Horsfield Bay gets two more Community Fire Units

Published: 4th July 2007

NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) Commissioner Greg Mullins today announced two new Community Fire Units (CFU) had been established in Horsfield Bay.

Commissioner Mullins said the CFUs in Woy Woy Road and Horsfield Road were part of the NSWFB’s ongoing commitment to local communities, and the latest additions to a network of 333 CFUs across the state.

“Community Fire Units are made up of local volunteers who are trained and equipped to play an important role in the protection of property and assets during bushfires,” Commissioner Mullins said.

“I am pleased to announce that more volunteers from Horsfield Bay are ready to assist their local emergency service crews. They have been trained by firefighters from Umina Fire Station in how to protect their homes from bushfires, hazard reduction processes and general bushfire management principles.

“I congratulate these residents for their responsible and community-spirited approach. They perform a vitally important role by raising awareness locally of the dangers bushfires present,” he said.

Commissioner Mullins stressed that many homes continued to be under threat from burning embers after the main front of a bushfire had passed.

“CFU members stay with their homes to monitor and extinguish any small fires that might otherwise escalate and seriously damage homes. This enables NSWFB and Rural Fire Service crews to move ahead of, and attack, the main fire fronts.”

Commissioner Mullins said that $2.6 million had been allocated to the ongoing establishment and support of CFUs.

The Woy Woy Road and Horsfield Road units take the number of CFUs in the Umina and Woy Woy area to seven. They have each been provided with equipment valued at $15,000, including:
  • Firefighting hoses
  • Portable pump
  • Hydrant standpipe and fittings
  • Safety helmets
  • Gloves
  • Smoke masks
  • Goggles
  • Boots and protective clothing
  • Tools including rake hoes for making fire trails
  • First Aid kit
  • Knapsack pumps

For more information on CFUs visit the Community section on the NSWFB website at www.fire.nsw.gov.au, and for more information on general bushfire safety, visit the RFS website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au