Milford Captain Grant Hosking with new recruit Daniel Watt
There is movement at the Milford Fire Station after six new people joined up to the local brigade in the last 12 months.
Milford is not really a town, but rather a small shed fire brigade with the closest town, Dumbalk, more than 13kms away. Despite its remote location five of the six new recruits only recently moved to the area.
Daniel Watt is one of the brigades new members and moved to Mirboo with his wife, from the Mornington Peninsula, in November 2022.
“We moved to be near my Dad and we wanted a bush block,” Daniel said.
Daniel’s father was a former volunteer of the Boolarra Fire Brigade until he passed away last year.
“He was really pleased that I had joined the CFA,” Daniel said.
“Part of the reason I joined is my time is pretty flexible and I am on a large acreage of bushland. If a bushfire came through this part of the world, I am part of the problem so feel a responsibility.”
Daniel is a wood worker and runs his own business, which means he can respond to daytime call outs. His first call out was to a grass fire.
“I drove straight to the fireground. The Captain handed me a hose and pointed to the fire and said ‘put that out’. It gave me the experience and confidence to put out fire.”
The five other members include two women and three men and four of them had recently moved to the local area.
Milford Captain Grant Hosking said the new members had almost doubled the size of their brigade.
“We have not had any new recruits for many years and then we got six in one year,” Grant said.
“Any new members that will turn out is a bonus.”
Grant said he had been Captain of the Milford brigade for a little while – 25 years.
“I don’t find it a burden. I live in close proximity to the fire station and work in the area. It’s just a community thing I do.”
Milford Brigade has 30 members with 20 of those in operational firefighting roles.
If you’re interested in joining CFA or learning more about volunteering, head to www.cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer to ‘Give Us Hand’.
