It was a celebration of 80 long years of hard work for the Epping Fire Brigade in March, as they gathered in masses to commemorate the anniversary.
Members, former volunteers and dignitaries came together to celebrate the momentous occasion.
Captain Rob Saitta first joined the Epping brigade in 1994 and said he was most proud of the comradery the brigade has, which he says is like a second family.
“We go through good and bad times together and we’re always there for each other” said Rob.
The Epping Rural Fire Brigade was formed on March 6 in 1944 to protect the town from fires and other emergencies,” he said.
The brigade’s first Station was built in Houston Street Epping, and in 1988 the station was relocated to its new and current location at O’Hern’s Road in Epping.
The Epping Brigade has been involved in many major fires across Victoria, most notably they fought the Ash Wednesday Fires in 1983 and the Black Saturday Fires of 2009.
“On Black Saturday our tanker was involved in a burnover with a couple of other trucks. The members who were there saved a family by putting them on the back of a truck as fire overran their house,” continued Mr Saitta.
“The trucks got scorched and burnt and the crews had to put out a mayday but everyone survived.”
Acting Country Fire Authority (CFA) chief executive Jason Heffernan said the event was a great celebration of a brigade with a long history.
“It’s clear from hearing the history of the brigade that Epping has always kept the community at the centre of what it does and to this day it has never lost that focus,” he said.
“I want to thank and recognise all the members past and present who have given so much to Epping over the last eight decades.”
In 1979 Epping became a Rescue Brigade to better serve the changing needs of the community.
Another notable incident occurred in November 2014 when the brigade responded to a house fire in Great Brome Avenue in Epping.
When they arrived they were confronted by a double story house which was well alight. Some
of the occupants had managed to escape but a father and one of his children remained trapped on the upstairs balcony.
The crews set a ladder to the balcony with hose lines deployed for protection and rescued the father and child.
This rescue earnt the brigade a Unit Citation from the Chief Officer and CFA.
