❓ Hon Helen Bullock raises concerns about understaffing of emergency services in Marble Bar, particularly the volunteer fire brigade and response times to car crashes. The Minister acknowledges the issues and outlines steps taken to improve the situation, including recruitment and training.
AnsweredQoN 2880Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the Minister aware of comments by FESA’s East Pilbara District Manager James Cahill in the
North-West Telegraph
on August 4, that Marble Bar’s volunteer fire brigade is so understaffed that in the event of a fire a house would likely burn to the ground before the fire brigade arrives?
(2) Is the Minister aware of further concerns that Emergency services are so understaffed that car crash victims on the Marble Bar-Newman Road would have to wait up to two hours for help to arrive?
(3) Will the Minister immediately commit to providing the necessary funds or personnel to ensure that Marble Bar is able to handle these types of life-threatening emergencies, particularly given that the ratepayers of Marble Bar are paying for such a service through the Emergency Services Levy?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
North-West Telegraph
on August 4, that Marble Bar’s volunteer fire brigade is so understaffed that in the event of a fire a house would likely burn to the ground before the fire brigade arrives?
(2) Is the Minister aware of further concerns that Emergency services are so understaffed that car crash victims on the Marble Bar-Newman Road would have to wait up to two hours for help to arrive?
(3) Will the Minister immediately commit to providing the necessary funds or personnel to ensure that Marble Bar is able to handle these types of life-threatening emergencies, particularly given that the ratepayers of Marble Bar are paying for such a service through the Emergency Services Levy?
(4) If no to (3), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 November 2010
Responded by
Minister for Energy representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Response time
27 days
(1) Yes. The Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) has informed me that FESA's East Pilbara District Manager was interviewed by phone by a journalist at the North West Telegraph regarding the need for more local volunteers
(2) Yes. The Marble Bar Emergency Services Unit is a
volunteer
unit who up until recently comprised of four (4) community members who were on call 24/7 and provided an essential emergency service to their community for which they should be commended. I am also aware that Marble Bar is a remote location and depending upon the location of the crash, the nearest brigade would be mobilised with secondary support as required. This could include brigades from Newman, the Mining Industry or Marble Bar.
(3) I am advised that the Marble Bar Volunteer Emergency Services Unit has a 2.4 Urban Tanker; a fully equipped Road Accident Rescue Trailer; a Light Tanker; and a 4 x 4 personnel Carrier. In addition, in 2007 the unit had a new transportable office and training facility provided.
In June 2010 a State Emergency Service Regional exercise was conducted in Marble Bar which 70 Volunteers participated from across the region. The exercise raised an awareness of Emergency Services in the town.
Recently following a public meeting that was held at Marble Bar on 8 September 2010 and ongoing liaison in the community five (5) additional community members were recruited to the unit. The new members have completed introductory training in fire fighting and bushfire fire fighting and three (3) of the new members attended road crash rescue training on the weekend of 30-31 October 2010. An ongoing training programme is being developed with the unit and FESA will continue to work with the local community in a bid to attract new members and provide ongoing development.
(4) N/A
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(2) Yes. The Marble Bar Emergency Services Unit is a
volunteer
unit who up until recently comprised of four (4) community members who were on call 24/7 and provided an essential emergency service to their community for which they should be commended. I am also aware that Marble Bar is a remote location and depending upon the location of the crash, the nearest brigade would be mobilised with secondary support as required. This could include brigades from Newman, the Mining Industry or Marble Bar.
(3) I am advised that the Marble Bar Volunteer Emergency Services Unit has a 2.4 Urban Tanker; a fully equipped Road Accident Rescue Trailer; a Light Tanker; and a 4 x 4 personnel Carrier. In addition, in 2007 the unit had a new transportable office and training facility provided.
In June 2010 a State Emergency Service Regional exercise was conducted in Marble Bar which 70 Volunteers participated from across the region. The exercise raised an awareness of Emergency Services in the town.
Recently following a public meeting that was held at Marble Bar on 8 September 2010 and ongoing liaison in the community five (5) additional community members were recruited to the unit. The new members have completed introductory training in fire fighting and bushfire fire fighting and three (3) of the new members attended road crash rescue training on the weekend of 30-31 October 2010. An ongoing training programme is being developed with the unit and FESA will continue to work with the local community in a bid to attract new members and provide ongoing development.
(4) N/A
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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