CATERING BRIGADE

Are you community minded? Thinking of volunteering?

Not sure where you want to give your time?

You’ve thought of the Rural Fire Service (RFS) but you think you’re not fit enough or too old to be up the front actively fighting fires. Volunteers are the backbone of the RFS. People think of the RFS and picture the bright yellow firefighters and the flames, but they need to be fed. There are other aspects of the service one of which is the other side of the gorge, just behind Hornsby Heights RFS station on Galston Road, it is the Hornsby -Kuring gai Catering Brigade, “The Brigade they Hunger After”. The Catering brigade is often one of the busiest brigades within the district as it provides full meals and snacks during emergency and training operations. Our role is to feed the front line staff whether that be at the fire ground, at Hazard Reductions, training sessions either at the Fire Control Centre or in the field. Our menu plans adapt to the location. The brigade is also involved at the ANZAC Day breakfast held at Hornsby RSL each year, except this year.

We are a mobile unit with two vehicles Alpha and Bravo.

Alpha is a job specific vehicle built on an Isuzu long wheel base truck. Alpha is a fully equipped unit and ready to go, once set up, is self-sufficient for the first 24 hours of an incident. This unit requires a Heavy Rigid (HR) driver’s licence.

Bravo is our new Hyundai ILoad dual cab. This is used for local catering or one session catering. It requires an ordinary C licence and a familiarisation course through the RFS to be cleared to drive it.

Like other brigades in the RFS we have a Captain, Deputies, President, Secretary, Treasurer etc, there is a role for everyone. You don’t need to be a great cook or a Master Chef graduate to become a member of this brigade, just have a commitment to volunteer.

In non-Covid times we meet monthly on the first Monday of the month at the station, currently information is disseminated by email and text messages when staff are required and any RFS updates.

For further information on the Catering Brigade contact the Brigade Captain at Captain.Catering@hkrfs.org.au

Hope to see you there.

Bravo Vehicle

Pre Covid prep, we now wear masks and aprons, gloves have always been used in recent years.