Greytown Volunteer Fire Brigade has taken delivery of a new operational support vehicle, thanks to a mammoth fundraising effort boosted by a $12,250 grant from Greytown Trust Lands Trust.
The brigade raised $23,000 themselves through donations, cutting and selling firewood and assisting people in the community who have requested assistance with odd jobs. Additional grants have also been received from the Trust House Foundation and Eastern and Central Community Trust, helping to see the fund reach the $58,000 required for the purchase of the custom-fitted vehicle and specialist equipment.
The new support vehicle will carry traffic management equipment, incident lighting and additional personnel. It will complement the two existing fire appliances used by the 22 operational firefighters and six operational support staff, who respond to around 150 incidents per year.
Greytown Trust Lands Trust Chairman Sid Kempton is delighted that community funds are going towards such a worthy local cause. “We are very fortunate to have a highly-dedicated group of volunteer firefighters in our town and 60 per cent of the incidents they respond to are right here in Greytown,” he explained.
“Our brigade is one of the oldest in the country, serving our community since 1882, and it’s as important now as it’s ever been. The trust dates back to 1871 and has a long and proud history of supporting local organisations through grant funding. This is a priority project for us to contribute to, as it helps to provide a vital service that any one of us might call upon at some stage in our lives.”
Greytown Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Office Steve Meyrick says the new vehicle is an essential addition to the Greytown fleet. “We desperately need to replace our ageing van and are extremely grateful to Greytown Trust Lands Trust for helping to make this possible through their generosity. We have worked hard at our own fundraising, but without the grants we’ve received from the trust and also Trust House Foundation and Eastern and Central Community Trust, it wouldn’t have been possible to purchase this essential new support vehicle.”