Special Children's Christmas Party 2011

On Saturday 10 December 2011, eight members from the Rivers and Molonglo Volunteer Rural Fire Brigades attended the Special Children’s Christmas Party at Exhibition Park in Canberra that 1,600 children went to.

The Rivers Volunteer Fire Brigade provided a heavy tanker (RIV 11) and five crew with the Molonglo Volunteer Fire Brigade provided two members plus Shyler the Community Support/Fire Awareness Dog. Shyler and the heavy tanker proved very popular on the day with a number of children taking advantage of the opportunity to sit in a fire truck and pat/play with Shyler.

The event was very rewarding for all concerned and despite the volume of children wishing to climb all over the fire truck, all members who attended have commented on how rewarding it was to participate in the event.

Tidbinbilla Brigade's new shed work has started!

The foundations have been poured and preparation for the walls and roof are in place on the brand new Tidbinbilla Brigade shed. 



Turkish Wildfire Units

It is sad that when the ACTRFS HQ staff go on leave, part of their holiday pics are made up of fire trucks!! :)

Operations Officer Paul Simakoff-Ellims, took these photo's whilst visiting Europe.  Here is what Paul says of his holiday snaps.

The below photos are of a typical Turkish wildfire unit used to protect forest and national parks.  The crews live next to their trucks all summer in small portable accommodation blocks, in shifts which last for 25 days. This unit was based at Gallipoli to protect the national park and significant monuments such as the Lone Pine Cemetery and ANZAC Cove. This particular truck carries around 9,000L of water and performed very well both on and off road.

A side shot of the tanker, the bar around the cab is a spray system and there is a electronic monitor on the front of the unit under the black cover.

The live reels and pump set.

The pump set

Orman, means Forest, Canakkale Isletme Mudurlugu means Canakkale islet directorate and ALO 177 Yangin Ihbar Hatti is the Fire notification number to call to report wildfire.

This is the electronic monitor located on the top of the unit between the cab and the equipment locker. Both monitors are controlled from within the cab but have a manual override. This monitor also has a value to allow for foam to be introduced directly into the monitor.



The large equipment locker between the tank and the crew cab, equipment is also stored on the top of the tank.



Can the ACTRFS assist with the President of the United States? Yes We Can!

The ACTRFS was asked to lend the space in Hangar 48 opposit ESA HQ to house the President's Of The United States vehicles during his visit to Canberra.  This unique request was answered in the positive and provided a good opportunity to check out his vehicles up close.

50 Years Of '000' School Fete's and McHappy Day

The ACT Rural Fire Service has been super busy out and about in the Canberra community. 

The first event was at the Royal Australian Mint celebrating the launch of the coin for the anniversary of the '000' service.  Molongolo Brigade has been busy with the school fete's at Radford and the Belconnen Family Fun Day.  On Saturday 12th November, all of the ACTRFS joined forces to assist McDonald's with McHappy Day to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House.  It was great to see our members at the Gungahlin, Charnwood, Weston, Erindale, Tuggeranong, Lanyon and Weston stores!

The flame game providing to be popular at the Belconnen Family Fun Day

The Molongolo crew with a potential new recruit?

The Prepare, Act, Survive message getting passed along.

Shylah keeping a close eye over the flame game.

Shylah taking a break from all the community engagement activities she has been involved with.

The Molongolo crew at the Radford College fete.

The 50 cent coint that to celebrate 50 years of '000'

Cassy, Chris and Kerrie getting taken for an overhead view of the event at the Royal Australian Mint

A birds eye view of Rivers 10 and kids playing the flame game.

Juliane & Laurie from Guises Creek along with Tevita Kuridrani from the Brumbies Rugby Union team helping out at the Tuggeranong McDonald's.

Kerrie, Tom and Cassy along with their Raiders friends helping out at the Erindale McDonald's




Nicky, Steve and an ACT Fire & Rescue colleague raising much needed funds.



Tom from Rivers 'testing' the product before it goes out.



ACTRFS Twitter Feeds for the Open Day #RFSOPENDAY

Guises Creek Goes Scottish

With the beat of the drums and the din of the Scottish bagpipes bands playing all day, Scottish Highland clans came from around Australia and enjoyed a day filled with various activities including band competitions, eating haggis (yuk) and black pudding, heraldry, tug of war, and other colourful events. 

The ACT RFS marquee proved very popular with an endless stream of enquiries about bushfires and how to prepare for them.

Kids loved squirting the hose at the "flame game" and a lot of potential new recruits have been groomed as a result! 

Mary Kirkman, from Guises Creek Brigade, demonstrates how to use a hose and made many new friends, including with a very large Scotsman brandishing a rifle.