Training for high fire danger

A dramatic exercise simulating safety procedures Drouin fire brigade’s volunteers use if a tanker and crew are trapped by bushfire – a burnover drill – was conducted recently as part of the brigade’s preparations for summer.

Drouin CFA captain John Atkins said the burnover drill was one of many professional skills used by volunteers on the front line and was carried out by all brigades in the State each year.

It involves three blasts on the fire truck horn by the crew leader, shutting down of hoses, boarding the truck, deploying reflective curtains to block out radiant heat, sending an emergency mayday call, switching on the truck’s emergency lights and activating a spray system to bath the truck in water until danger has passed.

Mr Atkins said that while West Gippsland was “still pretty green” there is plenty of grass and undergrowth and summer and warm weather was only a couple of weeks away.

He urged the public to also prepare for the possibility of fire by cleaning up their properties and yards around their houses and having a family fire plan.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria District 9 president Brian Brewer said Drouin was one of 43 brigades in the district that not only protect the local area year round but often provide crews to deal with incidents in other parts of the State.

The 1700 volunteers in District 9 are part of the CFA’s “surge capacity”.

Mr Brewer said it requires a nationally recognised qualification to become a CFA volunteer firefighter and local members are continually training to keep their emergency response skills sharp.

He said on hot, dry, windy days when the fire danger is usually highest people should stay in touch with local conditions and warnings by tuning into local radio, calling the Vic Emergency Hotline 1800 226 226 or visit the emergency.vic.gov.au website.