CFS Region 1 Air Operations Brigade
With summer rapidly approaching, your Air Support Brigade has already been brushing up on our skills and getting the Air Support station ready for when we are needed.
Last season was very busy and while we don’t wish to be needed it is time for us to get ready. We have had a couple of Sundays already at the Air Strip getting the equipment ready and running through our training drills.
Over winter we extended the shelter thanks to a donation from Cherry Chatter for the materials and the labour from Andrew Harrington to erect it. We now can offer some shade for the volunteers while on duty supporting the Air Operations when fighting any fires.
At the last training we were visited by one of the helicopter teams who were inspecting the high-tension power lines. They landed at the Air Strip to refuel and invited us across to inspect the helicopter. We took the opportunity to have a photo taken in front of the helicopter.
Our official pre-season training will be held at 9.00am on November 22nd. At this training, an aircraft will attend so we do live filling of the aircraft and they do test drops around the air strip. If you have not seen the Air Operations team at work, it is quite something to see.
Anyway, we all hope for a quiet season as none of us want a repeat of last summer. Please do your bit by cleaning up around your place and have a Bushfire Plan that everyone in your house knows and understands. If you don’t have the equipment and ability to stay and fight, then get out early.