Cold and wet conditions did not deter the 35 participants who discovered just what it takes to be a firefighter.
"It is great to see such a good turnout. We have a few vacancies in the southern fire region at the moment so we hope days like this will help fill some of those," Invercargill Station Officer Duane Shannon, who helped organise the open day, said.
During the open day, participants were given an insight into the role of a firefighter, which included spending time looking at the application packs, practising theory tests and trying the physical pre-entry test.
A key component of the open day was to give would-be recruits the chance to have a dummy-run at the physical pre-entry test, and "it helps them decide whether they will apply or not", he said.
Most applicants travelled to the open day from within the southern fire region, but several came from as far afield as Christchurch, Mr Shannon said.
Recently returned from overseas, Sophie Harpur, of Invercargill, attended the open day because "I wanted to get a taste for the job".
Ian Loan (42), of Dunedin, said he wanted to participate in the annual open day because his partner, Emma Baird, was a firefighter based at the Willowbank, Dunedin, station.
"It was pretty hard doing this test, but it gives me an appreciation of what she has to do when she is at work."
An owner-operator driver, Mr Loan said he always wanted to be a firefighter and it was a job which benefited the community.
"I think everyone at some stage wants to be a fireman or a policeman, and it is a career I could see myself doing."
The training courses for successful applicants start on January 19, 2009.
