Pinjarra Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) is celebrating a major milestone today after spending the past 50-years helping to save the lives of Western Australians.
The Pinjarra VFRS was established in 1972 and has since played a critical role as a first responder to serious crashes, structure fires and major bushfires.
To commemorate its 50-year anniversary, the brigade will be honoured at an awards ceremony tonight, with a special plaque to be presented to mark the significant milestone.
Pinjarra VFRS has responded to almost 280 incidents over the past three years, including 27 road crashes in 2021.
The brigade is often the first to the scene of traffic accidents along the busy Forrest and South Western highways.
One of Pinjarra VFRS’ longest-serving members is brigade Captain Ken Jones, who started as a ‘junior’ in 1983.
“The dedicated volunteers at Pinjarra VFRS deserve special recognition for their outstanding service over the past 50 years," Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said.
“This brigade is vital to our State’s emergency response to incidents across the Peel and South-West regions."
A process to upgrade Pinjarra’s headquarters has started, with the project put out for tender in May.
The brigade is also set to receive a new urban tanker to boost local firefighting capabilities as part of the State Government’s $140 million investment in frontline emergency services vehicles.