Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade

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The Cherrybrook Rural Fire Service is a volunteer-run community brigade that protects the community from bush fires and works closely with the SES, Police, Ambulance and the New South Wales Fire Brigade.

[edit] Current information

At present the brigade contains 24 active members with 8 Deputies and a captain. The brigade is part of the Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai area command.

[edit] History

Cherrybrook Rural Fire Brigade was formed as “The Hornsby Shire Bush Volunteer Brigade, West Pennant Hills and District” at a public meeting on Tuesday 29 July 1952. This followed a fire that started somewhere in the Dural area during January/February of 1952 that continued on into the heart of Hornsby, leading to the loss of several homes and structures on the way.

Residents of the West Pennant Hills area (Cherrybrook at that time was part of West Pennant Hills) assisted in fighting the fire, no doubt including a number who were some of the original members of the brigade.

In the early years, equipment was rudimentary with little more than hand tools and a few lengths of hose for areas served by water mains. It wasn’t until December 1968 that the fire brigade received its first ‘vehicle’ – a trailer with an 80 gallon tank (about 364 litres – just over 1/10th the size of the current truck's tank), a pump, and storage for a few lengths of hose and a selection of hand tools. The trailer was typically towed by a tractor owned by one of the local residents.

[edit] Equipment

The brigade at present operates three vehicles.

• Cherrybrook 1: A Category 1 Heavy Tanker. It is four wheel drive and can carry approximately 3,500L of water.

• Cherrybrook 17: A Cagtegory 17 support vehicle for structure fires and motor vehicle accidents. This vehicle carries additional BA sets and salvage equipment.

• Cherrybrook PC: A Category 12 Personnel Carrier. A Toyota Landcruiser, which can carry 11 people.