EDITHVALE CFA has been using drones to bolster its firefighting intelligence for the last year, with the pilot program being hailed a success. Edithvale and Rowville fire brigades hosted the 12-month Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) trial. During that time, drones were used for identifying hot spots, hazmats, rope rescue and urban search and rescue, aerial thermal imaging, impact assessment, fire investigation, searches, and training. The drones were used to help battle a blaze in Phillip Island in January. Incident controller Damien O’Connor that the discovery of several hot spots outside of the main fire “prevented the fire restarting in…
Author: BaysideNews
FRANKSTON Council’s mayor and CEO will swap their beds for cardboard this month, taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise awareness of homelessness and call for urgent state government investment. Cr Sue Baker and CEO Tennille Bradley are seeking $2.5 million in state funding over four years to employ additional outreach workers in Frankston City, strengthening the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Zero Project. The funding is a key priority under council’s 2026 “Frankston City First” advocacy campaign ahead of November’s state election. “Rough sleeping in Frankston City is at a four-year high, with more than 59 people identified…
TWO years on from her newborn’s near-death experience, Frankston South mum Samantha is thankful she listened to her instincts. Samantha took her two-week-old daughter Zara to Peninsula University Hospital’s emergency department concerned that she was not eating or sleeping properly. Zara was assessed and quickly rushed to the resuscitation area, where a defibrillator was used to reduce her heart rate from 290 beats per minute. Samantha said “when I walked in the doors she went quiet, even though she had just been crying inconsolably. I almost thought ‘she seems fine now, maybe I should take her home’. “It went from…
Frankston Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged three teenagers following a series of offending in the CBD and Frankston areas. The charges relate to the following alleged offending: Two teenagers were arrested at a residential address in Seaford on Friday 6 June. Detectives arrested a third offender, a 20-year-old man, during a search warrant in Frankston on Sunday, 7 June. An 18-year-old Frankston man was charged with attempted aggravated home invasion, theft of motor vehicle, aggravated home invasion, possess firearm when FPO applies, possess unregistered handgun, expose emergency worker to risk by driving and reckless conduct endangering life. He was…
By Marg D’Arcy MY brother, Frank D’Arcy, had terminal cancer. He recently chose to end his life with Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). Frank had treatment and tried the whole range of painkillers, but recently reached the stage where he could hardly walk and could not control his pain. His greatest fear was having to go into residential care. Frank fought so hard to hold on to his independence, trying when he could to manage a short trip up the street on his electric scooter to buy cigarettes. He wanted to live – to have time with his children and grandchildren.…