Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade acknowledged the generosity of Ross Anderson and the Victorian Jazz Archive and other groups on their slip-on vehicles. 46118
By Casey Neill
FIREFIGHTERS recently showed off two new vehicles as part of a thank you evening for those who have supported the brigade.
Cash flooded in after Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade lost a tanker while fighting the Birdsland Reserve blaze during last year’s devastating fire season.
Brigade captain Peter Smith said support since that day had been unexpected and overwhelming.
“In the time of need a lot of groups put their hands in their pockets to help us out,” he said.
Three brigade members were fighting a blaze in Birdsland Reserve in Upwey on 23 February last year when their tanker caught alight.
They were lucky to escape with their lives. The truck was destroyed.
Mr Smith said he was amazed by people’s generosity. “The thing that amazed me was a lot of the groups here, they’ve got to work for their own dollar to keep their own groups and organisations running as well but they were prepared to sacrifice that.”
More than 30 people attended the thank you function at the fire station in April.
“The whole idea of this evening is to thank you and to show you what your efforts went to,” Mr Smith said. “It’s not just for Upper Ferntree Gully, it’s the community.”
The crew is now the only brigade in Victoria with two slip-on vehicles.
The four-wheel drives are used as a quick response vehicle and to reach areas tankers can’t access. They feature water storage, pumps and hoses.
“They’re a community asset, not just a brigade asset,” Mr Smith said. “They’re our go-everywhere trucks.”
Across the back of the slip-on vehicles is printed a list of 31 individuals and groups who have supported the crew.
“Not just with money, some of them just gave us a pat on the back,” he said.
“That’s worth a dollar any day. I’m lost for words with it all.”
Ferntree Gully based Crime Victims Support Association donated more than $3000.
“We want to assist the brigade in any way we possibly can,” founder Noel McNamara said.
“We’re strugglers ourselves.”
New Melbourne Jazz Band leader Ross Anderson last year spearheaded a charity concert in Burwood with help from the Victorian Jazz Archive. It raised $10,400.
“We wanted to give back to the community,” he said.
The Order of the Eastern Star funded a $12,500 station extension.
“Without it we couldn’t store the slip-ons and wouldn’t have been allowed to have them,” Mr Smith said.
Ferntree Gully Rotary Club president Major Merv Lincoln on the night presented Mr Smith and Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade captain Toddy Small with $7325.
He said Rotary was honoured to raise money for the crews each year.
“When something happens we know you’re there for us,” he said.
“And we, as a community, wanted to thank you for that.”
