Hillcrest CFA

30/05/2026

🚨 𝕊𝕞𝕠𝕜𝕖 𝔸𝕝𝕒𝕣𝕞 𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔻𝕒𝕪 𝕚𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕨 (𝟙 𝕁𝕦𝕟𝕖)! 🚨

When was the last time you tested your smoke alarms?

The first day of winter, is a great reminder to take a few minutes to check that your smoke alarms are working and installed in the right locations throughout your home.

Modern homes burn hotter and faster than ever before. With more plastics, synthetic furnishings and other petroleum-based materials in our homes, a fire can spread rapidly, filling rooms with toxic smoke in just minutes. Early warning is critical.

Recent fire investigations show that bedrooms and sleeping areas are the most common places where fatal and serious house fires start. If a fire starts while you're asleep, every second counts.

✅ Test your smoke alarms monthly
✅ Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, living area and hallway
✅ Consider interconnected smoke alarms – when one sounds, they all sound throughout the home
✅ Replace smoke alarms every 10 years
✅ Have and practise a home fire escape plan

As winter arrives, remember to keep heaters at least one metre from curtains, bedding and clothing, and never leave candles, cooking or heaters unattended. 🔥🕯️

🔊 A working smoke alarm can provide the precious seconds needed to escape safely. Take a moment tomorrow to test yours — it could save a life.

🚒

26/05/2026

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱. 🏠🔥

Homes today burn differently than they did decades ago.

Older houses contained more natural materials like timber, wool and cotton. Modern homes contain far more materials derived from crude oil - plastics, foams and synthetics. In many ways, this means today’s homes have more available fuel once a fire starts. 🔥

As a result, fires can burn more intensely, spread faster, and reach dangerous conditions much more quickly than they used to.

𝗜𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟯 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘆.⏱️

Just check out this video from Fire Safety Research Institute:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87hAnxuh1g8

We’re also seeing a growing fire risk from everyday lithium-ion batteries found in phones, laptops, e-bikes, scooters, power tools, toys, and portable battery packs. When damaged, faulty, incorrectly charged, or overheated, these batteries can fail rapidly and start fast-moving fires. 🔋🔥

That’s why early warning is critical! 📣🚨

𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕠:
👉🏽 Install smoke alarms in bedrooms, living areas, and hallways 🏠
👉🏽 Test them monthly 🧪
👉🏽 Replace smoke alarms every 10 years 📅
👉🏽 Upgrade to interconnected smoke alarms where possible 🔗

Interconnected smoke alarms mean that if one alarm detects smoke, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 no matter where the fire starts. That extra warning can make all the difference, especially at night. 🚨

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. ⏱️
The sooner you know, the sooner you can get out.

21/05/2026

🚒 This National Volunteer Week, we recognise and thank all of our incredible volunteers who give their time to help protect and support our community. From responding to emergencies and training, to fundraising and behind-the-scenes support, every contribution matters ❤️

👩‍🚒 This week is also an opportunity to celebrate the important role women play across CFA. We’re proud to recognise Hillcrest member Vicki, who recently attended the CFA North-East Region Women’s Challenge Camp 2026 — an experience focused on leadership, teamwork, resilience, connection, and building confidence alongside other inspiring women from across CFA.

🤝 CFA is stronger because of the people who step forward to volunteer, and there is a place for everyone.

📍If you live in Woori Yallock, Launching Place, or Don Valley and have ever considered giving back to your community, now is the perfect time to get involved.

👏 To all our volunteers — thank you for everything you do.

15/05/2026

🤤🌭 Do you always suffer from mid-morning cravings?
😏 Need an excuse to grab a BBQ snag on a Saturday morning?
🚒 Want to support your local CFA volunteers at the same time? 🔥

This Saturday 16th May, volunteers from 🚒 Hillcrest Fire Brigade will be firing up the BBQ from 9am until 12pm outside 🥩 Woori Butchers

We’ll be serving up some of the famous Woori Butchers' sausages — and if you’ve had them before, you already know they’re elite 🤤👏

Come down for a feed, say hello to the crew and have a chat about:
🔥 Fire safety and preparedness
🚒 Volunteering with CFA
🧯 Protecting your home and property
👨‍🚒 What your local brigade gets up to in the community

Whether you’re out for weekend shopping, grabbing a coffee, or just chasing the perfect Saturday morning snack — make sure you stop by ❤️

