~THE BRIGADE BULLETIN~

Transcription

1 ~THE BRIGADE BULLETIN~ The occasional newsletter of the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade #49 26 October 2018 Spring Fair Logo: Jeremy Mears Design Spring Fair 11/11; September training; October training; Donations box bonanza; Bunnings BBQ 22/9; Fire permits; Yankees Gap fire, Bemboka; Arduous Firefighter pack test; Monaro Round Robin exercise; Captains meeting; How fireproof is your plan? ; District Doings. Spring Fair 11 November, The Michelago Brigade and The Michelago Region Community Association have been planning all year to make the Spring Fair a success for all our community. The MRCA s Libby Melton keeps the Michelago Notice Board Facebook site updated with news of attractions, including lots of excellent raffle prizes. Monster Raffle tickets will soon be at the Michelago Shop. Information is also on Some things to watch and do: helicopter rides! Sheep shearing! Sheep-dog displays! Face painting! Town Crier! MC James Kenyon! RFS Smoke House! Big red fire trucks to climb on! Petting Paddock! Monster raffle (all prizes donated)**! Relax in the big, shady marquee! Music: the smooth country-folk style of Bill Lane, Queanbeyan Pipe Band, and the acoustic trio Ivy Lane. Food & drink: MRFB barbecue; The Pizza Trailer; Ora s Indian curries, samosas and sweets; Cool Penguin ice-cream van; Devonshire Teas; Curbside Coffee Express van with doughnuts; Pony Club fairy floss; Michelago School P&C cakes; beer tent! Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 1 of 9

2 Stalls: many items for you and for family and friends think you, think friends and rellies, think now, think birthdays, think Christmas. (Don t miss the colourful Spring Fair stubby holders!) **JUST SOME OF THE GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES & THEIR VALUE (most are grouped on the raffle tickets, as there are too many to list individually on each ticket): Alpine Aviation Australia Trial Introductory Flight &/or further tuition to $ Top Spec Automotive 4-wheel alignment plus rotate & balance for any car or 4WD, to $ Snuggles Pet Resort 2 x two days & nights, each voucher for either one dog ($110.00) or two dogs ($176.00) SeneGence hamper Robyn Britton, over $ Scentsy hamper Hayley Butler, over $ Bunnings Tuggeranong portable evaporative cooler, $90.00 Massage 1 hour Michelle O Leary, $90.00 Fernwood Tuggeranong 2 x vouchers, each $88.00 Vikings Club, Erindale 2 x $75.00 dining vouchers Blossoms florist Chisholm $50.00 voucher Woolworths Calwell $50.00 voucher Patto s Grog Calwell bottle gold medal Shiraz, $24.00 Plus lucky gate prize $30.00 Ora Indian food voucher to the 500 th person through the gate. THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SPONSORS: 1. All States Towing $1, ACTEW AGL $1, to sponsor the music 3. Snowy Monaro Regional Council $ Fitch Sharpening $ Leigh s Water Tank Cleaning $ Snowy Sheds $ Snuggles Pet Resort, Michelago $ Will Kelly s Combined Rural Services $ PremiAir Hire for donating the use of their electronic road signs. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 2 of 9

3 Tennis court clubhouse ready for Spring Fair The ceilings and walls have been repaired thanks, Paul Kennedy. The kitchen and toilets have been painted at a community-friendly price thanks to Ardeshir of Painter Without Borders ( for all your paint jobs). September training Sunday, 9/9. Each of the three trucks went to a different location. In summary, the four objectives of the exercise were: 1. to practise relating grid references to a map then navigating to them 2. to set up either a tree or grass fire scenario at the dirt-road grid reference (but no live fire, lights or sirens!) 3. to demonstrate the ability to charge a line, a line being two joined hoses and charging meaning filling the line with water to the appropriate pressure 4. to make a good situation report to those acting as firecom. All aspects of the exercise were discussed afterwards, particularly the elements of a good situation report, vital for fireground and Fire Control Centre operations coordination. The Cat7Alpha getting bogged (above) was not in the plan. The Cat1 came to its rescue. Photos above: Bronwyn Gattringer Fashions Out of the Fire Field: Lee, Bronwyn and Kylie show it s not all serious and hard work in the Brigade. They model the stunningly attractive hats for children large and small. The hats will be available at the Get Ready RFS display at the Spring Fair. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 3 of 9

4 October training Photos: Leanne Pattison Sunday, 14/10. Deputies Scott Teys and Derek Giucci ran this training session. They focused on ensuring the trucks and all equipment were at callout readiness. Some of the items checked: truck pumps, porta-pumps, filters, fuel for jerry cans and drip torches and chain saws, and all in working order; fire blankets, emergency sugar-loaded supplies, water bottles. All systems were again ready to go! Above: Scott and Aldo, Rob Green, Kylie Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 4 of 9

5 Above: Robert, Lee, Scott Below: Scott, Kylie, Rob Green Donations box bonanza Treasurer Brien reported on 21 September: This afternoon I have counted out the donations tin at the shop and the total was $210. This is the largest amount the donation tin has yielded in my time as treasurer, and is a wonderful and practical sign of local support for the brigade. As always, the continued support of Sally, Tom and the team at the shop is much appreciated. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 5 of 9

6 Bunnings BBQ 22 September Photos: Keith Howker, Leanne Pattison Superb weather, mobs of hungry shoppers and a clear profit of $ excellent! All the 1,000 sausages were sold by There were emergency trips to Aldi to avert the threatened Tomato Sauce Crisis and to Woolies for more onions, paper serviettes and Coca Cola. The small and willing crew managed brilliantly, with Keith and Kylie working all day and others doing shifts. Thanks to Keith, Kylie, Robert, Alex, Lee, Dave Ferris and Leanne. Clockwise from top left: Alex, Kylie, Keith; Dave & Lee; Leanne & Dave; Lee; Robert. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 6 of 9

