Margate Fire Brigade (Tasmania)

19/12/2025

Santa’s truck is ready to roll keep your eyes and ears open ❤️💚❤️💚

12/10/2025

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our valued mentor and dear friend, Neil Brooksbank (Brooky) on 3rd October 2025 after a long illness. Neil was a cherished member of the Margate Fire Brigade, and his loss is deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Our thoughts are with his wife Jacqui and daughters Ellen and Lauren and their families during this difficult time.

Neil joined the Margate Fire Brigade as a volunteer in December 2003. From the beginning, he brought with him a wealth of knowledge from structural training and door entry techniques to the use of equipment like the task force tip, as well as invaluable life skills. Some of his most memorable phrases included “What’s your plan?”, “Have you thought about this?”, People are your best resource.” Neil was always willing to teach and demonstrate a better way, approaching every situation with professionalism and integrity.

When Neil first joined, one of the earliest things people noticed was his caring nature. He often observed quietly from the background, making sure everything was going smoothly, and everyone was safe.

Neil frequently attended training straight after his training with the army, another of his great passions. The skills and knowledge he gained from both the TFS and the Army were invaluable. He taught us the importance of dedication and passion whether it was during training or at social events. He could cook and awesome spit roast, and he wasn’t above a good laugh, even when being wrestled into an esky after admitting defeat! Neil’s sense of humour and quick wit always brought joy and laughter to the station.

We often joked about needing a bigger entry door at the station for Neil when he arrived in full dress uniform, shoes polished to perfection and medals so numerous that he nearly needed a broomstick to support them!

Brooky was always practical and pragmatic. If there was a smarter way to do something, he find it, and he was never shy to share his opinion. He measured people by their actions, not their words. He always had a funny story to tell, often involving one of his mates, and his dry wit, signature grin, and twinkly in his eye never failed to leave us all in fits of laughter.

Neil will be missed by members past and present, through the lessons he taught us in training and in life, his presence at social events, and the professional and personal relationships he built over the years.

Rest in peace Neil, your legacy lives on in all of us.

Margate Fire Brigade.

22/02/2025

🚫🔥

🔥 ⛔ A state-wide total fire ban has been declared from 2am tomorrow (Sunday 23 February 2025) until 2am Monday (24 February 2025).

📌 During the total fire ban period no fires are permitted in the open, including incinerators, burn-offs, campfires, fire pots, and wood-fuelled barbecues.

📌 All fire permits are suspended, unless the fire is exempted.

📌 The undertaking of machinery operations is prohibited unless undertaken in accordance with the Tasmania Fire Service Machinery Operations Guideline.

➡️ If you’ve had a fire in the past week, please check it now to ensure it is fully extinguished.

➡️ If you live in a bushfire prone area please review your bushfire survival plan now, and keep up-to-date on changing conditions as the warm weather progresses.

📲 Anyone who sees a fire in the open is urged to report promptly to Triple Zero (000).

ℹ️ Keep up-to-date with:
➡️ https://bushfire.tas.gov.au/ - for the fire danger rating in your area.
➡️ http://www.bom.gov.au/tas/warnings/ – for the latest weather forecast and warnings.
➡️ https://www.tasalert.com – for current warnings and advice.
➡️ https://www.police.tas.gov.au/community-alerts/ – for road closures.

03/02/2025

Along with our partners Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania we continue to respond to the bushfire at Snug Tiers ahead of hot and windy weather set to impact much of the state over the next couple of days.

The fire remains at Advice level, and residents in Margate, Snug, and surrounding areas should stay informed and monitor local conditions.

With hot and windy weather and a dry landscape, emergency services crews are proactively patrolling the fire ground over the coming days to monitor for any flare-ups.

For further info see: https://alert.tas.gov.au/media-releases/fire-response-continues-snug-tiers-hot-windy-conditions-persist

Tasmanians are also reminded that high fire danger weather is forecast across the state today, and with the hot and windy conditions, fire permits have been suspended until 2am Wednesday 5 February statewide. This means:

➡️ No fire permits will be issued for burns during the period.
➡️ Any fire permits already issued for fires during this period are cancelled as conditions will be unsafe for burning.
➡️ If you have burned in the last week, check your fire is fully extinguished.
➡️ Burns under 1 cubic metre which do not require a permit are strongly discouraged.
➡️ Anyone having a campfire and/or wood fire barbecue is urged to never leave it unattended.
➡️ Anyone operating equipment is urged to be vigilant to avoid any activity that may cause accidental ignition of vegetation during this suspension.

