Eighteen volunteer firies from four brigades – Pindimar/Tea Gardens, North Arm Cove, Girvan and Markwell – learnt more about the various capabilities of their eight different vehicles, understanding the design differences, and what they can bring to the fire-ground.

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One of the most important vehicles present was the massive bulk water tanker, which carries up to 11,000 litres to resupply firefighting vehicles in the field, and also features a pull-out ‘portable dam’ with the same capacity.

“We have great respect for our vehicles, which is why the Mid Coast bulky is currently stationed at Tea Gardens,” Pindimar/Tea Gardens Brigade Captain David Bright told NOTA.

“Our volunteers maintain all the vehicles weekly, every Tuesday morning, and anyone considering joining is welcome to come down to the station in the industrial estate to find out more.”

North Arm Cove’s shiny new Category 1 truck was also present, its modern upgrades including an LED water gauge and front-mounted ‘monitor’ – a cabin-controlled water nozzle with full directionality that allows crews to shoot down flames from the moving vehicle.

Group Captain Phil Hughes reminded the crews of the realities of the life-saving ‘overrun’ procedure, the last-resort manoeuvre that all crews are trained for, when their vehicles are overrun by unstoppable flames, forcing them to take refuge inside the vehicles.

Pindimar/Tea Gardens RFS veteran of 48 years Peter Plain has experienced four overruns, including back when they could only hunker down outside the vehicle, behind the back wheel.

These days, the modern ‘halo’ system sprays the outside of the cabin and wheels with water long enough to prevent the windows from exploding as the flames pass over.

Getting to Girvan was an adventure in and of itself, as the Pindimar/Tea Gardens brigade braved the world’s smallest bridge that bottlenecks the Branch Lane, but still remarked that the dirt road is in better condition than Bucketts Way.

The bucolic surrounds of Girvan and Booral Road delivered scenes of paddocks, farms, hinterland hills, and more than a few red rattler train carriages, and a ten-storey skyscraper in the middle of the bush.

The training is hopeful to become a more regular event, made all the more important by the imminent start of Fire Permit Season, from 1 September.

Those wishing to legally burn can apply and receive approval online this season, and should observe all regulations, including the need to give 24-hour notice to all neighbours, and the RFS.

By Thomas O’KEEFE