By JESSE GRAHAM
A NEW chapter has begun for the Toolangi fire brigade, with the official opening of its new $600,000 fire station.
More than 200 community members, politicians and firefighters attended the official opening on Saturday 16 November at its new location on 1683 Kinglake-Healesville Road, Toolangi.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Kim Wells unveiled a plaque for the $618,000 station, which he said was a far-cry from the brigade’s 1950s set up, where the fire truck had to be stored in a sawmill.
Toolangi fire brigade Captain Ben Rose said he was excited about the event and the new station, which the brigade had campaigned almost five years for.
Cpt Rose said the standout features of the new station was the ability to house all the brigade’s trucks, turn-out pegs for all of the members’ gear and a heated training room.
“In the cool climate of Toolangi in winter, rather than huddle around a gas heater, we can now sit in warmth and do some really good training,” he said.
“It’s nice to know that it has finally opened and it’s being publicly commissioned,” he said.
The brigade has been working out of the new station for the past four months while the grand opening was being organised.
A number of high-profile guests attended the event, including CFA Chief Officer Euan Ferguson, captains from fire brigades around the Yarra Valley and two members of the Cambridge Fire Brigade in Tasmania, which assisted with the Black Saturday bushfires.
For the full story, see next week’s Mail.
