I need to send a big thank to Brad and his STAFF at the Woolworths Store in Baxter. There hard work on their day to celebrate their 25th birthday raised over $800.00 and the management matched the community donations dollar for dallar and I have just been presented with a cheque for $1,781.80.  This money will be earmarked to go towards the massive investments facing our community over the long term which include the building of a new fire station (after we find an appropriate piece of land) and the replacement of our old (but very efficient) pumper. That alone will cost upwards of $250,000, so we have a lot to do over the next few years. THANK YOU WOOLIES BAXTER AND THE STAFF.

This is just the sort of morning they talk about. Walk outside and it is already warm and dry. Hopefully the humidity will kick in early to reduce the risk of fires, but there is no guarantee this will happen. The Fire Danger Rating for Central District is Very High for today and there is a Total Fire Ban in force. These two things are a good indicator that it is a dangerous day and fires could happen anywhere. So be safe, be alert and be aware.

It's been a while but I have been on holidays. Back just in time to see the real start of the summer for 2012. Fire season is starting to kick in now so it is a time to be vigilant and considerate. The Woolies tag does not relate to the weather.

This is a big thank you to Woolies at Baxter (best Woolies around) for their ongoing support for their Brigade. They had their 25th birthday celebrations last week and raised a few quid for Baxter Fire Brigae. Well done to the company and the staff for their efforts HAPPY BIRTHDAY

The truck s are decorated and crews allocated. The Brigade have just left the station for the annual Santas run where the members ferry Santa around the Baxter respoonse area and hand lollies to the children.

The night will be wound up with a Santa shave at the Baxter Shopping Centre Car Park. All monies donated for the opportunity to reveal who Santa is this year will go towards ensuring the Brigade is viable for the next twenty years.

The locations and times for Santa are in the BRATPAC newsletter.

Join in the fun.

The members of the Baxter Fire Brigade will be celebrating Christmas with a get together at the Fire Station tomorrow (Sunday) about lunchtime. I believe that I can say on behalf of the community of Baxter, thank you to the members of the Brigade for the work over the last year and may you and your families have a Merry Christmas and a safe summer.

The Brigade will be sharing lots of Christmas cheer with our community on Christmas eve, giving out lollies from the back of the trucks with Santa doing most of the giving. Details of the Santa run are in the local shops and will be on the site soon. Anyone wanting to find out the real Santa, donate some money to the Brigade and be at Woolies in Baxter at 20:30 hrs on Christmas eve and shave his beard off to reveal the hidden face. All money goes to a good cause; like a block of land, or pumper or something.

The community started rolling in before 11:00 am to chat to the Brigade members. CFA media turned up and took some photos and the local bottle shop, Gateway Cellars, provided a donation to kick things off.

With hot temperatures across the state last weekend, we are reminding the community that the summer fire season is just around the corner.

We live in one of the most fire-prone regions in the world and it only takes weeks or even days of hot, dry and windy weather to create dangerous fire conditions.

Favourable growing conditions throughout the area have promoted an above-average grassfire risk this fire season.

Fire Danger Periods had already been introduced in some areas, including parts of Colac and the surrounding area, and in Mildura. FDPs for other parts of the state would continue to be declared, and we urge residents to have a detailed and well-practiced Bushfire Survival Plan.

Now is the time to protect your home and property by slashing, mowing, grazing, spraying and using herbicide, and creating fuel breaks by removing all fuel (vegetation) down to the soil. Clean out the gutters as I did last weekend.

To avoid brigades being called out unnecessarily by a neighbour or passer by, tell your neighbours when you plan to burn off and register the burn with the CFA on 1800 668 511 and get a Council permit where necessary.

Call into the Fire Station on November 20 between 11:00am and 3:00 pm for a sausage and a chat.

Well that was an interesting day or so. The volunteer response crew responded to assist Tyabb at a tanker roll-over on Sunday morning just after midnight. Some 40,000 lites of fuel was leaking from a tanker that had rolled over at the intersection of Frankston Flinders Road and Dandenong Hastings Road. Many attempts were made to shut down the leak without success. Our tanker was tasked with supply water to Somerville pumper, MFB pumper 33 and Tyabb tanker as they applied a foam blanket over the fuel to reduce the chance of catastrophic explosion. One of our members, with foam and water back, also isolated the electrics of the prime-mover yo further remove ignition sources. There were no serious injuries. After seven hours we were replaced by a crew and vehicle from Langwarrin.

Then after a short sleep, just after midday on Sunday, we were called to a gas leak caused by a vehicle that had hit a gas meter and ruptured the pipe. The car was allegedly driven by a child after finding the keys in the ignition. No one was hurt and the gas was shut off stopping the leak. There was minimal damage to the buildings.

And then, on Monday just past four AM, we assisted Pearcedale at a two car incident on Dandenong Hastings Road. It appears as though one vehicle has veered into the path of another, ripping off a front wheel of one car and peeling the skin off the doors of the other. Again, no one was seriously injured, thankfully.

Travelling too quick, travelling when tired or influenced by other things or leaving keys in vehicles unattended are all dangerous actions that could cause serious injury.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!

Yesterday I mentioned the problems associated with burn offs.  Today, of the 60 vegetation fires throughout the State, nearly 50% were burn offs and over 50% were reported between 15:00 and 20:00.

Damn burn offs at the wrong time off the day.

Don't forget CFA Sunday on 20 November between 11:00 and 15:00. Have a look under about, community engagement.