BOURKE FIRE STATION WELCOMES NEW CAPTAIN
Published: 30th January 2009
NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) Chief Superintendent Neil Harris - Area Commander Regional West, Superintendent Dave Felton - Zone Commander Central West and local firefighters today welcomed Retained Firefighter John Milgate to the position of Captain of Bourke Fire Station.
Chief Superintendent Harris said he was pleased to have such an experienced firefighter taking on therole of Captain.
"Being the Captain of a fire station is an important job. The Captain is responsible for the management and operations of the station and most importantly the safety of his firefighters.
"John has been a firefighter for almost 15 years and I am confident that he will take Bourke Fire Brigade from strength to strength."
Captain Milgate, who was born and raised in Bourke and followed in his father's footsteps when he joined the NSWFB, said he was looking forward to taking up the position of Captain.
"I am looking forward to the challenge of leading the fantastic team of firefighters we have here in Bourke. I hope to work with the local firefighters to establish the next generation of firefighters, focussing on bringing new members into the team and embracing the new technologies the NSWFB is adopting."
In addition to his role as a retained, or on-call, firefighter, Captain Milgate is the head baker at Marroll'sBakery and runs the local swimming pool.
"The former captain, Cec Robinson, has established a great team here and I will be working to ensurethat we build on the high standards he set during his time as Captain," Captain Milgate said.
"I want to make sure that the residents of Bourke have the skills and knowledge they need to prevent and prepare for fire and other emergencies. I am looking forward to getting the new recruits and younger firefighters involved in the NSWFB's education programs like FireED and RescuED."
Superintendent Felton congratulated Captain Milgate on his appointment as Captain.
"John is a great firefighter and his experience will be invaluable to the NSWFB and to the brigade here in Bourke. I look forward to working with John and crew in the future."
Mr Milgate takes over from Cec Robinson, who retired in December 2008 after more than 20 years as Captain and 37 years as a retained firefighter. Mr Robinson will be recognised for his service to the community and the NSWFB at a function in February 2009.