Brigades honour members’ service

Two Moorabool fire brigades have thanked long-serving members for their commitment to the CFA and their community, with one brigade celebrating 75 years.

The Parwan and Coimadai Fire Brigades had their Awards Presentations in April, with Parwan celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Brigade’s founding.

The Parwan Fire Brigade was founded by a small group of local farmers on 1 April 1947, with their equipment back then consisting mainly of private water trucks, knap sacks, and hand beaters.

A working bee of Brigade members built the original fire shed which still stands today.

In 1957, Parwan firefighters fought a difficult fire that started in the local coal mine; the fire breached the lip of the open cut mine wall and spread across the Parwan grasslands.

Local community members arrived to assist with private water tankers, and were able to stop the fire before it crossed the highway, saving nearby houses.

The coal mine owner was so grateful that he donated the first fire truck to the Parwan Fire Brigade.

As part of the Pentland Group, the Parwan Fire Brigade has fought alongside other brigades in Strike Teams at many significant fires over the years, including, but not limited to: the 1969 Lara Fire, 1983 Ash Wednesday Fire at Mt Macedon, 1985 Melton Fire, 1997 Dandenong Fire, 2006 Anakie Fire, and 2009 Kinglake Complex Black Saturday fires.

 

PARWAN FIRE BRIGADE

5 Year Certificate of Service

Dave Lewis

10 Year Certificate of Service

Lisa Cruickshank

Paul Lakey

15 Year Certificate of Service

Lorraine Jolly

Simon Jolly

20 Year Certificate of Service

Geoffrey Badenhope

30 Year Certificate of Service

David Marnie

Life Members

Mark Humphrey (35 years)

Phillip Bath (40 years)

Graham Miles (45 years)

 

COIMADAI FIRE BRIGADE

5 Year Certificate of Service

Paul Kendrick

John Petersen

Mel Petersen

10 Year Certificate of Service

Greg Balnaves

John Symons

Cam McNaughton

30 Year Certificate of Service

Greg Hodges

Don Journet

Life Member

Jim Ross (35 years)

Wayne Saliba earned a National Medal, having responded to 678 incidents since 1999 and devoting much of his time to recruitment and training.