$4.8m of public donations fund new equipment for CFA
CFA brigades have been able to choose from $4.8 million worth of new equipment and tools, thanks to generous public donations following last summer’s bushfires. See what each district will receive.
CFA brigades across Victoria will receive $4.8 million worth of new equipment to support their efforts this fire season, funded by community donations following last summer’s bushfires.
Brigades were able to choose the equipment and tools they needed most from a “district pick list”.
Thermal imaging cameras made up the largest portion of funding, with 232 wildfire and 27 structural cameras selected at a combined value of almost $1 million.
More than $300,000 will also be spent upskilling members after 228 medium rigid truck
licences, 27 heavy truck licences and eight marine licences were requested. 218 defibrillators will also be distributed and 5000 items of apparel.
More than a third of the funding came directly from a Facebook fundraiser by Queensland nurse and former Portland resident Jodie Silva, who wanted to ensure there was a channel for donations to Victoria and the CFA.
She raised $1.8 million, which was the most successful community fundraiser for the CFA during the bushfire season.
“I said ‘let’s aim for a million’ but I was joking – I never thought we could reach this amount,” she said.
Acting CFA Chief Officer Garry Cook said the skills and equipment would make a “real difference” in keeping communities safe and that members were very grateful.
“More defibrillators on our vehicles mean our members will be safer while training and
responding to incidents, while more thermal imaging cameras mean they will be able to safely
detect heat sources or hot spots to extinguish fires using that technology,” Mr Cook said.
More medium rigid licences mean more members can drive CFA’s fire trucks, while the heavy
rigid licences will allow members to drive its newly introduced bulk water carriers and large
tankers.
“Having additional drivers boosts the brigades’ ability respond in a timely manner and have additional relief drivers to maintain crews on the fire line and meet our communities’ expectations,” Mr Cook said.
“Having additional drivers will also be valuable when we are supporting large fire activities around the state and interstate.”
The $4.8 million allocated to brigades through the tools and equipment program was part of a
total $20.5 million in donations to CFA as a result of the 2019-20 extreme fire season.
EQUIPMENT ALLOCATION BY DISTRICT
Note: The most fire-affected districts, 11 (East Gippsland) and 24 (North East Vic), received the most funding.
WEST REGION
SOUTH WEST REGION
NORTH WEST REGION
Note: The brigade breakdown has not been finalised in District 2, but brigades in that district will share in $270,000 in funding.
NORTH EAST
SOUTH EAST
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