NEWPORT firefighter Richard Zapart is keen to get back on the job eight months after a blaze that nearly claimed his life, even though he faces another two years of intensive rehabilitation.

Mr Zapart, 57, is slowly regaining the use of his hands after receiving full skin grafts from the fire at Yarraville Japanese Screens and Interiors on 12 October. He is undergoing therapy to get movement back in his fingers.

The 32-year veteran of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade suffered burns to 45 per cent of his body, with extensive burns to his hands, back and legs after being knocked unconscious when the fire “flashed over”.

He was released from The Alfred hospital’s burns unit just before Christmas, despite an initial prognosis suggesting a six-month stay. Western Zone Operations Commander Ken Brown estimated Mr Zapart had at least two years of intensive therapy ahead.

“He’s working hard to get back to being a firefighter, that’s the goal,” Mr Brown said. “Realistically, it’s very unlikely that he’ll be able to return to full operational duties, but we don’t talk about that, we talk about the goal of getting back.

“I think deep down he realises that he won’t be able to return and I don’t think his family want him, to be honest, but he’s working so hard to try and get back and we don’t want to take that away from him.”

Mr Brown said the factory blaze had changed colleagues’ jobs “forever”.

“We take pride that firefighters don’t get significantly hurt – over time we’ve had firefighters that have been seriously injured but we’d never been caught like this before,” he said. Mr Brown said bravery awards for Mr Zapart’s rescuers and colleagues Mark Fincher, Brian O’Connell and Russell Johnson were still in the works. From Monday, firefighters across Victoria will be issued with new protective uniforms after Mr Zapart’s injuries sparked union calls for firefighters to be better equipped. Mr Brown said the uniforms were a long time coming, but needed to be perfected before they were sent out.

“The brigade has pushed and pushed to try and get this process sped up – especially since Richard’s accident,” he said. “But you’ve got to understand that we were well underway in dealing with the new uniforms and there was a lot of testing still to be done because we want to make sure that we get the best possible protection for firefighters and that’s what the community expects. We were not going to take shortcuts.”