Spencer Rural Fire Brigade

29/08/2026

Today we held our inaugural lower Hawkesbury and Mangrove Community Network Forum—and at the heart of it was one simple idea:

Community supporting community.

Representatives from Spencer and Wisemans Ferry Rural Fire Brigades, RiverCares, Sheilas of the Lower Hawkesbury, the Mangrove Emergency Planning and Communications Committee, the Country Women’s Association Peats Ridge Branch and local businesses came together to begin an important conversation.

We talked about what we are already doing, what we would love to do, and how we can better support one another.

This isn’t about competing for dates, people or attention. It is about coordinating our events and programs, sharing resources and ideas, supporting each other’s initiatives and creating opportunities for every group to shine.

Because when one part of our community succeeds, we all benefit.

Today was the beginning of a more connected approach—one where we communicate, collaborate and help each other create events and opportunities that allow our whole community to thrive.

We may each bring something different to the table, but we all share the same community.

Thank you to everyone who came along, shared ideas and became part of this inaugural group.

This is what community supporting community looks like. ❤️

02/08/2026

Spencer Brigade Opening the Shed Doors...

Spencer Rural Fire Brigade is opening the shed doors and inviting the community in.

Under the leadership of Captain Norm Cook and Community Engagement Officer Kristy Wilson, the brigade is launching the Spencer & Surrounding Area Community Connections Forum — a chance for local groups to come together, share ideas and support one another, find out what we are all up to so we can support each other. The initiative aligns with current brigade discussions around community engagement and community network invitations.

Representatives from the Spencer Community Progress Association, River Cares, the Men's Shed, the Country Women's Association, local sporting groups, Scouts, Guides, Local P&C Associations and neighbouring Rural Fire Brigades are invited to join us for a relaxed conversation at Spencer Fire Station, on at 1.00pm on Saturday 29th August.

One idea we'd like to explore is creating a shared community event calendar to help groups promote, avoid clashes and find opportunities to support each other.

Captain Norm Cook said, "The only way we can protect the community is through cooperation and the sharing of knowledge. We'd like to bring people together, share ideas and help each other make great things happen in our community."
Community Engagement Officer Kristy Wilson said, "There are so many passionate people and community groups doing wonderful things. The Spencer Community Connections Forum is about getting everyone around the same table, building relationships and supporting each other's success."

Because when communities work together, everyone benefits.

Kind regards
Spencer RFB - Community Engagement Committee: (Kristy, Maria, Eve, Kylie & Tracey)

12/07/2026

🚒 Why We Volunteer 🚒

People often ask us, “Why would you volunteer?”

The truth is… there isn’t just one answer.

Some of us joined because we wanted to protect our families.

Some wanted to learn new skills.

Some wanted to give something back to the place they call home.

Some simply answered the call when their community needed them.

Every one of us has a different story.

What we all have in common is this…

When the pager goes off, we leave behind dinners, birthdays, weekends, warm beds, jobs and family time to help complete strangers.

Not because we have to.
Because we choose to.
And we wouldn’t have it any other way… well mostly anyway ;-)

Volunteering isn’t about being a hero.

It’s about being part of something bigger than yourself.

Spencer has always been a community that looks after its own, and we’re proud to be a small part of that tradition.

If you’ve ever wondered whether volunteering might be for you, maybe now is the time to have that conversation. Its not the musketeers but its close ;-) …

Remember! You don’t need to know everything.
We’ll teach you.

You don’t need to be the strongest.
You just need to care.

Whether you’re interested in operational firefighting, community engagement, administration or helping behind the scenes, there’s a place for everyone.

📩 If you’d like to learn more, send us a message or reach out to Captain Norm Cook or our Community Engagement Officer, Kristy Wilson.

Because a strong brigade starts with a strong community. ❤️🚒

04/07/2026

Meet the Team – Part 2

Last week we introduced you to our new Community Engagement Officer, Kristy Wilson, our Vice President, Colin Gollege, and of course our new Captain, Norm Cook.

This week, it’s time to meet a few more of the crew who keep Spencer Rural Fire Brigade moving behind the scenes.

👨‍🚒 Ian Smith – President & Membership Officer
Keeping the Brigade on track while making sure new and existing members feel welcome as part of the Spencer family.

