Local Emergency Services Groups Dish Out Life-saving information Myall Coast Photo Gallery Port Stephens by News Of The Area - Modern Media - November 1, 2023 Pindimar-Tea Gardens Rural Fire Service Deputy Captain Ralph Clark mans the RFS Education Trailer. VOLUNTEERS and workers all around Port Stephens and Myall Coast converged for the inaugural Pindimar Emergency Services Fare, running parallel to the Pindimar Markets on Saturday, 28 October. The clearly united front of local emergency services included Pindimar-Tea Gardens Rural Fire Service (RFS), Stroud SES, Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage, the Myall Way Emergency Planning Group, Hunter Local Land Services and MidCoast Council. The RFS’ education trailer ran scenario videos, while RFS volunteer firefighters supervised kids extinguishing some simulated fires using state-of-the-art electronics that save lighting a hazardous inferno. Several kids, future volunteers-in-the-making, got to climb aboard the big red trucks. Invaluable Emergency Radios were available from the RFS and Marine Rescue to signed-up residents, Bushfire Ready Packs for landowners, and colouring-in jigsaws and firies caps for kids. Peter Brown, MidCoast Council’s Bushfire Preparedness Officer, showed residents realistic spread of bushfires via the SimTable, manipulating important variables like dry-lightning strikes, natural fuel loads, topography, wind speed and direction, and embers-spotting. “Up to 90 percent of houses burn because of embers, blown ahead of the main fire,” Mr Brown explained. “RFS can defend most houses if kept properly cleared around, and owners leave early – go grab a preparedness kit.” Jo Pearce, the ceaseless engine of the Myall Way Emergency Planning Group (MWEPG), also informed locals of their options when the worst occurs, including soon-to-come mitigation strategies, like the ‘Hub House Network System’, the first to be implemented in Bundabah. “Bundabah Hub-House is gaining steam, we are keen to support it in coming weeks, but the community needs to establish it formally,” Ms Pearce told NOTA. “We are also seeking emergency resilience grants for UHF radios in poor-signal areas like Pindimar/Bundabah when power and phones are down.” The next MWEPG meeting is on Thursday 16 November at Hawks Nest Community Hall at 6:30pm. The timeliness of the Fare was highlighted by the recent tragic helicopter crash near Bennetts Beach, and a motor vehicle accident that called away Pindimar-1 truck during the Fare. By Thomas O’KEEFE Marine Rescue Lemon Tree Passage and MidCoast Council supported community emergency knowledge. Rural Fire Service volunteers supervise as kids attack the simulated fire with real firehoses. MidCoast Council Bushfire Preparedness Officer Peter Brown shows one resident how bushfires spread in the local area on the SimTable. Future firefighters get familiar with the truck. Visitors up from Sydney with future fire-fighters and current volunteer Peter Plain.