7 Fire permits A detailed RFS guide to regulations about when you can and when you can t light a fire, and in what circumstances, will be published in the next Brigade Bulletin. For permits, call Brent ( ), Keith ( ) or Derek ( ). Yankees Gap Fire, Bemboka Michelago Captain Brent spent the weekend of 22 September as Plant Manager of 18 bulldozers and 3 graders in the IMT (Incident Management Team) at this c hectare fire. This fire started on 15 August in the South East Forest National Park to the north-west of Bega. It was posted by the RFS as being under control on 27 September. Brent had five hours oversight on the Friday evening, then worked two shifts of 17 and 16 hours on the fireground. His primary aim with the plant was to further establish containment lines. Though at the expense of bushland, these lines achieve the prioritised aim of limiting the spread of the fire and the greater damage it can do to bushland. Arduous Firefighter Pack Test Jindabyne Oval 26 September: four Michelago members passed the Pack Test Deputy Captains Scott Teys, John Taylor and Derek Giucci, and Captain Brent Wallis. Preceded by qualifying medicals two months before and training since then, candidates had to walk 4.8 kilometres in under 45 minutes, carrying packs of 20 kg. Brent said that, despite the training, the test was very demanding, leaving a gradually diminishing legacy of sore muscles. Captains meeting These meetings are held at the beginning and end of each fire season. Brent reported a positive Captains meeting on 13 September. Monaro Captains supported the continued appointment of Adrian Butters as District Assistant. Adrian has been temporarily in this role for six months and will now definitely continue for another six. A permanent occupant appointed by Sydney Control is expected at some stage. A photo of Adrian has been requested for the next Brigade Bulletin. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 7 of 9

8 Monaro Round Robin Exercise Photos: Brent Wallis Bredbo Oval, 7 October, The Division North of Snowy-Monaro, i.e. Cooma, had six trucks altogether from Colinton, Michelago and Shannons Flat. Divisions South and West had their own Round Robins at Adaminaby and Bombala. Michelago s Abby McPherson was Brent s Staging Area Manager, Colinton s Captain, Graham Povey, was helping Brent in the Division Commander s role and Colinton s Gill Robinson was Scribe. Brent said Gill was brilliant in this relatively new role. Michelago s Derek Giucci and Peter Butler were Sector Leaders. This was a fun day of three exercises to, as Brent said, blow out the cobwebs for the fire season. Each exercise tested and showcased (1) pumping and drafting (2) dryland fire-fighting techniques, (3) hose skills, and (4) communication and navigation. Above left: Michelago s Abby McPherson, and Colinton s Mardi Ellis and Gill Robinson. Above right: Dial-a-Jet, Brent s hose-skills invention: players have to control a ball s direction while adjusting the water flow with the Acron. Only Michelago had practised this before see photos below from July 2014 training. Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 8 of 9

9 New NSW RFS campaign to follow the I am fire campaign more in next BB. Check it out before then at District Doings done, doing and to be done 29/9: MRFB-MRCA Spring Fair meeting, 5 pm, Michelago Hall 30/9: Divisional Commander Workshop 7/10: Monaro Round Robin Exercise, Bredbo Oval, ; Colinton, Michelago & Shannons Flat Brigades in Cooma Division 9/10 TAG meeting, Cooma 14/10: Michelago monthly training, Fire Shed, 11 am 27/10: MediSim Trauma Care Workshop, Jindabyne (Peter Butler) 29/10: Spring Fair Committee meeting, 5.30, Hall November and December: no Michelago RFS training scheduled 11/11: MRFB-MRCA Spring Fair, 10am 3pm, Michelago Oval. Includes Get Ready promotion. Replaces Michelago monthly training. Note: the RFS training dates and locations are taken from the Monaro 2018 Training Calendar and can be subject to change, usually depending on instructor availability. If in doubt, please ask one of the training officers or Brent. The MRFB Committee Captain: Brent Wallis ( ) Senior Deputy Captain: Keith Howker ( ) Deputy Captains: Derek Giucci, Scott Teys, John Taylor, Alex Milovanovic Callout Officers: Bronwyn Gattringer, Lauren Wallis Catering Officers: Lauren Wallis, Kylie Kenyon, Alex Milovanovic RFSA Rep: Keith Howker Training Officers: Aldo Giucci, David Ferris, Peter Butler Equipment Officers: Derek Giucci, Keith Howker Engine Keepers: Scott Teys, David Ferris Welfare Officer (female): Bronwyn Gattringer Welfare Officer (male): Keith Howker WHS Officer: Brent Wallis Permit Officers: Brent Wallis, Keith Howker, Derek Giucci President: Abby McPherson Treasurer: Brien Hallett Vice President: Bronwyn Gattringer Secretary: Leanne Pattison Active-member representative: Abby McPherson Executive Committee Officers: Captain, Snr Deputy Captain, Deputy Captain 1, President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, Active-member representative Auditor: tba Editor: Leanne Pattison / LPatt@internode.on.net Disclaimer: views expressed or implied in this bulletin are not necessarily those of the MRFB Committee, wider Brigade membership or the RFS. Original articles and photographs: Copyright authors and photographers and the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Find The Brigade Bulletin on and Fire Cooma Monaro Fire Control / (BH only; AH leave a message) Emergency 000 FIRE INFO: or download the app Fires Near Me Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 9 of 9