CFA calls for help
Seeking help: Pound Creek CFA captain Peter Vanzuyden and firefighter Alan Price with the big fill vehicle.
- Nice work: Pound Creek CFA captain Peter Vanzuyden presents ladies auxiliary volunteer Carol Cashin with her 25 year service medallion.
THE POUND Creek CFA is used to helping others but is now calling on the community to aid them instead.
Firefighters desperately need a new pump and not just any pump.
A big fill pump can fill a 3000 litre tanker within two minutes and is vital at a fire scene, continuously filling tankers that head to the fire front.
The old big fill finally failed at the Aberfeldy fire near Heyfield earlier this year, leaving the Leongatha-Korumburra CFA group of brigades without such a high performance gadget.
Brigade members are raising funds for a new pump, set to cost at least $20,000, as well as a further $2000 to upgrade the vehicle that carries the pump to meet CFA specifications.
The brigade is applying for a grant from the Victorian Emergency Services Program through the State Government and if successful, the brigade will match the pump grant dollar for dollar, and the vehicle grant $1 for every $2 grant money.
That leaves the brigade with a bill of $11,000.
A trivia night, annual dinner and casserole nights are among the brigade fundraisers, and the ladies auxiliary also caters at clearing sales.
Captain Peter Vanzuyden is confident of raising the necessary amount but welcomes any community support to ease the burden.
“So far we have raised $8000 and we have to find another $3000 if the grant comes through but if not, we have to find another $14,000,” he said.
Pound Creek now has a temporary pump from Leongatha CFA on board a purpose built big fill vehicle designed to transport the big fill pump.
“The pump we did have was 15 years old and died on the shores of Lake Glenmaggie during the last fire season,” Mr Vanzuyden said.
“The pump was taking seven to eight minutes to fill and so we had to redirect the tankers to the Toora big fill but it was several kilometres up the road.”
The pump filled tankers for 24 hours a day for three weeks during the Darlimurla fires of 2009.
“Sometimes it is difficult for tankers to back up to a dam without getting bogged,” Mr Vanzuyden said.
“Each group of brigades is meant to have a big fill and Pound Creek has the only pump for the Leongatha-Korumburra group. Sometimes this one was called to go to the Bass Coast group too.”
The brigade is eyeing a top quality Austrian made pump and plans to downscale the accompanying generator to a more compact model that powers lights at accidents at nights.
Pound Creek, like other CFA brigades, always welcomes new members, particularly young ones willing to fight fires.
Mr Vanzuyden rose through the ranks to become captain, entering the brigade after firefighter Alan Price knocked on his door soon after he moved to the district.
Anyone wishing to donate to the brigade can contact Mr Vanzuyden on 0428 745 550.
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