Gunnedah Fire and Rescue's brigade has gained years of experience in its new recruits.
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Toby Jaeger and Ken Walters will start their training in February, but it's familiar ground for the pair who both have a background in firefighting.
Mr Jaeger signed up with the Gunnedah Rural Fire Service (RFS) in 2004 at the age of 15 and in three short years, also joined Gunnedah State Emergency Services (SES).
The born-and-bred Gunnedah man said he had wanted to join Fire and Rescue since he was 18 but there were no positions at the time. He then moved away for a few years, taking a leave of absence from the RFS but transferred to the SES Gosford unit.
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Mr Jaeger returned to town in 2018 and "got back in the swing" with Gunnedah RFS. He was still keen to join FRNSW, so when a position came up, "I jumped on it".
He may be the only local signed up to three emergency services but thinks he can juggle it.
"With RFS and that, if they're active and FRNSW aren't, I'll just do comms and that for them, run meals out, anything I can do to help. Then as far as SES, you've still got all your storm damage and that. [SES] is not necessarily going to get called out for fire and rescue," he said.
"I haven't met anyone that has done all three ... I'm going to give it a red-hot go.
"All the emergency services work together here. It's a small town, so you just get in and get the job done."
Like Mr Jaeger, fellow recruit Mr Walters was also quick to apply for a position with FRNSW after five years in the Brewarrina brigade.
When Mr Walters and his family left the town six years ago to move to Gunnedah, there were no positions in the brigade, so he took a leave of absence but as time passed, he was forced to resign.
A year ago he applied again and is "over the moon" to be a firefighter once again.
"I really didn't want to leave [FRNSW]," Mr Walters said.
"I'm thankful to [captain] Dave [Welch] and FRNSW for giving me another shot."
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Mr Welch said he was glad the locals had joined the team.
"It's been a phenomenal season so far and I'm looking forward to see what they can bring to our station, and it bolsters numbers to help with the ongoing demands," he said.
"We welcome them aboard as they start their training."
The recruits will do phase one training in Armidale in February and phase two training in March.