A highlight of the Namoi-Gwydir Rural Fire Service Precinct opening was the blessing of the fleet by RFS chaplain Noel Williams, with prayers offered for the safety of volunteers and the communities they serve.
Attendees gathered for the special event, admiring the row of freshly washed and shiny red fire trucks lined up for the occasion.
RFS acting deputy commissioner Viki Campbell handed over the keys of six new vehicles to local brigade representatives from Bellata, Yarrie Lake, Bullawa-Eulah Creek, Narrabri, Myall Vale and Wynella.
The vehicles have a combined value of $1.896m.
“These six new firefighting vehicles provide our volunteers with modern, reliable and fit-for-purpose equipment to safely respond to bush fires, grass fires, motor vehicle accidents and a range of other emergencies,” said, who was concerned she might pronounce the names of communities incorrectly.
But she received a round of applause from the crowd for getting it right and for her engaging speech.
“The enhanced capability ensures our members have the best possible equipment available,” she said.
Stories were shared about the vehicle history of different brigades, including Bellata’s, tracing back to a community-funded, decommissioned six-wheeled petrol Bedford purchased from the army for around $13,000.
And how Bullawa-Eulah Creek Rural Fire Brigade was one of the first in the district to receive a red RFS truck following the inception of the Rural Fire Service, and among the earliest to operate a Category 7 appliance.
Yarrie Lake Rural Fire Brigade, formed after the merger of Wee Waa South and Yarrie Lake, once relied on two-wheel trailers with 750-gallon tanks before upgrading to four-wheel trailers with 1,300-gallon capacity, reflecting the evolution of rural firefighting resources over time.
