Vehicle funds are charging up

FIREFIGHTERS have gotten creative with their fundraising efforts for a new vehicle, asking not for financial donations, but for donations of car batteries.

The Ballan Group of Brigades – which includes brigades in Ballan, Morrisons, Blackwood, and more – are saving up for a new Forward Command Vehicle with CFA contributing $2 for every $1 the group raises.

The vehicle, and the upgrades required to turn it into an FCV, will cost about $100,000, with the brigades hopeful of raising $7000 or more towards their total contribution of $30,000.

Ballan firefighter Paul Dehnert said the brigades were mindful of the cost-of-living struggles many people are going through, and figured donating unused batteries would be an easier way of supporting the local brigades.

“The current FCV we have is about 16 years old. It’s not fit for purpose anymore, when we first got it, it was virtually at its limit weight-wise, and now it’s beyond that,” Mr Dehnert said.

“There’s certain equipment we can’t carry with it anymore because it puts it overweight.

“I’ve done a battery drive for the Ballan Fire Brigade twice over the years. We collect them and sell them to R&J Batteries in Ballarat, I’ve got a relationship with one of the owners there.

“Gary there is going to give us a bit of a premium price for them as a donation, he lives up Korweinguboora way.”

Since posting about the battery drive online, Mr Dehnert has received more than 100 offers for donations.

“There’s still people messaging me things like ‘I’ve got one battery, will that help?’ I don’t know exactly what we get per battery because we get paid by the tonne…but if we can get six or eight tonnes, that’s worth about $5000 to $6000, and that way we’re not going around the district asking people to put their hand in their pocket,” he said.

“This is one element we’re going with to fundraise our third of the FCV. Last time we did a battery drive we raised $7500, that’s what we’re aiming for.”

To arrange a pick-up of car, truck, or machinery batteries, call Mr Dehnert on 0419 877 539.