Former butcher Justin Watts a new firefighter on the Fraser Coast
New Fraser Coast firefighter Justin Watts has come a long way from his early days as a teenaged auxiliary firey in Charleville.
Fraser Coast
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A new firefighter will join the Fraser Coast Fire and Rescue Service after graduating from the Qld Combined Emergency Service Academy recently.
Justin Watts is one of 14 new graduate firefighters assigned to the QFRS North Coast Region which covers the coastal areas of Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, the Sunshine Coast, and inland to the North and South Burnett.
After 16 weeks of intense training at the academy, the recruits will join their communities, with Mr Watts helping protect the residents of Maryborough and Torquay, Hervey Bay.
In a statement from QFRS, Mr Watts said he had wanted to be a firefighter from a young age.
“It is one of those things I have always wanted to do in my life,” he said.
“The other jobs I have had were opportunities that arose, but this career is something I have wanted to do for myself.”
Firefighter genes appear to run in the family, with Mr Watts’ uncles also having careers as firies.
Mr Watts said he started as an auxiliary firefighter at 18 years old in Charleville, and was transferred to Hervey Bay in 2014.
Mr Watts, who has previously worked as a butcher and lines distribution mechanic, said the 16-week training at the academy was “next level”.
“The training was quite intense, so it was beneficial to have some knowledge of the role due to my auxiliary firefighting background just to stay on top of it all,” he said.
“What you learn there at the academy, you can apply to real world scenarios.
“It will be nice to work alongside experienced firefighters on-shift in the Wide Bay and learn the ropes from them.”
Despite his background as an auxiliary firefighter, Mr Watts said in a statement that he still gets a “few nerves”.
“I have not been exposed to all types of emergency situations, but it will be handy to get a few jobs under my belt with my new crew,” he said.
“It is nice to live and work in the same area and I have been doing that with my former job.
“It is great to stay local and contribute to the community in this role, responding to people in need.”
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