Donations needed for fire vehicle

The City of Albany is teaming up with Bendigo Bank in an effort to upgrade the City’s forward control vehicle.

A crowdfunding project has been set up on the bank’s website with an aim to raise $15,000 for a selection of new features.

City chief fire control officer Darren Prior said the vehicle needed to stay up-to-date.

“It’s all about updating the van and getting it equipped with all the latest gear to help protect the volunteers,” he said

“It’s currently fitted with our automatic vehicle tracking system, and it’s a staging point for any major incident.”

Mr Prior said there were several priorities for the van, which was unveiled in November.

“Things that we still need to get are a mobile phone repeater system — obviously we sometimes head into areas where mobile support and coverage is lacking,” he said “Also a hydraulic pump-up aerial for our radio communications, and a mobile repeater trailer.”

Bendigo Bank have donated $2000 to the cause and manager Jason Krein encouraged people to pledge money to an important project.

“We’re all affected, especially being a regional town, by fires, and we’re isolated,” he said

“So this is important to our houses, our children, our livestock and, most importantly, our bushfire volunteers.

“Our town has been deeply affected already in the past by losing people, and we know that if there had been a better communication centre, then that could have been avoided.”