ACT RFS / NSW RAFT Crews at the Banshea Rd Fire, Oberon, NSW

Early last Friday 11 Oct 2013, the ACT RFS Duty Officer received a call from the NSW RFS Duty Officer, Lake George Zone (LGZ). LGZ had received a request from the NSW State Operations for a RAFT Crew to assist control of a remote area fire located near Oberon NSW, called the "Banshea Road" fire. This crew was required to be on the ground the next day. As LGZ were having trouble putting together a full team at short notice, they contacted the ACT RFS with a request to assist putting together a composite ACT / NSW team.

From the subsequent call made, 4 ACT volunteer RAFT team members put their hands up to assist. As a result a composite team of 6 were on the road to Oberon at 06:00 the next morning for a 2 day deployment - to return home late Sunday.  Formal thanks from NSW RFS for an excellent job done was received this morning. Their time and commitment, not to mention skill level and professionalism, was certainly appreciated, that commitment further highlighted considering most of the crew had also given up their previous weekend at the Mt Namadgi fire.

RAFT Crew disembarks (Photo: Jamie Lankford)