![Graham Bennett wants others to experience the rewards that come from being a volunteer with the Milton Rural Fire Service [RFS].](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/z8hBhxAZcc6GAanbqacDHK/ed05942f-784e-4296-a0d3-05b46614f7a2.jpg/r0_0_4032_3024_w576_h298_fmax.webp "Graham Bennett wants others to experience the rewards that come from being a volunteer with the Milton Rural Fire Service [RFS].")
Graham Bennett wants others to experience the rewards that come from being a volunteer with the Milton Rural Fire Service [RFS].
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His passion for volunteering is strong and the 40-year RFS veteran hopes more people will join the Milton "family".
Graham says they [the Milton RFS] want volunteers to enjoy what they, as an organisation, do - which is serving the community.
"We want volunteers to learn something, do something for the community and enjoy themselves," he said.
He said it was "absolutely enjoyable" being a member of the Milton RFS.
"People here are very friendly and easy to get on with," he said.
The best way to learn more about becoming a volunteer with the Milton RFS is to come to the group's open day this weekend.
Information sessions will be held on Saturday April 20 and Sunday April 21 from 9am to 11am at the station at 221 Croobyar Road.
So please come along, meet the team, learn about the group's capabilities and what they do for the community.
Volunteers from the Milton RFS come from all walks of life.
Volunteers do not have to fight fires - groups like the Milton RFS have roles for all.
The weekend's open day is the perfect way to find more.
"Come along - have a look," Graham said about the weekend's open day.
"There is no pressure on volunteering and no pressure on you about attending things."
Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/RFSMilton
Graham added you also get state and nationally recognised skills.
"If you want to go out and fight fires - we will give you the skills to do that and to do it safely," he said.
The RFS veteran added safety of volunteers was their prime objective.
Graham maintains his love for volunteering with the RFS.
"I enjoy giving back to the community - I found that it's so rewarding," he said.
"The more you put into something - the more you get out of it."
Graham even suggests that being with the RFS, in general, is like being part of one big extended family.
He has met a lot of people and made many friends over the years.
"You meet people out in the general public who are appreciative of what we do," he said.
Meanwhile, the Milton RFS currently has 28 active members and a few in "reserve" who help with administrative tasks and fundraising
All up the group has 35 members.
The group is running a recruitment drive to make sure they have the numbers to cover situations like Black Summer [2019/2020].
Some volunteers have retired since Black Summer for various reasons.
Graham has been a RFS volunteer for 40 years and joined the Thirlmere RFS in 1983.
He was a volunteer with the Thirlmere until 2015 and was captain for 12 years, served 11 years as senior deputy and was also deputy group captain for the Wollondilly Shire.
When the experienced RFS volunteer moved to the area he joined the Milton RFS which was in 2014.
He is now Milton's president and deputy captain - he helps out with the training of volunteers as well.
Graham is happy to report that the age demographic of the Milton RFS has changed and members are now younger compared to when he joined in 2014.
"That is exactly what we want," he said about having younger volunteers in the group.
"We want the younger people to become more involved with their community."
