FREEMANTLE VOLUNTEERS: a diverse bunch of blockies & farmers

Welcome to the first edition of Freemantle Connections RFS page. What a fantastic contribution this newsletter can be for our community.

Most readers would be ver y aware that the brigade is the backbone of our area. The brigade covers from Billywillinga Road to the boundar y of Cabonne shire, north to the Macquarie River east to Root Hog Road, then overland back to Billywillinga.

This is a large area covering many types of terrain Open farming grasslands through to rough inaccessible bush There are areas of bush/small blocks that are at high risk if a fast moving fire event occurs especially in the Billywillinga area that has only one access road. When mother nature strikes, be it flood, fire or other event, it can take some time for an emergency response We all need to understand the risks and what steps we may need to take if an emergency occurs. If flooded in, or both Gowan and Freemantle Roads are cut, there will be no emergency response beyond what we can locally organise Freemantle Brigade was formed in 1940. Our brigade station is located at 2512 Freemantle Road, Freemantle. It is about 300m south of the junction of Killongbutta Road The shed was built with volunteer labour. The shed was officially opened by Trevor Toole, the mayor of Evans Shire at the time.

Our members are a diverse bunch of blockies and farmers. When the firecall comes, we drop whatever we are doing and go to the fire Some years, we are extremely busy, some years are quieter. We volunteer our time and skills

Funding. Our general running costs and equipment are supplied to us, such as vehicles, PPE and fuel

However there are always items that are not supplied that we need to purchase. Donations are always welcome and can be tax deductable Please contact our secretar y/treasurer Annette Taylor via Freemantle RFS facebook page or email.

For general fire information, please refer to the official NSW RFS website. It has a wealth of information regarding how to prepare your property and your family. For local district information, please phone the Chifley Fire Control Centre during office hours on 1300 258 737 For local Freemantle specific questions, please contact Freemantle via our facebook page or via email

Training is on the first and third Wednesday of the month, 7pm at the fire shed You can visit us then If there is a fire and you have determined that it is definitely uncontrolled and not a permitted or super vised burn, PHONE 000. Do not tr y and contact the brigade or brigade members. We cannot monitor our phones 24/7 and you will spend more time waiting for a phone to answer. Often, our phones are out of network range

Looking for ward to sharing more brigade and fire information with you over the coming issues

- Phillipa Jarrett Captain of Freemantle Volunteer Bushfire Brigade.

email: freemantlerfs@gmail.com or visit the Freemantle Rural Fire Ser vice facebook page.