Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) have announced a new partnership with the St George Illawarra Dragons as part of their Tactical Athlete Resilience Program (TARP) initiative.

TARP aims to deliver health and wellbeing support for FRNSW firefighters via elite sporting organisations granting access to physiotherapists, health services and facilities used by some of Australia’s top sportsmen and women.

In addition to the preventative readiness component – which focuses on keeping firefighters in form – TARP also includes rehabilitation services for firefighters who are injured on the job.

Along with the Dragons, FRNSW have partnered with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, St George Illawarra Dragons, NSW Swifts, GIANTS Netball and the Central Coast Mariners to deliver the program.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said: “The work undertaken by our firefighters to protect communities takes a toll, both physically and mentally, and through this program our men and women on the frontline will be able to benefit from the expertise and resources used in elite sport clubs across NSW.”

FRNSW commissioner Paul Baxter said TARP demonstrates the agency’s ongoing commitment to its workforce and expanding support networks: “By empowering our firefighters with elite training, treatment and rehabilitation options, we are boosting their resilience and improving return to work outcomes.

“FRNSW is always looking for ways to minimise the incidence and impacts of illness and injury.

“By bringing on board more clubs and their medical experts across more sporting codes, TARP is now accessible to more of our firefighters and able to better cater to diverse care needs.”