THE latest round of Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grant recipients have been announced, and some local brigades have benefitted greatly.
Kilmore Fire Brigade will receive more than half a million dollars to go towards a new medium tanker, while Kalkallo’s brigade is in line for a new field command vehicle.
Other brigades in the area are benefitting too with the joint Bolinda and Monegeetta CFA netting over $300,000 for vehicle and appliance upgrades.
The new field command vehicle for Kalkallo is particularly important and will support the medium tanker that the brigade picked up during the 2022 VESEP funding round.
“Our current field command vehicle is 12 years old, so well past its used by date in terms of operational capability,” Kalkallo CFA captain Riki Gurden said.
“[It’s going to be] a much better use of vehicle for us when we’re out in the bush.”
Over in Kilmore, the brigade will be farewelling the long-serving Tanker 2.
First Lieutenant Dave Williams told the Review the cab and chassis have had a makeover thanks to recent grants, but the back of the truck has been in use for more than three decades.
Cracking in the top of the water tank was another indication that it was time to move on.
“The new one gives us slightly better access into tight spaces and things like that because it’s a small truck,” he said.
“And being an automatic, it gives you more scope for drivers that way.”
While the brigades are supplied with VESEP funding to go towards the costs of new vehicles and station upgrades, it only covers about two-thirds of the cost of the new field command vehicle according to Mr Gurden.
He said the brigade has to cover the other third and requires ongoing community fundraising efforts to ensure they can do so.
“The reality of it is, we wouldn’t be able to own that new field command vehicle without the support of the people of Kalkallo, Mickleham and surrounding areas buying our sausages, donating to us and providing that support to us as a volunteer fire brigade,” he said.
Mr Williams said the Kilmore Fire Brigade will be using its own fundraised money to cover the additional $84,000 required to purchase the new tanker.
He was equally appreciative of the backing from the community through donations which come from donation tins, raffles and generous contributions from locals.
“This is just one example of how it can be used to provide a more modern vehicle that will hopefully see us well into the future,” he said.
SES units in Kilmore and Seymour have also received smaller amounts of funding, while the Whittlesea unit will get nearly $120,000.
More than $31 million will be shared across 350 projects for CFA, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria and Volunteer Marine Search and Rescue, with more than $20 million going towards vehicle upgrades and replacements.
