Research highlights importance of training volunteer firefighters as bushfire risks grow 

As major wildfires continue to burn across parts of Europe and Canada, new Federation University research is highlighting the growing importance of training volunteer firefighters to respond safely and effectively to increasingly severe bushfire events.

Federation University Emeritus Professor Erica Smith has spent more than a decade researching how volunteer firefighters are trained, including extensive work with the NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS).

Published in the Australian Journal of Adult Learning, the research found that qualifications-based training, drawn from the Public Safety Training Package, helps ensure firefighters are capable, confident and able to work safely and effectively during major emergencies.  Her latest research also examines how the training systems in the Rural Fire Service has been able to evolve to meet the challenges of increasingly complex fire seasons and changing fire behaviour.

Professor Smith presented the findings as the keynote address at the NSW Rural Fire Service Learning and Development Forum in Dubbo this month, attended by around 80 volunteer firefighters and trainers and 150 training and learning and development staff from across the state.

Professor Smith said the research was particularly important as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of bushfires worldwide.

"The severe fires we're seeing in Canada and Europe are a reminder that communities around the world continue to rely heavily on volunteer firefighters," Professor Smith said.

"As bushfires become larger, faster and more unpredictable, it's vital that volunteers receive training that gives them both the capability and confidence to operate safely in very challenging conditions."

The study drew on interviews with NSW RFS staff, volunteers and trainers conducted between 2013 and 2025, as well as survey data from volunteer firefighters. It found that good training was viewed as vital for recruitment and retention, while providing assurance that firefighters across different regions and jurisdictions possess the same core skills and knowledge. 

The researchers found that nationally recognised training enables firefighters to operate effectively alongside other emergency services and supports interstate and international deployments. Last weekend, firefighters from NSW joined contingents from other states to assist in Canada.

NSW RFS is an Enterprise Registered Training Organisation, training its own workers and volunteers, and has therefore been able to rapidly adapt its training programs in response to lessons learned from the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires and emerging changes in fire behaviour.

Professor Smith said the research has implications well beyond firefighting.

"Many volunteer-based organisations operate in environments where public safety is at stake. Our findings show that strong training, assessment and quality assurance systems are critical in ensuring volunteers are well prepared for these responsibilities."