A hair-raising accident on the job and now a spate of thefts, 2024 just hasn’t been Nar Nar Goon Fire Brigade’s year, but all they ask for from the community is to give them a wave.
“2024 just can’t disappear quick enough,” brigade captain Justin Seddon said.
If anything, 2024 was meant to be a very good year for the brigade by receiving their brand-new world-class fire engine in August, significantly updating their ageing equipment.
Yet, the handover of the keys in August was marked by losing one of their older trucks in a frightening close call.
On a rainy early morning in June, members jumped into their only large tanker to respond to a tree down on powerlines.
As reported, they wouldn’t make it to the incident site as another tree, lying low due to the rain and obscured by the dim early morning haze, would catch them by surprise.
A branch hooked between the cabin and the tanker, the truck would whip out of control and the crews were lashed about as it rolled.
Fortunately, the crews came out with only minor injuries, but a violent crash is always a disconcerting experience even if you can walk away from it.
Months later, 2024 still had more unprecedented incidents in store as an alleged assailant rammed a four-wheel drive vehicle through the back doors of the station late last month resulting in significant damage and the loss of vital response equipment at a cost claimed to be over $100,000.
For a small town like Nar Nar Goon, the footy club, the local pub, the RSL and most of all the fire station are among the institutions you just don’t touch, even the most cynical and jaded would find it unthinkable that an individual would target them.
“Never had an issue ever, never had a problem, never known of an issue, but we just seem an easy target now,” Seddon said.
“People know that no one is there at those times, it’s a real blight on society right now.”
It doesn’t stop there, in the early hours of Sunday 6 October they had tarps covering the side area of the station stolen.
Many of the usual activity around the station is now something taken for granted, their washed gear has to be secured inside rather than dry outside and mornings now include a daily inspection around the yard.
When it comes to their operation they are mostly back to normal with repairs and insurance claims processing, these thefts are more about insult than injury.
“If these people were involved in an accident and we turned up they would get the best service, we would get the job done and be on our way, I’m sure if something like this happened to them they wouldn’t be very happy,” Seddon said.
“It’s another kick in the guts, a feeling of dread, members are more concerned than angry.”
The tarps are easily replaced, but that doesn’t mitigate the shame of having to use some of their community funds to do so.
Fire stations are a place of pride and security, all the brigade asks is for residents to help make it feel that way again.
“The best support we can get is to give us a wave, when they see the Nar Nar Goon truck, they can just let us know, we just need that confidence boost,” Seddon said.
If you have young children they probably already feel the impulse to grab the attention of the big red truck when it comes by.
Next time you see a fire engine around town, especially if it has Nar Nar Goon written on the side, it’s worth following your little one’s lead because a simple wave can go a long way for your local firefighters.
