While COVID has dominated much of what has been happening in the past months, this has also been true for the brigade, however we have continued to provide the essential emergency response to incidents while practicing social distancing and cleaning of all equipment once we have finished.
In June, whilst following covid-19 procedures, 2 courses have been successfully completed for our firefighters. The crew leader assessment consisted of a theory exam and practical assessment, which tested candidates thoroughly of their knowledge on bush fires, structure fires, and leading crews from multiple trucks. The final assessment was held out in Arcadia, so you may have seen some activity around the station and Calabash road. The district was also able to complete the Bush Firefighter (BF) assessment for new firefighters. This course is the first qualification firefighters must complete when they join the organisation, and once passed members can then go on 000 incident calls. Arcadia had members complete both these courses. Congratulations to Grant Paisley and Tahlia Powell, and during these current challenges with COVID you continued be involved and your patience during these times has not gone unnoticed, nor has your dedication to the brigade. We look forward to working with you both in your new roles as a crew leader and BF qualified firefighter.
The official Bush Fire Danger Period is due to commence on the 1st October 2020, and whilst winter has been cool, the fire risk within our area does not go away. Now is the time to continue maintaining your properties and continue improving your fire plans. There are a number of things you can do to prepare your property, this includes keeping grass low by mowing or slashing, moving vegetation debris and flammable objects away from houses and sheds, cleaning gutters, repairing roofs, checking your hoses for leaks and replacing them.
The brigade is a great resource for you to use, talking to us on how you can prepare your property and what the regulations are to ensure that you are supported in what it is you want to achieve, please take the time to come to the station on Saturday afternoons or send us an email at enquiries@arcadiaRFS.org.au
Another important thing to prepare is your water supply, as many in the Arcadia, Berrilee and Fiddletown areas are not on town water. Make sure you have a good water supply that is easily accessible by you, but also by any fire truck if they require access. For those who have access to town water, if you have a hydrant out the front of your home is it easily identifiable and not covered by grass of bushes? Another point to be mindful of is how easily accessible and identifiable your property is. Will we be able to find your street number easily? Will our trucks fit in your driveway? Will our trucks be able to turn around? Our big trucks, a cat 1 tanker, are 3.1 metres wide, 3 metres high and 8 metres long. We prefer 4 metre height clearance and 3.5 metres width. These trucks also have a 15-metre turning circle.
Now you've got your property prepared, have you prepared yourself and your animals? Bushfires can happen quickly, and they can be confronting. No one truly knows how they will react. It is important to make multiple plans and consider potential challenges if a bush fire occurs. This to consider is your alternate route if the road gets blocked, where will you go, and who will you tell. It is important to have a list of items that are easily within reach if you need to leave quickly. These items can include insurance papers, identification, mobile phone chargers, medications and instructions. Even if you plan on staying and defending it is important to have plans to leave. If you are unwell or circumstance change that prevent you from defending you need to be prepared early to leave.
During the winter months crews have been preparing for Hazard Reduction (HR’s) burns. There are several them planned, however these are reliant on ideal moisture levels of the ground, and correct weather for them to burn successfully.
During July we are very excited to have received a new vehicle a category 9 vehicle, which is a small and very versatile truck that will complement the existing vehicles and will provide much needed support for our community in the many varied incidents we attend and also provide additional access to properties and fire trails quickly.