Matthew Younan
Firefighters in Bacchus Marsh will no longer need to wait for special equipment to arrive from other areas in the event of an emergency, after the fire brigade officially received the keys to a new breathing apparatus (BA) support vehicle.
The vehicle, which assists firefighters at incidents where breathing apparatus is needed, such as hazmat incidents and major structure fires, was jointly funded through a grant from the Victorian Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP), the Bendigo Bacchus Marsh Community Bank and Bacchus Marsh Fire Brigade.
FBacchus Marsh Fire Brigade captain Ryan O’Shannessy said it was a handy addition as the brigade had traditionally relied on other BA support brigades as far away as Eltham or Ballarat to replenish its used air cylinders.
“We were grateful to have other brigades help us with our BA requirements but we were also conscious that it would take them valuable time to go back and forth,” Mr O’Shannessy said.
“Having our own vehicle not only makes things easier for our brigade but it also helps ease the demand within our patch.
“Another benefit is that the future growth of the brigade is secured because as key operational members decide to scale back they can still have a meaningful place within CFA performing some of these support functions.
“It’s not just about getting out to a fire, it’s also the team behind the scenes that help reinstate getting back to normal.”
