Derek Ramsay has been sole responder for the Rockbank fire brigade for nearly four years.
The self-employed draftsman has been turning out to jobs with the aid of
Caroline Springs and Melton crews for most of that time – but sometimes, he would go
it alone.
Numbers at the Rockbank CFA have since picked up enough that the brigade can operate independently from July 1 with a small team.
Rockbank CFA, established in 1953, fell on hard times and membership plummeted.
“There were a lot of factors that contributed to falling membership, one of those being that the farmers sold their land to developers and moved out of the area,” Mr Ramsay said.
The day-to-day running of the brigade was handed over to the neighbouring Caroline Springs crew about three years ago.
“Having our brigade managed by Caroline Springs was not the traditional model but it did provide opportunities that we didn’t previously have – particularly where training was concerned,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Building our brigade profile in the community was difficult because the brigade was getting smaller and the population larger. It was also challenging to engage with the new residents moving into the estates surrounding the old township.
“There were times where I felt embarrassed about our brigade’s ability to respond, but the encouragement from members at Melton and Caroline Springs brigades kept me motivated to stay. I am glad I did.”
Mr Ramsay said that his loyalty to the community kept him on board as a volunteer.
“I grew up in the area and I knew all the farmers,” he said.
“I grew up on a farm in Sydenham then when I got married I moved across the paddock to Rockbank.
“I never joined the CFA for the glory or anything, it was just what we did … we help the community and our neighbours.
“There were times when I would turn out in a truck by myself to a fire but most of the time I’d turn out with the others to lend a hand.”
He said that although the brigade is growing, there is always a need for more volunteers.
“We’ve been able to participate in community events which has been a great opportunity to meet new residents and talk about volunteering with the brigade,” Mr Ramsay said.
“This is such an exciting achievement for Rockbank and I feel really positive about our future.”
The brigade will continue to recruit, train and engage with the community into the future, he said.