The best way for Tasmanians to be prepared is to review your bushfire plan, stay aware of your surroundings, and keep up to date with warnings.

If you need emergency assistance, or you see fire or smoke in the landscape, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.

For further updates, visit TasALERT

02/02/2025

Thank you to our very talented community for these lovely cards! It brightens our day to finish work and come and see these beautiful messages and artwork!

31/01/2025

A recording of this community meeting is available here: https://youtu.be/8mfo7VxHdXs

📣 Attention Margate/Snug residents: There is a community meeting tonight for community members seeking an update about the Snug Tiers bushfire:

📆 Friday, 31 January 2025
🕣 6pm
🏢 Margate Primary SchooTasALERTcross the road from Community Hall), Van Morey Road, Margate

For more information, visit TasALERT.com

30/01/2025

🚒 Firefighting activity is continuing as firefighters respond to the bushfire at Snug Tiers in the Channel region with the fire currently uncontrolled and having burned through over 410 hectares.

👨‍🚒👩‍🚒 Yesterday, more than 80 personnel from both TFS and Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service worked to establish containment lines around the fire, with the support of 10 firefighting aircraft.

The Bureau of Meteorology has indicated temperatures are set to increase later this week with high fire danger weather predicted across inland parts of Tasmania.

The current focus is on constructing and consolidating containment lines to limit the fire's spread ahead of the forecast fire weather next week.

Three Bushfire Advice warnings are currently in place for:
⚠️ Pelverata, Kaoota and surrounds
⚠️ Margate, Snug and surrounds and
⚠️ Oyster Cove and surrounds
⚠️ a Smoke Alert remains in place for Margate, Snug, Kettering and surrounding areas.

➡️ If you're a resident in the area please monitor conditions, be aware of ember attacks, and make a plan to stay safe.
ℹ️ Decide early if you are going to leave, and make sure you have a clear path to a safer place.
ℹ️ If you have made a bushfire plan, review it now.
ℹ️ Visibility may be reduced due to smoke and all motorists are asked to slow down, drive with caution, and always obey road closures that are in place.
ℹ️ If you are at higher risk from smoke, enact your personal health plans
ℹ️ If you don't live in the area stay away. The roads could become highly dangerous.
ℹ️ For fire updates, listen to ABC Local Radio or visit TasALERT.com.

For further info see alert.tas.gov.au/media-releases/firefighting-response-continues-snug-tiers-bushfire

29/01/2025

Thank you to our wonderful community who have been dropping in little treats for our members and parks crews! We really appreciate the support!

29/01/2025

Please keep updated through the Tasmania Fire Service page and the TASalert app!

🚒 Firefighting activities are ongoing to bring a bushfire at Snug Tiers in the Channel under control.

👨‍🚒 Yesterday nine aircraft and more than 70 personnel worked to control the fire, and these numbers will be increased today with a priority on the southern and eastern edge of the fire.

🔥 The fire will continue to be very visible in the Channel area today, and a Smoke Alert remains in place for Margate, Snug, Kettering and Surrounding Areas.

👀 Visibility from smoke in the affected areas may be reduced today, and all motorists are asked to follow the advice of police to slow down, drive with caution, and always obey any road closures in place.

➡️ If you're a resident in the area please monitor conditions, be aware of ember attacks, and make a plan to stay safe.
ℹ️ Decide early if you are going to leave, and make sure you have a clear path to a safer place.
ℹ️ If you have made a bushfire plan, use it now.
ℹ️ If you don't live in the area stay away. The roads could become highly dangerous.
ℹ️ For fire updates, listen to ABC Local Radio or visit TasALERT.com

For further info see -
https://alert.tas.gov.au/media-releases/firefighting-activities-ongoing-snug-tiers-bushfire