The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) has put out a call on social media asking for people to donate "old clunkers" to help crews train.
Vehicles are required for crash rescue drills, but demand sometimes outstrips supply.
"It’s just occasionally, times like this where we might put a bit of a shout out through social media for assistance," Danny Richardson of the TFS said.
"If the public can assist us with donations we bolster the stocks from there."
The donated cars are used to help firefighters gain experience in cutting open vehicles at accident sites.
"Our crews have a responsibility, when we go to road accidents, to assist [Ambulance Tasmania] in the removal of patients who might be trapped in vehicles," Mr Richardson said.
"So whilst our ambulance colleagues are maintaining the … medical care for the patient, our crews are on the cutting tools."
Mr Richardson said there was a '"whole range" of techniques for cutting into cars, each with a different set of safety issues.
The training is provided not only to new recruits, but also as a refresher to more experienced firefighters throughout their careers.
Who are the donors?
All sorts of people across the state respond to callouts like this, according to Mr Richardson.
"It might be that there's an old vehicle left by a relative who's passed away, or it could be a vehicle that’s not really worth selling that someone just wants to get rid of," he said.
"We do get quite a few vehicles that have been involved in accidents.
"We [also] have a really good partnership with some local recycling companies, so they’ll provide us with some vehicles and we'll cut them up, and they'll take them back and recycle them."
One of the main motivations of donors, Mr Richardson said, was their wish to contribute to a good cause.
"Rather than just sort of chucking them on the scrap heap, they are happy to donate them to us and see that they’re going to a cause that will help the community," he said.
"It is a good, worthwhile cause and we really appreciate the support the public give us."
