By KATH GANNAWAY
MT RAEL Community Fireguard Group has been recognised by the CFA for an outstanding commitment to community fire safety.
The Mt Rael CFG was one of 19 groups presented with Carson Awards at the 20th anniversary celebration of the formation of CFA community fireguard groups at Kalorama on 20 April.
The Carson award recognised the Mt Rael group for outstanding efforts and commitment to continuing to learn, to share and to engage with the group members and the community.
The group formed in 2008 when a number of smaller community fire groups came together.
Group spokesman Marcel Theunissen said the group was a proactive team that had been working on ways to link CFGs together via SMS networking.
They currently have a solid co-ordinators’ communication network of eight local groups and about 100 members.
The network was activated for the first time in February this year during a fast moving grassfire in Dixons Creek.
The birthday event was attended by CFG members from across the state, brigade members, emergency services officials and local council representatives.
CFA program co-ordinator Angela Cook said the event was a chance for people to come together and for some who had been involved for the last 20 years to celebrate their own personal program achievements.
“I have personally gained an appreciation for how much the community can do and how bushfire preparedness can be enhanced through the local connections and networks formed in a Community Fireguard Group,” she said.
The Carson Awards are named in memory of the late Chris Carson who had been instrumental in the creation, management and facilitation of CFG program. The awards were given for outstanding efforts of groups that were actively involved and committed to the program.
