Sixteen year old Jack Kelly, a student at St Mary MacKillop College, Tuggeranong, has spent his summer holidays fighting the bushfires that threatened the Braidwood and Bungendore area, as a volunteer firefighter.

Jack joined the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) with his dad at just 14 years of age. After two years of basic training, he was ready to join the front line. Courageous Jack put that training into practice over the summer holidays, fighting the recent fires beside some of the most experienced firefighters.

“The highlight of my summer break was fighting the fires in my own backyard in Warri, NSW and knowing that what I was doing was saving lives and land,” said Jack “The scariest day was the day that the bushfires impacted my own street.”

Jack intends to stay with the RFS for the foreseeable future as he completes his senior studies at St Mary MacKillop College. He hopes one day to have a career as a professional firefighter.