VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund

A $2 Million welfare fund will be set up by CFA volunteers' peak body, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV), thanks to a grant from the Victorian Government.

Police and Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron detailed the grant during a ceremony to mark Volunteers’ Week at Mandurang CFA fire station near Bendigo recently.

“CFA's 60,000 volunteers often respond to calls for help from others, now this funding will mean they can seek assistance should they need help themselves,” Mr Cameron said.

The key objective of the fund is to help people continue in their role as a CFA volunteers through the provision of small emergency relief grants to CFA volunteer members and their families in times of personal financial crisis.

The bringing together of this fund and the VUFBA Welfare fund, which has been providing support to urban volunteers since 1913, into one self-sustaining VFBV Managed Volunteer Welfare Fund will be of benefit to all CFA Volunteers.

This State Government funding support is seen as acknowledgement of the invaluable contribution of volunteer firefighters.

Like so many other Victorians, a number of CFA's 60,000 volunteers have to cope with financial stress, unemployment and sickness, and many volunteers’ livelihoods are being impacted by the current drought.

In announcing the fund Mr Cameron said: “Emergency services volunteers are part of the social fabric of communities across the Victoria. It is this volunteer spirit that brings cohesion to many communities across the state.”

The funding is part of the $20.5 million committed in the 2008/09 State budget for emergency services.

Visit http://www.vfbv.com.au/vwf_introduction.php for more details.