The response was overwhelming, with road crash rescue volunteers from multiple brigades across the state immediately offering their services to cover rescue operations alongside agency counterparts.
When the bushfire broke out in Longwood on January 7, it became clear early on that the brigade would be committed to the fire response for an extended period.
To ensure continued emergency response coverage in its town, the brigade reached out to fellow rescue brigades for help.
This allowed Yea members to remain on the fire ground, protecting the broader Victorian community while maintaining local emergency services.
“Local emergencies don’t stop just because there are big fires in the landscape,” Yea Fire Brigade captain Emery McCarthy said.
“I put the call-out for help and within an hour we had people available for three days, and within a day we had a roster for the full week.”
Werribee Fire Brigade was among those that volunteered to help.
Captain Micheal Wells said the decision was straightforward when Yea’s call for assistance came.
“Even though we are an incredibly busy brigade here in Werribee, if there is a chance to help, we will,” Mr Wells said.
“We were able to lighten the load a little bit for Yea, and it was also a good chance for networking and cross-brigade relationship building.”
Members from Wandin, Monbulk, Nar Nar Goon, Loch and Plenty also supported Yea with their rescue capability.
The support proved crucial, with Mr McCarthy noting the immediate impact.
“Within 10 minutes of the crew arriving, there was a call-out to a vehicle roll-over,” he said.
“This just proved how important it was for us to have that help. We are so thankful to all the members who made themselves available, even when their own brigades were incredibly busy.
“The rescue brigade community is a small one, with just over 20 brigades in the state having a rescue team, so you really felt that support. We are very grateful and I know the community is, too.”
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