Donnybrook members fired up for busy season

Home to 33 active fire fighters and 40 members, Beelerup Bush Fire Brigade now has a place to call home with the newly-opened Beelerup Fire Station.

Formed in 1954, the Beelerup Fire Station was the last brigade within the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup to have its own facility.

Member Dave Denholm said prior to construction of this facility, local landholders housed the Beelerup Bush Fire Brigade appliances and brigade equipment on private property.

“Private members purchased a private unit which they put onto a farm truck,” Mr Denholm said.

“We were the first brigade within the Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup to have an appliance and we still use a community-funded appliance for operations during incident response.”

The Beelerup station will house two appliances, including the community funded appliance.

The building includes kitchen and laundry facilities, office and storage space and a training/meeting room. In addition to the building, the installation of a 250,000L water tank on site will provide a valuable fire fighting water source for the shire.

The new fire station was funded by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, with contributions from the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Council which includes the use of the site itself.

“We can now approach summer knowing our brigades have been equipped with the facilities and equipment to respond to incidents,” Donnybrook-Balingup shire community emergency services manager Jess Cooper said.