NSW RFS Hanwood Brigade Promotes Prevention

There’s more to being a firefighter than just putting out raging blazes, according to Hanwood firefighter Nell Duly.

In fact, the NSW RFS Hanwood Brigade attended two pile burns for local businesses recently.

“Prevention is always best,” firefighter Nell said.

In the lead up to the warmer months, people are urged to prepare for the bushfire season.

“Check gutters are clear of dry leaf refuse,” firefighter Nell said. “In a bushfire, gutters with dry leaf refuse make a property susceptible to ember attack.

“Don’t stack your wood pile right up close to the house.

“It might look pretty, but it is dangerous.”

Firefighter Nell said it was also important to make sure you have a hose that is long enough to go around the full expanse of your property and to keep your garden clear of dry refuse.

“As it heats up, it is important to clear dead leaf matter,” she said. “We all get busy, but a grass fire can burn even if the roots and soil beneath it are sodden.”

The Hanwood Brigade has about 25 members on the books at the moment, but firefighter Nell said they’d love to have more.

“Twenty five on the books doesn’t translate to 25 on the trucks,” she said.

“Anyone interested in volunteering, they would be very welcome.

“Fill in the online form on the RFS website.”

Completed forms are then sent to the Hanwood Brigade.

“There is a probationary period of six months during which volunteers are put through basic firefighting training, like how to get on a truck without falling on your face,” firefighter Nell said.

“We train to village fire fighter.

“We train once a week every week.”

The Hanwood Brigade gets an average of 200 call outs per year, but they aren’t all raging fires.

Firefighter Nell said that people often forget that firefighting was a lot of grunt work and they were called out to vehicle fires, motor vehicle collisions, pile burns and ambulance assists as well.

Among the most interesting experiences firefighter Nell has had included being called out to a fire someone set on total fire ban day, December 24.

“It was quite a high flame height,” she said.

“Some of the electric car fires amount to a new phenomenon.

“When an electric car bursts into flame, there’re fascinatingly dangerous colours as different parts of teh vehicle burn.

“It takes around 4000 litres of water to put out an electric car fire.”

When a vehicle like that goes up, it has a real impact on the environment, according to firefighter Nell.

• Topics:

• Emergency Services
• Firefighting / Bushfires