Local brigades to benefit from hose testing trailer

Local CFA brigades in the district nine region will be soon able to test brigade hoses at a safer and faster rate after receiving a combined $52,800 from a Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grant and funding from Community Banks in Drouin, Trafalgar, Neerim, Inverloch and Mirboo North.

The funds will be used to purchase a hose testing trailer which will provide a safe and effective way to test hoses in accordance with all requirements to ensure they remain operational. More than 40 local brigades are expected to benefit from the purchase of the hose testing trailer.

Ted Osler from CFA district nine contacted community banks to ask if a portion of the trailer cost could be covered to aid in the application for a VESP grant.
Following a joint funding commitment from the five community banks, the application was approved. The VESEP grant will provide $35,200 to the project with the community banks contributing $17,600.

Mr Osler said the current hose testing practices could be dangerous and slow, with some brigades not having the right equipment to test to the necessary standard.
"It (the hose testing trailer) cuts the time right down," Mr Osler said. "If they test them the way that we normally would test them on the back of a truck ... it's slow and it's fairly dangerous."

Currently for a brigade with 15 hoses, testing can take up to three weeks. The new trailer will enable all hoses to be tested within a day, as six hoses can be tested at a time.

The hose testing trailer will be available for all units in CFA District nine and will be housed at the district nine headquarters in Warragul when not in use.
"There's 43 brigades in total who benefit from this, not just a handful of brigades," Mr Osler said. "It'll be open for neighboring districts, for some brigades that live just over the over the boundaries to use it as well."

Community Bank Drouin and District chair Rod Dunlop said he was proud to be part of the joint initiative to ensure local brigades remained well-equipped.
"Our local CFA units have a long history of helping and protecting local communities," Mr Dunlop said.

"It is vital that they are provided with the essential equipment they need in order to be able to continue to do their critical work. Our local community bank network has a proud history of supporting local communities."