By Ewen McRae
Community goodwill was on full display during last week’s Good Friday Appeal, with thousands of dollars raised by Country Fire Authority volunteers.
Despite answering more than 140 calls for assistance on the day, CFA District 14 – which includes Melton, Caroline Springs and Diggers Rest – raised $158,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal.
At the weekend CFA brigades in the district had a total of 142 responses, mobilising about 500 firefighters.
District 14 president for Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria Mark Gravell said the busy brigades in the outer area of Melbourne provided operational support for nearby brigades as well as in their own primary response area.
He praised the work of CFA volunteers, and called on any locals to consider becoming part a CFA group.
“CFA’s highly active volunteer presence in outer Melbourne means dozens of trained firefighters can turn out to incidents in other locations and still maintain service levels in their primary response area,” Mr Gravell said.
“Being a volunteer is a great opportunity for people who enjoy teamwork, a physical and mental challenge, and who want to provide a meaningful contribution in their community.”
People interested in being a CFA volunteer can contact their local brigades via Facebook or their brigade websites.
