National Emergency Medal Award Ceremony - 11 June 2013

A great night was had by all last night with the presentation of the National Emergency Medals to those people who were eligible to receive the award for their efforts assisting Victoria during the 2009 Victorian Fires.

Mr Simon Corbell MLA, Minister for Police and Emergency Service presented the medals to the 79 people recipients.

Congratulations to all those who received the award and also a big thanks to RFS staff for organising and managing the event. Thanks also to Jeff Garner for his usual great effort in his role as Master of Ceremonies.

Photos below courtesy of Gary Hooker.

ACT Rural Fire Service Supports Greening Australia Planting Day near Williamsdale, NSW

ACT Rural Fire Service members from Guises Creek Brigade had a hard day assisting a bus load of volunteers from Greening Australia who were planting a number of trees on a private property south of Williamsdale, NSW. The G/CRK crews' role was to provide water for the plants and trees.

The views were spectacular and the crews wanted to share them with the rest of you. (TIP: Click on photo to make it much larger.)

Mt Tennant is shown on the left in between the G/CRK 10 heavy tanker and the dead tree.
 Fog rests over  South Tuggeranong in the middle.
Mt Rob Roy is shown on the far right, just in front of the G/CRK 11 heavy tanker.  
Greening Australia volunteers are on the right hand side in the middle distance. (Photo: Garry Mayo)

Mitch Rodway, Brennan Blaseotto, Craig Greenwood, Captain Dave Wassall, Paul Burke and Cameron Blaseotto from Guises Greek Brigade have a breather at the top of the hill to take in the view. (Photo: Gary Mayo)

Historic Bedford Tanker on Display at Tharwa Open Day - 14 April 2013

One of the earliest bush fire fighting vehicles used in the ACT was on display at the Tharwa Open Day held on 14 April 2013. (Photos: Gary Hooker).

ACT Bush Fire Council Bedford Tanker 112 on  public display outside of the Tharwa General Store, ACT. 

The view from the rear.

A closer look at the old pump.

A side view of the Bedford.

The interior of the old girl. A bit hard on the rear end!.

Forest 11 Ford heavy tanker was also on display for the day!

ACTRFS at the Southcare Open Day

The annual Southcare Open Day was held on Sunday 24 March under beautiful clear skies and warm weather. Lots of families turned up and the crew from Guises Creek was on hand to show people through our vehicles and to entertain the kids with the flame game.

Thanks to Guises Creek for representing the RFS at the Open Day!

Volunteer Information Night - 26 February 2013

The Volunteer Information Night went off really well tonight with about 100 prospective volunteers coming along to get information and talk to the brigades they might join. Thanks to you all for coming along, and also to Mark Beech and Rob Gore for their presentations. Here's a picture of the crowd captured from Michael Joyce's mobile phone.

ACT Rural Fire Service at the Canberra Show

We've been beating them off with a stick (well, not really) out at the show. The ACTRFS stand looks great thanks to the efforts of Virginia Dixon, Dave & Pauline Wassall, Simon Pond and Brioni Young who all put in a great effort yesterday to set up the stand. Thanks to the rest of the RFS staff who also helped out. Check out the photos below.

Dave Wassall providing advice

The ACTRFS stand at the show

Gettimg the message out on where to go to get information

People were really interested in the all the messaging around our house prop



All the things you need to pack into your bushfire survival kit



RAFT Crew heads to Tasmania

On Saturday 16/1/2013 4 of our volunteer RAFT crew members headed off to Tasmania to assist in fire suppression activities in the Cambridge area. Our RAFT crews are highly sought after by other states and territories and it's alway good for us to be able to help, even if it is in a small way.

Our best wishes go with the crew and we wish them a safe return.

From left: Our RAFT crew at Canberra Airport before they left (what a good looking crew!!)