By Shamsiya Hussainpoor
Kallista-The Patch fire brigade has been awarded a $71,000 grant to replace the brigade’s ageing forward control vehicle (FCV), which has been in service for nearly a decade as well as vital equipment for the station.
The grant comes through the Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP), a government initiative that provides financial support for local emergency services.
The brigade’s captain Luke Maclean said the fund will be used for a variety of tasks.
“The FCV is crucial for a wide range of tasks, not just for fires,” Mr Maclean said.
“It plays a vital role in traffic management, helping us with car accidents and rescue operations, and is even used in storm response alongside the SES – for example, earlier this year, we used the vehicle at a major structure fire in Belgrave and for a search and rescue mission in Sherbrooke.”
“It’s an essential tool for many of the services we provide to the community.”
He said the grant application process was a real team effort.
“Martin Noonan, one of our grant writing experts, led the charge, but everyone in the brigade contributed by writing sections and helping gather the necessary evidence – it was a long process with several levels of approval, but we managed to get through them all,” the brigade’s captain said.
This is the third VESEP grant Kallista CFA has successfully secured in the past five years – a team effort they’re all very proud of the result.
The grant is set to cover two-thirds of the cost, while the brigade is responsible for the remaining third.
The brigade will raise its share through community fundraising, including events like sausage sizzles and selling homemade goods.
“We’ll cover our share through the sale of our current control vehicle, which is almost 10 years old now,” he said.
The captain also pointed out that the vehicle is used regularly for training, crew transport, and community engagement activities, making it a highly versatile resource for the brigade.
“We use it every week, whether it’s for training or as a support vehicle for various community programs, it’s involved in about 40 per cent of our callouts – it’s critical to our day-to-day operations,” he said.
The new FCV will be a ‘standard build,’ a design approved by the CFA, ensuring it is compatible with other vehicles across the state.
This will allow the brigade to work seamlessly with neighbouring brigades and ensure that it can be used by any trained firefighter, no matter where they are from.
Mr Maclean said this grant, which runs annually, is something they apply for every year because it’s crucial to keep their equipment and facilities up to date.
“We’ve had some great successes in the past, like securing funding for a new automatic door for our station, which has been a huge help,” he said.
“We’ve also been successful in getting a new turnout gear system to move our firefighting gear away from the diesel exhaust next to the trucks, and into a cleaner space – that project is still in the design process, but we’re hoping construction will start within the next year or so.”
And while the $71,000 grant is a big win for the brigade, Mr Maclean stressed that such funding wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated volunteers and the broader community’s support.
“Volunteers and fundraising are key to our operations,” he said.
“In our area, many of the fire trucks, support vehicles, and station improvements wouldn’t happen without these grants and the money we raise ourselves – the support from the community as well as the state government really makes a difference.”
Mr Maclean is encouraging the locals to get involved with the brigade, whether through volunteering, fundraising, or lending a hand with grant writing.
“We’re always looking for new members to help out, especially in areas like fundraising or community engagement, if you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you,” he said.
“Both of our initial responding teams are fully volunteer, and we’re currently recruiting, we will fully train and equip you to handle hazmat incidents safely.”
If you’re interested in volunteering at your local CFA station, now is a great time to join, call Kallista CFA at (03) 9752 1189 or email them at kallistacfa@gmail.com.
The new vehicle is expected to arrive by late 2025 or early 2026, which gives the brigade more time to fundraise and plan for its integration into day-to-day operations.
“The grant is more than just a new vehicle – it’s a vital investment in keeping the local community safe,” Mr Macleans said.
