Tanked up, at last

By Kath Gannaway
DON VALLEY residents will no longer have to find comfort in a cardboard cut-out fire truck after Gembrook MP Tammy Lobato handed the keys to a long-awaited $249,000 heavy tanker to Launching Place Country Fire Authority (CFA) captain Tony Waywood on Sunday.
While the brigade’s Don Valley fire station won’t be home to the modern new truck, which would be too big for the station, a bit of shuffling among brigades will see a permanent firefighting unit on site.
The Launching Place brigade went public in December 2005, airing its frustration at not having a firefighting unit in the station after one truck reached it’s use-by date and another was written off in a crash.
Don Valley resident Tracie Ricardo told the Mail she was horrified when she learned the Don Valley station didn’t have a dedicated unit, and said extra time taken to respond from the main station could be critical in a fire.
Brigade secretary Sue Hoffman supported Ms Ricardo’s call for action and said the CFA and State Government were not keeping pace with the demands of brigades after four applications for funding had been unsuccessful.
On Sunday, however, all was forgiven when Ms Lobato and the State Government came good with a promise to provide a real truck in place of the cardboard cut-out engine which had become a symbol of the brigade’s plight.
Brigade members and their families joined CFA region officials and representatives of neighbouring brigades for the official handover.
Ms Lobato announced the $66,333 funding under the Community Safety Emergency Support Program (CSESP) last year.
“To finish that lobbying process by handing over these keys is one of the most satisfying roles a local member can have,” she said.
“As much as it is satisfying for me, I know it is incredibly satisfying for all of you who have worked so hard.”
Mr Waywood said the Government’s support was welcome and necessary.
“Even with a community which supports us as much as Launching Place and Don Valley people do, we still need help from outside,” he said.
The brigade and the community raised $80,000 towards the vehicle.
“The community has enabled us to get this vehicle, and it has been a long, hard effort, not only in applying for the program but in raising funds,” Mr Waywood said.
He said all members had worked tirelessly, and singled out Fiona Burns as someone who had worked extremely hard and represented the “hack work” which was not generally associated with fire brigades but which he said was essential.
He also thanked the many local businesses that supported the brigade.
“This truck is marvellous for our members and will be an asset for the community into the future, but it represents more than that,” Mr Waywood said.
“It represents a strong community and that’s what the CFA depends on.”
CFA manager operations, policy and planning Craig Lapsley said while the new truck had been a long time coming, he believed it had been worth the wait.
“There are not many of this style in the program,” he said.
“It has all the latest safety features and the latest technology and will serve the brigade well.”