❓ Mr. Miles questions the Minister for Environment on improvements to firefighting vehicle safety following the Black Cat Creek bushfire. The Minister details completed and ongoing safety upgrades, training, and collaboration with the Victorian Country Fire Authority.
AnsweredQoN 639Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND
WILDLIFE — FIREFIGHTING
VEHICLES
639. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for
Environment:
Will the minister please update the house on the Department of Parks
and Wildlife's improvements to firefighting vehicle safety features and
procedures following —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you very much, member for Girrawheen. I call you to order for
the first time. I do not want a running commentary on everything in this house.
Mr P.T. MILES : Can the minister please update the house on
the department's improvements to firefighting vehicle safety features
and procedures following the tragic Black Cat Creek bushfire in 2012?
WILDLIFE — FIREFIGHTING
VEHICLES
639. Mr P.T. MILES to the Minister for
Environment:
Will the minister please update the house on the Department of Parks
and Wildlife's improvements to firefighting vehicle safety features and
procedures following —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you very much, member for Girrawheen. I call you to order for
the first time. I do not want a running commentary on everything in this house.
Mr P.T. MILES : Can the minister please update the house on
the department's improvements to firefighting vehicle safety features
and procedures following the tragic Black Cat Creek bushfire in 2012?
AnswerView source ↗
As I begin this question, I acknowledge the people and communities of
New South Wales, particularly those who are out there fighting fires as we
speak and all of those communities that have been affected. Our thoughts are
with them. As the minister responsible for the Department of Parks and
Wildlife, that situation brings into sharp focus the approaching fire season in
Western Australia, in particular the safety of more than 800 staff who will be
facing that fire season by addressing not only bushfires, but also prescribed
burns in the lead-up to the season.
The member mentioned the Black Cat Creek vehicle fire that occurred a
little over 12 months ago. This is also an opportune moment to remember Wendy
Bearfoot, a firefighter for the then Department of Conservation and Land
Management, who tragically lost her life a few weeks after that event as a
result of what happened on 1 November 2012. In response to that fire, the
Department of Parks and Wildlife received 10 improvement notices from WorkSafe,
which we have already discussed in this place. I am happy to report to the
house that eight of those 10 improvement notices have been entirely completed,
and on the ninth notice we are well underway in retrofitting 100 vehicles in
the south west. This should be completed by the end of November this year, as I
flagged early in the piece as the responsible minister. That ninth work notice
includes work such as the installation of radiant heat shield curtains inside
truck cabins and the provision of heat shielding to vital electrical and
mechanical components to maintain operability and manoeuvrability of the
vehicles in combating fires. The ninth improvement notice also includes works
to provide easy access to storage for fire blankets and other personal
protective equipment, as well as the replacement of exposed plastic components
with metal components. The department has received an extension to September
2014 on the tenth work notice; however, we believe we can have this completed
well in advance of that and potentially by the end of the coming fire season.
The tenth notice relates specifically to water deluge systems. Obviously,
compliance will depend to some extent on the engineering capacity to roll that
out. I am happy to report to the house that we are receiving assistance to roll
that out from the Victorian Country Fire Authority, which is at the forefront
of implementing this technology.
Other safety procedures that have been implemented include mandatory
preseason training in areas such as mapping, radio operations, road closures,
the interpretation of weather information and also responses to burn-over
events should they occur. It is important to acknowledge that last year over
700 bushfires were attended as well as 125 prescribed burns, and we are ramping
up the prescribed burning season for this year with 147 candidate burns
approved for this year; indeed, there will be significant burning underway
today.
New South Wales, particularly those who are out there fighting fires as we
speak and all of those communities that have been affected. Our thoughts are
with them. As the minister responsible for the Department of Parks and
Wildlife, that situation brings into sharp focus the approaching fire season in
Western Australia, in particular the safety of more than 800 staff who will be
facing that fire season by addressing not only bushfires, but also prescribed
burns in the lead-up to the season.
The member mentioned the Black Cat Creek vehicle fire that occurred a
little over 12 months ago. This is also an opportune moment to remember Wendy
Bearfoot, a firefighter for the then Department of Conservation and Land
Management, who tragically lost her life a few weeks after that event as a
result of what happened on 1 November 2012. In response to that fire, the
Department of Parks and Wildlife received 10 improvement notices from WorkSafe,
which we have already discussed in this place. I am happy to report to the
house that eight of those 10 improvement notices have been entirely completed,
and on the ninth notice we are well underway in retrofitting 100 vehicles in
the south west. This should be completed by the end of November this year, as I
flagged early in the piece as the responsible minister. That ninth work notice
includes work such as the installation of radiant heat shield curtains inside
truck cabins and the provision of heat shielding to vital electrical and
mechanical components to maintain operability and manoeuvrability of the
vehicles in combating fires. The ninth improvement notice also includes works
to provide easy access to storage for fire blankets and other personal
protective equipment, as well as the replacement of exposed plastic components
with metal components. The department has received an extension to September
2014 on the tenth work notice; however, we believe we can have this completed
well in advance of that and potentially by the end of the coming fire season.
The tenth notice relates specifically to water deluge systems. Obviously,
compliance will depend to some extent on the engineering capacity to roll that
out. I am happy to report to the house that we are receiving assistance to roll
that out from the Victorian Country Fire Authority, which is at the forefront
of implementing this technology.
Other safety procedures that have been implemented include mandatory
preseason training in areas such as mapping, radio operations, road closures,
the interpretation of weather information and also responses to burn-over
events should they occur. It is important to acknowledge that last year over
700 bushfires were attended as well as 125 prescribed burns, and we are ramping
up the prescribed burning season for this year with 147 candidate burns
approved for this year; indeed, there will be significant burning underway
today.
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