Deer Park Station Officer Rod O’Sullivan is trying to get the fire safety message across. 71484 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By Laura Wakely
DEER Park MFB is getting out into the community to teach residents about their service and fire preparedness this month.
The brigade is holding a Community Awareness Expo from Monday 10 October to Friday 21 October at Watergardens Town Centre, followed by a Safety Day with Victoria Police, the SES and other community organisations on Saturday 22 October.
Station Officer Rod O’Sullivan said the expo would have interactive displays and information for residents.
He initiated the expo after he realised residents were unaware of many of the services offered by the brigade.
For example, residents are often confused when they call an ambulance and the MFB are the first on scene.
“We go to anything that’s non-breathing or non-responsive,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“We try to get CPR started as as possible.”
There is also confusion as to why paramedics are driving around in fire trucks, thanks to the MFB’s new uniform, which is the same dark blue as Ambulance Victoria.
The new uniforms will be on display at the expo, along with smoke alarms and a prop kitchen to warn people 40 per cent of house fires start in the kitchen.
“We’re trying to make people more aware of these things,” Mr O’Sullivan said.
“We’re in one of the few occupations where the least amount of work done by us is a good thing for the community.
“It’s all about everyone working together.”
He also warned residents not to get into the habit of thinking “this could never happen to me” by arming themselves with the knowledge of what to do in an emergency.
Mr O’Sullivan said residents should be doing things like ensuring they have a working water supply, from cracks in the garden hose to taps inside the house.
Despite being a suburban area, Mr O’Sullivan said residents still need to be aware of the threat of grass fires and ensure their home was clean of litter and debris.
