Cost of living crisis: Fire brigade volunteers seek additional work

Mr Giblin said while the brigade had about 45 members - with 25 who were active - it was becoming more difficult to recruit and retain volunteers.

"The cost of living has had a big impact on our brigade," Mr Giblin said.

"People are chasing extra shifts and working on Saturday because of higher interest rates and higher rent."

Mr Giblin said the brigade was blessed to have a core group of people, who turned out to most incidents.

"The jobs I go to, I see the same faces," Mr Giblin said.

He said the brigade would love to recruit more members who had an interest in keeping their community safe.

Port Fairy CFA captain Hugh Worrall said the brigade also had a small but dedicated group of volunteers.

He said most were lucky to have employers who allowed them to take time off work to attend incidents.

However, responding to call outs during the day could sometimes be a challenge - with members working outside Port Fairy.

There have been calls from some CFA volunteers for the introduction of paid community leave to ensure members don't have to use annual leave to protect their communities.

In February 2024, The Standard reported volunteer burnout for city events was at a peak.

Two years earlier, The Standard published an editorial about a range of clubs and sporting groups being hit by a shortage of volunteers.