CFS Captain Clint Marsh opens up about why he was suspended, and his fight to rejoin his community

A well respected firefighter, who dedicated more than a decade to protecting his community, has opened up about why he was suspended from the CFS.

Clint Marsh was a volunteer firefighter for over a decade before he was suspended. Picture: Facebook

A former CFS brigade captain who dedicated more than 10 years to his local station says he was suspended and banned from his brigade for simply sharing his knowledge of emergency services with his community.

Clint Marsh, 33, was a CFS volunteer for more than a decade, and had served four years as the Dalkeith Brigade captain when he was suspended and barred from attending his station.

“I was at a local community event discussing issues and changes in the area, and one thing that was on the agenda was the impacts of the local river flooding,” Mr Marsh told The Advertiser.

“The Gawler River is known to flood once every 10 years or so, and I was out sandbagging when it last happened.

“I spoke about my experience of being someone who was an emergency services officer, because I was the captain of a CFS brigade, but I wasn’t there to try and represent the CFS.

“I was just giving them firsthand experience about what it was like, and that was entirely my view as a resident. At no point did I say my views were the views of the brigade, or the view of the CFS.”

Not long after that, Mr Marsh, from Angle Vale, said he received a letter from the CFS suspending him from duty, subject to allegations that would be provided to him later.

“Honestly, it felt like a punch to the gut,” he said.

Clint Marsh was a volunteer firefighter for over a decade before he was suspended. Picture: Facebook

A captain for of the Dalkeith Brigade for four years, Mr Marsh said he felt like he’d been ‘punched in the guts’ when he was suspended. Picture: Facebook

“To be told I wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone associated with the CFS is so difficult – we’re a tight knit community filled with friends and family. It really felt like they shut me out with no ability to speak and without any support.

“The CFS has a ‘one model fits all’ approach to discipline. I can understand this sort of approach if you’ve committed a crime, but not for something like this.”

Mr Marsh said that he employed a lawyer to fight his claim, which was cleared in a matter of months, but said most of the CFS members who are suspended often can’t afford legal representation.

“These suspensions drag on if you don’t get a lawyer who can fight it for you,” he said.

A former CFS paid staffer, who wished not to be named, said they knew of “hundreds” of people who had been suspended over the past few years.

They said the number of applications to be a volunteer had peaked during the 2019/20 bushfires, but had “dramatically” dropped since.

“We used to see thousands of applications, and no room in training programs, but now the CFS is struggling to get people through the door,” they said.

“People are walking away faster than they’re joining, and that’s so detrimental ahead of fire season because they need people out there who know what they’re doing.

“It’s so dangerous because who will go out there and fight fires if the CFS keeps suspending the experienced people while there’s no one else there to replace them.”

Suspended and current members are concerned volunteers are choosing to walk away more now than ever. Picture: Upper Sturt CFS

A spokesperson said that as of November 2, 17 members were currently suspended – 12 of which were facing criminal charges “external to their CFS roles.”

Minister Joe Szakacs this week revealed he’d already been investigating disciplinary regulations in emergency services before the suspensions were reported on.

Opposition spokesman Adrian Pederick called for a Select Committee into the CFS which would allow members to speak under parliamentary privilege.