DEPI Seasonal Project Firefighters

The Department of Environment and Primary Industries and Parks Victoria employ several hundred Project Firefighters (PFFs) for several months over the fire season. Of these, a significant number of PFFs on 3 year contracts and returnees join us bringing with them valuable skills and experience.

These PFFs complement our permanent staff of approximately 1400 trained firefighters across the state in bushfire suppression and prevention works such as planned burning.

Applications for the DEPI and Parks Victoria Project Firefighting Recruitment Campaign 2012 - 2013 are now closed.

Our PFFs fall into 3 categories:

firefighters (including operators)
hover exit crews
rappel crews.

We ensure that all our firefighters are adequately trained prior to being involved in operations.

Who is DEPI and why does it fight fires?

The Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) is responsible for managing public land and other natural resources in Victoria. DEPI Fire and Emergency Management has the responsibility to prevent and suppress bushfires in all of Victoria's National Parks, State Forests and Protected Public Land. This comprises 7.7 million hectares of land, or roughly one third of the State.

What is DEPI/Parks Victoria Project Firefighter employment?

DEPI and Parks Victoria employ several hundred people on a full time basis for several months each fire season to help suppress bushfires, as well as assist in prevention works, including planned burning. These people are called Project Firefighters (PFFs).

Successful candidates located at Parks Victoria work centres with Parks Victoria supervisors will be employed by Parks Victoria under the Park Victoria Agreement 2008. All other successful candidates will be employed by DEPI under the Field Staff Agreement 2009.

What are the prerequisites for gaining employment?

Selection is based on a number of prerequisites, including a current manual drivers license as well as other specific skills and experience relevant to firefighting. Firefighting is strenuous work and requires a high level of fitness. Mandatory requirements for employment include a National Police Record Check, medical assessment by DEPI's doctors and satisfactory completion of DEPI's fitness assessment.

Where do I get more information?

Personal accounts of Project Firefighter employment

In the video above Rebecca, a DEPI Project Firefighter, talks about her experiences working in the role.

The video runs for 45 seconds. A transcript of the video is also provided below.

"Dargo was a massive experience for me. It was such an introduction to the Alpines, especially coming from the southwest, it's flat land over there. So I got a real introduction to what East Gippsland is all about. When you're working anywhere between 12 to 16 hour shifts you just; I don't know how you do it but you manage just to soldier on and you've finished your week wherever you're assigned to. You're at home for a week and you can't wait to get back there. It's just... it's insane. You walk out with friends, not just workmates at the end of the day. I'm actually in my third year at university and originally it was a fantastic opportunity to get work over the summer. But I just sort of keep coming back and I've actually now tailored my degree so I hope to do something like this in the future."

Read other accounts of DEPI Project Firefighters by clicking on the links below.

For any enquiries or for further information, you can:

Email pff.positions@dse.vic.gov.au
For any DEPI related queries call DEPI on 136 186
For any Parks Victoria related queries call PV on 131 963
Visit your local DEPI or Parks Victoria office

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