INVERLEIGH\u2019S CFA brigade is set to receive a range of much-needed equipment following a donation by the Winchelsea Bendigo Community Bank.<\/p>\n
At around $3000, the funds will go towards various recovery kits and rescue tools, which brigade Captain Andrew Collins said the team are delighted to receive.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not a big brigade, and we\u2019ve got to fund certain bits and pieces by ourselves,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t earn a lot of money, so we\u2019ll take advantage of whatever grants or handouts we can get. It\u2019s certainly going to a good cause.\u201d<\/p>\n
Captain Collins said the equipment would be used on emergences including road crashes and house fires.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope we won\u2019t have to use it, but it\u2019s guaranteed we will,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The equipment will include two recovery kits, ground lights for marking road hazards, a Halligan tool used for opening doors, as well as a car entry kit, and rescue hook.<\/p>\n
Despite the range of new equipment, Captain Collins said that with 22 active firefighters, the brigade is also \u201cdesperate\u201d for new volunteers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve got your regulars that come out at the drop of a hat every single time but then a lot of these people have to go off to Melbourne and Geelong and those sorts of places,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, they\u2019re not around from those busier periods of time between 7.30am to 4pm.\u201d<\/p>\n
Captain Collins said he hopes to gain recruits with the arrival of new residents moving to the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs much as it\u2019s possibly going to increase our workflow with the influx of houses in Inverleigh, we\u2019re looking forward to it because we may get new members joining as a result.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new equipment appears to be just the start for the Inverleigh Brigade\u2019s expansion.<\/p>\n
They are also preparing to relocate to a larger station, and plans are underway to raise funds to replace a fire truck approaching the end of its life cycle.<\/p>\n
Captain Collins said that while these changes won\u2019t occur overnight, the team looks to be \u201cgetting bigger and better for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor a little brigade, we hold our own,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
INVERLEIGH\u2019S CFA brigade is set to receive a range of much-needed equipment following a donation by the Winchelsea Bendigo Community Bank. At around $3000, the funds will go towards various recovery kits and rescue tools, which brigade Captain Andrew Collins said the team are delighted to receive. \u201cWe\u2019re not a big brigade, and we\u2019ve got […]<\/p>\n