Low blow to fire volunteers and farmers

THE Timor Rural Fire shed was broken into this week with fire ground radios and a portable pump stolen.

Craig Murphy, local Rural Fire Service group officer, said it is a low act and makes the volunteer’s jobs harder.

“This is the fourth time this shed has been broken into,” said Mr Murphy.

“Dangerfield, Bunnan, Rouchel and Mccully’s Gap have all been broken into recently too,” he said.

“Dangerfield got broken into and then again two months later, but they hadn’t been able to replace their equipment so nothing was taken the second time.

“These sheds are isolated and they are taking advantage of that.

“It’s gotten to the stage now where we’re not able to leave things in the shed, we’re keeping the chainsaws, portable fridges and as many things as we can at home and then we have to bring them in.

“But is makes it difficult and slows down the time we can respond if we’re all having to grab the gear from home, but it’s better than getting there and finding stuff has been stolen.

“Communication is key out on a job, so to not have radios makes things harder.

“Stealing the ancillary pump means if we can’t get a water source right there, without the ancillary pump we can’t get water from soemwhere else close by,” Craig Murphy said.

The local fire crews are hoping the community may have noticed soemthing suspicious and report it to local police.

“Some of this equipment is highly identifable, like the pump has snapons and a frame with special slides that go onto the truck,” he explained.

“If people notice someone selling these things on buy swap and sell pages, we need them to call the police.

“And we want the public to be aware and if you live somewhere near a fire station, suspicious, get a number plate and call the police,” Craig Murphy said.

Craig said considering the rural communities have been through so much with the drought, stealing from the volunteer fire services is, stealing from the hand that may feed you in an emergency and it’s made worse when you consider it’s the local community that has fundraised for much of the equipment.

“Country people are tough enough, we’ve been through a lot with the drought and we don’t need another kick,” he said.

“Aberdeen Treasures and small community groups fundraise and donate things, which is really good.

“Most of these brigades don’t have time to be out their fundraising, it’s another job that we just don’t have time to do really.

“The equipment can be replaced with insurance, but that takes a long time and paper work, time we need to spend on other things, then trying to get it replaced,” Craig Murphy said.

If you have any information, or observe suspicious behaviours near local fire sheds, please phone local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.