ACTRFS Practical and Assessment Days

Over the weekend, the ACT Rural Fire Service's newest recruit intake completed their practical and assessment.  The ACTRFS now have 20 new recruits that will be heading out to the various volunteer Brigades throughout the ACT.



The ACT Rural Fire Service and two ACT Fire & Rescue crews attended the St Anthony's Fete held at Wanniassa on Saturday 12th May 2012.

Joshua Nicholls and Lachlan Nicholls, of Kambah, were keen to use a fire hose and learn about what it is in the front of a RFS heavy tanker. 

The Bronto crew showed how high it could go and gave a birds eye view of everybody enjoying the activities of the fete.

Hazard reduction burn today in Amarro

These images are from today's burn at Amaroo.  This is one of several burns the Parks Fire Management Unit completed today.

Rivers Brigade Assisting The Greening Australia Speed Dating Planting Day

The big question on everyone's lips at the Greening Australia Speed Dating Planting Day was 'Do you plant here often?'

Approximately 90 people attended the event with thousands of trees planted around the Uriarra area. 

The Rivers crew assisting Greening Australia



Kerry doing her bit to regenerate the environment.



Getting the buckets of water ready for the avid planters.

Stephen being the pump operator.

9 lengths of 38mm later and we managed to get the water to the planters!

The ACTRFS assists the ACT Fire & Rescue with their Stage 3 Major Rescue Exercise

The ACT Fire Brigade put the skills and leadership of its members to the test under extreme pressure conditions.  They had to cope with worst case scenarios including gas fires, multiple casualties, multiple injuries, located everywhere from the top of a multi-story building, impaled in a bus, various motor vehicle extractions using the jaws of life, located confined spaces in a basement, casualties requiring vertical rescue and location and extraction from the smoke house in the dark. The Bronto crew did a marvellous job of rescuing trapped and injured casualties from the roof.

ACT Rural Fire Service and SES volunteers took on the roles of casualties and had great fun being involved in the exercise.

The ACT Ambulance Service also contributed significantly and used this as an opportunity to hone their skills and to train paramedic students in near real-life situations.

This is also an example of how well the 4 Services can work together should we ever have to deal with such a major incident in the ACT or surrounding regions.

Let us all say a big "THANK YOU" to Kaye Parsons for her wonderful meals and to Matt Mavity for organing this and putting up with the rest of us!

Snowy Hydro Southcare Open Day

The Molongolo Brigade attended the Snowy Hydro Southcare Open Day on Saturday along with other ACT Emergency Services.  A fun day was had by all participants as well as the thousands of people that attended.



Mulch Fire At The National Arboretum

Just before 7:00am this morning, a member of the public dialed 000 to report of mulch piles smoking off to the side of the Tuggeranong Parkway.  Upon inspection by the ACT Fire & Rescue there was a pile alight and the Parks and Rivers Brigade were dispatched.  Due to the nature of the mulch fire a small excavator was required to assist in opening the pile up to assist the units get water into the mulch where it was smouldering.  The fire was extinguished and crews released around midday.