NYAH West CFA captain Phil Maher is looking forward to the future while celebrating the fire brigade’s 100-year anniversary.
Captain Maher has been with the CFA for about 25 years, following in his father’s footsteps and those of his forebears who were at the brigade’s first meetings.
“It was a bit different when I was younger, so I was helping out for about five years before they signed me up at 20,” he said.
“I was able to help out during the day when they struggled to get responders because a lot of people in the Nyah District worked in Swan Hill, and it was really rewarding to help people, especially when you save someone’s property.
“It’s just something you do in a small town – you see someone that needs help so you go help them, and the CFA is a way to do that.
“It gives you an involvement in the community that you may not have had, and you make friends with people you would never have met if not for the CFA.
“A lot of people have gone through the CFA in years gone by, they’ve moved away and been quite successful with the skills they learned with the brigade.”
CFA volunteers’ responsibilities have evolved with technological advancements.
“Someone would have had to tend to the brigade’s horses three times a day, and that would have been a volunteer,” he said.
“Who knows where we will be in another 100 years with firefighting technology, but aircraft will become more and more important, whether that’s actual aircraft or even drones.
“My dream for the brigade is a helipad, which will be an addition for the whole region, not just for the benefit of the Nyah District, to get to fires in a 100km radius much faster.”
CFA District 18 Commander Paul Illman said the advancement in firefighting over 100 years is indescribable.
“From horse and cart to a manual pumping system, or the bucket brigade as we call them, to high tech tankers with remote control monitors, state of the art personal protective equipment and the wealth of support mechanisms to go with it, our technology today as opposed to 100 years ago is incomparable,” he said.
“The science of fire now and how we are duly supported with technology provides swift and fast assistance, whereas 100 years ago a lot was reliant on local knowledge, especially of that of traditional owners to provide advice and support.”
Commander Illman commended the Nyah West CFA volunteers for their commitment.
“I congratulate the brigade on 100 years of service to their community and wish them the very best in the next 100 years,” he said.
“I have nothing but praise for their service.”
The CFA display at the Nyah District Heritage Weekend on Saturday, April 26, will feature vintage uniforms and equipment that the brigade would have used in the last century, supplied by Huntly Fire Museum and Fire Services Museum of Victoria.
