Galston RFB celebrates 80 years of serving the community

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Galston Rural Fire Brigade and Arcadia Rural Fire Brigade. The two brigades were originally combined as one under the č²ČÕ Ĕê AĔİčĴÊŘ ƒñõİÕ ¤ĔĆŁčļÕÕİ ŁĴñ :õİÕ

İõë²ÑÕʣ cč ļñÕ ɿʀİÑ ĭİõĆ ɾʆʁɾ ļñÕ ţİĴļ Captain, President, Lieutenants, and other ĔêţËÕ ÊÕ²İÕİĴ ŖÕİÕ ÕĆÕËļÕÑ ļĔ ļñÕ Êİõë²ÑÕʣ

The brigade’s original gear only consisted of thirty 30gallon water drums, and a number of volunteered motor trucks on standby to cart the drums. With World War II raging, equipment was in short supply and, although a 2-inch water main hydrant had been procured, there was no hose available. One of our original members ŕõĴõļÕÑ ļŖĔ ËõļŘ ţİÕ Ĵļ²ļõĔčĴ ²čÑ ĴŁËËÕÕÑÕÑ in begging for a piece of leaky, condemned hose for the Brigade. Despite the limited gear - within a few days of its beginning, the new brigade‘s services were already being called upon. The Brigade quickly became well established and operated in an effective Č²ččÕİʣ Eļ Ŗ²Ĵ čĔļ ŁčļõĆ ɾʆʃʀ ļñ²ļ ļñÕ council agreed to erect a shed to house the brigade’s truck. The current building stands in the exact spot of that original shed.

Some of our life members share what the brigade has meant to them over the years:

“It’s always been a very close-knit group; people look out for each other.” – David Stockman, Fire Fighter and Honorary Life Member.

“The brigade is sort of a community family. It brings you close to the basics of the community and serving the community in such a great way.”

– Colin Manton, Retired Group Captain.

“The Brigade has been a seminal part of my life. I’ve made a very large number of friends, it’s allowed me to join in many community activities and it’s helped me in my career; so I’m a great advocate of the RFS family.

I tell people, when you join the RFS you inherit another family, and that’s quite unique; you get people who care about you, who are concerned about you and you have a much broader view of the world. It’s been one of the best decisions I ever made.”

– Bill Lea, Group Captain & member of

the Rural Fire Service since 1979.