By Tyler Wright
Thanks to a $214,000 state government grant, Gembrook CFA fire brigade crews will be better able to serve their local community with a new tanker.
The light tanker will provide another 800 litres of water for crews, and will fit more operational members on board, and is expected to arrive at the station in 18 months.
Gembrook fire brigade captain Andrew Clark said the brigade and the community sourced an additional $30,000 to complete the tanker purchase.
“We’ve got some donation tins at stories in town, at the bakery and the fish and chip shop, so people put their loose change in it for us,” Mr Clark said.
“We get generous donations from people organising fundraising events… we had the patchwork and quilting show in town and they raised a lot of money for us.
“It’s good that the community will benefit from it in the future.”
The smaller truck will allow brigade crews to access tighter spaces, including residential driveways, and its ability to fit more people involved is expected to help during bush fires and structural fires.
“A big part of us is bush fires and car accidents (washaways) and this truck will help a lot with that, with having manpower on board,” Mr Clark said.
Gembrook CFA is one of four emergency service units in the outer east to receive a funding boost as part of the are part of the state government’s 2021-2022 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP).
Other recipients include VICSES’s Lilydale Unit, Chirnside CFA and Wandin CFA, with 250 grant recipients state-wide sharing in $14 million under the the program.
The state government matches every $1 paid by volunteer groups with a $2 co-contribution in the annual grants program which gives volunteer emergency service groups the opportunity to purchase equipment including vehicles, trucks, tankers, watercraft, and trailers, and for minor improvements including refurbishments and amenities, such as kitchens and change rooms.
Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said it is going to be another busy season for emergency service volunteers, which is why the state government is “chipping in to help them get the equipment they need to keep Victorians safe”.
“These grants have been going strong since they were first set up more than twenty years ago – communities will continue to proudly contribute to local fundraising efforts, but we want to help reduce that task and demonstrate that we’ll always support our selfless volunteers,” Ms Symes said.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said the grants “will deliver vital equipment to help them to carry out their important work to make and keep us safe – including in floods, fires, or natural disasters”.
Other operational equipment that can be funded includes chainsaws, generators, quick fill pumps and inflatable rescue boats and engines.
For the full list of successful VESEP grant recipients, visit emv.vic.gov.au/vesep.
