Community Fire Units (CFUs) are volunteer teams of residents who are trained as preliminary responders to bushfires until the fire brigade arrives and in bushfire prevention. They are not to be confused with Volunteer Fire and Bushfire Brigades, which usually have vehicles and stations and are equipped for significant fire suppression duties. The origins of community fire units can be traced back to 1994 when they were introduced by the NSW Fire Brigades. In a country that is highly prone to bushfires and where property and lives are often put at risk, the CFUs are intended to: