By Dongyun Kwon
The local emergency services had a busy day dealing with different jobs from a rescue and fallen trees to tree and grass fires on Sunday 23 February.
The SES Healesville Unit, the Healesville CFA, and Badger Creek CFA pulled together to assist Ambulance Victoria in extricating a casualty who had fallen and sustained significant injuries.
Healesville CFA First Lieutenant Zac Lockwood said the crew received a callout for the rescue around 10am.
“It was to assist Ambulance Victoria and SES with the extrication of a patient from under the bridge on Robin Parade,” he said.
“The patient fell and sustained some injuries. Due to the difficult access, the ambulance needed extra people to carry the patient out.”
About two hours later, the Healesville CFA responded to a tree fire in Everard Park Picnic Area in Healesville.
“That had started to spread to the paddock,” Mr Lockwood said.
“Due to the intensity of the fire and the size of the tree, it took over five hours to extinguish, and we had to get Forest Fire Management Victoria to assist with cutting the large gum tree.
“We also made sure the surrounding grass area was fully extinguished.”
While busy responding to the tree job, the local fire brigade was paged out to investigate two coal fire barbecues at Maroondah Reservoir Park around 1.45pm.
“People at the Maroondah Dam Picnic Area had a fire pit with two hot coal barbecues in it during a Total Fire Ban which they weren’t allowed to have,” Mr Lockwood said.
“We extinguished the two barbecues and then left the scene in the hands of the police.
“We would like to remind everyone that the fire danger period is still in force.”
The Healesville firefighters were called out one more time to support the Yarra Glen CFA to put out a grass fire on King Street in Yarra Glen around 9.40pm.
Including the rescue job on Robin Parade, the Healesville SES unit had a hectic day to keep the community safe.
Healesville SES unit controller Karen Picone said the unit received a first call-out at 5am and completed the last job around 5pm.
“CFA and SES were requested to assist the ambulance on the corner of Robin Parade and Weiss Road in Healesville to help get a single patient out,” she said.
“We had six tree jobs because of the storms, mainly up Badger Creek and one on Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road.”
