Staff spotlight – Darrin Savage

We met with Darrin Savage, our first interview with a member of the Fire & Rescue team.

Darrin is a team leader who has worked at various locations for CPA Group.

Although Darrin is based on the Sunshine Coast we were able to catch him in Head Office.

What is your professional background?

I have been in the fire service with QFES for 19 years and working for CPA Group since March 2014, coming up for 5 years.

Where are you working now?

I am currently working at Weipa, a Rio Tinto site where we provide ERT staffing support and rescue training.

What other CPA Group sites have you worked?

In addition to Weipa I have worked at a number of sites during shutdown operations, clients like NACAP, QGC, CS Energy (Kogan Creek, Wivenhoe and Callide), Curragh, South Walker Creek and Poitrel mines.

I actually enjoy moving around to different sites, taking my skills to different locations.

What are your primary responsibilities?

Rescue is my primary role as well as asset protection. This could include fires, accidents including motor vehicles, vertical rescue, confined space rescue, HAZMAT, any emergency really we respond to.

How do you keep yourself and the team prepared?

We do a lot of site inspections, we attend pre-starts so we know what is happening at the site on that day – depending on these meetings, we also find out what’s coming up – for example if we know some ‘working at heights’ work is coming up we refresh our rope techniques depending on the job including visiting the location, looking for hazards, high tie off points and good anchor locations etc.

We do equipment checks daily.

We have a set schedule of skills maintenance training to ensure our skills and capabilities are current. We do desktop as well as on the ground practical training, drills and exercises, often using client training facilities

What do you find most challenging or fulfilling in your role?

I enjoy training with the team, which can include Medics as well as other ESOs and ERT members. I also train client ERTs in rescue and fire skills, also recently delivering D&A testing training – any training they require we will deliver.

I feel I get on well with the clients, understanding what they are looking for and what’s required and expected from CPA contractors. I ensure I maintain and perform my duties with professionalism, this is a good representation of CPA to the client. It is really important to get a good team together, finding the right people.

And what do you do in your spare time?

I am busy with QFES, but I also travel to Thailand frequently with my wife – we have a mango farm and family there.

Do you have any feedback on your Manager?

I think he is happy with my work, he makes working for CPA very easy and is one of the best bosses I’ve ever had. He goes out of his way to help me so I try to go out of my way to help him.

 

Manager comment

We asked Kevin Waterman, Darrin’s manager for a comment:

“Darrin has worked tirelessly over the last few years to ensure that CPAFR and CPA Group become the market leaders in emergency response.

As a manager Darrin is very easy to manage, is always willing to help and goes the extra step to get things done. He’s the foundation on which CPAFR will move forward over the next few years.”