A super-jam featuring about six local bands will headline an Arrowtown fire brigade fundraiser next month.
Being held at Arrowtown’s The Fork and Tap on Sunday, November 13, it’s being hosted by publican Jeannie Crawford and local muso Kevin Murdoch, who organised the town’s two Arrow Sounds music festivals, to date.
The fun community event – from 3pm till 9pm – is designed to raise awareness about, and funds for, a huge fire brigade project, and also celebrate the contribution the brigade’s 25 volunteers make to the town and surrounding area.
The brigade’s out to raise a massive $150,000 for a new emergency response vehicle, including some replacement medical equipment.
“The vehicle we’ve currently got’s 17 years old, it needs replacing, it’s not fit for purpose anymore,” firey Kelvin Perriman says.
“The new vehicle will help increase our capability with medical calls and the likes of cliff rescues.”
The brigade currently handles about 160 calls a year.
Fellow brigade member Todd Weeks explains the brigade, along with fighting fires, is a “medical first-response unit”, meaning it triages and stabilises patients involved in car crashes, and the like, till an ambulance arrives.
“So we have to have all the equipment ambulances have onboard – the vehicle is actually our key tool to basically make sure poeple stay together and alive before an ambulance gets there.”
Currently, about 16 brigade members are qualified medical first-responders.
Crawford says all food and beverage profits from the November 13 community day – plus a $10 cover charge for adults – will go towards the brigade’s fundraising project.
Food’s also being supplied by Lake & Wood’s Jay Sherwood, who’s also putting on two kegs of beer, while a number of other hospo suppliers are helping out, too.
Musos are donating their services along with Lakes Audio, which is putting in a big sound system.
Bands will perform over a three-hour period.
“There are so many bands, most are only going to have a chance to play five or six numbers,” Murdoch says.
There’ll also be an auction, with items including an NZSki 2023 pass.
“I think it’s great to have a community day and celebrate all the guys and girls that work for the fire brigade,” Crawford says.
It’s also an opportunity, Weeks adds, for people to meet the vollies, “and put a face to you who see in the truck go out all the time when the siren goes up”.
Arrowtown fire brigade fundraiser, The Fork and Tap, November 13, 3-9pm, $10 cover charge
