Captain’s Message
Our crews have gone from conducting hazard reductions with sunny, dry Autumn conditions to being on call for flood assistance this month, both locally and in the Southern Shoalhaven; as well as lending assistance with local Anzac Day services. This just highlights the wide range of calls and activities that the brigade attends each month – it’s not just about fighting bushfires! So, if you think you look good in yellow and would like to help out, give us a call or drop into the station on Wednesday nights from 6:00 pm. While we have a healthy number of members, like a number of brigades, we can struggle for member availability, particularly during work hours.
A reminder as we head into the Winter months: the risk of house fires increases greatly. Ensure that your heaters are serviceable and chimneys have been cleaned and checked before use. Be careful with the use of heaters for drying clothes and maintain safe distances. Ensure clothes dryers are regularly cleaned and free from lint build-up and that power boards are not overloaded. If you have not done so already check smoke detectors are working and batteries have been changed.
Captain Dusty 0412 865 638
Electricity Danger
We would like to remind everyone of the hidden danger of electricity when dealing with incidents either at home or at an accident. At a call out last month, where power lines had been damaged and fallen across a fence, it was confirmed that this fence carried live electricity for several hundred metres. Power lines should always be treated as being live until confirmed otherwise – you should not approach to a minimum distance of 6 metres.
Incident Calls
Five call-outs for the month and two hazard reductions were carried out.
- Motor Vehicle Accident on Moss Vale Rd near Nugents Creek road: this involved three cars in a nose-to-tail accident. One person was taken to hospital for treatment and two cars required towing from the scene. The brigade managed traffic, as well as controlled spillage from the cars.
- A 4:30 am call-out after heavy rain that caused a small slip that brought a tree down across the road: although not large it took some time to clear because of the poor conditions and mass of thick tangled vines hampering access. Crew were able to clear the road before traffic picked up at daylight.
- An oil spill on Barrengarry Mountain turned out to be manure from a cattle truck, with no action taken.
- A call to a Motor Vehicle Accident on a dark night after a car hit a small cow on Moss Vale road with minimal damage to the car: the occupants of the car were unharmed but unfortunately neither the car nor the calf could continue their journey.
- A call to wires down which involved a truck unloading goods with its crane contacting overhead power lines that brought them down onto the vehicle: the operator was fortunately knocked clear and treated onsite by paramedics. The power lines, however, that were still live had also fallen across property fencing and gates, causing over a kilometre of fencing to become energised. The fence was cordoned off and isolated where possible and KV crews were stationed to maintain a safe zone until the power could be turned off.
Hazard reductions
The brigade assisted a landowner at Cedar Springs with a large agricultural burn of sprayed-out Parramatta grass, which backed onto the surrounding bushland. Cured dry grass fires can spread very rapidly in the right conditions.
Two crews assisted with a 4ha hazard-reduction carried out at Burrier, assisting several other Shoalhaven crews with a burn in rather steep country. The brigade made use of some of our experienced arduous crews, alongside some of our new basic firefighters, gaining valuable live fire experience and putting skills that they have learned the theory of into practice, in a safe and controlled manner.
Community Engagement
ANZAC Day: our crews were involved with assisting traffic road closures and ensuring that this very important and well-attended event could go ahead in a safe environment.
Pile Burns and Burning-Off
The Fire Permit season finished on the 31st of March and will recommence on the 1st of September 2024, however, there is a process that still needs to be adhered to prior to burning-off in the off-season:
- You must notify the NSW RFS at least 24 hours before you light the fire.
Ways to notify the NSW RFS:
Online: at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/notify or via the QR code
By phone: Shoalhaven FCC 44244424 between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday
- You must advise your immediate neighbours at least 24 hours before you light the fire.
- You must not light the fire if a Fire Danger Rating is HIGH or above.
- At least one responsible person must be present on site until it is extinguished.
- Check the upcoming weather conditions as the pile may continue to smolder for days.
- If you believe that you cannot safely control the fire once it has been lit, dial 000.
If you have concerns about doing this yourself, please contact the KV Fire Brigade and we can possibly assist you with your pile burn during or check your site for you.
Content supplied by Dusty Smart, Steve Bell, Jamie Salkeld, David Alexander. Compiled by Tracey Basman.
