"I wish I had joined eight years ago," she said.

The Termeil resident is now a proud member of the Bawley Point Rural Fire Service [RFS] and joined in August this year.

Sue said volunteering for the RFS was something that had always been on her mind.

Time constraints due to full-time work commitments meant her volunteering hopes stalled - until now.

Sue, like many others, felt inspired after watching the efforts of the many RFS volunteers during the Currowan fire crisis.

"After the fire, I thought I would give volunteering for the RFS a go," she said.

The new volunteer loves being part of the Bawley Point RFS family.

"The training has been great and I have learned a lot of handy things which are good to know," she said.

"I am so glad I joined."

She feels lucky to be part of the Bawley Point RFS and is learning a lot from the senior volunteers, including brigade, Charlie Magnusson.

"Charlie is a fantastic captain," she said.

She knows her fellow Bawley Point volunteers will support her.

"I am not worried about dropping a hose because I know it will be okay because someone will pick it up for me," she said.

There is also something about putting on the RFS uniform that is special.

"Do I feel good when I put on the uniform? Absolutely," she said.

Members of the public also like seeing their RFS volunteers in public.

Sue, in uniform, had a nice interaction with a man recently outside a local shop who said she and the other volunteers were doing a great job.

She remembers her first call.

Her heart was beating fast but her attitude was 'just do it.'

The first call was for a gas leak at a service station which the team soon had under control. Sue's next call-out was for a fire but it ended up being a false alarm.

The new volunteer needed that first job under her belt.

"I feel confident now more than I was for the first call out," she said.

Being a Termeil resident she remembers the start of the crisis and how it became a long and drawn-out process.

"It was an anxious time for everyone," she said.

Luckily Sue did not lose her home in the crisis, but it came close.

She is amazed her neighbour's property still stands - no doubt the RFS volunteers had something to do with that.

Sue is thankful and grateful she did not suffer any property loss, apart from some fences.