Geared for fires

By Bridget Brady
CLYDE has reassured the community that it is training hard and ready to protect homes and people this fire season.
Captain Ken Blencowe said the brigade prepared their services, but residents still needed to play their part in being ready for summer.
“The basic rules still apply. Clear around your property and have a plan in place for what you do on the day,” Mr Blencowe said.
The Clyde Fire Brigade welcomed five more members after Black Saturday and now has 33 volunteer firefighters.
Mr Blencowe said more members usually joined after a bad fire season, but the challenge was to keep them.
“We are always looking for new blood.”
The Clyde brigade has two tankers, which includes a quick fill tanker that can fill 3000 litres from a dam in about one and a half minutes, compared to a normal tanker that could take up to 15 minutes.
Mr Blencowe said the quick fill was an asset to the Clyde Fire Brigade, and it was used around Casey and surrounds when needed.
Mr Blencowe, who has been a member of the Clyde brigade for 35 years, said the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission was an important process to go through.
“There are some things you agree with and others you think won’t hurt, but time will tell. We’ve got to have these findings to improve fire safety and awareness,” he said.
The biggest challenge facing firefighters was convincing the community of the severity of fires, he said.
“The biggest problem is the community think they are ready but they are not really expecting what we’re expecting. Their expectations of what a fire is like when it comes through is not the same as ours.” Training for all local firefighters will be held on 5 September at the South Eastern Training Ground in Carrum Downs involving trucks from Clyde, Cranbourne, Narre Warren, Narre Warren North, Hallam, Tooradin, Hampton Park, Pearcedale, Devon Meadows and Berwick.
Mr Blencowe said the Clyde Fire Brigade was ready to help the community 24 hours a day.
If anyone is interested in joining the Clyde Fire Brigade they can visit or call the station on Sunday mornings.
The station is on Railway Road in Clyde and people can call 5998 5535.