Brigades combine to brief community ahead of fire season

Reids Flat Fire Captain, Michael Corkhill, said the pump start-up and information session would be held from 1pm on Saturday, November 11 at the Gap Takeaway, Tarrants Gap Road, with attendees invited to a free lunch with the brigade members as part of the information session.

"With a lot of lifestyle blocks and newcomers to our area, we thought it would be a good idea to hold the information session to familiarise people with our fire trucks and help them to get to know who to call in the event of fire.

"The fire season is already three to four weeks ahead of where it would normally be and its going to be a more risky season, so this is a great opportunity for people to learn about the fire trucks and how to prime them." He said.

Representatives from the Harden Office of the South West Slopes Rural Fire Zone will also attend the information session with local brigade members.

In the event of fire, contact details for each of the brigades are; Graham Fire Brigade Captain, Andrew Smith 0427 088 763, Taylors Flat Fire Brigade Captain, Peter Kelly, 0429 838 385 and Reids Flat Brigade Captain, Michael Corkhill 0428 272 889.

People who would like to attend the information session are asked to register their interest with Michael Corkhill via his mobile for catering purposes, this is also an ideal opportunity for anyone interested in joining a brigade to get more information.

The fire truck for the Graham Brigade is housed in a fire shed located on the Bennett Springs Road, whilst planning is in place to build fire sheds for the Reids Flat and Taylors Flat vehicles in the next 18 months to two years.

The new fire station for Taylors Flat is a step closer with the proposal to built the new station considered at a recent meeting of Hilltops Council, where it approved the closure of a portion of excess road reserve adjacent to Taylors Flat and Old Wheeo Roads, Taylors Flat, as a site for the new station.

If no objections are received the development will go ahead with the South West Slopes Zone Rural Fire Service (SWSZRFS) building a 15 by 10 metre, two bay colourbond building to house vehicles and equipment for the Taylors Flat Rural Fire Brigade.

The SWSZRFS application to Council stated the building is required to garage two fire fighting vehicles and equipment for the brigade, which are currently housed in local open farm buildings.

In its application to Council the SWSZRFS stated, "The building will only be used for storage of fire fighting appliances and equipment and will not be used for permanent habitation.

"Provision for an on-site septic system/transpiration trench and associated plumbing works for internal toilet facilities will be included in the initial build."

A subdivision application including lot creation plans have been submitted to Council by the SWSZFS.

In its application the SWSZRFS stated, "It is expected up to 10 volunteer brigade members may utilise the facility from time to time for incident response, training and other purposes such as meetings.

"On average the station may be utilised 1 - 2 times a week for as little as an hour and up to four hours at a time. The brigade may be required to attend an incident at anytime of the day on any day of the year."

The station at Taylors Flat will be in addition to the four stations that have been consolidated in one location in a new fire station at Boorowa.

Mayor Marg Roles told the meeting the Taylors Flat station will be the closest one able to serve the community of Reids Flat which doesn't currently have a fire truck.