Kinglake Fire Brigade marked their 80 years of services alongside families and friends at Lawsons Restaurant earlier this month.
Having missed their 75th milestone during COVID, the occasion was highly anticipated and one that allowed for many reflections.
Newly appointed Captain Paul Buck said although Kinglake Fire Brigade have a dinner every year with Service Awards presented, the evening was a great deal of reflecting.
“It was a great night to all get together and touch on the highs and lows the brigade has been through over the years,” he said.
“We had a photo slideshow that led to many conversations from the long-serving members who fondly recounted the memories on screen.”
Mr Buck mentioned that navigating the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, which caused significant devastation in the township and resulted in 120 lives lost, was a compelling experience.
“The response and loss have had such a long-lasting effect on the community, and the brigade, and it will continue to do so. It’s something that is always talked about – you can’t forget what happened,” he said.
“You see the members that drifted away initially, then those that were here at the time start to get on in age or slowly take a step back, or worse, pass away.”
On the morning of February 7, 2009, strong winds brought down powerlines in Kilmore East. That afternoon, it had spread right through to Kinglake National Park before merging into the most significant fire – the Kinglake Fire Complex.
“We’re very mindful of the long-drought conditions that lead into that year and although we’re not in that situation now, we do talk about it in our preparations for the upcoming fire season,” Mr Buck said.
“Although the northern part of our district like Yea and Seymour dry out a lot earlier, it’s hard for us to tell people to prepare when they’re still cutting green grass rather than bailing hay.
“By the time we’re drying out, we’re in the middle of the Christmas period and into January.”
Over the last 18 months, the brigade has commenced on a recruitment drive, leading to five new operational firefighters who have completed their general firefighter training.
“We’re hoping with more numbers this season we can really start to engage more with the community to get us all prepared for the season,” Mr Buck said.