Mundijong Bushfire Brigade member Anne Cooper has recently spoken about some of her remarkable adventures and exploits as a member of her local volunteer fire brigade, including local firefighting over the warmer months and even a deployment to Canada.
Involved with the service for over eight years, Mrs Cooper first engaged with it after a period working in water haulage.
“I was a stay-at-home mum with five kids, but then, one of my two sons in the brigade asked me if I wanted to assist with welfare in the fire service. I had to go and do a bunch of courses for this as an induction. I found, though, that I really wanted to be fighting the fires myself, so I went straight into firefighting,” she said.
Mrs Cooper explained that many of their activities are in partnership with the Department of Biosecurity, Conservation and Attractions, though the Mundijong service is all volunteer, with a very strong personal connection to the area.
Over the recent summer, Mundijong Bushfire Brigade, and indeed Mrs Cooper herself, were involved in several emergencies of note.
“We dealt with Cardup Siding. That was a really busy day. I believe it was also the hottest day of our Perth summer, at over 40 degrees. There were so many areas affected, from Nicholson Road to Abernethy Road and even Rowley Road.”
Mrs Cooper describes local appreciation for their services as very high, with her brigade often receiving gifts from locals who have been protected and supported in their times of need.
Despite having many stories to tell, most interesting of all was her deployment to Canada in the middle of last year, as part of an Australian contingent sent to support that country in what was one of several very challenging recent summers.
“I saw on an app I have on my phone that they were requesting firies for a deployment over in Canada for a total of five weeks. I very quickly registered my interest. The thing is, registering your interest doesn’t guarantee that you will be chosen, but luckily, I was. Honestly, it was such an honour, and it was my first overseas deployment.”
She described a gruelling training regimen to ensure fitness for the deployment, which pushed her to her limits.
“I’m 61, and I thought that could go against me, as we had to walk long distances wearing a 20-kilo vest in a short span of time. It had been the first serious exercise I had done in a while, but thankfully, I passed.
“After a detailed teams meeting in Sydney, we arrived in Vancouver, our group was split up, and we had our first of two deployments in the country over in Alberta. One of the biggest issues in Canada is that they don’t have the same preparedness as we do in Australia. They don’t have the same appliances and access. The first two weeks were mud and slush, honestly, then, after some R&R, we were faced with a very dry and dusty environment.
“Most of the areas, we got in by helicopter, and we could expect then to be on site for a good 12 hours. You certainly feel it after a long day, on your feet and carrying around heavy loads.”
Along the way, Mrs Cooper says she got to enjoy some of the country’s immense natural beauty, as well as its remarkable wildlife.
“We needed to watch out for bears, obviously, so they equipped us with whistles and horns. At one point, I made it to within 20 meters of a cub, but we really had to watch out for the mother. At one stage, a bear actually stole someone’s backpack, because it contained food. I guess, at the end of the day, it is their land that we’re trespassing on.”
She has no regrets in pursuing the experience in Canada and has stated that: “It feels like the first time in decades I really did something for myself, which I’m glad of.”
Mrs Cooper intends to continue serving with the Mundijong Bushfire Brigade for the foreseeable future and welcomes any deployments that may come her way.
