FIRE-FIGHTING capabilities within the Berwick community and the Casey fire brigades have been bolstered with the recent upgrade of the Berwick Fire Brigade’s Field Command Vehicle.
The upgraded Field Command Vehicle will play a pivotal role in the command and control of major emergencies such as bushfires, grassfires and floods but will also play a vital role in the transportation of firefighters and equipment to incidents within the Berwick community.
At a bushfire or grassfire, a Field Command Vehicle plays the role of conveying a strike team leader who is in command of a strike team made up of five fire-fighting vehicles into fire affected communities.
The recent upgrade of the vehicle will ensure that the best possible equipment is available.
The upgraded Field Command Vehicle is a 2016 Ford Ranger XLT utility which can be used to convey a crew of five along with equipment such as radios, mapping equipment, medical equipment including a defibrillator, and information technology equipment to operate on the fire ground.
The vehicle will also be used at community engagement activities, transporting brigade members to training courses and skills maintenance activities while also supporting the ongoing management and administrative functions of the Berwick Fire Brigade.
The Berwick Fire Brigade acknowledged the ongoing support of the Berwick Opportunity Shop and the wider Berwick community in funding the upgraded vehicle.
The Berwick Opportunity Shop continues to provide financial assistance to many fire brigades within the district including a significant donation which contributed to the brigade’s ability to fund the vehicle upgrade.
The Berwick Fire Brigade also conducted fundraising activities during February and March of last year where donations made by the wider Berwick community raised several thousand dollars.
The brigade also thanked everyone for these donations and acknowledged the management of Eden Rise Shopping Centre, Berwick Marketplace Shopping Centre and Parkhill Shopping Centre for giving brigade members the opportunity to conduct the fundraising.
