By Renee Wood
Coldstream CFA’s new site is only a matter of weeks away from completion, allowing the brigade to move in before the fire danger period begins.
Captain Sean Bethell said the team’s looking forward to relocating to 7 Killara road by early October.
“Quite a few of them (members) have been waiting a long time for this to start and now it has started and nearing completion, everyone’s quite excited to finally get that move happening,”Cpt Bethell said.
“At that same time we will start doing our pre-summer training for bushfire season.”
The build began in March this year and it’s been a long time coming with the current station built in 1963.
“We’ll have better capability of responding the appropriate trucks to the appropriate calls because it will be a three bay station so we can actually take any of the four trucks,” he said.
“Currently, we have four vehicles in the station and all our turnout gear is down the side of the trucks, which is very poor in the way of health and safety.”
A large training room is also part of the $1.5 million dollar build but the volunteer run brigade is still looking to raise almost $45 thousand dollars for the project.
This will help fund the replacement of a pumper, a rear shed, solar power, CCTV, IT systems and washing equipment.
Captain Sean Bethell said the team’s normal source of fundraising has been hit hard due to the pandemic.
“We usually do intersection collections a couple of times of the year and we haven’t been able to do that for probably close to two years now because of the Covid lockdown.”
The Brigade’s currently a gofundme page accepting donations, encouraging locals to be part of supporting volunteers and their vital service they provide.
“You don’t have to dig deep to find $500, even two dollars helps. Many two dollar donations go a long way.”
For more information visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/coldstream-fire-station-building-fund
