Two Fires in One Day

On 30 December 2013 the Gungahlin brigade attended a grass fire on the ACT/NSW border near the Gunaghalin Eucalypts and worked with crews from NSW RFS. In the evening units from Guises Creek, Jerra, Southern, Rivers, Molonglo and Tidbinbilla worked with Fire and Rescue at a fire on Oxley Hill. 

Media coverage of the fires can be found from the ABC, the Canberra Times and the RiotACT with a great aerial view of the burnt area the next day here. 

Thanks to Emma Van Der Moezel and Anthony Beck from Gungahlin for the photos. More photos will be added to the blog as they come through. 

Mopping up on Oxley Hill - Photo: Martin Greenwood

RFS vehicles on Oxley Hill - Photo: Martin Greenwood

Photo: Martin Greenwood

Photo: Martin Greenwood

The Crew of RIV12C at work - Photo: Andrew Harrold

Keith Brown putting down a foam line Photo: Andrew Harrold

Video by Martin Greenwood

Video taken by a resident of Oxley

Fire in Focus

Throughout the year Emma van der Moezel from the Gungahlin brigade (with a little help from her brother James) has been taking photos at a range of ACT RFS events and has done an outstanding job. Here is a small selection of those photos:

Feel the Heat

For the last few weeks, ACT Rural Fire Service volunteers have been 'feeling the heat' during live fire training exercises being held at the ESA Training Facility located at Hume, ACT.  Hot gas furnaces (called props) are fired up under strict supervision of experienced officers. These are very realistic training scenarios. Crews practice procedures for arrival at incident, positioning of vehicles, hose rolling techniques, how to approach a burning vehicle (noting wind direction), spray and nozzle techniques, correct use of personal safety equipment, communication etc. This training really helps ACT RFS volunteers maintain their practical skills ready for the busy bushfire season which lies ahead.

Video from the Guises Creek crews' run - Martin Greenwood 

Gas attack  - the heat  puts a sweat on your brow.  Photo: Gary Hooker

Flames leap into the air as it get darker. Photo: Gary Hooker.

A birds eye view of the car fire. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

Approaching the fire with a water fan. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

It takes 3 firefighters to hold the high pressure hose. The front firefighter will adjust the nozzle to fan the water out. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

Stepping in unison under the command of the crew leader to drag hose along at same time.
Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

This is what it looks like close up from the hose line. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

Molonglo Brigade vehicles arrive at the scene. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

A great shot of the water fan which protects the firefighters. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

A Guises Creek Brigade crew arrives on the scene. Photo: Gary Hooker

Another Guises Creek Brigade tanker arrives and parks the vehicle strategically a safe distance from the fire.
Photo: Gary Hooker.

"Your turn" barks a Group Officer to the next crew. Photo: Gary Hooker

Pat Barling demonstrates the finer art of gas attack and then shares some tips and tricks with the rest of us.
Photo: Gary Hooker

The next crew has a go. Photo: Gary Hooker.

And another crew has a go............. Photo: Gary Hooker.

It gets rather hot under all that gear........... Photo: Gary Hooker.

Two crews work together setting up hose relays between vehicles. Photo: Gary Hooker.

Connecting to a fire hydrant to keep the tanker full of water. Another skill to hone and put to the test.
 Photo: Gary Hooker

We never stop learning about how to operate a pump.Photo: Gary Hooker.

Here we go again......Photo: Gary Hooker.

Kim Day rolls up hoses in quick time. Photo: Gary Hooker.

A Molonglo crew springs into action. Photo: Dave Tunbridge.

Some crews get a second turn at it. Photo: Gary Hooker.

Standing behind the fan of water creates a barrier between the heat and the fire-fighters.
Photo: Dave Tunbridge.