Pyalong volunteers Brendan Ryan and Chris Cooke, Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes, Pyalong Captain Brendan Kelly, Pyalong 1st Lt Ben Missen and Commander Paul Brislin mark the beginning of the construction of Pyalong CFA’s new station. Photo: Faith Macale
Photo by
Faith Macale
After 20 years of waiting for a new station, Pyalong CFA is now at the construction stage of its new building in Eades Way, Pyalong.
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On Thursday, October 3, state Member for Northern Victoria Jaclyn Symes joined the Pyalong Fire Brigade members to turn the first sod and mark the beginning of the build.
Pyalong Fire Brigade Captain Brendan Kelly said the brigade members were feeling excited about the new station.
“We’ve only been progressive and proactive with getting a new station,” he said.
“It’s been 20 years, we’ve been on the waitlist for a while.”
Acting Commander Paul Brislin said the planning took four years before the actual building phase commenced.
“It was initialised through funding from the government,” he said.
“The brigade’s actually put some funding into the project of (around) $60,000.
“That facilitates some additional infrastructure that the brigade wants.”
Pyalong Fire Brigade’s original station has been in High St, Pyalong for 40 years, and the new station will only be three minutes’ walk from the original station.
“We’ve got two primary appliances, two fire tankers in the station, and the brigade owns other equipment there that can’t be housed,” Mr Brislin said.
“There are no toilets, no change rooms, so the brigade, essentially, has outgrown it.”
Pyalong CFA will have a new station by mid-2025. Photo: Faith Macale
Photo by
Faith Macale
Pyalong Fire Brigade currently has 60 members, which the new station will be able to fit comfortably along with their equipment.
The new station will have fit-for-purpose amenities, including a motor room with two reverse-in bays, storage spaces, operational areas, a multi-purpose room, and separate turn-out spaces for men and women volunteers.
Ms Symes, who is also the emergency services minister, said the new station had been designed with sustainability in mind.
“It also has some sustainability measures including solar panels, rainwater recycling and the option to install an electric vehicle charging station in the future,” she said.
“The Pyalong Fire Brigade has proudly supported its community for more than eight decades, and this new station provides our volunteers with the resources they need to continue their essential work, protecting the community and saving lives.
“We need to do everything we can to keep communities safe this fire season, and bushfire preparedness is the best way to do it.”
The new station is predicted to be completed in mid-2025, and the Pyalong Fire Brigade members are looking forward to serving the community better with the new location.
“It’ll give us some more visible presence in the community, and it’ll help with recruiting new members,” Mr Kelly said.
“It’s certainly going to enhance community safety,” Mr Brislin said.
“CFA supports all agencies as well so having a better facility to work from ... (should allow us to) increase brigade membership because the current site doesn't support additional members.
“There’s nowhere for them to store their equipment, so we actually are increasing community safety by building a better facility that gives us more members to conduct community engagement events where we actually spread the message around fire safety, not just bushfires, but home fire safety as well.
“Holistically, it is a huge benefit to the community from a preparedness response and recovery perspective.”
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