A community campaign backed by Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett to save the Captain Creek township’s local rural fire brigade is making waves, with discussions now being held to form a new brigade.
Mr Bennett has been campaigning on behalf of the community to reinstate the brigade for months, after the Captain Creek Rural Fire Brigade and its 47 members were deregistered by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services on November 2 last year.
A petition sponsored by the local MP calling on the State Government to reregister the rural brigade as a matter of urgency has attracted more than 700 signatures.
Mr Bennett said rural fire brigades are critical in rural and regional areas and the deregistration of the Captain Creek Rural Fire Brigade has caused a lot of distress and potentially endangered the lives of the community and their properties.
“I’m cautiously optimistic that commonsense will prevail after holding discussions with the QFES,” he said.
“We now know that a meeting is planned for the 8th of February. It is important that people that have registered in other brigades are given an opportunity to be part of a reformed Rural Fire Brigade.
“I have been advised that works on painting and maintenance will be carried out starting this week, with commitments of equipment and resources to form a new brigade before the next fire season.
“I hope around Easter registrations will be well progressed. Now is the time for the community to consider their own future.”
14/12/2020