Extra firefighters protect Lorne over summer

EXTRA firefighters were stationed in Lorne this month as the CFA boosted its capability in the town over the holiday season.

About 30 volunteers from CFA Districts 6, 14 and 15 opted to help as part of an arrangement to have a crew of four firefighters on standby every day, ready to respond at any time.

The extra firefighters were mostly committed to urban response and smaller incidents such as children locked in cars, car accidents, campfires or barbecue incidents.

The program has been in place in Lorne over the past few summer tourist seasons to provide an added safety benefit to locals and tourists in the area.The roster began on Boxing Day and was scheduled to end last Sunday.

CFA Commander Wayne Aylmer commended participating volunteers for being generous with their time during the holiday period to help protect Lorne and surrounds.

“This program supports Lorne Fire Brigade through a period when the brigade members are heavily committed to their businesses and work commitments and the population in the town grows significantly,” he said.

“Members from the local brigade will still continue responding, however this arrangement will provide them with much-needed support to deal with the increase in demand.

“We always appreciate the ongoing commitment of our volunteers to keep their communities safe.”