Farmers leaving Fire Brigades

We talka de language. Farmers language. Join "The Farmers Club" here.

To receive this newsletter in your inbox each day, just register with Farm Tender here.

By Dwain Duxson

Farmers leaving Fire Brigades - We wrote in "The Farmers Club" newsletter yesterday (sign up here) about how the Rural Fire Brigades around the nation are struggling for numbers and quality firefighting people.

We had some good replies on this subject, and one person said that there are now too many hoops to jump through these days. He said there are a group of young guys going through a basic wildfire training course. It's on one night a week, and it runs for several weeks, from 5 pm to 10 pm, with no meals. They have to have this to jump on a Truck in the Mallee, where it's mainly Grass and Crop fires.

He said these days, they won't let you near a Truck without months of training, and all these guys want to do is help put out fires when one starts locally. Another person in Tasmania said it was all about CYA, cover your arse. He said, "a 60-year-old Brigade member with a Truck licence could drive the Truck but couldn't use the siren because he hadn't done the course for it. The list goes on".

Another Brigade member mentioned that Farmers are leaving Fire Brigades and opting to attend Fires in their own private units. He said if a Harvest fire starts in his area, you can expect a dozen to 15 private units to turn up and help out. Yes, the Fire Brigade Trucks are better equipped, but if there is nobody to operate them, then what happens? What is happening at your local Brigade? Reply to dwaind@farmtender.com.au

End of message