Kingston Fire Brigade CFA

Come along from 1pm today 🎈

Please be advised that the brigade are conducting a planned burn this Sunday 12th November, Cnr Wrigleys and Pascoes Rds, Broomfield .

The area we are burning was identified as a priority fire hazard through consultation with residents after the 2020 Allendale Fire.

The brigades objective for this burn is three-fold:

1. Fuel Management - with potential grass fire approaching from the north/north west, reducing the fuel load on this intersection and interface into the residential area is of strategic importance.

2. Ecological Diversity - the biodiversity report for this burn identified that the ground layer is degraded by exotic annual grasses, but diverse native grasses and herbs remain. Removing the accumulation of leaf litter can assist native grasses and forbs to regenerate.

3. Brigade Skills - the proactive engagement of the brigade in coordinating and conducting planned burns provides invaluable experience for our firefighters.

The Brigade with support from other brigades, will be assembling 9.30am onsite for briefing and preparation works. Ignition is scheduled for 10am. Traffic management will be in place.

The area is approx 1.3ha. All relevant agencies will be notified as stipulated by the approved Delivery Plan. We estimate that the 'hot part' of the burn will be completed by 1pm - however this is an estimate! The brigade will patrol the burn over Sunday afternoon, and Monday until it is absolutely safe and extinguished.

Members of the Kingston Fire Brigade invite you to our 14th BBQ, Open Day and Community Get Together - Sunday 19th November, 1 to 4pm at the Kingston Fire Station. The Open Day is a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have leading up to the coming Fire Season. This year we will be running presentations on fire behaviour and suppression tactics based on incidents that have occurred in our area - very relevant and very informative. Free BBQ • Kids Activities • Fire Talks. Feel free to bring along a salad or a sweet to share.

We are currently distributing our 2023 Brigade Newsletter into all the letterboxes we can find in our area. It has some great information and links to CFA and Hepburn Shire resources. It is estimated that the Fire Danger Period (FDP) and fire restrictions will come in mid November this year. Fuel-loads across the landscape are high and with a hot summer predicted, so now is the time prepare for the oncoming summer - the brigade certainly is!

The owners of the dogs lost following the recent car accident are inviting those who assisted in the search to the Commercial at Kingston for a complementary pizza 🍕 between the hours of 3pm - 5pm tomorrow, Saturday 19th of August to say thanks.

The Kingston Brigade is saddened to advise the passing of our brother firefighter Nik Bradley. We will celebrate his quick wit, laughter and talents at his memorial. Our thoughts are with Pia on the passing of her beautiful man.

We had a meeting last night with Deputy Chief Officer Brett Boatman, Regional Project Coordinator Anthony Beacham, D15 Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Gavin Hope and Hepburn Catchment Commander Luke Kneebone presenting and discussing the proposed new station update for Kingston Fire Brigade.

As the new station build is currently unfunded, the primary focus of the meeting was discussing the type of station that aligns with the CFA's, Brigade's and Community's future needs.

Although a 1C (three bay) station was previously agreed to, we are now pursuing funding for a 1B (two bay) station that will also include additional office space for the Group Headquarters and Local Command Facility infrastructure.

DCO Boatman and team will now work to put forward a competitive submission to secure capital works funding for the build and site works.

Thank you to representatives from Birch Group Management Team and D15 VFBV for your attendance, input and ongoing support.

We still have a long way to go, but we're heading in the right direction.

Members of the Kingston Fire Brigade CFA had a great time at this years Daylesford Chillout Street Parade! Floss, Pia, Trace, Wendy and Robt alongside Hepburn Fire Brigade members Janet and Tony received a applause and an appreciative 'thank you for what you do' reception from all. Well done to the Chillout organisers for another wonderful event - thank you!

Did you know that the Kingston Fire Station is one of six Local Command Facilities (LCF's) within CFA District 15? As a LCF, the station becomes an Incident Control Centre when a small Type 1 fire escalates to a Type 2 fire.

