Our brigade needs about 36 volunteers to function
well. Currently we have only about 20 active members. We need enough
volunteers so we can have relief teams in a major bushfire, otherwise
our fire trucks will be out of action when crews can't stay on their
feet any longer. Fresh crews will be much more effective and safe when
fighting a major fire.
It's not just fighting bushfires - there are also
structural fires and motor vehicle accidents. A house is lost in about
five to ten minutes after the fire starts. We need fast response times
to save people and property. It could be your house on fire, and the
quality of your brigade's response will depend on the volunteers who are
available at the time. Luckily, our pagers do not call us out to these
fires often, but when they happen we need enough trained volunteers to
make a safe crew (four or five).
Volunteers may not be able to respond to the pager calls
every time, due to family commitments, illness and work. If we have a
broad base of volunteers, it's easier on everyone.
Based on Malua Bay's population growth and the
number of homes being built adjacent to bushland in new estates, in the
next 5 years the Malua Bay Fire Brigade will need to expand
dramatically. We need volunteers now to start training so we can better
look after our community into the future.
No
prior experience is necessary, and it's free! The Rural Fire Service
conducts nationally accredited fire training courses at Mogo, which we
augment with our own brigade training. You'll receive your own
comprehensive training manual, and a set of protective clothing, boots,
gloves, helmet and goggles.
