Another drive, another bogging

Yesterday the Tidbinbilla Brigade went out for an area familiarisation drive in Tid30 & Tid10.  As you can see from the pictures below they got VERY familiar with a spot near Vanity's Crossing way down south in the ACT.


Enlarged Cotter Dam Site Visit

Yesterday, Thursday January 27th, the Rivers RFS Brigade visited the Enlarged Cotter Dam to view various access points and hazards in case of an incident they will be required to attend.

Don't forget you can click on the image to see the original size.

The top of the cutting is going to be where the top of the new dam is!

The brigade members receiving a safety briefing before entering the site

The Rivers tanker is dwarfed by the machinery on site

The quarry where they are getting the rocks to crush up for the dam wall

The brigade at the lookout spot which is where the dam wall will be built to

The excavations for the dam wall

The view from the look out spot where the new dam wall will come to & looking down on the old dam wall.  It makes you realise how big this dam will be!!

The silhouette of the crushing plant and also where they will be making the concrete for the new dam wall

Canberra Times Journalist Visit Mt Tennant

The ESA Media Officer Jeff Garner, ACTRFS Chief Officer Andrew Starke & Deputy Chief Officer Michael Joyce went up Mt Tennant with the journalist from the Canberra Times.  The radio operator Peter Hann was interviewed for a story that will be published in this Sundays Canberra Times.

Another burn and another bogging

Even with the comparatively drier weather, boggings can still easily occur.  At this bogging during a hazard reduction burn, the ground looked firm but once the crust was broken down the vehicle went to the axle.

ACTRFS & SES combined fire extinguisher training

The Rivers ACTRFS & ACTSES combined forces to conduct fire extinguisher training last night.  It was a great opportunity for both services to work together and learn new skills. 




An ACTRFS volunteer uses a foam extinguisher whilst the ACTRFS & ACTSES look on

 

Lightg up the oil pan under the close supervision of the crew member on the safety line



One of the ACTRFS new recuits uses the dry powder chemical extinguisher



The foam extinguisher in use



The ACTSES getting in on the action learning about the fire extinguisher use



Parks Flame Thrower

During the hazard reduction burn at the National Arboretum, the Parks brigade utilised their flame thrower to do spot ignitions to light up.

Feeling the intense radiant heat

Parks 801 happy with his lighting

Parks Hazard Reduction Burns - Mt Painter and the National Arboretum

Parks conducted two hazard reduction burns yesterday. 

The Mount Painter burn near Cook was behind the houses to reduce the grass fuel loading and minise the grass hazards.

The second hazard reduction burn was conducted next to the National Arboretum to create a firebreak to the west.



8 Year Anniversary of January Firestorms

Today is the 8 year anniversary of the January 2003 Firestorm.  This time 8 years ago the eastern coast of Australia was alight with bushfires raging out of control.......8 years on it is inundated with rain and flooding!!!

Below are some pictures from the 18th January 2003.



Roll Over Protection Systems

The development in technology and build of roll over protection systems has increased greatly over the last decade.  Recently whilst one of the contract slashers worked behind houses in Fadden it rolled onto it's roof and the driver walked away totally uninjured.  Years ago, tractors didn't have this kind of protection and in an accident like this the driver would have been seriously injured if not worse!