VESEP funding boost for local CFA

Three CFA brigades and one group within the Rural City of Wangaratta are set to share in more than $600,000 of funding through the state government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP). Moyhu Fire Brigade will receive $338,667 for vehicles and appliances, Eldorado Rural Fire Brigade is set to receive $230,000 for facility improvements, $76,400 to the Wangaratta Group for vehicles and appliances, and $931 to Greta Fire Brigade for operation equipment. More than $31 million will be shared across 350 projects for CFA, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria and Volunteer Marine Search and Rescue. The record round delivers almost $20 million for vehicles, more than $5 million for facility upgrades and more than $1 million for other operational equipment. VESEP operates on a two to one funding ratio, this means that for every project a CFA brigade applies for, the state government provides two-thirds of the funding, and the local brigade or community raises the remaining one-third. Moyhu Fire Brigade community coordinator Stewart Day said the funding would support the purchase of a new light tanker which would give volunteers a bushfire-focused appliance while allowing the brigade’s current truck, which carries breathing apparatus equipment, to remain available when support was needed across the Moyhu Group area. “We'll be better equipped to respond to the incident that we are required to respond to,” he said. “The light tanker we're getting is more of a bushfire truck, so we will have the choice to choose between them for the fire we’re attending.” Mr Day said the brigade had shifted its fundraising focus, which is in its fourth year, to a second truck after identifying it as a major community need, but still had about $80,000 to raise and did not expect the appliance to be operating for several years. “It will be a few years down the track before we'll have it in operation,” he said. “We're not expecting it until probably the 28 or 29 season. “We will be upping our pace on fundraising and running our normal raffle, and we will also be looking for other donors to help us achieve our goal.” Moyhu Fire Brigade’s Facebook page includes details on fundraising. Eldorado Rural Fire Brigade communications officer Peter Brick said the funding would go towards a planned engine room upgrade which would improve safety and crew organisation, with the brigade’s vehicles to be housed together so senior officers could allocate volunteers more efficiently during call-outs. “It’s just a lot more efficient allocation of crews,” he said. The brigade has also planned a change area, supported by a different grant, to be built alongside the engine room which would improve privacy. Mr Brick said Eldorado’s growing population meant the brigade needed to be better prepared for fires in the town, while the larger shed would also accommodate a bigger truck. “It’s a matter of being more efficient, better able to respond,” he said. Mr Brick said the funding makes a significant difference for the volunteer brigade. “It makes life so much easier and it’s beneficial for the whole community as well.” Wangaratta Group officer Lachie Gales said the VESEP grant is very welcome and will keep Wangaratta Group functioning with a forward command vehicle (FCV) for local instance and for strike team work. Mr Gales said the $76,400 grant would help replace the group’s 10-year-old FCV with a purpose-built model, improving incident management at local fires and during strike team deployments. “It’s a huge relief because these vehicles are absolutely integral to our ability to manage fires,” he said. "Particularly for local incidents, the upgrade will make our ability to manage jobs in the field much better." Mr Gales said the "vital" VESEP program would make a "significant impact" and allowed essential upgrades to proceed without placing an unreasonable fundraising burden on communities. “All we want is the tools to do the job the community expects us to do,” he said. "We can't do it without the tools, and without without the right gear, we will let people down. CFA is not a political body and remains bipartisan.

VESEP funding boost for local CFA

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