In 2013, a fire in hilly and heavily-treed terrain around Kerrie saw the slip-on become the appliance of choice with its ability to manoeuvre and cope with steep slopes.
Hesket Kerrie brigade decided there and then that a slip-on was the appliance they needed to add to their fleet. After consideration it was decided that their best option was to purchase a cab chassis and build the back. Hearing that DELWP (then DEPI) were changing their fleet and had some second-hand backs for sale, they made some enquiries. After some discussions, DELWP decided to donate a back to the brigade.
Neighbouring brigade Newham assisted with a donation towards the purchase price of the Land Cruiser cab chassis. Andrew Avent, a member at Newham then took on the task of rebuilding, refurbishing, and upgrading the second-hand back to meet CFA specifications. Andrew brought his engineering skills to bear on the project and took up the task on an unpaid voluntary basis. He estimates that it took him approximately 200 hours to complete.
The result of his work is an appliance which Danny O’Neil (Bendigo District Mechanical Officers) stated not only met but exceeded CFA standards. Operations Manager Trent McKinnon said, “This is a terrific initiative, a credit to all involved and Andrew should be congratulated for his expertise and commitment to making the project possible. It is a fantastic example of emergency services and brigades working together and supporting each other. It's a win for CFA and a win for the community”.
Author: Paul Tangey