ACTRFS Gala Awards Night 2011

Over 170 ACTRFS members and families enjoyed the 2011 ACTRFS Gala Awards Night at the Hellenic Club.  We recognised our 5 and 10 year service recipients as well as our Chief Officers Diligent and Exemplary Service Awards.  Even the Chief Officer received an award from our Commissioner on behalf of the volunteers for his commitment and achievement in remaining with the Service for two fire seasons! :)

Mr Jeff Garner our fantastic MC with Amy McLenaghan from ACTRFS HQ

Mel Riches makes a speech on behalf of the Volunteer Brigades Association.

Our 5 Year Service Award Recipients.  Rob Allard, Ian Flint, Lewis Gaha, Simon Hickey, Dennis Harding, David Reno, Ben Ribbons, Michael Woods & Brett Vey

The ACTRFS 10 Year Service Award Recipients.  Rohan Samara, Tim Rhodes, Michael Blaseotto, Ian Morey and Grant Morey.

Diligent Service Award Recipients - Simon Pond, Chris O'Neil along with Exemplary Service Award Recipient Tony Greep

Chief Officer Andrew Stark receiving his award for lasting two fire seasons from a/g Chief Officer Michael Joyce and Commissioner Mark Crosweller

Chief Officer Andrew Stark addressing the members.

The Hall Brigade Group photo



Amy McLenaghan, Nicky Cobb & Deanne Cobb jumping for joy of a fun night.



Members of the Jerrabomberra Brigade

The Rivers Brigade

The ACTRFS HQ staff plus a ring in on the right.

The Guises Creek Brigade

The Parks Brigade

The Tidbinbilla Brigade

Our sponsors from United Aero

A reunion photo from the ACTRFS Calendar Girls

Dancing the night away

Photos from last night's Gala Dinner

Hi all

The photos from last night will be available from tomorrow (Monday 22 August). There were a lot of photos taken and we need to sort through them all.

Cheers

All the ACTRFS Staff

Gala Dinner set-up complete!

Nicky, Nicky's mother and Roh have been putting the finishing touches to the set-up for tonight's Gala Dinner. Should be a great night - check out these exclusive photos!

Village Firefighter Course

Last weekend the ACTRFS conducted the Village Firefighter course. 

Natalie Hile from the Jerrabomberra Brigade took these fantastic shots for us.  It is great to see another budding photographer amongst our vounteers. 

Rivers RFS & SES rattle the Buckets at Weston Creek!!

Members from Rivers RFS & SES brigades got together on Saturday the 13th of August at Coolemon Court to raise funding through a bucket rattle.

On hand was the SES mascot to help entertain the crowds. By 11.00am, they'd raised a considerable amount of money already, so hopefully by the end of the day they had their buckets full!

Well done to the Rivers teams for putting in the extra time and effort needed to help the brigade raise some much needed funds.

RFS Women's Calendar - Presentation of Cheque to Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit

Several of the women who posed for the RFS Women's Calendar, along with A/g Chief Officer Michael Joyce, were on hand today to present a cheque for $15,000 to the Canberra Hospital's Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit. Staff expressed their gratitude and appreciation for what was a fantastic effort and confirmed that the money would be used to fund some much needed equipment in the unit. Below are couple of photos taken by Ron Hughes at the presentation. Keep an eye out on the Canberra Weekly and the hospital website for some photos taken by the hospital's photographer.

ACTRFS Guises Creek Brigade AGM & HR Burn

Like many of our ACTRFS brigades at this time of year, the Guises Creek Brigade held their AGM on Wednesday night. 

Bob Moore, re-elected President of the Brigade chairs the meeting with the assistance of Pauline Wassall . Many thanks to Bob and Pauline!

Dave Wassall, re-elected Captain of the Brigade, gave a summary of the last years incidents and events.  He also recapped all of the achievements of the Brigade members over the 2010-11 Bushfire season.

Mary Cunynghame takes over the all paperwork from Pauline Wassall as the newly elected Secretary. Many thanks to Pauline for her sterling efforts as Secretary last year!

Guises Creek Members attending the Annual General Meeting held on Wed 9 Aug 2011.



Michael Joyce thanks Brigade members for their contribution for the last year, and gives us the ‘heads up’ about the new fire season and changes to SOPs which will most likely result in GCRK members being tasked to fires within the abatement zone.



Members and ACT HQ staff mingle after the AGM.

Guises Creek have been busy and also completed a HR burn on Saturday 6 August on the property next to Rob Roy.

Guises Creek members assemble for a pre-HR burn briefing next to the Monaro highway.

  



The ground was fairly wet underneath and it crept very slowly burning the dry top materials. Lots of mice scurried off.



Once the fenceline was wet down the burn continued very slowly.

Cameron Blaseotto kept a watchful eye on the fire as it crept towards GCK11.

  

Dave Wassall supervises the test burn amongst the thistles.



Simon Hickey, Mary Kirkwood and Brendan Bruce looking a bit grubby after the burn, which was called off due to the onslaught of rain.