Local MP records thanks to Bass fire fighters in Parliament

A CFA member at the Pound Creek Fire Brigade, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale has used her first address to State Parliament this year to put on the record the community’s thanks to the district’s volunteers who downed tools, pens and pastimes to answer the call during the recent run of tragic bushfires across the state.

Speaking in State Parliament on Wednesday, February 4, Ms Crugnale described the burst of fires as among the most destructive Victoria has seen for their speed, scale and damage.

“More than 200 fires in the landscape, communities threatened, homes and structures burnt, beautiful life lost, livestock killed – the speed, the scale and the destruction not seen before.

“Thank you to all CFA firefighters, forest fire teams, support agencies and locals who worked day and night and continue on.

“Community at their heart, they dropped everything to help, support, protect. They are the best of us,” said Ms Crugnale.

She went on to name those volunteers from her Bass electorate that had so far been listed. There are likely to be more.

“In our Bass electorate brigade members from Pearcedale to Pound Creek formed strike teams deployed to Longwood, Eildon, Tallangatta, Dargo, Meredith and Rhyll.

“We are yet to gather all names; herewith are those for the record today:

• Tooradin – Tony Riley, Cameron Devenny, Jason Smetham, Ian Trueman, Dan Mantel, Darren Schmidt, David Bulman, Simon Judge;
• Clyde – Ian Earl, Leticia Presta Miller, Aden Foster, Blake Elliot, Brett Moore Carter, Tegan Emery, Nathaniel Morton and Lee Bostock;
• Lang Lang – Derek and Jordan Hichisson, Dean Birkbeck, Dean Kenneth, Marc Burton Walter, Amy Bardwell, Darren Hanisch, Tim Brooks, Sean Dawson;
• Phillip Island – John Pitman, Matthew Grogan, Rhyce Davis, Richard Davis, Timothy Anderson, Alex Dickson, Wayne Carter, Georgia Anderson, Kyle Murdoch, Simon Furniss, Steve O’Brien, Garry Thompson, Pete Gray, Joe Myall and Terry Quarrell;
• Kilcunda – David Wingfield, Daniel Murdoch, Allan Richardson and John Westby;
• Corinella – Dave Cox, Alex Conway and Dylan Styles;
• Inverloch – Matt King and Rob Higgins;
• Pound Creek (Ms Crugnale's own colleagues): Anne Davis, Tania Frank, Julian Walker, Carlo Fasolino, Chris Buxton, Merv Mee, and Mark Pardoe.

“Heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for your exemplary service, commitment and camaraderie.”

And so say all of us!