16 • Bendigo Weekly – Friday, March 27, 2009

DURING the Black Saturday fires, the Bendigo Fire Brigade Group’s new forward command vehicle was badly damaged.

The damage was so severe it was taken offline and out of ser-vice.

Insurance covered the dam-age and the group set about im-proving the vehicle so it didn’t get damaged again.

Bendigo business became aware of the group’s plight and their generosity has enabled an upgrade and modifications, mak-ing it one of the best equipped FCV’s in the state.

The FCV was bought in June last year with a large donation from the Rotary Club of Kew, and money from Regional One Credit Union and the RACV Founda-tion.

The rest of the money need-ed was made available through an interest-free loan from the CFA.

With a large amount out-

standing on the CFA loan, fund-ing money for an upgrade was going to be tough.

Enter McCaig Air Condition-ing, who donated the money to pay off the loan.

The Rotary Club of Kew con-tinued its interest in the progres-sion of the vehicle and made more funds available for the up-grade.

The group’s efforts were fur-ther helped by a generous do-nation from Villawood Proper-ties and the major mechanical upgrade was completed by Paul and the team at Harrison 4WD Centre.

The FCV is owned by the bri-gades within the Bendigo Group including Axe Creek, Axedale, Junortoun, Mandurang, Marong, Mosquito Creek, Sedgwick and Woodvale.

The FCV is now ready and on Saturday was put back into ser-vice with a simple radio call to Vicfire.

Fundraising brings damaged vehicle into service

Command truck back

Row grows over trees

ALL SMILES: The team is happy to have their vehicle back. Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN

n From Page 3

“Also, the deadwood on the floor is the basic level of the food chain, and the very first thing they will do will be take what is on the ground.”

The argument for wood harvesting in state parks is an economic one.

Wood collected this way and not harvested in specifi-cally-grown plantations is the cheapest form of heating for communities without natural gas.

However, Mr Fraser said this was a false economy.

“People may argue we need cheap wood, but I need cheap fuel and I don’t get it and the government doesn’t subsidise it,” he said.

“More often that not it is

Melbourne’s chardonnay set that use this firewood anyway.

“If it was full cost recov-ery, like everything else, it wouldn’t be affordable.”

A DSE spokesman said the trees were protected and would not be affected.

“There will be some short-term disturbance of understo-rey, which will recover with time,” he said.

“Trees being harvested will be chosen as part of thin-ning operations, taking out the least healthy trees in areas where thinning will benefit the overall health of the for-est.

“The process is part the Bendigo Forest Management Area Plan which was formu-lated in consultation with the community.

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