Ipswich, Scenic Rim fireys Trevor Turner and David Clarke acknowledged for tireless dedication to serving community

Fighting fires for 70 days straight and sleeping less than four hours a night: It is the reality of what rural fireys sacrifice to keep the community safe.

“The time you lose with your own family, missing gatherings, work, birthdays – it’s all worth it to help during the community’s darkest moments.”

That’s how David Clarke sees it, 10 years after first climbing into the fire truck as a Rural Fire Service Volunteer.

The Mount Forbes Rural Fire Brigade First Officer and Mount Alford Rural Fire Brigade First Officer Trevor Turner have both been recognised for their hard work and dedication to serving the community.

Tirelessly dedicating more than 20 years to the service, Mr Turner has been nominated for a 2021 QBANK Everyday Heroes Award for his bravery in fighting the 2019-20 fire season.

Mount Alford Rural Fire Brigade First Officer Trevor Turner has been nominated for a 2021 QBANK Everyday Heroes Award. For more than 70 days straight, Trevor was on the ground leading a team fighting to control a fire blazing 30 kilometres through the Scenic Rim range.

For more than 70 days straight, Mr Turner was on the ground leading a team fighting to control a fire blazing 30 kilometres through the Great Dividing range.

Often only gaining 3-4 hours’ sleep at night over the two-month period, Mr Turner fought daily until the blaze was extinguished.

A decade after becoming a RFS volunteer, Mr Clarke has been named South East Regional Volunteer of the Year.

When Mr Clarke saw first-hand how the rural fireys worked in the community after the 2011 floods, he was inspired.

“I got involved after seeing how involved the RFS was in the community during the flood clean up,” he said.

“The floods didn’t impact me personally but I could see the community spirit the RFS brought during the clean up.

“It wasn’t just fires – they were helping the community wherever they could.”

Joining the brigade was eye-opening but, a decade on, Mr Clarke said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“My first fire was one threatening structures in Purga,” he said.

“It was a lot of brigades coming together to deal with this fire and protect the houses, crops and stock the farmers had.

“I realised what the RFS does is vital in the community.”

He said it was humbling to be able to serve the community when it was most needed.

“We can be there for our community during the darkest moments, when they need help the most,” he said.

Rural Fire Service volunteers work across 93 per cent of Queensland.

“Without volunteers, we would have a lot of trouble covering Queensland in response to bushfires and grass fires,” Mr Clarke said.

He remembers receiving an emotional response after fighting a fire in Minden.

“I remember the property owner coming in after the fire had passed their house,” he said.

“She broke down in tears and hugged us.”

Read more news by Ebony Graveur here.