Noah is flying high

NOAH Tanzen loves volunteering in the Upper Kiewa Valley community. It was one of the reasons the 18 year old was recognised as Kiewa Valley's Local Young Achiever at the Australia Day awards last month. He has recently completed his training to become an operational firefighter with the Mount Beauty CFA and was also the youngest volunteer firefighter to join the brigade two years ago. Noah has proven himself to be a very skilled and highly valued member of the CFA team, with reliability, enthusiasm, persistence and patience all used to describe his contribution. In addition to regular training and equipment maintenance, he has volunteered his time to assist with the brigade's community activities including the Colour Fun Run, Santa Lolly Runs and the Good Friday Appeal. Noah said he feels like he belongs at the CFA as he is doing something he is interested in and is treated the same as other members. "The main reason I joined the CFA was because they assist with community events like the Good Friday Appeal, and I saw them helping people," he said. Mt Beauty CFA captain Russell Bowring said that Noah's enthusiasm is "very high". "He is always very keen to develop his skills with more training and now that he is a full member, he turns out to events and gets around the community," he said. His sense of civic duty is also clear from his other volunteering at events like the Biggest Morning Tea fundraisers and also marshalling mountain bike events across Mount Beauty and Falls Creek. "Being able to out others and making their lives easier makes me feel good and is one of the main reasons that I started to volunteer my time within my community," he said. When not helping others Noah is likely to be pursuing his passion for flying. He is an avid glider pilot, having held a licence for more than four years. He said gliding makes him feel like he is in control and gives him a sense of freedom. "The discipline of it suits me and having the ability to control a machine in the air yourself, especially as a young person, is very satisfying," said Noah. He was recently awarded the Kieran Brown Flying Scholarship which meant he got the opportunity to go to Queensland to do more training with Flightscope Aviation. Noah said the experience was amazing. His passion for flying has seen him pursue a new career with the Australian Air Force, and he will commence as an aircraft technician later this year. "The defence force is a great career path for what I enjoy," said Noah. "I will be able to get paid to learn something that I'm passionate about. "I enjoy the technician part of it after pulling apart some planes myself." For now, Noah is committed to continue volunteering with the CFA and take to the sky to hone his flying skills.

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