For the first time, the Broomehill Central Bush Fire Brigade in the Great Southern officially has a new purpose-built fire station to call its own.
The new facility, officially opened on Friday, is fitted with an appliance bay to house the brigade's 4.4 Broadacre appliance, a training room, communications room, kitchen, modern ablutions and an office.
It has been carefully designed to accommodate future expansion and growth.
The new station will replace the brigade's previous shed that was in the Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup's depot.
An Emergency Services Levy (ESL) grant of $400,000 went towards the new fire station, with an additional $70,000 contributed by the Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup.
Also partially funded by the ESL is a $29,000 extension to the Darlington Bush Fire Brigade, which officially opened over the weekend to accommodate an additional fire truck used by the volunteers during the bushfire period.
Construction was undertaken by the brigade's dedicated volunteers who spent 18 months building the extension themselves, with assistance from a group of Year 11 and 12 students receiving construction training.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan:
"Our volunteer firefighters play an integral role in protecting the people of Western Australia.
"The State Government is proud to have invested in these new facilities to support our volunteers who keep their communities safe.
"This new fire station will not only strengthen the response to fires in the Shire of Broomehill-Tambellup, but also surrounding areas and will assist local crews for the upcoming bushfire season."
