Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 1 of 9

~THE BRIGADE BULLETIN~

The occasional newsletter of the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade #49

26 October 2018

Spring Fair Logo: Jeremy Mears Design

Spring Fair 11/11; September training; October training; Donations box bonanza; Bunnings BBQ 22/9;

Fire permits; Yankees Gap fire, Bemboka; Arduous Firefighter pack test; Monaro Round Robin exercise;

Captains’ meeting; ‘How fireproof is your plan?’; District Doings.

Spring Fair 11 November, 10—3 www.facebook.com/MichelagoSpringFair/

The Michelago Brigade and The Michelago Region Community Association have been planning all year to make the Spring Fair a success for all our community. The MRCA’s Libby Melton keeps the Michelago Notice Board Facebook site updated with news of attractions, including lots of excellent raffle prizes. Monster Raffle tickets will soon be at the Michelago Shop. Information is also on www.michelagoregion.org.au Some things to watch and do: helicopter rides! Sheep shearing! Sheep-dog displays! Face painting! Town Crier! MC James Kenyon! RFS Smoke House! Big red fire trucks to climb on! Petting Paddock! Monster raffle (all prizes donated)**! Relax in the big, shady marquee! Music: the smooth country-folk style of Bill Lane, Queanbeyan Pipe Band, and the acoustic trio Ivy Lane. Food & drink: MRFB barbecue; The Pizza Trailer; Ora’s Indian curries, samosas and sweets; Cool Penguin ice-cream van; Devonshire Teas; Curbside Coffee Express van with doughnuts; Pony Club fairy floss; Michelago School P&C cakes; beer tent!

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 2 of 9

Stalls: many items for you and for family and friends – think you, think friends and rellies, think now, think birthdays, think Christmas. (Don’t miss the colourful Spring Fair stubby holders!) **JUST SOME OF THE GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES & THEIR VALUE (most are grouped on the raffle

tickets, as there are too many to list individually on each ticket):

Alpine Aviation Australia – Trial Introductory Flight &/or further tuition to $100.00

Top Spec Automotive – 4-wheel alignment plus rotate & balance for any car or 4WD, to $120.00

Snuggles Pet Resort – 2 x two days & nights, each voucher for either one dog ($110.00) or two

dogs ($176.00)

SeneGence hamper – Robyn Britton, over $200.00

Scentsy hamper – Hayley Butler, over $150.00

Bunnings Tuggeranong – portable evaporative cooler, $90.00

Massage 1 hour – Michelle O’Leary, $90.00

Fernwood Tuggeranong – 2 x vouchers, each $88.00

Vikings Club, Erindale – 2 x $75.00 dining vouchers

Blossoms florist Chisholm – $50.00 voucher

Woolworths Calwell – $50.00 voucher

Patto’s Grog Calwell – bottle gold medal Shiraz, $24.00

Plus lucky gate prize – $30.00 Ora Indian food voucher to the 500th person through the gate.

THANKS TO THE GENEROUS SPONSORS:

1. All States Towing – $1,250.00

2. ACTEW AGL – $1,000.00 to sponsor the music

3. Snowy Monaro Regional Council – $850.00

4. Fitch Sharpening – $250.00

5. Leigh’s Water Tank Cleaning – $250.00

6. Snowy Sheds – $250.00

7. Snuggles Pet Resort, Michelago – $250.00

8. Will Kelly’s Combined Rural Services – $250.00

9. PremiAir Hire – for donating the use of their electronic road signs.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 3 of 9

Tennis court clubhouse ready for Spring Fair

The ceilings and walls have been repaired – thanks, Paul Kennedy. The kitchen and

toilets have been painted at a community-friendly price – thanks to Ardeshir of

‘Painter Without Borders’ (0427 339 761 for all your paint jobs).

September training

Sunday, 9/9.

Each of the three trucks went to a different location. In summary, the four objectives of the

exercise were:

1. to practise relating grid references to a map then navigating to them

2. to set up either a tree or grass fire scenario at the dirt-road grid reference (but no live fire,

lights or sirens!)

