Milton Ulladulla Rugby League Club junior, Keele Browne, is firing up when it comes to her NRLW 2024 season preparations.
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Keele and UOW PhD student Simone James paid a visit to Wollongong Fire Station to better understand the similarities between team sporting environments and firefighting.
Keele and Simone, who work with firefighters in improving their strength and conditioning as part of the Tactical Athlete Resilience Program (TARP) run by the Dragons for Fire and Rescue NSW, recently spent a day at the Wollongong Fire Station.
Keele, who had some injury concerns in the past, and Simone were able to experience first-hand the teamwork, strength, and endurance required to fulfill day-to-day duties that over 7,000 firefighters across over 300 stations undertake.
"They got us to put on their day-to-day gear to understand the weight and heat it produces just wearing it," Keele said.
"It was an eye-opening experience to see the reality of the jobs they are required to do."
The Dragons are now in the second year of facilitating TARP for Fire and Rescue NSW with over 60 firefighters having been supported through the Dragons' program.
The TARP program focuses on building the physical and mental capacities of firefighters to improve their health and well-being and reduce the risk of injury.
The experience helped assist the Dragons player to understand the significance of the TARP program.
"These firefighters need to have an all-round level of strength and fitness," she said.
"The TARP program presents a huge opportunity to help these individuals physically prepare their bodies to withstand this physically demanding job."
The Dragons start its 2024 NRLW campaign off on Sunday July 28 with a match against the Gold Coast Titans at WIN Stadium.
