushfire season, having already battled a major blaze at Bulli Tops which consumed 1600 hectares of bush last month.
Mr Cotterill said the open day would be an ideal opportunity for residents to ask any fire safety questions they might have.
‘‘There’s information that we have... on bushfire safety, and certainly other fire safety issues around the home – the things they should be doing and when they should be doing them,’’ he said.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the RFS is also welcome to talk to volunteers.
‘‘It’s a good day for the kids too. Obviously they love to go and have a look at the fire trucks, so there’s something there for everybody,’’ he said.
This year’s open day marks the start of Bush Fire Awareness Week.