3. to demonstrate the ability to charge a line, a ‘line’ being two joined hoses and ‘charging’

meaning filling the line with water to the appropriate pressure

4. to make a good situation report to those acting as firecom.

All aspects of the exercise were discussed afterwards, particularly the elements of a ‘good’

situation report, vital for fireground and Fire Control Centre operations coordination.

The Cat7Alpha getting bogged (above) was not in the plan. The Cat1 came to its rescue. Photos above: Bronwyn Gattringer

Fashions Out of the Fire

Field: Lee, Bronwyn and

Kylie show it’s not all

serious and hard work in

the Brigade. They model

the stunningly attractive

hats for children large

and small. The hats will

be available at the Get

Ready RFS display at the

Spring Fair.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 4 of 9

October training Photos: Leanne Pattison

Sunday, 14/10. Deputies Scott Teys and Derek Giucci ran this training session. They focused on

ensuring the trucks and all equipment were at callout readiness.

Some of the items checked: truck pumps, porta-pumps, filters, fuel for jerry cans and drip torches and chain

saws, and all in working order; fire blankets, emergency sugar-loaded supplies, water bottles.

All systems were again ready to go!

Above: Scott and Aldo, Rob Green, Kylie

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 5 of 9

Above: Robert, Lee, Scott

Below: Scott, Kylie, Rob Green

Donations box bonanza

Treasurer Brien reported on 21 September: This afternoon I have counted out the donations tin at the shop

and the total was $210.

This is the largest amount the donation tin has yielded in my time

as treasurer, and is a wonderful and practical sign of local support

for the brigade.

As always, the continued support of Sally, Tom and the team at

the shop is much appreciated.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 6 of 9

Bunnings BBQ 22 September Photos: Keith Howker, Leanne Pattison

Superb weather, mobs of hungry shoppers and a clear profit of $1755.30 – excellent! All the 1,000 sausages were sold by 3.30. There were emergency trips to Aldi to avert the threatened Tomato Sauce Crisis and to Woolies for more onions, paper serviettes and Coca Cola. The small and willing crew managed brilliantly, with Keith and Kylie working all day and others doing shifts.

Thanks to Keith, Kylie, Robert, Alex, Lee, Dave Ferris and Leanne.

Clockwise from top left: Alex, Kylie, Keith; Dave & Lee; Leanne & Dave; Lee; Robert.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 7 of 9

Fire permits

A detailed RFS guide to regulations about when you can and when you can’t light a fire, and in what circumstances, will be published in the next Brigade Bulletin. For permits, call Brent (0418 680 205), Keith (0406 887 435) or Derek (0432 045 465).

Yankees Gap Fire, Bemboka

Michelago Captain Brent spent the weekend of 22 September as Plant Manager of 18 bulldozers and 3 graders in the IMT (Incident Management Team) at this c. 19.5 hectare fire. This fire started on 15 August in the South East Forest National Park to the north-west of Bega. It was posted by the RFS as being under control on 27 September. Brent had five hours oversight on the Friday evening, then worked two shifts of 17 and 16 hours on the fireground. His primary aim with the plant was to further establish containment lines. Though at the expense of bushland, these lines achieve the prioritised aim of limiting the spread of the fire and the greater damage it can do to bushland.

Arduous Firefighter Pack Test

Jindabyne Oval 26 September: four Michelago members passed the Pack Test – Deputy Captains Scott Teys, John Taylor and Derek Giucci, and Captain Brent Wallis. Preceded by qualifying medicals two months before and training since then, candidates had to walk 4.8 kilometres in under 45 minutes, carrying packs of 20 kg. Brent said that, despite the training, the test was very demanding, leaving a gradually diminishing legacy of sore muscles.

