Greta Fire Brigade have won the past two Rural Seniors titles at the CFA-VFBV Firefighter State Championships, but can they take a third in a row?
Greta FB with their some of their trophy collection earlier this year.
Ron Hooper, Ex Captain and Junior Leader at CFA’s Greta Fire Brigade, discovered the Firefighter State Championships after attending in 1957 when the Rural Seniors Competition first emerged. Following his attendance, Ron put a team together and competed in the following Championships.
“It’s considered a sport for the championships – but we all do the events every time we turn out,” Ron said. “Everyone at Greta Brigade is just so easy to work with, which is why our teams have worked so well. It’s about putting the right people in the right events – playing to our people’s strengths and ensuring they suit the events they’re competing in.”
Greta FB have won their Division 1 aggregate for the past two years, and now have three senior teams and two junior teams. Many of the senior members are providing valuable mentor-ship for the junior members; and with at least 3 junior members from previous years moving up into seniors for 2020, they’re looking like a team to beat.
CFA Greta FB’s Rural Seniors are going for three in a row.
The Greta A Seniors team stood on top of the podium in 2019 – with an amazing eight points clear of second place. They had wins in the ‘Low Down Pump and Ladder’, ‘Tanker Priming Pumping’ and ‘Ladder and Tanker Drawing Water from a Tank’ events, and a broken record with the Hose Reel and Ladder event.
The Rural Juniors team won their division from 2005 until 2015, with the exception of 2009. The Juniors 11 – 15 age aggregate scored an equal second in 2019, following their win in 2018; and still managed to take away the Stan Ross Good Conduct Trophy.
Greta want to follow up with more records and wins at the Championships, to be held next in Mooroopna in 2020, and Ron thinks it’s entirely possible.
“We’ve got quite the trophy collection at the station, and three in a row for our Seniors would be nice” Ron joked. “Mooroopna 2020 we’re hoping for another win in both Seniors and Juniors. It’s the fun we have as a Brigade outside of the fire season, everyone really enjoys getting involved – and our competitors are so dedicated.”
The CFA-VFBV Firefighter State Championships will be held in Mooroopna on 28 & 29 March 2020. Urban Seniors, Rural Seniors and Juniors will all be competing, but conducted as separate competitions as per other years.
