German firefighter holds “special place” in heart for Baldivis volunteer fire brigade

When 23-year-old traveller Toni Kneuppel saw a bushfire near his home in Baldivis, the German firefighter knew he could use his skills and passion to help his adopted community. When his offer to help that day was declined, it spurred Mr Kneuppel to complete two months training and become a probationary member of the Baldivis Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services brigade. Baldivis VFES captain Neil Chaplin said it wasn’t uncommon for good-natured bystanders to offer help at an incident but it was extremely unusual for that person to be a trained firefighter from the other side of the world. “We were really impressed with how well Toni adjusted to our Australian methods and how quickly he picked up the differences in the way we do things compared to Germany,” he said. Mr Kneuppel said the urge to get involved and help out came naturally to him, given that’s what he’d done growing up in Germany. Mr Kneuppel has been a member of his hometown fire station in Siek, Holstein, since he was just 10 years old, completing eight years of training in the youth fire brigade in readiness to become a firefighter at 18. “It feels good to do your part for the local community. I think there is nothing more honourable than helping those in need,” he told the Sound Telegraph. “For me, it’s also a great way to meet new people and get to know the community — Australians seem to have a strong culture of mateship and helping each other, which I’ve definitely seen in my time in Baldivis.” He has spent four months in the area and said Baldivis would hold a special place in his heart even when he moves on to explore other parts of Australia as it helped him realise his goal of firefighting in a different country. Mr Chaplin said Mr Kneuppel’s comments rang true for many volunteers. “Volunteering brings a lot of satisfaction to people and is a great way to learn new practical skills, which is terrific for building confidence and resilience,” he said.

German firefighter holds “special place” in heart for Baldivis volunteer fire brigade

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