🌭🚒 See you Saturday! 🚒🌭

12/05/2026

🚨 A new national warning system called AusAlert will be used across Australia from October 2026 🇦🇺📱

AusAlert will be able to send warning messages directly to your mobile device as push notifications during:
🔥 Natural hazards such as bushfires, floods and tsunamis
🦠 Public health emergencies
🐞 Biosecurity incidents
🛡️ Security threats

Before the system is introduced, it will be tested 👩‍⚕️🕵️‍♀️

In Victoria, a local test will take place in the Geelong suburbs of Highton and Belmont on Thursday 18 June at 2 pm 📍 followed by a national test on Monday 27 July at 2 pm 🕑

ℹ️ More information about the tests and rollout of AusAlert will be shared on the VicEmergency page in the coming weeks.

To learn more, visit: www.ausalert.gov.au

30/04/2026

Can you help SES Upper Yarra Unit ?

They're on the lookout for anyone willing to donate a bus of some kind so they can practice their road crash rescue skills.

Having opportunities like this mean they can keep their skills sharp should the the unfortunate happen.

28/04/2026

🚨 Don’t be alarmed! 🚨

Forest Fire Management Victoria, with support from multiple CFA brigades, are taking advantage of the current favourable autumn conditions to continue planned fuel reduction and ecological burns in Wesburn today, 28 April.

This photo, taken from Launching Place, shows just how large and carefully managed some of these burns can be.
These burns serve two important purposes:

🔥 Reducing bushfire risk:
Planned burns remove lower and mid-storey fuels such as leaf litter, bark, shrubs and fallen branches. This can help reduce the intensity and spread of bushfires during summer, making them easier to control.

🌱 Supporting healthy ecosystems:
Fire is a natural part of the Australian landscape, and many native plants rely on fire to regenerate. Some species release seeds or germinate after exposure to heat or smoke, helping our bushland renew and thrive.

By carrying out burns under controlled conditions, land managers can help protect communities while also supporting the long-term health of our forests.

Want to know about planned burns happening near you? Visit the Planned Burns Victoria website:
https://www.ffm.vic.gov.au/bushfire-fuel-and-risk-management/planned-burning-in-victoria

25/04/2026

19/04/2026

Wednesday night we got a little bit foamy… 🧯

Members took part in Class A foam training, getting hands-on with a range of different branches (nozzles) and learning how each one can be used to best effect. From wide spray patterns to more direct attack, it’s all about knowing what tool to use and when.

Class A foam is a special additive mixed with water that helps it soak in deeper and stick to surfaces, making it more effective at cooling and extinguishing fires, and protecting property and assets. 🔥💧

We ran through:
💧 When foam can boost suppression and knock down a fire quicker
🏠 How it can be used for asset protection
🚫 And just as importantly — when not to use it

It’s not just about turning up and putting water on a fire — understanding how to apply the right technique in the right situation can make a big difference on the fire ground.

A solid night of learning, a few laughs along the way, and some great skills sharpened 💪

👉 Keen to get involved? We’re always on the lookout for new volunteers to respond from our stations in Woori Yallock or Don Valley — no experience needed, just a willingness to learn. Feel free to send us a message and one of our members will be in contact shortly.

15/04/2026

🚒👨‍🚒👨‍🚒👩‍🚒On Wednesday 1st April, Hillcrest Brigade held its elections, marking an exciting new chapter for our team.

After dedicated service as Captain, Colin has chosen not to re-run for the role and will instead continue contributing as Treasurer. We thank Colin for his outstanding leadership and commitment to the brigade for the last nearly six years. 👏🏻👏🏻

We’re pleased to welcome Norm as Captain Elect, stepping into this important role with strong support from our leadership team. Assisting Norm in the day-to-day operations will be Lieutenants Pete, Trent, Greg, Vicki, and Matt. 💪

We also welcome Steph, who will be assisting with our fundraising efforts, and Scott, who will represent us as our VFBV Delegate. 🥳

These positions will take effect from 1 July 2026 through to 30 June 2028.

Our brigade has transitioned from exceptional leadership to exceptional leadership, and we look forward to continuing to serve our three communities of Woori Yallock, Launching Place and Don Valley with dedication and teamwork.

Congratulations to everyone stepping into their new roles 👏