Members of the NSW Rural Fire Service Mid Lachlan Valley Team have recently become certified in a new course which will assist them further in protecting the community.
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Eleven RFS members from the Forbes Central and Parkes Headquarters Brigades took part in the Compressed Air Breathing Apparatus (CABA) course over the last week of May.
Nine members obtained their qualification to become a Breathing Apparatus Operator and two members were re-certified as Breathing Apparatus Operators.
Acting District Coordinator Scott Baker said they were able to fund this course thanks to being allocated a portion of the funds raised during the 2019-2020 bushfires.
District Coordinator Baker said that all participants in the course were successful in obtaining their qualifications which allows both the Parkes Headquarters and Forbes Central brigades to provide CABA support.
The CABA course was run by an local instructors with support from instructors brought in from Tamworth.
The Mid Lachlan Valley Team are hoping to bring other brigades online with this equipment in the near future.
Over the last two years District Coordinator Baker said they have seen an increase in volunteers, though mainly in the village brigades of Parkes, Forbes, Condobolin and Grenfell.
Though with the rural brigades, he said they rely mostly on the local landholders within the area.
With the rain we have been experiencing the RFS are advising that there is an increased fuel load around the region though the danger is low currently due to the wet weather.
Once the weather dries out a little bit, District Coordinator Baker said the fire danger will increase across the region.