By Virginia Porter
Olinda Rural Fire Brigade has recently elected a new Captain, Deb Weber – who has now been voted in by Olinda as Captain.
Deb’s journey from brigade member to Captain reflects her dedication and commitment to community service and it’s an exciting milestone for her and the CFA.
Deb said she would like to express her gratitude for the support from her brigade.
“To be the first female Captain for the brigade is a real privilege,” she said.
“My hope is to see more women become involved in the CFA and work their way up through the ranks.”
Deb first joined as a member of the Kalorama-Mt Dandenong Brigade. After moving to the Olinda area in 2014, Deb started responding for Olinda Rural Fire Brigade, eventually transferring to the
brigade in 2019.
Deb is taking over from Phil Skiller who has been Olinda CFA Captain for 10 years.
“Phil should be very proud of his achievements to date with the Olinda Fire Brigade, and I look forward to him continuing as an important cog in the progression of the Brigade going forward,” Deb said.
Phil Skiller, the outgoing Captain has been a member of the brigade for 42 years, over 27 as an officer and 10 years as Captain. Phil has done a lot over his time as Captain and has built a cohesive and inclusive team. He is proud of the members
contributions to the brigade and believes that the community sees them as being there when needed to assist in all types of emergency situations, whether they be complex or simply providing a basic level of reassurance and/or education.
Phil said he would like to thank the community for all its support, whether it be financial, or the giving of time and skills, and hopes this will continue.
“CFA volunteers are a mixture of operational and non-operational, and all are highly valued,” he said.
“It takes a lot to get a big red truck out the door, whether it be training, cleaning, station maintenance, equipment replacement, fund raising, or paperwork”.
Phil’s expertise and knowledge is not leaving the brigade and he will be supporting the brigade in the future.
Deb said she is truly humbled and grateful to have been voted into this important position, and will do her utmost to ensure she keeps the brigade progressing along.
“The opportunities are available to everyone and if you have a passion for something, just as I do for the CFA, the sky is the limit,” she said.
