By Esther Lauaki
Rohan Rizzoli has joined the ranks of some of Werribee’s finest firefighters.
The 26 year-old was recently named Firefighter of the Year at the Werribee CFA annual awards night.
Mr Rizzoli joined the brigade in 2015 and said, looking back: “I should’ve joined earlier”.
“Since I was in my mid-teens I wanted to be a police officer, I thought volunteering with the CFA would give me a good insight into the emergency services,” he said.
“I also had a few friends who were members of the Werribee Fire Brigade, so I had an interest in what they would do and thought why not give it a go and give back to the community.”
He said he was honoured to be named Firefighter of the Year and recognised those who blazed the trail before him.
“It is a humbling experience to be recognised in front of your peers,” Mr Rizzoli said.
“Looking at the honour boards around the station, I can see that I am amongst good company with well known local names such as Daryl Wells and John Ryan who have both served the Werribee Fire Brigade and CFA for over 50 years.
“If I can be half the firefighter that these two men are, then I’d be pretty happy with myself.
“Since receiving the award, I have been motivated to continue to train and learn as much as I can.
“The best part of being a volunteer firefighter is the community events, the brigade attends dozens of events throughout the year.
“To be able to show children and families around the fire trucks or through the station puts a big smile on the kids’ faces, it is very rewarding for us.”