Captains’ meeting These meetings are held at the beginning and end of each fire season. Brent reported a positive Captains’ meeting on 13 September. Monaro Captains supported the continued appointment of Adrian Butters as District Assistant. Adrian has been temporarily in this role for six months and will now definitely continue for another six. A permanent occupant appointed by Sydney Control is expected at some stage. A photo of Adrian has been requested for the next Brigade Bulletin.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 8 of 9

Monaro Round Robin Exercise Photos: Brent Wallis

Bredbo Oval, 7 October, 0900—1300. The Division North of Snowy-Monaro, i.e. ‘Cooma’, had six trucks altogether from Colinton, Michelago and Shannons Flat. Divisions South and West had their own Round Robins at Adaminaby and Bombala. Michelago’s Abby McPherson was Brent’s Staging Area Manager, Colinton’s Captain, Graham Povey, was helping Brent in the Division Commander’s role and Colinton’s Gill Robinson was Scribe. Brent said Gill was ‘brilliant’ in this relatively new role. Michelago’s Derek Giucci and Peter Butler were Sector Leaders. This was a fun day of three exercises to, as Brent said, ‘blow out the cobwebs for the fire season’. Each exercise tested and showcased (1) pumping and drafting (2) dryland fire-fighting techniques, (3) hose skills, and (4) communication and navigation.

Above left: Michelago’s Abby McPherson, and Colinton’s Mardi Ellis and Gill Robinson.

Above right: Dial-a-Jet, Brent’s hose-skills invention: players have to control a ball’s direction while

adjusting the water flow with the Acron. Only Michelago had practised this before … see photos below

from July 2014 training.

Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin #49 26 October 2018 Page 9 of 9

New NSW RFS campaign to follow the

‘I am fire’ campaign … more in next BB.

Check it out before then at www.myfireplan.com.au

District Doings – done, doing and to be done

29/9: MRFB-MRCA Spring Fair meeting, 5 pm, Michelago Hall 30/9: Divisional Commander Workshop 7/10: Monaro Round Robin Exercise, Bredbo Oval, 0900—1300; Colinton, Michelago & Shannons Flat Brigades in Cooma Division 9/10 TAG meeting, Cooma 14/10: Michelago monthly training, Fire Shed, 11 am 27/10: MediSim Trauma Care Workshop, Jindabyne (Peter Butler) 29/10: Spring Fair Committee meeting, 5.30, Hall November and December: no Michelago RFS training scheduled 11/11: MRFB-MRCA Spring Fair, 10am—3pm, Michelago Oval. Includes ‘Get Ready’ promotion. Replaces Michelago monthly training. Note: the RFS training dates and locations are taken from the Monaro 2018 Training Calendar and

can be subject to change, usually depending on instructor availability. If in doubt, please ask one

of the training officers or Brent.

The 2018—2019 MRFB Committee

Captain: Brent Wallis (0418 680 205) Senior Deputy Captain: Keith Howker (0406 887 435)

Deputy Captains: Derek Giucci, Scott Teys, John Taylor, Alex Milovanovic

Callout Officers: Bronwyn Gattringer, Lauren Wallis

Catering Officers: Lauren Wallis, Kylie Kenyon, Alex Milovanovic

RFSA Rep: Keith Howker

Training Officers: Aldo Giucci, David Ferris, Peter Butler

Equipment Officers: Derek Giucci, Keith Howker

Engine Keepers: Scott Teys, David Ferris

Welfare Officer (female): Bronwyn Gattringer Welfare Officer (male): Keith Howker

WHS Officer: Brent Wallis

Permit Officers: Brent Wallis, Keith Howker, Derek Giucci

President: Abby McPherson 0417 548 118 Treasurer: Brien Hallett Vice President: Bronwyn Gattringer

Secretary: Leanne Pattison Active-member representative: Abby McPherson

Executive Committee Officers: Captain, Snr Deputy Captain, Deputy Captain 1, President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, Active-member representative

Auditor: tba Editor: Leanne Pattison 0407 110 946 / LPatt@internode.on.net

Disclaimer: views expressed or implied in this bulletin are not necessarily those of the MRFB Committee, wider Brigade

membership or the RFS.

Original articles and photographs: Copyright © authors and photographers

and the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade

Find The Brigade Bulletin on www.michelagoregion.org.au and

Fire Cooma Monaro Fire Control 1300 722 164 / 02 6455 0455 (BH only; AH leave a message)

Emergency 000

FIRE INFO: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me or download the app Fires Near Me