GAAM’s Stephen Riley reflects on 44 years of volunteer firefighting
At just 14 years old, Stephen Riley joined Victoria’s Country Fire Authority (CFA) as a junior volunteer. More than four decades later, he leads the Eltham Fire Brigade as Captain while serving as Sales Manager at GAAM Emergency Products, where he draws on frontline experience to support emergency services across Australia.
From local emergencies to some of Australia’s most significant bushfires, Stephen’s volunteer service has shaped not only his leadership within the CFA but also the insight and advice he provides to GAAM customers every day.
We sat down with Stephen to reflect on his volunteer journey, how firefighting has evolved throughout his career, and what continues to drive his commitment to serving the community.
What inspired you to join the CFA as a teenager, and what has kept you volunteering for more than four decades?
My older brother was involved with the Eltham brigade, so I joined as a junior member at 14 and transferred to the senior ranks when I turned 16.
The friendships, sense of community and opportunity to help people have kept me involved ever since. The CFA really does become like family, and there’s great satisfaction in serving your community when people need you most.
You’ve responded to everything from local emergencies to major bushfires. What experience has had the greatest impact on you?
Black Saturday in 2009.
Our brigade was heavily involved in the response around Kinglake and the recovery effort that followed. Tragically, I also lost friends during those fires. It’s an experience that has stayed with me and reinforced why volunteering is so important.
How has firefighting changed over the years?
Modern firefighting has become more complex, with changing building materials and emerging risks such as lithium-ion battery fires requiring new training and response techniques.
What are the biggest challenges volunteer firefighters face today?
Time.
Volunteers balance emergency callouts, training, work and family commitments all year round. Continued support from employers is vital, as emergencies don’t only happen outside business hours.
Tell us about your role at GAAM.
I’ve been with GAAM for almost six years as Sales Manager across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
I support emergency services, industrial customers, businesses, farmers and households with firefighting pumps and equipment.
How has your frontline experience influenced the advice you provide to customers?
Having used firefighting equipment for many years, I understand how critical reliability is during an emergency.
My experience allows me to provide practical advice on pumps, nozzles, hoses, rescue tools and the range of firefighting products that GAAM sources and manufactures for emergency services.
To learn more about GAAM’s range of firefighting and emergency response equipment, visit: https://www.gaam.com.au/.
