New CFS Operational Brigades in Sturt and Southern Fleurieu
Critical support services in the Adelaide Hills and Southern Fleurieu regions have been enhanced with two new operational support brigades, the first established since 2016.
The Sturt and Southern Fleurieu Operational Support brigades will assist ground crews during incidents, providing essential services such as communications, logistics, operations, catering, and peer and family support. This allows volunteers to serve their communities even if they are unable or do not wish to be frontline firefighters.
CFS Regional Commander Michael Bohrnsen highlighted the importance of these additions: “With increased fire risks and a growing population in the Adelaide Hills and beyond, it’s crucial to bring in additional support services.”
Dan Cregan, Minister for Emergency Services added, “CFS volunteers are committed to serving their communities in many ways. These new brigades will provide vital support to frontline crews, helping them respond to bushfires and other emergencies in growing areas of the state.”
The Sturt Operational Support Brigade, part of the Sturt Group, will cover areas like Belair, Blackwood, Cherry Gardens, Coromandel Valley, and Eden Hills. Training will be held at Belair and Cherry Gardens stations. CFS Sturt Group logistics support coordinator Owen Lucas explained, “Members will be on-call with radios and tablets, trained to support the 200-plus calls a year that local brigades respond to.”
The Southern Fleurieu Operational Support brigade, part of the Southern Fleurieu Group, will be based in Yankalilla and cover areas including Cape Jervis, Hay Flat, Inman Valley, Myponga, Parawa, and Rapid Bay. Catherine Hutchesson, Member for Waite, encouraged community involvement, stating, “I encourage locals who want to help protect our community but might not want to be on the frontline to think about joining an Operational Support brigade.”
Each brigade will support up to 20 volunteers and was formed after consultations with CFS staff, volunteers, community groups, and government agencies to address growing needs. The addition of these brigades brings the total number of SA Country Fire Service brigades to 427, representing 13,500 volunteers across six regions.
Leon Bignell, Member for Mawson praised the initiative – “The local men and women who volunteer across the emergency services sector deserve all the support they can get. This is terrific news for those volunteers and the communities they will help protect.”
The last Operational Support brigade in South Australia was established eight years ago following the Sampson Flat bushfires. These new brigades will strengthen the community’s resilience and preparedness for emergencies.
Anyone interested in joining can visit the CFS volunteers page, with placements expected to be filled by September. Hutchesson concluded, “As we head toward another fire season, I thank all of our CFS volunteers for always being there when our community needs them.
