EXCITED Chiltern Fire brigade volunteers will take delivery of a state-of-the-art fire tanker with a $394,000 government grant announced last week. The brigade is one of a large number of units across the state sharing in $11million of grant funding though the Victorian Government’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) handed to CFA Brigades to purchase new equipment to help protect their communities. CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said VESEP grants helped to provide brigades with significant funding for life-saving equipment. “This program provides $2 for every $1 of funding from the brigade and helps with the purchase of equipment such as vehicles, trucks, tankers, watercraft, trailers, and can also include minor facility improvements,” chief officer Heffernan said. He said government contribution towards equipment meant brigades had an incentive to fundraise in their communities and apply for a VESEP grant. Mr Heffernan said special access grants are also available to provide a further financial boost for brigades facing challenges with fundraising. Chiltern Fire brigade captain Shannon Beacom said the brigade has contributed $61,000 to the purchase with funds raised from its own equipment maintenance program. “The community has worked hard in raising the funds over the last six years and should be proud as they have ownership of it as well,” he said. Captain Beacom said the truck made in Japan will be fitted with an Australian made firefighting unit built and fitted in Melbourne to the back of the vehicle. He said the dual cab four-wheel drive with a front mounted monitor (water cannon) on the bull bar with a control joystick in the cabin replaces a 20-year-old single cab two-wheel drive. “The new vehicle really increases fire safety and gets firefighters off the back of the truck into the cab,” he said. “With four-wheel drive capabilities we can access areas in surrounding national parks.” Captain Beacom said the Chiltern Fire Brigade has four trucks with two funded by the CFA while the other two had been funded by the community and the VESEP grant program. Delivery of the new truck from overseas is expected in around 12 to 18 months’ time.
