Farm Fire Units

Since the beginning of CFS, and well before, the farm firefighting community has provided a quick response to the early stages of a fire, the active firefighting during blazes, and the continued monitoring after emergency services have handed properties back to their owners.

Regional Capability Community Fund

Round 4 (2025-2026)

The Regional Capability Community Fund (RCCF) has been established to improve community safety and capability to respond to fire emergencies. The RCCF will reimburse between $300 to $5,000 (GST inclusive) to farmers and farming businesses to purchase equipment to support the safe use of Farm Fire Units (FFU).

Additionally, in Round 4 the fund will reimburse approved water tank purchases or a portion of a purchase up to $10,000 (including GST). This will allow for the purchase of a minimum 22,000L tank, fire service fittings, and other items such as stands and pipe fittings dedicated to firefighting to support preparedness and resilience in areas where water access for firefighting is currently difficult, and there is a need for more water.

Eligible applicants

Applications will be accepted from: 

• Individual farmers
• Farming businesses or rural landholders
• Rural community groups (Note: Applications from rural community groups will only be eligible for reimbursement of shared use fire rated personal protective clothing and/or community firefighting tanks).

Only one application per person or business/entity will be eligible.

In Round Four, consideration will be given to those applicants who were unsuccessful for reimbursement of a Farm Fire Unit or did not apply in Rounds One, Two or Three. 

Eligible equipment

Items eligible for reimbursement include:

• Tank with a minimum water capacity of 400L and with fill point for water for use on a vehicle 
• Water pump for use on vehicle
• Hose and branch for use on vehicle
• Farm Fire Unit (i.e., compact fire units or slip on skid units) 
• Fire rated personal protective clothing (i.e., gloves, heavy duty cotton or natural fibre shirt/jacket/pants, closed leather work boots, helmets and P2 or above rated dust masks)
• First aid kits (specifically with burns kit included)
• Fire blankets
• UHF/CB radios 
• Amber rotating beacon
• Heat shields

Please note: Eligible items applied for in the application must be intended purchases, and not items already purchased.

Community Firefighting Water Tanks

Items eligible for reimbursement include:

• Tanks with a minimum capacity of 22,000L
• Fire Service connection to include a 65mm Storz type outlet located within 6m of a fire truck hard standing area. Tank to include signage and if required directional signage to the location from a public road and a tank level indicator
• Tank to be either metal or concrete in construction – not poly
• Tank stand
• Fittings and fixtures to allow for water collection/refill

Please note: Eligible items applied for in the application must be intended purchases, and not items already purchased.

FFUs must meet the minimum specifications regarding gross vehicle mass and your vehicle must comply with relevant South Australian regulations.

Ineligible equipment

Ineligible items for reimbursement are:

• vehicle modifications or repairs to existing farm firefighting equipment
• equipment that is not part of a CFS registered FFU
• the purchase of a vehicle for the purposes of being an FFU
• fixed water tanks and/or associated water pumps and hoses that are located on properties for domestic, agriculture or livestock use, and do not form part of a CFS registered FFU
• equipment and items that have already been purchased (prior to grant approval)

Community Firefighting Water Tanks

Ineligible items for reimbursement are:

• water tanks with less than 22,000L capacity
• water tanks without the specified CFS fire service fitting
• fixed water tanks and/or associated fittings that are located on properties for domestic, agriculture or livestock use and are not registered with the CFS for firefighting purposes. Unless a minimum of 25,000L capacity is reserved for firefighting use only.

How to Apply

Applications including relevant supporting documentation must be submitted prior to the application close date of 5.00pm (ACST) on Friday 8 August 2025.

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Key Attachments to application

The following documents must be included with your application. They can be uploaded as attachments through the application portal.

• Evidence of the quote/s received from the supplier for the proposed equipment purchases.

Key Documentation

• RCCF Guidelines: Round Four 2025–26
• RCCF Frequently Asked Questions: Round Four 2025-26
• RCCF Optible Help Guide: Round Four 2025-26

Key Dates

Note: the above dates are indicative only and may be subject to change

For more information about the application process for Round 4 of the RCCF, please contact 08 8115 3926 or email safecom.rccf@eso.sa.gov.au.