Twenty-five years ago the Bulahdelah Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) was established to assist the Ambulance officers with traffic accidents around the Myall Coast.
Before the squad Police Rescue were called from Newcastle to assist. In the time it was taking them to get to the area lives were being lost. A rescue squad needed to be formed to assist with the rescue.
In 1982, around 20 locals formed the Bulahdelah VRA. Much of the Myall Coast area was covered by the VRA in the early days with the Karuah Bridge on the south border and the Wang Walk Bridge near Coolongolook to the north.
The establishment of the NSW Fire Brigade in Tea Gardens and the Nabiac SES cut the area the VRA had to manage.
Today their area stretches from Waterholes Gap on the Pacific Highway to the intersection of Wootton Way and the Pacific Highway near Coolongolook.
Before the first Toyota Dyna was purchases and fitted out with equipment, members had a box in the fire shed at Bulahdelah.
They would put the equipment in the back of someone’s car on the way to a rescue.
A country and western music day was held at Coolongolook to raise money for equipment for the squad.
Fundraising has become a part of the work done by members with most of their funds coming from the work they do around the community. Manning the show gate and the door at the bowling club, as well as the collection boxes around town are some of the ways that the squad fundraises.
A small amount of money comes from State Government grants and the Great Lakes Council through out the year.
“We have to thank the community and town for their support over the years, without their support we couldn’t do it,” Bulahdelah VRA president Debbie Crampton said.
During the first 10 years the VRA attended just over 600 rescues, averaging one per week.
“With road improvements the job has become a lot quieter,” Debbie said.
The past year has seen the squad called out 24 times.
The Bulahdelah VRA also started the Driver Reviver on the Pacific Highway near Bulahdelah. Members of the squad manned the Driver Reviver for many years on long weekends and school holidays; first in the spot south of the town and then once it moved to its current spot near the Bulahdelah Golf Club.
The Driver Reviver is no longer manned by the VRA; two years ago it was taken over by the Booral Rural Fire Service.
Today there are 10 accredited members in the VRA, all prepared to assist the general public with flood work, search and rescue and general land and water rescues.
“You have to have something to make you want to do the job; you have to be able to help people and have that want to be able to do it,” life member Graham Chapman said. Graham Chapman and Carol Johnston are the only two original members left on the squad. However the dinner being held to celebrate 25 years at the Bulahdelah Bowling Club this weekend hopes to draw past members and sponsors of the association back together for the evening.
The VRA trains every Tuesday evening and is always looking for new members.
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