14th May, 2024.
I had the pleasure of attending the 85th celebration of the Buxton Rural Fire Brigade with attendees including RFS Deputy Commissioner Kyle Stewart APM, Mayor Matt Gould and many present and past members at Picton Bowling Club in April. Presentations were made for outstanding contributions including the Bill Marsh Award for Senior Deputy Captain Russell Hill, and a posthumous award to Peter Fenning for 43 years of dedicated service. From its establishment in 1939, the Brigade has grown to 45 members today and has played an important role in the ongoing safety and security of the residents and areas around Buxton. Major fires it has recently attended include Gospers, Green Wattle, St Ivans and Craigs Road fires during the 2019/20 fire season. The Buxton RFS is active in attending a broad range of incidents and activities including bushfires, grass fires, motor vehicle accidents, search and rescue, structural fires, hazard reduction, and providing support to the NSW SES with flood and storm clean up. The shed is undergoing extensions currently and I look forward to seeing the result of this project as Buxton RFS continues their invaluable service to the community well into the future.