Blaze is labour of love

By Tania Martin
MONBULK Fire Brigade has been recognised as an institution in the hills for its role as a rescue unit and firefighting machine with the launch of its history book, Go to Blazes.
Residents Geoff Sands and Dawn Fleming, the wife of former brigade captain Don Fleming, have spent two decades compiling stories, anecdotes and photographs from the brigade’s history for the book.
The idea developed after the Ash Wednesday bush fires in 1983, when Mr Sands wrote a short history of the Monbulk brigade.
But Mr Sands said he then felt that the seven pages did not do the brigade’s history justice.
For the past 20 years Mr Sands and Mrs Fleming have been working hard putting together a history of the brigade from 1941 to 1991.
Monbulk fire brigade Captain Ross Leaver said the book’s title Go to Blazes had a history behind it, dating back to the mid-1970s.
The brigade asked the regional headquarters for help in getting a new building as the old one was in a dilapidated state.
But Mr Leaver said the request was declined so the Monbulk captain at the time, Don Fleming, said: “Well, you can go to blazes, we’ll do it ourselves”.
And they did.
From then on “Go to blazes” became the catch-cry for Captain Fleming and the brigade, Mr Leaver said.
He said in the late ‘70s the brigade bought some road rescue equipment, but was told by CFA headquarters not to use it.
Once again Mr Fleming was hard to utter: “You can go to blazes” and set about proving the equipment’s worth with the help of brigade members.
“The Monbulk brigade has always had an exceptional vision which optimises an attitude of self help,” Mr Leaver said.
Resident Rob Tripodi said if it wasn’t for the brigade’s rescue team he wouldn’t be alive today.
On 14, June 1986, Rob said he decided to do some rotary hoeing, but when he put the machine in reverse his trousers got caught and it dragged him in.
He said a local doctor was first on the scene followed closely by the Monbulk CFA and ambulance crews from Emerald.
Former fire captain John Draffin said the rescue was a team effort with the brigade working side by side with the local doctor, ambulance, mica paramedic team, and a surgical team from The Alfred Hospital which arrived by helicopter.
Mr Tropodi said when Mr Sands approached him to put his story in the book he didn’t hesitate as he felt it was important to record the work of the Monbulk CFA for future generations.
The book, priced at $25, is now on sale at Concept Books in Monbulk and at the Shire office in Main Street.
Mr Sands said proceeds from the sale of the books, which he expects will be more than $7,500, would go to the Monbulk CFA.