A breath of fresh air for firies

By Lachlan Ellis

Kind donations from the community will see more than 200 breathing apparatus (BA) sets given to CFA brigades across Victoria, including two Moorabool brigades.

Gordon and Greendale Fire Brigades will join Ballan Fire Brigade in having access to the special equipment, with adjoining brigades such as Mount Egerton Fire Brigade being trained in its use.

Following generous community donations during the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfire season, the CFA and Brigades Donations Trust has allocated $2.25 million to purchase breathing apparatuses for brigades, with some choosing to co-fund the project.

CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the additional funding support from brigades allowed them to extend the scope from 200 BA sets to a total of 234 BA sets and 468 BA cylinders.

“These are currently being delivered to 116 brigades across the state which will then be installed into their fire trucks,” he said

Mr Heffernan said at the end of the rollout, 514 brigades will have BA, with 43 of those brigades receiving the capability for the first time.

“BA provides important protection to our firefighters’ airways from harmful products at fires and other incidents.

“This is critically important for their wellbeing and safety, and I thank the community for their generosity.”

Greendale Fire Brigade Captain, Brandon Lebehen, said the breathing apparatuses were quite literally lifesavers.

“Health and safety come first…having a breathing apparatus means firefighters up at Greendale, when we go to fires with hazardous smoke, at least the members feel protected. “It means we can safely tackle car fires, house fires, that sort of stuff, without potentially breathing in that toxic smoke.