Singing firefighter kept busy during the Tamworth Country Music Festival
Published: 23rd January 2010
For part-time firefighter and country music singer Dan Murphy, the Tamworth Country Music Festival has been a busy few weeks. While fronting his five-piece band at 14 performances across Tamworth, Mr Murphy has also been responding to emergencies in Tamworth with the crew from West Tamworth Fire Station.Minister for Emergency Services Steve Whan said Mr Murphy was just one example of the diverse and interesting people that form the ranks of the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) retained (on-call) firefighters.
"On-call firefighters come from all walks of life - some are stay-at-home mums and dads, others are pilots or small business owners - and there is no doubt that they are vitally important to our operations in rural and regional NSW. Their dedication and support is crucial to ensuring the safety of hundreds of communities.
"People like Dan devote many hours of their time to serving their local communities, responding to a range of incidents including fires, car accidents and chemical spills, and educating local residents about what they can do to prevent fires in the home."
In addition to his music career and role of a firefighter, Mr Murphy works full-time at a flour mill in Gunnedah and runs cattle on a farm in Gunnedah.
"When I moved to Gunnedah six years ago, the local community really embraced me so I wanted to give something back - the local fire brigade were looking for people so I applied and was accepted.
"Becoming a firefighter was the best decision I ever made. It’s a great way to be involved in the local community and make a real and positive contribution."
Mr Whan thanked all of Tamworth's on-call and full time firefighters, who have been working hard throughout the Country Music Festival.
"The firefighters from Tamworth and West Tamworth fire stations have been out and about throughout the festival, providing fire safety information to locals and visitors, and keeping an eye on the festival grounds and activities to make sure all festival-goers have a safe and enjoyable time."
Anyone interested in becoming a retained firefighter should contact their local fire station for more information or visit the NSWFB website - www.fire.nsw.gov.au