Remote Area Firefighting Team (RAFT) personnel are members of a number of Australian fire services, including the Queensland RURAL Fire Service,
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is a volunteer-based firefighting government agency, agency and statutory body of the Government of New South Wales.
The NSW RFS is responsible for fire protection to approximately 95% of the la ...
, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
and the ACT Rural Fire service who are particularly effective for work in rugged, isolated areas that firefighting tankers can’t access by road. They can then be transported in 4WD before hiking to the fireground, or sometimes winched in by helicopter.
RAFTs are skilled in dry firefighting techniques such as creating firebreaks by cutting mineral earth trails or undertaking backburning work.
The winch training is just one aspect of the RAFT program which also includes a medical examination and fitness test to ensure crews can cope with this strenuous form of firefighting.
The ‘arduous pack test’ involves walking 4.83 km carrying 20.4 kg in 45 minutes or less to be eligible participate in training, or 43 minutes to be considered operationally deployable
Because RAFT operate a long way from vehicle support, RAFT personnel rely on each other, so teams are made up of people with a good mix of training, good navigational skills, and the ability to carry heavy equipment over long distances.
The team must be self-supporting, carrying food, drinking water and basic camping equipment.
Decisions to deploy RAFT are only made after thorough risk assessment with detailed analysis of current and predicted fire behaviour. The safety of crew members is paramount.
See also
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New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
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Bushfires in Australia
Bushfires in Australia are a widespread and regular occurrence that have contributed significantly to shaping the nature of the continent over millions of years. Eastern Australia is one of the most fire-prone regions of the world, and its pr ...
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New South Wales Fire Brigades
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Firefighting
Firefighting is a profession aimed at controlling and extinguishing fire. A person who engages in firefighting is known as a firefighter or fireman. Firefighters typically undergo a high degree of technical training. This involves structural fir ...
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Section 44 (New South Wales)
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Country Fire Service
The South Australian Country Fire Service (SACFS, commonly abbreviated as CFS) is a volunteer based fire service in the Australian state of South Australia. The CFS has responsibility as the Control Agency for firefighting, rescues and Hazar ...
(South Australia)
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Country Fire Authority (Victoria)
References
2. Queensland Rural Fire Service: Arduous Pack Test Procedure (2023), Version 1.0
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2005 Media Releases*
ABC media article{{refend
External links
NSW Rural Fire Service WebsiteNSW Rural Fire Service AssociationNSW National Parks and Wildlife Service website
Fire and the Australian bush
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
Wildfire suppression