Leith Hillard

Volunteer and career firefighters are invited to sign up for a Bushfire CRC-funded national health study.

Two years ago, Leading Firefighter Andrew Schulz initiated a series of mentoring tactical exercises without troops (TEWTs) to get District 24 crew and strike team leaders warmed up for the fire season.

A firebombing helicopter and support aircraft have again begun operations from their Sea Lake airbase following last year’s successful trial.

The wail of the bagpipes and report of marching feet heralded the formal opening ceremony of the Mildura Fire Station and District 18 Office on Saturday 20 October 2012.

At the inaugural meeting of the Mildura Fire Brigade in 1903, the brigade had a membership base of 25 volunteers.

Years on the fireground have led Group Officer Simon Armytage to formulate some golden rules:All you need at a fire is some water, a bit of commonsense and local knowledgeYou can ask a volunteer if they would please do something but don’t ever tell a volunteer what to do.If it’s dark and you’re on a strike team, you must have local knowledge.

Like so many CFA members, Pip Johnson has her own personal bushfire history. Her great grandmother put her children in the vegetable patch under wet hessian sacks and watched her life burn down in 1939. Her father was CFA’s first legislative officer around Ash Wednesday and Pip patrolled burn offs on a bush block from age six.

Eastern Metro arranged an ex captains dinner (read the story) but their expressions of thanks to dedicated members didn’t stop there.

District 18's newest brigade Nyah-Nyah West Fire Brigade is functioning well having commenced operations on 1 July following the amalgamation of Nyah West Urban Brigade and Nyah District Rural Fire Brigades.

Sue Sheldrick’s membership of CFA was prompted by Ash Wednesday, 16 February 1983, and she joined District 23’s Killawarra brigade once the fire threat had eased.