💰 Paul Mason – Treasurer & RFSA Representative
Making the dollars stretch just as far as the fire hoses while representing our members through the RFSA.

📝 Tracey Cook – Secretary & WHS Officer
Keeping the paperwork under control, helping ensure we stay safe, compliant and organised, while supporting the Brigade behind the scenes.

🔧 Peter Howard – Training & Maintenance Officer
Looking after our training, equipment and making sure that when the pager goes off, our Brigade is ready to respond.

Of course, every great Brigade also has people in its corner who are always happy to answer the phone, share their experience, offer strategic advice, gently massage a few egos when required, and generally help us help ourselves.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have the support of our Group 7 Leadership Team.

🚒 Group Captain Andrew Lynch – always generous with his knowledge, experience and support.

🚒 Deputy Group Captain Mark Griffith – a trusted mentor, sounding board and provider of practical advice.

🚒 Group Captain Glen Howe – Glen has been part of Spencer’s journey for many years, and his continued support, guidance and commitment to our Brigade have been invaluable.

It takes a village to build a great Brigade.

From our members and volunteers to our Group 7 Leadership Team and our wider community, everyone has a part to play.

We’re excited about where we’re heading… and we’re glad you’re coming along for the ride. 🚒❤️

04/07/2026

The Future of Spencer Rural Fire Brigade

Every brigade has a story.

Ours has been written by generations of volunteers who have stepped forward to protect our community. Now, we’re excited to begin writing the next chapter.

Under the leadership of our new Captain, Norm Cook, Spencer Rural Fire Brigade is embracing the future with fresh ideas, renewed energy and a commitment to supporting the vision of the NSW Rural Fire Service Strategic Plan.

Over the coming months you’ll see us expanding our community programs with a focus on bringing people together, sharing knowledge, building practical skills and creating a stronger, more connected community.

Our vision is simple:

🔥 Building community resilience.
🤝 Strengthening community connections.
📚 Sharing knowledge and practical skills.
❤️ Supporting one another before, during and after emergencies.
🌱 Encouraging more people to become involved in their local Brigade.

Because strong communities don’t just happen when the pager goes off—they’re built every day.

We’re also excited to welcome three of our newest operational members into the Brigade family. They bring enthusiasm, new ideas and a willingness to learn.

Let’s see if they can bowl a hose… 😉🚒

The future of Spencer Rural Fire Brigade isn’t just about fire trucks and firefighting.

It’s about people.

It’s about neighbours helping neighbours.

It’s about creating a Brigade that’s at the heart of our community every day—not just during an emergency.

If you’ve ever thought about volunteering, or you’d simply like to learn more about what we do, we’d love to hear from you.

Reach out to our Captain, Norm Cook, or our Community Engagement Officer, Kristy Wilson, for a chat. You might just discover there’s a place for you in our Brigade.

The future looks bright, Spencer… you’d better wear shades! 😎☀️🚒

25/06/2026

🚒 Meet Spencer Rural Fire Brigade’s new Captain – Norm Cook!

Please join us in congratulating Norm on being appointed the new Captain of Spencer Rural Fire Brigade.

Norm first joined the RFS with Grose Vale Brigade back in the 90s and 00s, where he proudly served as Deputy Captain. He was awarded medals for his service during the Canberra Fires before disappearing off to become a city slicker for a few years… (don’t worry, there were no cows involved 🐄😂).

Thankfully, the lure of community, volunteering and country life proved too strong, and we’re very glad to have him back wearing yellow.

If you’ve met Norm, you’ll know he’s not one for making a big fuss. He’s the bloke who quietly gets stuck in, loves a bit of a chat, is always happy to lend a hand and somehow seems to know how to fix just about anything… or at least have an opinion on how it should have been built in the first place! 😉

His working life has been just as varied. Starting out as a bricklayer, completing his Clerk of Works qualification, then becoming a builder and Site Manager before “retiring” into private building inspection.

Apparently, retirement was just another career move!

Away from the brigade, Norm is a very proud dad and an even prouder Poppy, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have someone with his experience, practical knowledge and calm leadership guiding Spencer Brigade into the future.

Congratulations, Captain! We know the brigade is in very capable hands.

