About Us
Station 1878, 776 Ripley Rd, Ripley Qld 4306
Protecting the Communities of Springfield, Redbank Plains South, Swanbank, Ripley Valley, White Rock, Spring Mountain, Goolman, Deebing Creek, The Grampions, Purga and parts of Amberley.
To view the map of our Brigades area of responsibility, please Click Here.
The Brigade has a current membership of just over 50 members. The fact that many of our members are actually from outside the Brigades designated area which shows the willingness of these people to protect other communities on a voluntary basis. The Brigade is constantly seeking more members, so contact the secretary at admin@ripleyvalleyruralfire.org.au , any new members are made welcome and receive a kit of relevant literature to tell them about rural fire fighting.
The Ripley Valley Rural Fire Brigade was formed in February 1995 after the November 1994 bushfires which occurred in South East Queensland. The founding committee consisted of local landowners who had some previous experience in fighting bushfires in the Ripley Valley area. The Brigade is one of the nine (9) Brigades that form the Ipswich Group. The Ipswich Group is one of the seven (7) Groups in Southeast Queensland (Ipswich District). All Brigades and Groups are part of the Rural Fire Service (R.F.S.), which is a division of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (Q.F.R.S.).
The Brigade has steadily grown over the years and last year members contributed over 8440 voluntary hours in total in support of the community performing various administrative, training and operational activities.
To view the formal Brigade Statistics, please Click Here.
The Brigade area is approximately 170 square kilometres and borders on the south east of Ipswich City which is covered by the Urban Division of the Q.F.R.S. The area extends from Amberley Air Force Base at Amberley to the Springfield Land Development at Springfield and extends south to Spring Mountain and across to Ipswich-Boonah Road approximately half way between Ipswich and Peak Crossing. The Brigade has the following types of risks within its area: Houses, Farm Machinery Sheds, Haysheds, Day Care Centres, Schools, Fertilizer Factories, Engineering Premises, Power Stations, Waste Recycling Landfill Stations, Sawmill, Furniture Storage Warehouse with a major residential and commercial area proposed. The Brigade classification in relation to the risks in its area is Class 2. The Brigade has developed an information kit, which is given to each new resident within the Brigades area, to assist him or her with Fire Management considerations.
To view the Brigades Fire Activity Maps since 1997, please Click Here.
The Brigade receives formal funding from a fire levy which is paid by landowners on their rates notice to the Local Council and then passed on to the Group to distribute to Brigades but the majority of funds required are obtained via numerous fundraising activities during the year. These efforts to raise money for Brigade in the form of donations and sponsorship are essential to supplement operations, projects and new equipment and reflect the generosity of the people and businesses in the Ipswich region.
The Brigade has developed a Strategic Plan, which lists the Objectives, Strategies and Action Plans, which will give the Brigade direction to achieve its vision and goals until 2007. The Brigade plan supports the plan, which has been developed for the Q.F.R.S.
The Rural Fire Service has come a long way in the last few years in relation to Equipment, Training and Funding available, and realise that there is still a long way to go to achieve the desired level of satisfaction to meet the needs of Brigades. The future for the Brigade looks exciting with the following planned: Updating of the Brigade Standard Operating Procedures (S.O.P.'s), additional Units and Equipment, additional Sponsors, a Driver Training Manual, a Brigade Procedures Manual, an updated Brigade Fire Management Plan and increased interaction with the community.
BRIGADE INITIATIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:
Through the hard work of the Members and the Management Committees the Brigade has already achieved the following: Sponsorship, Ipswich Group Fire Games Winners 1998 & 1999, Personalized I.D. Cards, Brigade Letterhead and Symbol, Brigade T-shirts and Motto, a Brigade Officer Training Manual, a Brigade Strategic Plan, Training Planner, Yearly Planner, Brigade Incident Statistics and Fire Maps, Official Brigade Newsletter and a Brigade Fire Management Plan.
The Ripley Valley Rural Fire Brigade members are committed to their role in supporting Fire Prevention and Fire Awareness activities. Members are involved on local Fire Awareness Committees, assisted the local Rotary Clubs with the installation of Smoke Alarms in Ipswich, conducted Fire Awareness sessions at local schools and pre-schools and manned displays at local shows, events and other public relations activities. Regular twice monthly Training sessions are conducted and controlled Burn-offs are done for landowners for the purposes of Hazard Reduction. The Brigade is looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead and is ever looking to provide the best Voluntary Service for the local communities.
We are fortunate to have CS Energy sponsor both the Patrol and the two (2) slip-on units, and The Rotary Club of Booval who sponsor the Canter, and acknowledge the following supporters: The Ipswich City Council, Bunnings – Booval, Castrol, South East Queensland Regional Landfill, Energex, Bachmann Earthmoving, Peter Rattray Electrical, Don Evans Plumbing and Cruice Tiles. The Brigade is always looking for person/s who would consider sponsoring our vehicles and equipment and any person/s should contact the Secretary at the postal address or E-mail address on the enclosed business card.
The Brigade has designed its own Symbol and Motto. It shows the values, which we consider, are most important for the Brigade to be efficient and effective in achieving the best for its communities.
Our Motto "Leading by Example!"
If you would like to contact us about membership, general enquiries or
the web page, please Click
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If you would like to download an information sheet on Ripley Valley
Rural Fire Brigade, please Click
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© Ripley Valley Rural Fire Brigade and Brigade members.