By Kath Gannaway
HEALESVILLE Fire Brigade saw no reason to cancel its planned open day on Sunday 5 April.
Despite a torrid fire season, brigade captain Graeme Bates said people wanted to talk about the bushfires – both their experiences and what they can do in the future.
“We’re here to listen and we thought it was a good chance to sizzle some sausages and put on some entertainment for the kids,” Mr Bates said.
By lunch-time the station was buzzing with kids scrambling their way through the smoke tent, and learning a valuable lesson coming into winter about what they should do in a house fire, operating the CFA helicopter and, of course, getting behind the wheel of a big red fire truck.
For grown-ups like Linda Barratt it was about saying “thanks” and tapping into information.
“I came down to support the volunteers here who did a wonderful job during the fire season,” she said.
She was also keen to be better informed on house fires, and on how to be better prepared next summer.
“We didn’t have a fire plan, as such, which made us think about what we have to do.
“Having evacuated a couple of times we got it down to a fine art, but with winter coming we wanted information for house fires.”
The open day was also an opportunity for potential volunteers to meet brigade members and have a look at how the brigade works.
Mr Bates said six new recruits signed on as fire fighters on the day and six more people joined to assist with general duties. Five people had also joined during the fires.
“It was a good response and anyone else interested in joining, especially if they are at home during the day can just drop in at the station on Sunday mornings or Thursday night after 8pm.
