Fire doesn't respect the boundary lines on our properties, but luckily for communities surrounding the Defence bases on which Ventia provides firefighting services, our teams are on hand to ensure neighbouring properties are also safe. 

A recent fire to the east of the Puckapunyal Training Area near Seymour, north of Melbourne in Victoria, called on the training and extensive knowledge of our Training Area Fire Response Crew.  Following smoke sightings near the eastern boundary, the crew jumped into action. 

EMOS Manager Brett Kelly says complicating things were the high temperatures and strong winds throughout the day.

Our firefighting and rescue service has been operating throughout Australia for over 20 years.

"The team are experts in what they do, with extensive knowledge of Defence working environments and operating theatres," Brett says.

^{Once the team arrived on site, they identified that the fires were threatening private properties, and the Country Fire Authority could use Ventia's support.}

Brett says once they'd arrived on site, the crews quickly identified that the fires were a short distance outside of the Defence property boundary and were threatening private properties. 

Reaching out to the Country Fire Authority (CFA), it was identified that they could use Ventia's support. 

"Two Ventia fire trucks and two Landcruiser light fire vehicles deployed to the area and worked with CFA outside the perimeter of the Defence base, providing protective firefighting to community property," Brett says. "The focus as always is on safety first, followed by saving property whilst knocking down the grass fire."

Brett notes that in addition to houses, cars and horses were also under threat.  

^{In addition to houses, cars and horses were also under threat of the fires.}

When Ventia arrived on scene the first tanker deployed to a house that was already under threat of fire with flames under the structure of the house; a number of cars at this location had already been burnt out. 

Brett says there was a second house close by which was also under threat, so that's where the second tanker was focused. 

"Both properties were able to be saved, and our team were able to free a number of horses from their paddocks allowing them to stay clear of the flames," Brett says.

Our people were on site for two hours and apart from the cars that were already destroyed on arrival, the fire crews were able to protect all other property in this area.

^{Apart from the cars that were already destroyed on arrival, the fire crews were able to protect all other property in the area.}

The support in the background is as important as what happens at the site of a fire, and Training Areas Fire Crew Leader Rodney Carbis was there to ensure allocation of resources appropriate to the risk to protect the base and community property. 

"Rodney had a fire truck and water trucks strategically positioned so we could react quickly in case of embers flying into the training area, and also ensure consistent water supply to the trucks fighting the fires," Brett explains. 

With over 20 years operating across Australia, today the team of 320 firefighters is based at multiple sites, and equipped with a sizable firefighting fleet of aviation, structural and bushfire appliances.