A committed group of around 30 CFA volunteers from District 7 will help Lorne Fire Brigade by responding to incidents within its response area during the busy summer tourist season.
CFA volunteers Billy Tresize (Bannockburn), Roy Lawrence (Queenscliff), Kellie Vaughan (Grovedale), Ryan Carey (Grovedale) and Eric Messer (Anglesea) are among around 30 CFA volunteers from District 7 that will help Lorne Fire Brigade during the summer tourist season.
From Saturday, 26 December 2020 to Sunday, 10 January 2021, CFA will deploy additional resources to Lorne in response to the higher volume of traffic and visitors to the Surf Coast area.
Each day, four volunteers will travel to the Lorne township and participate in a rotating day shift roster, ready to turn out to an incident if required.
CFA Commander and Surf Coast Catchment Officer Wayne Aylmer said the willingness of volunteers to put their hand up for this initiative once again demonstrated their incredible commitment to help communities outside of their own.
“During this time of year, local Lorne Fire Brigade volunteers are often tied up working in hospitality, trade and the tourism industries to accommodate the annual surge in tourists,” he said.
“A rostering system comprised of dedicated members from surrounding areas will give local members a little relief as the township’s population grows to more than 20,000 people for the summer and holiday period.”
The outsourced volunteers will be primarily committed to urban response and smaller incidents.
This will include incidents such as children locked in cars, motor vehicle collisions, as well as campfires or barbecue on the beach incidents, among others.
“Members of the local brigade will continue responding to incidents however this crewing arrangement will just provide a little relief during what is always a busy time for their community,” Commander Aylmer said.
Geelong Group sought expressions of interest for volunteers to be part of the arrangement and received a good response from eager members.
“We know this is a big commitment, so we have encouraged participating members to consider bringing their family along for a day out in Lorne or to find something to do in town while they remain ready to respond,” Commander Aylmer said.
“We appreciate the ongoing commitment of our local volunteers and the work they do to protect our communities.”