New Water Tank at Paradise Point for Bushfire Response
Published on 27 January 2023
A new emergency water supply tank has been installed at Paradise Point for use in fighting bushfires and structure fires. The project was a collaborative effort between the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Mansfield Shire Council, with the project team including volunteers from the Jamieson Brigade and the local community.
Mayor Cr James Tehan said the 22,000L steel water tank was part funded by the CFA and the project was supported by Council as a high priority to improve bushfire resilience and response in the area.
“The tank is installed in an accessible area that will allow for quick refilling of CFA emergency services vehicles” he said.
Although the small community of Paradise Point is located on the banks of Lake Eildon, there is no reticulated water supply. Accessing a safe area of the lake to refill tankers and other vehicles can be difficult and unsafe when the water levels are low or falling.
Jamieson CFA Brigade Captain, Chris Badrock, said the water tank is a great asset for the Paradise Point community.
“It not only provides a filling point for CFA tankers during bushfires but more importantly it provides a strategically located water supply point within pumping distance of most properties in the estate for combating structure fires.”
“It was thanks to the cooperation between Mansfield Shire Council, the local Brigade and the CFA Regional Office who assisted with half of the project’s funding that we now have an easily accessible water supply point and a much safer workplace for our brigade volunteers. Council provided the remaining funding, managed the project and delivered the water to fill the tank.”
The Paradise Point site was identified as a high priority for the static water supply due to the location’s extreme fire risk rating. The project follows other vegetation management initiatives undertaken last season. The Jamieson Brigade, with Council support, have been working with the Paradise Point community to raise their fire safety awareness and reduce their fire risk. The new emergency water supply tank is one action that was identified to assist in protection of the area.