At the opening last Friday were (L – R) Parkes Councillor Neil Westcott, Deputy Group Captain Ian Westcott, Group Captain Grant Byrne, Peter Green, Supt. Ken Neville AFSM, Neville Woods, Philip Donato MP, Acting Area Director Jayson McKellar AFSM, and Parkes Deputy Mayor Cr Barbara Newton.
The Parkes Shire is going into this fire season well equipped and prepared with a fourth new station opened last Friday at Mickibri between Alec Town and Peak Hill.
The new single bay station, built at a cost of almost $50,000, will house one of the two brigade trucks based at Mickibri. Another single bay station was built several years ago.
Over the past month three other new stations were opened at Parkes, Coradgery and Waratah.
The Mickibri Brigade has a long history of service to the community spanning back over 80 years, with local families on the land banding together as part of the brigade to help protect their own and neighbours’ properties.
Speaking at the opening Member for Orange Phil Donato said: “I am in total admiration of the men and women who drop everything, temporarily abandoning their work and family commitments to help fight fires to protect life and property, in many cases at financial loss in their absence from work. They display unity, courage and commitment.
The ceremony included an awards presentation, with 17 of the brigade’s 21 volunteer members recognised for a combined 651 years of service ranging from 10 to 58 years.
By Maggi Barnard