FIRE EDUCATION: Rural Fire Service volunteer James Turner shows Tully McCarthy how to use a fire hose as part of the Kingswood RFS Brigade’s open day yesterday. Photo: Robert Chappel 220912RCB002
THE region’s Rural Fire Service volunteers were kept busy over the weekend.
Doors to local Rural Fire Stations were opened for their annual open day on Saturday and crowds weren’t disappointed.
This year a number of drills were included as part of the open day – giving curious members of the public a chance to see exactly how RFS volunteers use their equipment and approach
fighting a fire.
RFS community safety officer, Inspector Peter Roffe, said, as always, getting to sit in the “big red trucks” had proven a hit with the kids.
“For children and adults the days always give you a chance to learn some valuable skills on how to protect yourself and your family from a bush or grass fire,” Inspector Roffe said.
The Kingswood RFS’s open day was a big success.
Capitan Ian Sipple said in addition to showing the children from the surrounding area the fire truck and educating their parents on fire safety heading in to summer, the group was lucky enough to sign on new recruits.
“Often you might get someone who is interested in joining up on the open day,” Mr Sipple said.
“But this year we were very lucky, we had three new people come and they filled out the paper work which for a brigade like ours is a big bonus.”
Mr Sipple said most of the questions asked by members of the public on Saturday related to camping and how to carefully light fires and better understand the restrictions.
“Coming in to holidays and the warmer weather people are keen to know if they go camping, how to do it safely,” he said.
“Especially this year because there is so much in the news about the high fuel loads.”
This year the open day coincided with the beginning of Bush Fire Awareness Week, the RFS’s annual campaign designed to educate the public and raise awareness about how to protect your family and property from fire in the warmer summer months.