General News
25 May, 2023
Fire brigade boosted with BA donation
The Maryborough Fire Brigade has been kitted out with two additional breathing apparatus (BA) units which has significantly increased the brigade’s ability to fight fires. The two additional BA units, which give superior respiratory protection in...
The Maryborough Fire Brigade has been kitted out with two additional breathing apparatus (BA) units which has significantly increased the brigade’s ability to fight fires.
The two additional BA units, which give superior respiratory protection in contaminated atmospheres, were donated to the brigade by the Maryborough Lions Club last week.
Valued at around $7000, the two units will be used by firefighters in building fires and other incidents involving harmful airborne contami-nants.
Maryborough Fire Brigade Captain Darryl Wagstaff said the new units will take the brigade to the “next level”.
“This donation means we now have four breathing apparatus sets on our pumper and two on our tanker,” he said.
“This has lifted us up to the next level, for us to be able to have firefighters wearing the apparatus and working, with another group ready to go in and relieve them, takes us up to the next level of operations.”
Captain Wagstaff said the BA units are a safety feature for brigade members and that the donation was greatly appreciated.
“It’s become a fairly big thing now that CFA want protection for our firefighters in terms of smoke and hazards,” he said.
“We’re big on preventing any of that and having these additional breathing apparatus units goes a long way towards achieving that.
“The donation from the Maryborough Lions Club is exceptionally generous and we’re very appreciative.”
The Maryborough Lions Club’s Lorraine Parker said the donation acknowledged the significant role volunteer firefighters have in the community.
“We have an annual distribution of the funds we raise each year and I contacted Darryl to ask if there was anything the brigade was in need of,” she said.
“The fire brigade are a major part of the community and like us, they’re volunteers — they give up their time and spend time away from their families and work to do what they do.
“As a club our aim is to give back to the community in ways that will benefit everyone.”
