Where we are
Cherryville CFS Station is located on Fire Track 20, along side the Church. We have two vehicles in the station. Our radio room and meeting area are located in the Cherryville Community Centre which is the old Cherryville School on Cherryville Road.
Membership
Our members are all volunteers, from Cherryville, Ashton and Montacute Heights.
All members are initially trained in basic bush firefighting skills. Members can then undergo further training which may include Structural Firefighting, Road Accidents, Hazardous Materials, Chainsaw Safety, Leadership, Incident Management, Driver Training, First Aid, Gas and Fuel fires and more.
Protective Clothing, helmets, boots and gloves are provided at no charge to members.
The Brigade currently accepts members from the age of 15 years.
How we can help you
The Cherryville CFS is a group of men and women from the local community, who are trained to assist in a variety of emergencies, from bushfires, building fires, trees across roads, chemical spills to road crashes.
We can also assist with information on fire prevention and preparing your property for the coming fire season.
Time commitment
The Brigade trains every Monday night from 7.30 pm, back to every second Monday night during winter.
Members are on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year. It is expected that members will respond to the Station when the alarm sounds, if they are in a position to do so. However, if members are unable to leave work, are looking after the kids or have an important assignment to finish etc, they do not have to attend. It is up to the individual to decide whether or not they can attend.
On average, the Brigade attends around 15 call outs a year – which can take anywhere from from 30 minutes to 12 hours each to complete.
Station siren
We activate our siren when there is a threat to the local community, and a test activation occurs most training nights. Members are also issued a pager to advise of an incident.
We will always sound the siren for any report of a rural fire in the area during the fire danger season - regardless of the time of day. The siren acts as an early warning signal for the community. It does not neccessarily mean the fire is out of control - but it could have the potential to do so. Should residents hear the siren during the fire danger season, go outside and look for signs of smoke.
The siren may also be sounded for other incidents - in particular for reports of building fires, or road crashes, where the situation is unknown, and crew are required urgently.