It was, as the adage goes, all in a day's work.
The fire had started in the kitchen, like almost all household fires, and the Doyalson brigade wasted no time. They arrived in full kit at Blue Haven around 7.30pm on March 16 and got the fire out before it could spread to the wall cavity and the roof.
A few moments later, and the stove could have burned into the range hood, and then things could have been much worse. The firefighters replaced the family's smoke alarm and were packing up from the scene when Mia, and smallest fire safety officer, pulled aside Station Officer Dirk Ziekenheiner and asked him to read her a story.
Who could say no?
Ziekenheiner, still in the work fatigues, settled down in the family play room and began reading.
It turns out that Mia is familiar with the firefighter trade from her children's TV programs and the local crew were impressed that she knew how to call triple-zero in an emergency, how to escape a fire if she had to, the importance of staying outside once you have evacuated from a building where fire has broken out.
"Knowing what to do in a fire can sometimes spell the difference between life and death, which is why it's critical everyone knows how to protect themselves and their loved ones," Station Officer Ziekenheiner said.
"I was blown away by how much knowledge Mia and her family had - they're clearly heeding our fire safety messages and prioritising their survival.
"Our firefighters urge others to educate their own families on fire safety, and remind them there are age-appropriate resources available if they need help doing so."
"Our family never thought we'd come this close to losing our home to fire, so the key is to not be complacent about the risks," Mia's dad, James, said. ""Having now seen first-hand the great work (firefighters) do, we'll continue to spread the word about fire safety and we encourage others to do the same."
Speaking of the Central Coast brigades, the crew stationed at Wyong has proved too good after the first regional heats of the 2024 Firefighter Championships last weekend.
One of 19 teams competing at Tumut, in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, Wyong set out, determined to defend its title as reigning NSW champion.
The Central Coast firefighting crew took out seven of the 10 events, held over the two days of competition, setting a commanding lead of 400 points over its nearest rival, Kootingal RFS, in disciplines relating to hose and hydrant deployment and extinguishment; rescues, ladder practice and high-rise bag use.
Third place overall went to the Ulladulla "A" Fire and Rescue NSW team.
Additional firefighting teams will compete in the next round of the championship at Kelso in Bathurst in August. The successful crews will advance to the state championships at Wagga Wagga in October. Cheryl Steer, the championship director, said the atmosphere at Tumut was incredible and a "great opportunity to showcase the camaraderie of our people."
"Their skills are improved because each event directly relates to real firefighting environments," she said.
