Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority
Image: Uniform Photography
Thirty-two former and current CFA volunteers who served at Mallacoota during the 2019-20 bushfires have received the Chief Officer’s Unit Citation for Courage, recognising their extraordinary bravery.
The group was honoured during a ceremony on Friday 15 May at the Mt Evelyn Football Netball Club, venerating their actions as members of a Strike Team during one of the most significant days of the Black Summer fires.
On 31 December 2019, the Strike Team was tasked to defend the Local Command Facility at Mallacoota Fire Station, where 18 people had taken refuge with no fire appliance to defend the building.
Just before crews arrived, fire crossed the road between appliances, placing members in immediate danger, with 50-metre-high flames reported just 60-metres away from the facility.
Despite being within their rights to fall back and wait for conditions to ease, the team held their ground, protecting the station, nearby buildings and the people sheltering inside.
Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade member Simon Steele, one of the recipients, said the scale of what was approaching only became clear in the days before the fire hit.
“There was such minimal intel about the fire with all of the fire activity across the state, so we continually monitored and observed the approaching glow,” Simon said.
“On the eve of the fire we were able to triangulate its position as 23 kilometres away and 25 kilometres wide.”
Conditions deteriorated rapidly on the morning of 31 December, with ember rain blanketing the town well before the fire front arrived.
“The strike team drove down the street with sirens activated to alert people of the approaching fire. It was about 9am and pitch black because of the smoke,” Simon said.
“I knew at that moment we were in for a very busy day.”
With crews positioned at the station, others worked to stop house fires spreading through the township.
“My crew and I protected the buildings along Bastion Point Road and spent a lot of time stopping house fires from spreading to adjacent homes,” Simon said.
“There was not a single complaint we just got the job done. My life was in their hands and I would happily trust them to do it all again.”
Simon said the commendation, while unexpected, was an honour to receive.
“We don’t join the fire brigade for recognition, but the acknowledgement of our efforts is certainly appreciated.”
Acting CFA Chief Officer Garry Cook said all 32 recipients displayed unwavering courage.
“These members were faced with confronting conditions and made every effort to protect people and property in Mallacoota at a time of great risk,” Garry said.
“Their actions at Mallacoota reflect the very best of CFA.”
Full list of recipients:
Bayswater Fire Brigade: Belinda Gillespie, George Northey, Joanne Roche
Belgrave Heights & South Fire Brigade: Sam Carlton, Stuart Johnston
Boronia Fire Brigade: David Hawthorne
Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade: Simon Steele
Gruyere Fire Brigade: Anthony England
Kallista-The Patch Fire Brigade: Kyle Power
Kalorama-Mt Dandenong Fire Brigade: Nathan Collier, Gregory Downes
Menzies Creek Fire Brigade: Scott Benier, Gary Brown
Rowville Fire Brigade: Martin Chittelapilly, Mathew Crouch, Joshua Deakin, Andrew White
Seville Fire Brigade: Anthony Hudson, Ross Johnson (Strike Team Leader)
Silvan Fire Brigade: Lindsay Parker
South Warrandyte Fire Brigade: Hugh Dugan, Christopher Haggarty, Nathan McDonald
Upper Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade: Darren Johnson
Upwey Fire Brigade: Darron Lumley, Liam Rhodes
Wandin Fire Brigade: Ricky Ramadge, Jenny White
Warburton Fire Brigade: Dallas Kleesh, Rogelio Rojas
Wonga Park Fire Brigade: Dean Gibson, Rhys Keown