New vehicle boosts brigades

COUNTRY Fire Authority brigades in Mount Alexander Shire have a new field command vehicle, which could provide a big assistance to volunteers attending major emergencies.

On Saturday, Member for Bendigo West, Maree Edwards, visited the Castlemaine Fire Station to hand over the vehicle to the CFA.

“The Mount Alexander Group of brigades plays an enormous role in protecting the Victorian community and this new Field Command Vehicle is what the brigades need and deserve,” she said.

The new command vehicle is valued at $55,000, with $20,000 coming from the State Government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment program, just under $24,000 from the trade in of the old vehicle and just over $10,000 though contributions from the Mount Alexander Group brigades.

The FCV is a four-wheel-drive twin cab vehicle. It can carry a five-person crew and includes radio communications, a light bar, bull bar and reversing camera.

There are eight CFA brigades in Mount Alexander Shire, including Castlemaine, Chewton, Elphinstone, Harcourt, Langley-Barfold, Metcalfe, Sutton Grange and Myrtle Creek and Taradale, with a total of 353 members.

The group has been involved in a number or major operations, including the 2019/2020 bushfires, the 2009 bushfires, as well as large industrial incidents such as gas leaks in Castlemaine.