The Woodend Fire Brigade has welcomed a new medium tanker and rehab unit vehicle to their engine bay, celebrating the official handover with brigade members and local dignitaries this month.

Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward and Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas on Friday, May 9 joined Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteers and staff in Woodend to officially hand over a new medium tanker and rehabilitation unit while thanking volunteers for their work.

The four-wheel drive Hino GT medium tanker fits up to five crew members in the cabin and replaces the brigade’s existing 25-year-old tanker.

Features include 2,000 litre firefighting water storage and an extra 650 litres for crew and vehicle protection sprays. The suppression system can be operated from inside the cabin – helping ensure brigade members are kept safe.

Woodend Brigade Captain Steve Ritchie has been involved with the brigade for 31 years and says the brigade feels proud to have a modernised firefighting fleet.       

“Our old tanker served us well for 25 years, but this new vehicle provides advanced capabilities and ensures safe transport to and from incident sites,” Steve said.  

“It’s a game changer for us. This tanker is a four-wheel drive and comfortably seats a crew of five, whereas our old tanker was a two-wheel drive and had our crews squished in together or travelling on the back of the truck,” Steve said.  

The new rehab unit will replace their existing one and is better equipped to monitor and maintain firefighter health on the fire ground.

“We’ve replaced our makeshift unit with a purpose-built vehicle that provides enhanced safety and comfort for our team,” Steve said.  

“It comfortably seats four crew members with its twin cabin and is better configured to store health monitoring systems, lighting, cool chairs, water, wash facilities, salt and sugar boosters, and first aid kits.

“It will significantly improve onsite health support for firefighters ensuring our members have a safe space to rest and recover during prolonged incidents.

“Responding to more than 230 call outs over the past two years, the streamlined configuration of both vehicles will significantly help with our crew’s communication and teamwork when responding to incidents.”

CFA District 2 Commander Hugh Kelly congratulated the brigade on their new additions.  

“These vehicles are a testament to the dedication of the Woodend Fire Brigade and the community that supports them,” Hugh said.  

“Both additions will be valuable assets to help keep the local community safe, while also ensuring the safety and wellbeing of brigade members. 

“The new medium tanker and rehab unit were made possible through the Victorian Government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) and significant brigade contributions from community and business donations.”  

Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas: “The Woodend Fire Brigade is an integral part of the Mount Macedon region. It’s a pleasure to officially handover the new medium tanker and rehabilitation unit to our hardworking volunteers.”

Words: Supplied. Images: CFA

The Beaufort CFA Brigade has received a new fire station … and a new heavy tanker.

As the CFA approaches its 80^th anniversary this week, the state’s Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward last Friday officially unveiled the station and handed over the new heavy tanker to the brigade. 

Beaufort Captain Tony Neville said the brigade, in its 151 year, was thrilled to be operating out the new state of the art station and using the new heavy tanker.

“Everything flows better,” Mr Neville said.

“All our trucks are all on the one bay, we used to have separate sheds and had to move cars around to get to equipment.

“I think it may have also helped with recruitment with five new volunteers waiting to do their General Fire Fighting training.”

The new station, which has relocated to 2-6 Racecourse Road, includes essential amenities such as a motor room with three drive-through bays, offices, workshops, operational areas, meeting rooms, change rooms for both male and female volunteers, as well as unisex ambulant facilities. Externally the station provides a car park, and a six-bay storage shed.   

The station is also home to a Local Command Facility, which provides additional support to the district and brigades during larger incidents.

The new heavy tanker includes important features to improve safety and reduce fatigue, with crew and vehicle roll over and burnover protection, a 4,000-litre water tank and electric rewind hose reels – helping improve their emegergency response capabilities. 

This is one of the 48 new heavy tankers being delivered as part of the state government’s $22.7 million investment into state-of-the-art appliances for CFA.

This week the CFA is celebrating 80 years of operation – and Beaufort is one of the oldest brigades in the state, celebrating its 150th anniversary last year. 

Beaufort Brigade has a proud history especially during World War I when many of its members enlisted and served overseas.

Beaufort provided more soldiers to the war effort than any other fire brigade in Victoria at the time with 13 of its 15 active members joining the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service abroad.

The CFA formed after a series of devastating fires in the summer of 1943-44 prompted the consolidation of the Bushfire Brigades Association and the Country Fire Brigades Association. 

Since this time, the CFA has become one of the largest volunteer-based organisations in the world – with more than 52,000 members across 1,200 brigades.

Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward: “CFA volunteers show extraordinary courage showing up for Victorians in emergencies – it’s a history they are rightly proud of.”

“We will always support them so they have everything they need to protect lives and communities.”

Member for Ripon Martha Haylett: “The Beaufort Fire Brigade has been protecting our community for over 150 years. Their dedicated volunteers deserve the very best station, vehicles, and equipment to respond to emergencies.”

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan: “This new facility marks the beginning of a new part of this brigade’s history and one that will only improve the service the CFA provides for their local areas.”    

This story based on a CFA report and a state government media release. Image: Supplied, CFA