STEP UP

Regarding our story ‘

Great to see this ‘hot’ topic in

The publicity is needed.

I joined with the local brigade when I became aware of times where the truck could not leave the station due to a personnel shortage.

I would think - what if it was me in desperate need of help?

Despite the fact of the station being 200 metres from my home, if no crew responded here I would have to wait for the next available one - an hour’s drive away. Without the people numbers, this is the reality facing every person in town!

I am a very busy solo mother of three children. I am of average fitness and pretty good health and am willing to give the two hours of training each week.

My children are welcome to hang out in the fire station lounge where they play or do homework while I train with the crew. Through the fire service I have gained qualifications in first aid and been involved in numerous community activities.

It is a time to think and act outside of oneself, to those less fortunate. I am not afraid of what a ‘callout’ might bring, there are safety strategies and support networks in place for us. I am only expected to do what I can do.

After six years my children are now old enough to be at home while I attend night calls. If each of you who have ever thought of joining do so with the thought to give a little bit, then we as a brigade and a community will have enough.

What are you waiting for? If I can do it, so can you. Regarding the council comments about the removal of the unjustified library fees over many years and that ‘‘the Council believes it posed a financial barrier for some individuals and families in the Far North’’ [

Those comments are an insult to the intelligence of the people living in the Far North. According to the Local Government Act 2002, it is clearly stated as follows:

‘‘If a local authority or a council-controlled organisation provides a library for public use, the residents in the district or region are entitled to join the library free of charge.’’

My library card expired last week and I was told that it needed to be renewed despite the fact that from July of this year, subscriptions would cease. I was charged a $3 fee to cover the period up until July.

This charge, although small, adds insult to injury bearing in mind that library subscription fees are and have been illegal over a long period of time. Council obviously still has the need to extract every last cent from library users.

Perhaps the council would like to consider spending that money on upgrading some of their books. Some of the books are pretty shabby to say the least.