Please join us in wishing Norm all the very best in his new role! 👏🚒

18/06/2026

Volunteer brigades are built by people who step forward when others step back, and we’re excited to see what lies ahead with Kristy Wilson taking on the role of Community Engagement Officer.

We’re proud of our history, but we’re equally excited about the future of our Brigade.

Kristy’s vision of bringing our Brigade and community closer together - as one community supporting each other, celebrating together and working together - has ignited a different kind of fire within Spencer RFB.

Because being a volunteer brigade isn’t just about responding when the pager goes off.

It’s about community.

It’s about connection.

It’s about knowing your neighbours.

It’s about people putting their hands up to make a difference.

And it’s about having good people around you to help make it happen - people like our Vice President Colin Gollege, who takes his responsibility for community events very seriously, particularly when there’s food involved. In fact, Colin has proudly accepted the unofficial role of ensuring no barbecue, morning tea or sausage sandwich is ever left long enough to go stale. 😉🥓

So stay tuned Spencer, Gunderman and Lower Mangrove.

The future is looking bright.

The kettle is on.

The barbecue will probably be lit.

Colin has already checked the menu.

And Spencer RFB is ready to take its place right where it belongs — side by side with the community it proudly serves. ❤️🚒

Thanks Kristy for putting your hand up for your community. We can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.
Shoutout to Turtle Snap Images for the amazing photos!

16/06/2026

🏅 A Special Surprise at the Spencer RFB AGM 🏅

Last night’s AGM had a surprise in store that nobody was expecting.

We were honoured to welcome District Manager Matt O’Donnell, who took the opportunity to recognise members of Spencer RFB for their service during the 2022-2023 flood operations.

Congratulations to Matt Webster, Colin Gollege, Steven Theakstone and outgoing Captain Alison Wade on receiving a citation in recognition of their service to the community during one of the most challenging periods our area has faced.

When communities are at their most vulnerable, volunteers quietly step forward. Long hours, difficult conditions and time away from family often go unseen, but they make a real difference to the people who need help most.

While the citations recognise individual service, they also represent the spirit of volunteering that exists throughout our Brigade and community.

Congratulations to all recipients past and present on this well deserved recognition, and thank you for your commitment to serving others when it mattered most. 👏🚒🏅

13/06/2026

🥓🚒 Breakfast, Training & a Very Motivated Volunteer 🚒🥓

A huge thank you to the team at Wisemans Ferry Rural Fire Brigade for inviting Spencer members along for breakfast and training today.

Now, when the invitation first arrived, we’re pretty sure our very own Colin heard only two important words:

“Breakfast” and “BBQ.” 😄

If you know Colin, you’ll know that mentioning either of those words is the fastest way to secure an enthusiastic RSVP. Training was involved too, of course… but we’re not entirely convinced that was the main attraction!

Jokes aside, days like today are a great reminder of the value of collaboration between brigades. Sharing knowledge, training together, building relationships and learning from each other’s experiences makes all of us stronger and better prepared to serve our communities.

Thank you again to the Wisemans Ferry crew for your hospitality, your willingness to share knowledge, and for putting on a fantastic morning.

And Colin? Well, we’re still investigating whether he attended for the training or the bacon and eggs. The evidence remains inconclusive. 🕵️‍♂️🥓🚒

07/06/2026

⚡ A fire doesn’t care whether it’s powered by petrol, diesel, electricity or a toaster.

Following a recent EV charger fire in the Galston–Arcadia area, now is a good time to give your home charging setup a quick once-over.

Check cables for damage, make sure chargers have been installed by a licensed electrician, and keep the area around them clear of anything that can burn.

The technology is generally very safe, but like any electrical appliance, things can go wrong.

Five minutes spent checking today could save a call to Triple Zero tomorrow.

And remember working smoke alarms in multiple locations saves lives!

It was a lucky escape early this morning for a family who woke to discover a fire burning in their garage.

Firefighters from the and FRNSW arrived quickly, with crews from Galston and Arcadia extinguishing the fire, which is believed to have been caused by an electric vehicle charger.

While there were no smoke alarms in the garage, a working smoke alarm in the hallway activated, allowing the family time to safely evacuate and giving firefighters a chance to extinguish the fire before it spread further into the home.

Remember it's important you have multiple smoke alarms installed throughout your home, particularly in areas where combustible materials may be present.

📸 Mike Elvidge