PHIL Mapleback has expressed excitement at taking helm as Mt Martha fire brigade’s newly elected captain as the station undergoes a significant revamp. Mapleback, a seasoned firefighter with almost 19 years of experience, said he was incredibly proud and honoured to step into the new role two months ago, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to serving the community.
“It’s challenging but quite rewarding,” he told The News, adding he looked forward to leading a dedicated team of volunteers during an exciting time of renewal for the station, marking a milestone in the station’s 73-year history.
The 1951-built station is undergoing a major refurbishment, which is expected to be completed within the next 12 months. It includes a new office, multipurpose room, kitchen, breathing apparatus cleaning room, drying and laundry facilities, turn-out rooms, workshop/store, change rooms, toilet facilities and a new external shed. “They’ve completely stripped out all the internals of the old station, and the new change rooms are now separate from the engine room,” Mapleback said.
Mapleback, who succeeds Travis Hutchins as captain, said the newly revamped station would be a huge asset to the brigade and the community. He also remained optimistic about modernising some of the station’s equipment including replacing a lighting and salvage unit. While the refurbishment had created some disruptions, he said the station had been available 24/7 with members responding to an average of 200 calls per year. The brigade currently has 71 volunteers, including about 36 who are operational. But more volunteers including juniors aged 11 to 16 are encouraged to join with Mapleback saying there was a particular need for members to be available during business hours.
Mapleback, who is a warehouse manager of a hydraulic heating company by day, said he joined the brigade nearly two decades ago because he wanted to “give something back to the community” and remained motivated to this day in seeing other volunteers grow and “what they’re able to achieve”. “I’ve always been big on training people and sort of giving them some ownership in what they do.” Mapleback said the station’s recent open day was a great occasion to welcome families for a fun-filled event, as well as promoting fire safety awareness. “It was great for the kids to come and climb over the trucks and have a play and squirt some water.”
Looking ahead, Mapleback said the brigade was prepared for the bushfire season, noting Mt Martha had “quite a large risk” for grass and scrub fires, including various parks and the Balcombe Estuary. “A lot of the areas in Mt Martha, from around Nepean Highway down to the bay, it’s all built in around coastal scrub. There’s a lot of vegetation there so that’s always a risk,” he said.
First published in the Mornington News – 12 November 2024
