The group has been through a lot like this together but remain incredibly modest about their volunteer work.
“We’re a pretty laid-back brigade. I mean, we take our training and incidents very seriously but we’re not like some brigades that parade around,” Ricky says.
The Freeling CFS is fully rooted in these families and the ways they have grown together.
Thinking back, they realise Kapunda High student, Luke wasn’t even born when the Noakes’ twins became cadets, and now at age 15 he’s the leader of the brigade’s current group of eager teens.
Matthew has even been with the brigade since around the age of 8, formerly starting as a Cadet when he was 11, and now gets to boss his dad, Paul around out in the field.
“What’s great when dad and I get on a truck though is if I’m a little bit iffy about something I know I’m more than comfortable to go to dad and say, ‘How would you handle this?’ and he will tell me straight up,” Matthew says.
“Because he does have the experience, it’s always good to bounce ideas off him and get that experience back.”
“It is really relationship building,” Vicky continues.
“It’s camaraderie with your kids or with your family because it’s like, it might sound stupid, but quality time, because it’s one of those things that you can do together, an interest that you can have together.
“But we can’t let the CFS take over our family,” Deidre adds, everyone nodding in agreeance, very much understanding the balance needed to make things work.