Although Winter is usually a quieter part of the year for Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade, we have been kept busy helping with the flood recovery in the district’s north.
We have spent a number of days at Wiseman’s Ferry, Sackville North, Lower Portland and Leets Vale assisting residents to clear the mud and silt from their homes and restore some normality. We have also attended incidents around Glenhaven that have included automatic fire alarms, car accidents, powerlines down, and missing person searches.
We have participated in some combined training exercises with our neighbouring brigades. These included a gas fire training session at Sackville North, First Aid training at South Maroota, and a pumper familiarisation session at Kellyville. Some of our senior members also participated in an Aviation Communication and Awareness Workshop at RAAF Richmond.
The brigade also spent some time together at a brigade planning day. This was a time for us to reflect on what we do well, consider where we could specialise in the future, and socialise with other members.
2nd Castle Hill Scouts visited our station to learn more about fire safety and got to see first hand how our members prepare for a village incident. The scouts participated in Get Ready Challenges including hose drills and racing the clock to don PPE. Our regular training has also continued to ensure we stay ‘fire fit’ and prepared for the coming season. Congratulations to our three new members, who achieved their Bush Firefighter qualification in June.
Now is the perfect time for you to review your fire plan and get ready for the next bush fire season. The more prepared you are for a bush fire, the better your chances of survival. We’ve seen the devastating impact that bush fires can have – on people, properties and communities. Being bush fire ready will help provide protection for you, your family and your pets.
The middle of an emergency is no time to start thinking about what you should do. Having a Fire Plan will help you avoid making last minute decisions that could be deadly.
Your Fire Plan outlines what you need to do to prepare yourself, your family, your pets and what actions each member of your family will need to do to be safe.
If you haven’t already made a plan, go to https://www.myfireplan.com.au/ and complete the steps. It can take as little as five minutes to make your plan. Make sure everyone in your family knows and understands your Fire Plan. Practice it regularly and keep it where you can find it. Glenhaven members training with Sackville North.
Get Ready Weekend is 17-18th September – follow Glenhaven Rural Fire Brigade on Facebook and Instagram for more information.
