Narre Warren CFA Captain Noel Collins says the safety of CFA members and the community has been compromised after vital safety equipment was stolen for the second time.By Rebecca Fraser
THOUGHTLESS thieves have stolen vital safety equipment from the Narre Warren CFA for the second time, leaving members angry and disappointed.
Six eflares were stolen recently when the CFA was helping at a car accident on Greaves Road, Narre Warren South.
At $70 each, eflares are used to alert oncoming traffic to road accidents and the presence of emergency personnel.
Narre Warren captain Noel Collins said this was the second time all their eflares had been taken.
Mr Collins said the safety of CFA members and the community would be compromised until the brigade could raise the funds to replace the flares.
“All of this is because somebody probably thought they were being smart and funny,” he said.
The theft occurred after the brigade had attended its second motor vehicle accident in just over an hour.
“If we hadn’t had to leave to respond to a third incident we would probably still have the eflares.
“If the people who stole them would like the carry bags they are stored in they can come and see me for them,” he said.
Brigade secretary Rebecca DoyleWalker said two trucks attended the scene of the accident, but one left to respond to a fire at a nearby primary school.
“The eflares were in use at the time but unfortunately when one of the trucks left, the members on the other truck were unable to see the eflares from their location and that is when the thieves struck,” she said.
Ms DoyleWalker said the incident had angered everyone and it would now cost the CFA over $400 to replace the flares.
“We are pretty annoyed about the whole thing.
“The flares not only protect our members but also the community.
“The money we will have to spend to replace them is money that could have been spent on equipment, a new branch or on serving the community,” she said.
