When local firefighters are hard at work protecting lives and property from fires there are often long-running and passionate community groups, much like the Kyneton Fire Brigade Auxiliary, working behind the scenes to offer their support in a variety of ways.
The nine-member auxiliary supports Kyneton Fire Brigade year-round by fundraising for much-needed equipment and also provides catering during incidents attended by the brigade.
Auxiliary Secretary and Treasurer Larina Strauch said throughout the auxiliary’s almost six decades of service it has built its reputation for catering.
“Our catering is top-notch and we get involved whenever there’s a staging area in Kyneton, which was the case when we sent a strike team to Mallacoota,” Larina said.
“We are famous for our homemade slices. When the district and local brigade organise meetings the slice is often their first request.”
The community group was established in the 1940s and became directly connected with the brigade in 1962 as an auxiliary brigade.
“We’ve had some fairly significant incidents in our district over the past 12 months and we’ve been happy to support our crews through it,” Larina said. “During the Black Saturday bushfires our auxiliary was on duty for eight days straight, making lunches and sending them to the field.
“It’s important we continue to show our support and provide this service to our firefighters while they do the work of protecting our communities.”
Members are always finding time to pitch in year after year. Larina noted that the Kyneton auxiliary clocked 369 hours of catering during the 2015-16 financial year and their involvement has remained steady since.
“It’s all about getting together and having that camaraderie among the group. We have meaningful interactions with the members of the fire brigade and have for a long time,” she said. “If you live in a smaller community joining a group like the auxiliary is a great way to give back.”
