Hahndorf CFS - Adelaide Hills

Hahndorf Volunteer Fire Service

[Extract from Hahndorf Village Voice edition No. 57]

On 21 September 1949, the first-ever meeting of the Hahndorf Volunteer Fire Service was held in the Hahndorf Institute. The goal—to protect the community against the very real threat of devastating bushfires. Fast forward 70 years to 2019 and although the responsibilities of the Brigade have expanded significantly, the aim of the Hahndorf CFS remains unchanged. Protecting and assisting our community in times of need.

The Hahndorf CFS currently has 20 firefighters, and 12 operational support members to oversee responses to incidents 24/7, 365 days a year. Call-outs include grass fires, building fires, fire alarms, vehicle accidents, trees down, severe weather incidents, flooding and even the proverbial animal rescue incidents! Over the 2017/18 financial year, we responded to 94 incidents, totaling 516-man (and woman!) hours for our volunteers. Over and above this, we remain actively involved in community events, educational awareness programs and enthusiastically raising funds to purchase new equipment for enhanced community safety. Understandably we would be pleased to increase our team.

The Hahndorf CFS is always on the lookout for new members, irrespective of age, gender and skill level. Full and ongoing training is provided both within the CFS as a whole, and at our Monday night training sessions. If you are a resident of Hahndorf and are considering getting involved, we would love
to meet you!

For more information please contact Greg Liddle (Brigade Captain) on 0414 412 001 or [email protected], or Ros Smith (Brigade Admin Coordinator) on 0447 920 177 or [email protected].

Alternatively, please feel free to drop into the station from 1915hrs during our Monday night training sessions!
You will be most welcome! Come and ENJOY!

Hahndorf Community Bushfire Information Night

Some Important Advice from the CFS - January 2010

The Hahndorf community flocked en-masse to an information evening held by the Country Fire Service (CFS) early last month. The meeting, held at the local CFS station, was attended by over 100 people and included a number of residents who had been through the ordeal of Ash Wednesday.

Hahndorf Brigade Captain Jason Sanders coordinated the evening, which included a brief presentation by CFS Community Education Officer Nick Patrick on the need for residents to prepare and maintain their property and a more detailed talk by CFS Regional Commander Chris Martin about the dangers of bushfires. “The Mt Lofty Ranges region is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world,” Mr Patrick said. “Meetings such as this are extremely important to make sure residents are getting first-hand, accurate information.” Mr Patrick’s presentation highlighted the need for residents to focus on the area immediately around their own homes to protect them in particular from ember attack. “Studies show that around 95 per cent of homes are lost through spark and ember attack,” he said. “Creating a defendable space around your property is essential if you live in a high-risk area.” “We hope those people who attended now have a clearer understanding of messages they have been hearing through the media and know where to seek further information,” Mr Patrick said.

“The CFS is proud to be able to provide these sessions but understand the community demands and deserves more. Our Fire Safe program is one of the best ways for residents to prepare themselves for bushfires. We can help you get a group together so you can discuss these issues with your neighbours in an informal setting.”
Chris Martin, CFS Regional Commander, stressed the fact that the safest place to be is nowhere near a fire and the only way to guarantee your safety is to leave early – well before a fire threatens the area.

An impromptu showing of hands indicated that residents would like this to become an annual fixture.
For more information, check out the CFS website www.cfs.sa.gov.au or contact Nick Patrick on 0428 817 186 or [email protected].

Prepare – Act - Survive

Have you got a written plan - will you leave early?

There Are Two Options:

Leave Early; don’t leave at the last minute; decide where to go and when.
Stay and defend your property! Remember, you could die if you decide to stay to defend your home — from radiant heat scorching the airways!

Be Ready: