Shaun Arnold, captain of the Waikerie brigade in South Australia’s Riverland, has been a dedicated volunteer with the Country Fire Service (CFS) for nearly 50 years. However, he is increasingly concerned about a troubling trend: verbal abuse directed at volunteers. As the fire danger season begins, Arnold warns that this abuse is causing some volunteers to leave the service.

The verbal attacks often occur at crash sites and emergency scenes, where CFS volunteers manage road closures and direct traffic. Arnold noted that younger volunteers, especially young women, are frequently targeted. He shared that his own daughter, Samantha Whittington, has faced significant harassment while on duty. "We get a lot of four-letter language," Arnold said. "Some of our younger members don't want to go to the accident site. Some of them take offence to it; a couple have left because of it."

Samantha Whittington, 28, has been a CFS volunteer since she was 11. She recounted a particularly distressing incident where she had to involve the police after being verbally assaulted. "I copped an almighty abuse one day and I had to go to the local police to get help because they kept going off at me," she said. "It's not my fault; I'm just a volunteer trying to do the best I can."

Whittington explained that while most motorists are understanding, a minority exhibit poor behavior. She described experiences where impatient drivers sped through crash sites, ignored road closure signs, or rolled down their windows to hurl insults at volunteers. "I was getting called some not very nice names, and another truck driver turned around and said, 'Oi, she's just doing her job … [don't] yell abuse,'" she recalled.

Brenton Hastie, acting deputy chief officer at the CFS, emphasized that any abuse towards volunteers is a serious offense. "CFS volunteers are covered by legislation as a prescribed emergency worker," he said. "We work closely with SAPOL where those instances [of abuse] occur, and the penalties for doing so are severe."

The Waikerie brigade is experiencing a decline in volunteer numbers, reflecting a broader trend across the state. The CFS currently has 12,982 volunteers, down from 13,928 in 2015. This decline is particularly concerning for Monash CFS captain Dave Otto de Grancy, who has served since 1986. He described the current situation as having the "lowest numbers on record" this year. "Not that long ago, we were fighting to find room in the truck, but now, sadly, we may attend a fire with only two people on board," he said. "You feel like you've let your whole community down."

De Grancy has attempted various strategies to recruit new volunteers, including school visits and open days, but has seen little success. The situation is dire in some areas, such as Nangwarry, which faced closure due to having only three active members as of July.

De Grancy called for a media campaign to boost volunteer numbers. "The corporate entity of the CFS really needs to get out there and start supporting us," he said. "Our numbers are dwindling, and when our trucks can't roll out of the station, what are we going to do?"

Hastie acknowledged the decline in volunteer numbers but noted that the CFS is still training about 700 new firefighters each year. He mentioned that while there have been calls for large advertising campaigns, the organization has found more success through community-based approaches. Hastie also highlighted the introduction of six volunteer officers in each region to address specific recruitment challenges.

Jeff Clark, president of the CFS Volunteers Association, stated that the organization has been exploring alternative methods to engage volunteers, particularly in regional areas. He noted that brigades closer to Adelaide often have waiting lists for volunteers, while those in more remote areas struggle.

Minister for Emergency Services Emily Bourke confirmed that the state government is actively seeking ways to increase volunteer numbers, including recruitment campaigns.

Back in the Riverland, Shaun Arnold hopes for changes that will encourage more community involvement in the CFS and reduce roadside abuse. "If you volunteer, you don't have to go and see the horrible stuff; there's plenty of other volunteer work to do," he said. "We do get a lot of abuse towards members, and we get a lot of people who want to speed through and don't slow down. We want to get home too."