From this weeks Courier Newspaper
Bid for second rural unit fails
The Mt Barker CFS has failed in its bid to keep its second
rural appliance after brigade representatives met with the
firefighting organisation’s hierarchy Monday night.
Heysen Group Officer Simon Henderson said authorities
decided the vehicle structure at Mt Barker would “stay the
way it is” until all the brigades in the Mt Barker Council
district were reviewed over the next year.
Earlier this month CFS management changed Mt Barker’s
fleet of two rural appliances and one urban appliance for
one rural appliance (with 4WD capabilities), one urban
appliance and a new urban appliance with road crash
rescue equipment.
The swap angered a group of residents living on rural
properties at Wistow who claimed they were at greater
risk from bushfire because only one rural appliance would
reach their area in the shortest possible time.
To ease residents’ concerns, the CFS decided Monday
night to instigate a new call-out policy for Wistow.
Mt Barker would send two appliances - one rural and one
urban pumping appliance for asset protection - and the
Littlehampton brigade would send its rural appliance and a
bulk water carrier.
Depending on the location of the call, Woodchester
brigade would also respond.
“We will be servicing the residents of Wistow better than
was before because we’re sending an extra appliance
than was sent before so there won’t be a huge time
delay,” Mr Henderson said.
Littlehampton would have enough volunteers to crew their
appliances, he said.
