A CHRISTMAS party is no guarantee of a couple of hours off when you’re a volunteer in the emergency services – but thankfully the only flame sighted at Valla Rural Fire Brigade this afternoon was the barbecue.
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Sausages were lovingly stirred on the grill by veteran Pat, while the glue of the brigade – the Broughams – swept the shed floors and arranged the tables.
As is the way in the country, members were asked to ‘bring a plate’, and new member Clare Warner was quick to put to use the zucchini abundance enveloping her property.
Before the napkins were soiled, the brigade held its monthly training. New recruit Peter Jackson was welcomed, while Byron Rundle was congratulated on turning 16 and can now join the firefighters ‘on the line’ after studiously attending trainings for a few years.
The morning training included a treasure hunt of a kind, where the Cat 1, 7, and an improvised 9 being Wayne Pade’s private vehicle, went this way and that finding a series of grid references as volunteers honed up on mapping, navigation, communications and ‘on way’ crew briefing.
The strength of the decorated Valla brigade can be read in that 20 members turned up for this day’s training.
Back at the shed, it was all mateship – friends, family, partners, children, and Captain Peter Brougham’s only angst was who was going to help with the deconstruction of a magnificent and very large pavlova.
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