The Gibbs family has firefighting in its blood.
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The family has turned out to defend its community and property for six generations, taking up farming in Jerrabomberra Creek valley in 1850.
Steve Gibbs' father, Les Gibbs, and his uncles Jim and George Gibbs, were the first of their line to sign up to the local volunteer brigade; a tradition carried on through him, his wife Karen Gibbs, and their sons Will and Tom Gibbs.
At a combined 604 centimetres tall, Steve Gibbs and his sons are the "tallest fire crew in NSW". Steve Gibbs is six feet four inches, Tom Gibbs is six feet 10, and Will Gibbs is six feet eight.
"Before [my father's] time, my grandfather [and his neighbours] would have just been fighting fires on their own farms, as there was no organised firefighting force back in those very early days," Steve Gibbs said.
"For people who live in the country, it is part of what they have to do ... [it] gets in your blood.
"It's about you helping other people and having them come and help you."
Steve Gibbs joined the Jerrabomberra Creek volunteer fire brigade some 40 years ago, and finished up with ACT Fire and Rescue in 2018 after about 36 years as a professional firefighter.
Tom Gibbs was a fire management officer with ACT Parks and Conservation Service until last year, and Will Gibbs, having moved out to the valley a couple of years ago, took on volunteering as a matter of necessity.
The family know all too well the dangers of a blaze, with Steve Gibbs' parents having lost their house from a fire in 1952. In 1985, he and wife Karen Gibbs managed to save their home from a bushfire, but lost hundreds of sheep.
"There is an element of danger but our people are well trained and have good equipment, which lessens the risks," Mr Gibbs said.
"Even so, I do worry when the boys go out and I never thought I would.
"Now I know how Karen felt waving me off to work every day for 30-odd years."
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Taking the risks into account, Mr Gibbs hopes his granddaughters, Tom Gibbs' daughters Eadie, 3, and Flora, 2, might one day consider volunteering for the local brigade.
It offered the family a great sense of community, with Steve Gibbs intending to make an appearance at the Googong Rural Fire Service Open Day on Saturday October 12 at Beltana Park.
The event, which would be held from 10am until 2pm, would be an opportunity for people to engage with their local heroes. It would also include fire trucks, a jumping castle, a sausage sizzle, and information about fire safety.
"[Eadie and Flora are] both very independent young ladies and [volunteering is] definitely not off the radar, but it's ... really something that people need to do of their own volition or it just doesn't work," Steve Gibbs said.
"Googong is very safe with all the development and not much fuel around to feed fires so it's probably the best place to stay, but families still need to have an emergency plan.
"The Googong open day is great fun for the kids and a good opportunity to remind people to have the conversation at home so everyone is ready and on the same page."
The open day is being supported by Googong developers Mirvac and Peet Limited, with last year's event hosting some 1200 people.