Pakenham Fire Brigade lieutenant Graham Love said his passion for firefighting had spread throughout his family. By Glen Atwell
IF YOU ever call on the Pakenham Fire Brigade, there’s a good chance love might intervene to extinguish the flames.
That’s because the Love family of Pakenham are dedicated CFA volunteers, giving hours of their time to ensure the people of Pakenham are safe from the dangers of fire.
Brigade lieutenant Graham Love started his family’s burning desire for firefighting, and just like a spotfire, his passion quickly spread.
Graham spent nine years serving in the Berwick Fire Brigade, before moving to Pakenham and relocating to the Pakenham unit, where he has spent the last seven years.
His two daughters, Kylie, 27, and Jodie, 17, are both active members of the Pakenham brigade, as is Graham’s son, Michael, 19.
Graham’s wife Pauline runs the brigade auxiliary, and if that wasn’t enough, Kylie’s husband, Adam has also been recruited.
Graham said the Ash Wednesday fires prompted him to join the fire brigade in Berwick.
“I first took it up in Romsey, when I was a teenager, but met my wife and drifted away from the scene, but Ash Wednesday gave me the motivation to get involved again,” he said.
And voluntary firefighting is not an easy task.
“We respond to an average of 22 incidents a month, and have had 206 to date this year, well above the 215 we had for the entire of last year,” Graham said.
Graham said a population surge in Pakenham was resulting in a heavier workload for the brigade’s volunteers, who also do a lot of work with children in the area.
Kylie takes kindergarten children through the John Street station and organises other communitybased events.
“I love looking after the children’s visits, it’s great,” she said.
Kylie has two children of her own, Courtney and Natasha, and said the family tradition might just continue.
“They’re not very interested in the brigade at the moment, but they’ve been down here a lot.
“I’m sure they will eventually become involved,” Kylie said.
Looks like a love of firefighting will definitely continue to run in the family.
