Wednesday, 15 November 2023

Country Fire Authority Koondrook brigade

Peter WALSH (Murray Plains) (10:43): The matter I raise today is on behalf of the Koondrook CFA brigade and their need for additional firefighting equipment and an urban pumper truck. Koondrook is the fastest growing community in the Gannawarra shire. It nestles on the bank of the mighty Murray River. It is a town that has an excellent kindergarten and primary school, strong community support and great amenity, which is why more people are choosing to move to Koondrook and call it home. The local CFA brigade is at the core of that strong community, with 17 of their 22 brigade members fully operational. With the town growing quickly, the captain of the brigade Ben Watts has raised the needs of the brigade with me as they continue their role in keeping the community safe.

Firstly, the brigade desperately needs an additional breathing apparatus, or BA as it is called, so they can fight house fires in the town. They only have one BA at the moment, and that means that they cannot enter a house fire because there would not be a backup firefighter with a BA if the first got into difficulty. They need the additional BA equipment to keep themselves safe. The brigade’s more than 30-year-old fire truck has been replaced with a hand-me-down rural fire truck from the Boort brigade, but as the town grows they believe that an urban pumper truck is necessary to ensure they have the water supply to better fight house fires. The Allan government has proven they cannot manage money and cannot manage major projects. Please do not add to the list the fact that they cannot manage the resources for the CFA. I urge the Allan government to supply Koondrook CFA brigade with the additional BA and an urban pumper truck.