Another new recruit welcomed at Boggabri Fire and Rescue Station

Deputy Captain of Fire and Rescue NSW Station 229, Dalton Hoskinson, is excited to welcome another recruit into its ranks.

Declan Swain wanted to give back to his community and saw an advertisement for Fire and Rescue NSW and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to give back to the community and learn new skills.

Another incentive was that he has an uncle who belongs to the Gunnedah station and has just completed 10 years of service.

Declan was born in Gunnedah and spent 12 years in Newcastle before moving back to the Boggabri/Emerald Hill area as a contract farmer two years ago.

He feels he will be in a good position to be able to respond to emergencies and fires after he finishes his training which he will undertake in Armidale in March 2023.

In his spare time, of which he says he doesn’t have much at this stage, he enjoys soccer and is looking forward to taking his boat out now that there is plenty of water in the dam.

Unfortunately, he bought his boat and the drought struck and then the floods, so he is hoping for some good boating weather in 2023.

Declan said family is important to him, and he tries to spend time with his dad, who lives in Walcha, as well as his extended family members and friends who live in the Gunnedah area.

“We are excited to welcome two new recruits over the past few months, however we still have five vacancies,” Mr Hoskinson said.