Brigades of CFA - Portland Fire Brigade

 

Portland Fire Brigade’s early foundations were laid with a public meeting notice that was published in the Portland Guardian newspaper in 1856.

 

Council Chairman, William Learmonth, called for a meeting to be held at Portland’s Mac’s Hotel, with the purpose of forming a volunteer fire brigade. The need for a brigade was, in part, due to the fact that they needed people to operate the fire appliance they had recently obtained from England. The engine required at least eight people to pull and operate.

The brigade was officially formed in 1858, and its first fire station is still standing today on the grounds of Saint Stephen’s Anglican Church on Julia Street.

Portland, on Victoria’s southwest coast, is a vibrant deep-sea port town and home to one of the country’s largest aluminium smelters. The various port operations present unique challenges for the brigade and requires members to be trained in a mix of skills.

Away from the port, the landscape of District 4 consists of dense coastal scrub, tree plantations, native forest and farmland. Again, this requires a mix of skills, including strong working relationships with Forest Industry Brigades and, at times, the Country Fire Service across the border in South Australia.

These days, Portland is a co-located brigade with Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), and its current station, now in its third iteration, sits on Percy Street in the heart of the town.

 

Submitted by	Alison Smirnoff