Yanco RFS firefighters say they are more confident in doing their jobs and more ready than ever for the upcoming fire season with the arrival of a brand new, state-of-the-art fire truck.
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The new tanker is the 400th truck off-the-line since the devastating Black Summer bushfires nearly three years ago, and was built as part of the NSW government's $830 million response to the Bushfire Inquiry.
Yanco RFS captain Ian Thompson said the new, high-tech appliance made him feel more confident about his role.
"It's got more safety equipment. Around the top there's spray nozzles for crew protection, and if we get in a situation where the fire's coming over us then we can put them on and drop down some curtains to shield us from the heat," Mr Thompson said.
The Yanco RFS captain said the new truck will be mostly used for village-based situations, such as house fires or shed fires, or to transport more water to assist Fire and Rescue crews.
Yanco RFS senior deputy Ross Beecham said the new tanker also gave him a lot more confidence, as opposed to the older, smaller trucks.
"The old girl in the shed was a good old honest girl, but she's starting to wear out," Mr Beecham said.
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"It's good to know we can jump in and take off without worrying about the gear, because it's brand new and we know we can rely on it."
Despite the persistent wet weather, the captain and senior deputy said they were still unsure how the upcoming summer will unfold.
"We're a bit unsure about summer at the moment with this La Nina," Mr Thompson said. "Last year was very quiet. We had nothing."
Mr Beecham agreed, but added that heavier rainfall had produced more fuel which could prove problematic if summer weather begins to dry out.
"It could make it nasty around January to February. But we'll see what happens, that's what we do every year," he said.
Mr Thompson said the Yanco RFS were always looking for new members, and that anyone interested was welcome to visit the fire station, where training will be held from 5:30pm to 7:30pm every monday night from when daylights savings starts on October 2.
Yanco RFS will also have a stall at the upcoming Leeton show on October 7 and 8.
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