Operation ‘Burnt Banana’ a success Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 27, 2023 Volunteers came together this month to drill for the coming fire season. Photos: CONTRIBUTED. IN the lead up to the bushfire season Coffs Coast volunteers came together on July 22 for a preseason training event code named ‘Burnt Banana’. This bought more than 100 volunteers from across Bellingen and Coffs Harbour regions to practise basic skills and come up to speed with new changes and techniques. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au District Manager Inspector Sandra Huer said, “it was fantastic to see members come together after a long break to practice and demonstrate their skills, renew friendships and develop camaraderie. “Volunteers give up their time to train and develop skills to help the community. “Burnt Banana” is an opportunity to demonstrate their skills, learn new skills and have some fun in a light-hearted, competitive way,” she said. Volunteers practised skills and events including pumping, first aid, gas fires and electric vehicle fires. Competitors were also given an opportunity to use new virtual reality training tools to practise skills in a safe environment and view the Rural Fire Service helicopter now based in Coffs Harbour. The best overall team on the day was Redhill, with special mentions to Megan, Boambee, Bonville and Woolgoolga. Making what has to be done rapidly in an emergency come second nature to volunteers was part of the exercise. There was time for clowning around too. Keeping on moving was the order of the day when volunteers came together in preparation for fire season.
