Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)

Last year the Group decided to purchase an AED with funds made available by the State government . The AED  is now in the Mansfield Fire Station on the wall just near the Group Command Vehicle . If the Command Vehicle is going to an incident please take the AED with you . If you are unsure how it works attend a training session however you don't have to be trained to use it in an emergency but you will do a better job faster if you are trained .You can get an idea of what is involved by going to You Tube and viewing some of the clips . The clip above gives some idea of what you will encounter when and if you open the AED . It is  a Phillips FRx AED with Voice Prompts.ve .CPR must be commenced immediately if a sudden cardiac arrest occurs . A 000 call must also be made . Continue CPR while setting up the AED . The AED will not discharge a shock unless it is required . If help is not given to a cardiac arrest victim the mortality approaches 100 %

CPR Training at Barjarg

A request for "Expressions of Interest" in learning how to undertake CPR has been  been put out to the Barjarg Community . CPR is a skill that may save a life and no one knows when or for whom the presence of some one who is prepared to perform CPR will be critical . The Barjarg Brigade have opened up the training to any one in the community and so far there are 22 who are interested. The out come of the training will be posted on the blog at some stage .

Happy New Year and Australia Day

Although it has been fairly dry around Barjarg we have been fortunate not to have had to attend to any local fires ,yet.
In early March the brigade is going to run a CPR course for both the brigade members  who haven't been exposed to this as well as members of the local community . After all it is no good you knowing  about CPR but having the cardiac arrest . There seems to be a lot of interest with 20 registering interest so far .
At Barjarg we hope to get an extension so that we have a meeting room and a toilet . The brigade will have to find the money but it will be worth while .

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Practical Preparation, Positive Action, Pure Survival at Maindample

Media Release Mansfield Group: 14/12/2011

Tom Condon Media liaison Officer Hume Region

Ian Cheeseman, Captain of the Maindample Rural Fire Brigade proposed to the Shire of Mansfield at a recent Municipal Fire Prevention Committee meeting that the Brigade wished to do a burn off around the Maindample Township. Long grass, particularly along the rail trail, presented a real threat to the safety of residents and ‘rail trailers’.

An unqualified agreement to do so was given by the committee and a request to do so as quickly as possible.

Recent rains had provided extensive growth with much of the grass over 150cm high and with no stock now grazing the land due to the rail trail an enormous fuel load had built up.

Ian engaged the services of the shire, Barjarg Rural Fire Brigade, Bonnie Doon Rural Fire Brigade and a number of members with private ‘Slip on” vehicles to ensure the citizenry’s safety during the burn off.

For new Barjarg members it was an introduction to practical asset and people protection.

Set into action about 10 hectares were safely cleared in about 2 hours with no environmental damage as members protected some old trees in primarily grassland.

This activity really highlighted the benefits of Brigades proactively protecting the community. It is a positive side that brigades could well actively promote in the future.

Thanks Ian, three years of lobbying achieved your desire for a safer community.

You really embodied the Prepare, Act, Survive message of the CFA.

Tom Condon

CFA Media Relations Officer

CFA Hume Region

ID 7902661

Ph / Fax 03 57787726

EMail tom2734@bigpond.com

Group Exercise: Feed back and CPR Training

If you were involved in the Group Exercise and you would like to give some feedback click on the  comments section and have a say .

Do you think all CFA members should know basic CPR ? When I ask a member of the public what is  their expectation is of a CFA member  re . CPR  they think that basic CPR  would be a part of our training . Try asking a friend etc. see what they think .
 Make a comment please .

Group Exercise

It was great to see  a good roll up . There were some problems and the weather contributed to these . The Group would welcome comments  so go to the comments section and have your say . The organizers expect some negative feed back but that contributes to the discussion and a better outcome next time .