The students completed the NSW RFS  Secondary School Cadet Program, getting them one step closer to be RFS firefighters one day.

MAGS principal Craig Mansour said it was fantastic to see the young men joining a volunteer organisation such as the RFS.

“Volunteering is a massive, massive part of life. It’s a massive part of our town and life here in Australia. I’m really thankful the boys have started on that journey and I challenge our year 8 boys and girls to consider next year how involved they’re going to be,” Mr Mansour said. 

The principal also thanked the RFS firefighters, Barry Whalan and Craig Walters, for giving their time to teach the secondary students.

“I love coming to school, I do, I love coming every day, but I also get paid to come. These guys have turned up here, Mr Whalan in particular has turned up every fortnight for two terms, just because he wants to help out,” Mr Mansour said. 

“That’s a great thing for all of us to take note of and a great thing for all of us to emulate.”

Deputy Premier and Dubbo MP Troy Grant said the NSW government relied heavily on volunteer services to protect the community, both their homes and people.

“If the government had to pay each of the individuals for the work they put in, well we couldn’t afford it. We wouldn’t have enough money in the state budget to afford it,” Mr Grant said. 

“But t having the volunteers, we can’t afford that either so we rely on organisations like the RFS to have their members volunteer.”

Dubbo was lucky to have one of the highest volunteer rates in the state, Mr Grant said. 

Bronwyn Jones also attended the ceremony, representing RMS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.

She said the cadets had joined an organisation that held friendship, teamwork and support at its core.

Twenty-three students from Dubbo College Delroy Campus also graduated.