Molonglo Volunteer Bushfire and Emergency Service Brigade

After the restructure of the Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service commenced in November 1996 the Government acted quickly to relocate small groups of Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service volunteers at existing Volunteer Bushfire Brigade sheds around the Australian Capital Territory.

This was achieved at the Rivers, Guises Creek, Jerrabomberra and Headquarters Brigades by building additional shed space as required to accommodate Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service equipment (no Australian Capital Territory Emergency Service volunteers were moved to the Southern Districts or Tidbinbilla Volunteer Bushfire Brigades). The new Gungahlin Brigade was located in rented warehouse space in the industrial area of Mitchell until completion of the new Joint Emergency Services Centre at Gungahlin Town Centre.

Brigade formation

During the implementation of the restructure, a new Volunteer Bushfire and Emergency Service Brigade was proposed to be formed in the West Belconnen area, which was under-served by bushfire fighting capability. Once funds were earmarked to build a shed for this brigade it quickly became more than a proposal and a meeting of volunteers was held on 6 May 1997 to form the Brigade and decide on a name. As much of the region served by the new Brigade is bordered by the Molonglo River before its confluence with the Murrumbidgee River, "Molonglo" was the name adopted.

Early accommodation

Construction of additional space at Hall Volunteer Bushfire Brigade, and of the new shed in West Belconnen, was considerably delayed by various factors (e.g local government planning considerations). This meant that these two groups of volunteers continued to operate from their original depot upstairs in the Australian Capital Territory Emergency Services Bureau building in Lathlain Street, Belconnen, even though other groups had moved to their various new locations.

Membership

Molonglo Brigade membership initially comprised some of the more experienced bushfire members of the Hall Volunteer Bushfire Brigade and some of the Emergency Service members who had originally opted to relocate to the Hall Volunteer Bushfire Brigade (prior to the proposal to form Molonglo Brigade). This was topped up over the next few months as new members joined and by the end of 1997 most of these had been trained to basic skills level. The Brigade Executive was elected at the inaugural Molonglo Volunteer Bushfire and Emergency Service Brigade Annual General Meeting on 24 September 1997 and the new Constitution was formally adopted on 22 October 1997.

Office bearers include:

Group Captain: Steve Christiansen
President: Dave Tunbridge
Secretary: Leanne Thomas
Treasurer: Geoff Collin
Captain: Dave Broderick Commander Graeme (Duck) Tonge
Senior Deputy Captain: Stephen Meatheringham
Team Leader 1: Leanne Thomas
Team Leader 2: Wally Blumenfeld


The Shed

The new shed was finally handed over to Molonglo Brigade for occupation in the last week of March 1998. It is situated on the southern side of Drake Brockman Drive in Holt near its junction with Kingsford Smith Drive. It was formally opened by Harold Hird, Member for Ginninderra, on 23 May 1998.

Equipment

The Brigade's transport fleet includes:
VEHICLE TYPE CALLSIGN
Command Vehicle Toyota HiLux 4WD Crew-Cab Utility Molonglo Command
Bushfire Light Unit Toyota Landcruiser 4WD Cab-Chassis Molonglo 20
Emergency Service Vehicle Toyota Landcruiser 4WD Station Wagon Molonglo 60
Emergency Service Rescue Trailer Single axle steel clad Trailer Molonglo 41
Emergency Service Logistics Trailer Single axle  "camping" Trailer Molonglo 42
Brigade utility Trailer Tandem axle tonneau-clad Trailer Molonglo 43

The Brigade expects to have a Bushfire Heavy Tanker (Isuzu 14 tonne 4WD crew-cab, MOLONGLO 10) and a "Quickfill" (trailer-mounted high volume pump, MOLONGLO 40) in time for the 1998/99 bushfire season.

Other equipment involves a mix of light rescue gear including:

And storm-damage repair gear including:

We also currently have ten handheld VHF radios.

Dave Tunbridge
President
Molonglo Volunteer Bushfire and Emergency Service Brigade