Murray Bridge CFS firefighters get two new appliances
The city’s Country Fire Service brigade has welcomed the delivery of a new quick response vehicle and a refurbished truck.
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Murray Bridge’s Country Fire Service brigade is better equipped than ever to deal with emergencies of all kinds after the delivery of one new and one refurbished vehicle.
Most recently, the brigade received a new quick response vehicle on April 28.
The Toyota Landcruiser came equipped with a 550-litre water tank and pump, plus top-notch safety features designed to surround the vehicle with a spray of water and give its occupants fresh air to breathe in the event of a burn-over.
It will deploy with a crew of two to fire grounds, including those accessible only by narrow tracks or in steep terrain; or may be used as a command vehicle.
“A QRV gets used a fair bit because it’s small – it only requires two crew and no truck licence,” CFS captain Jiron Blacket said.
CFS Deputy Chief Officer Paul Seager and fleet officer Brad Morrison introduced volunteers to the new vehicle at a Tuesday night training session.
It would be one of the last in a program delivering 35 new QRVs to brigades across South Australia, Mr Seager said.
“(A QRV) is fast, it can go forward quickly, where large appliances follow up; it only needs two crew, so you can get out of the station quickly; and it’s got a range of capabilities,” he said.
“It’s primarily a bushfire-fighting vehicle, but it can run traffic control at a crash site, or it can get off the road into areas that aren’t accessible to the larger appliances (and) go forward with ground firefighters.
“They’re great in the Adelaide Hills and the steep country, at Ngarkat they’re good in the sand country, out in the crop country they’re great in a quick knock-down of grass and stubble fires – they’re a fantastic bit of gear.”
The brigade had got back its refurbished 34P, a general-purpose Isuzu fire truck, a few weeks earlier.
The truck is now equipped with custom-built lockers for all the volunteers’ equipment, making everything easier to access more quickly.
Murray Bridge also has the use of a hazmat appliance and a pumper.
The brigade’s previous QRV, 10 years old and built on a Ford Ranger chassis, will be refurbished and redeployed to another local CFS unit.
Murray Bridge CFS typically responds to around 150 to 200 incidents per year, including fires, traffic accidents and alarm activations.
- Volunteer with the CFS: Go to a training session at the Murray Bridge CFS station, 138 Thomas Street, from 7pm on a Tuesday; or contact brigade captain Jiron Blacket on 0457 560 125.
