NSW Fire and Rescue (Community Fire Units)
Harris Park, NSW
Community Services
Ph: 1300238238
Fax: 02 9895 4688
www.cfu.fire.nsw.gov.au
About NSW Fire and Rescue (Community Fire Units)
The Community Fire Units program was pioneered by Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) following the devastating Sydney bushfires in 1994. With the expansion of the CFU program, our presence in the community has increased to over 600 units and more than 7,000 volunteer members across metropolitan and regional NSW.
Community Fire Units have been established to increase community preparation and resilience to bushfires and other emergencies and provide basic operational training and fire fighting equipment to aid in protecting property. We engage local communities in basic hazard reduction, fire safety and prevention activities and increase the community’s knowledge of bushfire behaviour in their local area.
A Community Fire Unit (CFU) is a team of local residents living in urban areas close to bushland who are supported by FRNSW to enhance their safety and resilience to bushfires. Volunteer CFU members learn how to prepare themselves, their families and homes ahead of the bushfire season. They learn how to make informed decisions about whether to leave early or stay and defend their property when bushfires threaten.
Volunteer CFU members do not fight fires, nor are they fire fighters. They undertake property preparation and protection, actively manage spot fires and ember attacks, and assist with recovery operations within their area of activity. Each CFU is supplied with a standard set of equipment and a fixed or mobile hose post (FHP/MHP) which is used to store equipment. Please note, we only take on Volunteers to start a unit or become part of a unit that are in bushfire prone areas.