Did you know that the Kingston Fire Station is also the Headquarters for the Birch Group of Fire Brigades? The Birch Group is made up of ten fire brigades: Campbelltown, Clunes, Creswick, Glen Park, Kooroocheang Werona, Mollongghip, Newlyn Dean, Smeaton and Ullina Fire Brigades.

The Kingston Fire Station was built and opened in 1967 and for it to keep up with the times it has undergone several minor and major modifications over the last 56 years.

Did you know that Kingston Fire Brigade Tanker 1 is one of the oldest tankers in CFA District 15? Our Tanker 1 was built in 1990 and has well and truly served its time over the last 33 years of service, however current CFA tankers are too tall to fit in the current station so for our Tanker 1 to be replaced, and our firefighters better protected to better protect our community, we need a new station.

Through many years of sustained effort, patience and frustration, the construction of a new station is on the horizon and this year we hope to announce that our new station, a Type 1C station - will be built behind the 'old' one (which will be removed).

The Type 1C Station has three parking bays, one for each of the brigades tankers and, as we are the Birch Group HQ, one for the Group's Forward Command Vehicle (FCV).

With a large meeting room and kitchen, and as the only publicly owned building in Kingston, the new station will be available for local community groups to access and benefit from the new facilities.

We look forward with open doors to our community benefiting from the new station - just as we have embraced the communities use of the 'old' one!

Hopefully a long-awaited announcement that the land behind the station has been acquired by CFA will be posted to you soon. Thank you all for your support.

Photos from yesterdays fire north of Addington Rd. Well done to all.

Kingston Fire Brigade was in attendance at the Kingston Swap Meet last Saturday - primarily for on-scene fast fire suppression as requested by the event organisers.

We put out our regular table of fire related information provided by the CFA and rattled the Donation Helmet to raise $ to replace our brigade-owned tanker - Kingston Tanker 2.

We will have to focus on our fundraising strategy though as the grand total raised for the day was $4.70!

Last Sunday morning we did some preparations for the upcoming Planned Burn at Pascoes/Wrigleys Rd.

Under the direction of Steve and Wendy, Kingston firefighters Fluffy & Reg's tractor w/mulcher made short work of the grass and scrub along the fence line of the western edge - much to the appreciation of the neighbouring property owners.

We will consolidate this containment line in the coming weeks and keep you updated on the timing of the Planned Burn.

Kingston firefighters last night began pre-planning our upcoming Planned Burn at the intersection of Wrigleys and Pascoes Roads, Broomfield. This area was identified by the brigade, D15 CFA and Broomfield residents as a fire risk in 2020.

The brigade is aiming to conduct the Planned Burn / fuel reduction with the assistance from neighbouring brigades. Timeframe is late March / early April, however this is weather/condition dependent - with a Spring/early Summer 2023 also an option.

Kingston Firefighters Wendy, Kim, Greg, Fluffy, Reg, Robt and new recruit Naz spent a few hours on Monday night inspecting and testing fire hydrants throughout Broomfield. Some were totally covered in dirt and mud and some hydrant posts were obscured from the roadside due to grass and scrub, but they're all good now!

We will do the remaining hydrants at Broomfield next Monday then onto Allendale and Kingston. Pop out for a chat if you see us!

If you have a fire hydrant outside or close to your property, please take time to inspect it once-in-a-while as a clean and visable hydrant is an advantage to everyone in the event of a fire.

Allendale Gorse Mulching Works

The grassfire at Allendale in February 2020 highlighted the need for the brigade and community to activate a Fuel & Fire Risk Reduction Program and during 2020 Kingston Fire Brigade, in collaboration with CFA and the Broomfield Community Fireguard, identified several areas for fuel reduction and planned burns.

It is great to announce that we have been successful in receiving funding from Safer Together to assist the land owner in mulching gorse in the 15ha block in-between Elizabeth Street and Ryan Junction Road, Allendale.

A big thanks to Ian Morrison, Vegetation Management Officer, D15 CFA and Safer Together for their work. The brigade started this gorse removal process in September 2020 with Hebpurn Catchment Commander Luke Kneebone and BASO Julie Britten and it is fantastic that we have secured the funding.

