What can I expect as a volunteer?

7 min read

Join the CFA and make a real difference in your community. Whether on the fireground or in a support role, volunteers play a vital part in protecting lives, property, and the environment. Training, support, and equipment are provided, all you need is commitment and a willingness to help.

Summary

CFA volunteers are involved in more than just firefighting, including vegetation management, community fire education, and emergency preparedness.
After applying online, local brigades review applications and can require information sessions or interviews before acceptance.
New firefighting recruits complete a minimum six month probation and must finish General Firefighter training before attending incidents.
Time required depends on the role and brigade. Operational volunteers train regularly, while support roles offer more flexibility. All training and equipment are provided at no cost.

Becoming a volunteer

Every day CFA brigades across the state welcome new members to their ranks.

Meet Madeline Dundon, Kalorama-Mount Dandenong Brigade

Watch Madeleine’s story, a new recruit who is learning the key skills that will prepare her for her first turn out.

Volunteer roles at CFA

There is more to volunteering at CFA than firefighting. It is strongly involved in preparing our communities and our local environment in the event of fire, such as:

Vegetation management - CFA brigades conduct planned burning which reduce fuels to minimise the impact and spread of bushfire. They also work to clear roadsides of vegetation.
Community fire education - CFA brigades also play a vital role in educating communities about fire safety in the home, and in their local environment. They may also help communities in preparing fire plans in especially fire prone areas.

Applying

Once you have submitted your application, your local brigade will contact you regarding the next steps. Some brigades host information sessions for people interested in volunteering and some may require you to sit an interview.
After you express your interest online, it could take a few months before you are accepted into a brigade. Some brigades only meet once a month and new applications need to be reviewed and voted on at brigade meetings.

Probation

CFA has a probationary period of a minimum of 6 months. In this period, you will only be required to complete CFA induction training.
You are not required to undertake a specific role, but you may undertake additional training such as General Firefighter (GFF) training during your probation period.
You won't be able to do any firefighting until you have completed General Firefighter training and have achieved the required competence levels set by your Captain.

Volunteer training

CFA responds to more than just bushfires, and to ensure we are ready for any scenario training is vital for all our members.
Training happens throughout the year and is ongoing for all our members to maintain the relevant skills. Many training courses can be delivered online or at Brigade headquarters. Our purpose-built training campuses offer firefighters and recruits the opportunity to practice firefighting scenarios in a controlled and realistic environment.
All new recruits to operational roles are required to undertake General Firefighter training course, which takes around 30 hours to complete.

Introduction to volunteer training

CFA Volunteers in Victoria’s South West undergo training at one of our specialist centres to prepare themselves to respond to many scenarios.

Virtual reality training

Virtual Firefighter is CFA's new virtual reality firefighter training. Its technology that brings fireground training direct to the Brigade.

Frequently asked questions about what to expect

The time commitment will depend on the individual brigade and the type of role that you choose, so it’s best to talk with your brigade for more information. There is a minimum attendance requirement at brigade meetings.

For firefighters (operational volunteers) regular training is required to ensure your acquired skills are maintained. Frequency of training and incidents to attend varies between brigades

For support (non-operational) volunteer roles, hours per week are likely to be flexible and varying, and will depend on your role, brigade and the time of year.

Firefighters (operational volunteers) are able to also undertake non-operational roles (support roles) at their brigade.

Support (non-operational) volunteers do not have the training to attend incidents or fires, so cannot do operational roles.

It's possible to change your membership status between operational and non-operational.

One volunteer can take on multiple roles, depending on the brigade’s needs and the amount of time the volunteer has.

Compulsory General Firefighter training for firefighters (operational volunteers) can take up to 6 months and no fires can be attended until this training is completed. In this initial training you will learn all the basic skills and safety requirements to be able to commence attending incidents.

Once you have completed this, brigades run training to maintain skills and learn new ones.

While there is no monetary cost to join CFA, there is the cost of your time given to CFA. This includes travelling to and from the station, meetings, events, and attending incidents. If you are a firefighter, it is possible you will miss times with your family such as Christmas and birthdays due to incidents.

All training and equipment is provided by CFA as needed.

View all frequently asked questions about volunteering with CFA

Page last updated: Wednesday, 16 September 2026 2:39:45 PM