AUSTRALIA needs a new emergency warning system, the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements has found as it warned about “more frequent and intense” events such as bushfires.

WANGARATTA’S recently formed Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) is confident they will be well prepared for this year’s fire season amid the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

WITH face to face training resumed, Wangaratta’s SES volunteers are honing their skills for the chance of increased floods this spring.

AMBULANCE Victoria (AV) has dubbed October as ‘Shocktober’ after research by the organisation showed a 50 per cent decline in cardiac arrest survival rates during the first wave of the pandemic.

WANGARATTA’S A1 Tyrepower is supporting this year’s Blue Ribbon Day to help raise funds towards the foundation and helping ‘Turn Victoria Blue’.

NORTH East SES units are preparing for floods this spring and are urging community members to take notice and get flood ready. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) outlook has included a potential for La Niña weather, bringing heavy rains to south...

THIS year’s bushfire season outlook is looking much less severe thanks to winter rains and a wetter than normal spring predicted but the threat of grassland fires remains high.

UP to 200 Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW) workers are in a holding pattern and several patients, including children, are waiting for surgery and treatment until a border restriction crisis reaches a positive resolve.

CONFUSION still reigns on whether Wangaratta is classified as a border town under the Victoria-NSW state lockdown rules in place since early July. People who work or live in Wangaratta should be able to travel across the border to NSW as it does...

A WANGARATTA company has secured a contract to help fight the COVID-19 virus in Egypt.

LONG-TIME CFA member and former North East assistant chief officer Garry Cook has taken on one of the top positions in the organisation after being appointed as acting chief officer last week.

TANIA Maxwell (MLC, Northern Victoria) claimed the establishment of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) will be the “death of CFA as we know it” and wore a black armband to symbolise the day.

WITH the creation of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) the Wangaratta Fire Station will have a captain for the first time since it became integrated with long-time CFA member Jason Allisey taking the reins.

CFA volunteer leaders from Wangaratta, Moyhu and Eldorado expressed their disappointment at the State Government’s lack of consultation in the establishment of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV).The creation of FRV, which comes into effect on July 1, will...

LOCAL CFA commander Paul Horton is supporting this year’s Emergency Services Blood Challenge and is calling on other members to join in and donate blood.

WANGARATTA'S CFA was alerted to a fire at Higgins Street last Friday night in which numerous custom cars exploded in a man’s garage.

ALTHOUGH COVID-19 has been tough on staff at Ambulance Victoria (AV) one member has been braving the challenges and is pushing through the pandemic. Wangaratta acting team manager Laura Mowbray of AV has been grateful for having a relatively...

LOCAL CFA members attended a bizarre incident on Sunday evening after a man’s five camels lost their footing, falling down a steep embankment dragging the man and his dog down also.

THERE are no further cases confirmed to date in Rural City of Wangaratta, Benalla Rural City, Mansfield Shire or Moira Shire. There are no COVID-19 positive inpatients at Northeast Health Wangaratta (NHW). NHW COVID-19 screening clinic completed 717...

THE total number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria is 1158, an increase of 23 from yesterday as testing for the virus expands. Yesterday a man in his 50s died in hospital and a woman in her 80s died at home, taking the number of people who have died in...

COMMUNITY concerns that campers at Edi Cutting and Pioneer Bridge Rest Area near Everton are breaking new laws under the COVID-19 bans have been eased with police confirming they have legitimate reasons to be there. Police from Wangaratta, Whitfield...

THE total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria has reached 574 – an increase of 54 from yesterday – and includes the first confirmed case in the Mansfield Shire. Victoria has recorded three deaths related to COVID-19, but there...

ENFORCED QUARANTINE FOR RETURNED TRAVELLERS TO COMBAT CORONAVIRUS FOLLOWING agreement by the National Cabinet, all travellers returning from overseas to Victoria will be placed in enforced quarantine for a self-isolation period of 14-days to slow...

State to shutdown, school holidays tomorrow VICTORIAN school holidays will commence from tomorrow as the state implements a shutdown of all non-essential activity to combat the spread of Coronavirus. Premier Daniel Andrews announced yesterday...

DRIVERS who were unlicenced, suspended and even tested positive for illicit drugs were detected in a major traffic operation in Wangaratta last Thursday. Wangaratta Highway Patrol joined with Whitfield and local police officers to scan 2600 vehicles...