The work is contracted for 8 days beginning early next year. Mulching will start in the most infested areas highlighted in white the map below then if time permits, other areas within the block (shown in red) will be mulched also.

The 153rd Kingston Show was an absolute winner on Saturday with a great attendance and heaps of local character.

The Kingston Fire Brigade, alongside Brian and Cheryl from Glen Park Fire Brigade were there to answer any fire and CFA recruitments questions while the kids had a great time putting out the flames from the new 'Fire House'. Well done to John Rowlands, Kingston Ag Society and Creswick Mens Friendship Shed for making the Fire House for local brigades to use at events like the show.

The eagerly anticipated 'Tug of War' competition was watched by a vocal crowd, with Kingston Fire Brigade participating in the Mixed, Womens and Mens categories. At the end of the event, with strained backs and rope burnt hands, we were proudly awarded the Tug of War Perpetual Trophy!

We look forward to the 154th Kingston Show next year and congratulate the Kingston Agricultural Society for all their efforts to organise such a great show this year.

Broomfield Community Fireguard organised a Grassfire Workshop that was very well attended last night.

Facilitated by Chris Mair from CFA, and with local input from Kingston Fire Brigade Firefighters, we were split into three groups, each with a different scenario to playout as the simulated grassfire approached.

Thanks to Maree and John and all of the Broomfield Community Firegard for initiating this Workshop and continuing to discuss and prepare for the fire seasons ahead.

Members of the Kingston Fire Brigade would like to thank the community for making it another successful Community BBQ and get together.
We would like to acknowledge the following businesses for their support of the brigade.

Kim Haughie Ceramics
The Commercial at Kingston
IGA Creswick plus Liquor
The Phoenix Olive Grove
Little Ezra and Olive
HG & Sons Emporium
Levantine Hill Estate
Mark Amory - Jim’s Test & Tag
Ernie Terry - Lucky Monkey Blacksmith
Also to
Brian Cook, Fred Bartlett and the band for the entertainment on the day.

Annual BBQ & Community Open Day
Sunday 30th October 2022
1 to 4pm at the Kingston Fire Station

Members of the Kingston Fire Brigade invite you to our 13th Free BBQ & Community Open Day for a fun and informal catch up.

Its a great opportunity to ask any questions you may have leading up to the coming Fire Season and to enjoy a relaxed time catching up with old friends and meeting the newer members of our wonderful community.

Please come along and share in an afternoon of food, live music and some great door prizes!

Feel free to bring along a plate to share.

For residents in Allendale - The Brigade's from the Birch Group are conducting some training tonight in Allendale - Corner Batten and Smyth St - next to Supagas Depot.

There will be flames visible approximately between 8 and 9pm, but please do not be alarmed or call '000'. The training is being conducted in a controlled area.

Big thanks to Clunes Fire Brigade for organising a Road Accident Rescue presentation at their station last night.

Eureka Group 2nd Lt and Training Officer, Matt Burzacott and the crew members of Ballarat Fire Brigade Rescue Support presented a very informative evening and gave us all a vital refresh of what RAR expect and require from outlying brigades when the unfortunate accidents happen. We were also given a tour of their new Rescue Support appliance.

This is a perfect example of how members of volunteer fire brigades instigate and put their own personal time into sharing their professional, first-hand emergency response knowledge for the benefit of other responders and their own communities.

Members from Kingston Fire Brigade proudly represented CFA's 54,000 volunteers at this years Chillout Parade in Daylesford. The streets were vibrant with appreciation for the brigade's support of our LGBQTI+ community and for the work all CFA volunteers do as their communities firefighters.

The brigade worked through a 'tabletop' incident last night after our March General Meeting. We were called out to a simulated grass and scrub fire at the corner of Beaconsfield Road and Ewen Charleson's Road and for the next hour, with ten tankers, command vehicles and aircraft, we put in place the strategies tactics etc. to control the fire before it impacted Allendale.

Thanks to Alan, Carol and Richard from Birch Group for preparing the exercise and for the great teamwork of the brigade firefighters.

Thanks also to Commander Luke Kneebone, Hepburn Catchment, for attending the meeting and participating in the exercise.