18 Feb 2017 Border Mail, Albury-Wodonga (General News) by Shana Morgan VITAL equipment upgrades worth more than $91,000 have been granted to nine volunteer SES and CFA units across the North East. The Victorian governments emergency services volunteer sustainability grants were highly sought after in small units struggling with ageing equipment. Some of the equipment at Wodonga SES was up to 17 years old so unit controller Rohan OBrien said he was grateful to receive two grants. The money will go towards a better security and equipment upgrade including updating our backup hydraulic pump, which is almost 17 years old, he said. Weve actually been fundraising for the equipment, that was when we saw the grants open up. We saw the grants and jumped on them its great. Its been a long time coming. The first grant of $18,310 will go towards a keyless security system, allowing volunteers remote access to the building. It will make it more secure in here, Mr OBrien said. He said the second $13,000 grant would cover the new hydraulic pump plus a new lighting system for the units support vehicle, which had been operating with only headlights to help volunteers during jobs at night. The equipment will strengthen the units ability to help victims in road crashes. It will certainly benefit our members and the community, Mr OBrien said. Other grants included $12,900 for a thermal imaging camera and lighting for Kiewa Fire Brigade, $4500 for two defibrillators at Beechworth Fire Brigade, and $4157 for a defibrillator and hose washer at Tarrawingee Fire Brigade. CFAs District 24 headquarters will also receive a health monitoring trailer worth $17,455 and the District 23 headquarters a hygiene trailer with a portable toilet and bins. d Northern Victoria MLC e Jaclyn Symes said the grants would assist CFA and SES volunteers with their crua cial work. This is great news for our emergency services in coun- try Victoria and I congratue late all our grant recipients and hope that it assists them in the outstanding job they do in keeping the community safe, she said. I encourage all volunteer brigades and units in Northern Victoria to visit the Emergency Management Victoria website and apply for a grant if they havent already done so. We saw the grants and jumped on them its great. Its been a long time coming. Wodonga SES controller Rohan OBrien Caption Text: VITAL UPGRADES: Wodonga SES controller Rohan OBrien said he was thankful to receive a government grant for a new hydraulic pump. Picture: JAMES WILTSHIRE Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.