Hon Martin Aldridge questions the Minister for Emergency Services regarding the delivery of personal protective clothing (PPC) for firefighters, specifically concerning discrepancies in quantity, delivery timelines, and replacement plans. The Minister's response clarifies the reasons for the adjusted numbers, delivery schedule, and upgrades to level 1 PPC.

AnsweredQoN 1340Legislative Council
Asked
1 December 2022
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES — ELECTION COMMITMENTS
— 2021–22 STATE BUDGET
1340. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the minister's
media statement of 26 November 2022 titled ''New protective clothing for
firefighters issued as preparations for summer fire season continue''
and the answer to question without notice 736 asked on 15 September 2021.
(1) Why is the
state government delivering just 3 200 personal protective clothing sets and
not the 4 100 sets previously stated?
(2) By what dates
will career and volunteer firefighters receive the new personal protective
clothing?
(3) Why was this
PPC not delivered prior to the start of the high-threat period?
(4) Does the
state government have plans to review and replace level 1 PPC; and, if so, how
much funding is allocated to this?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The $4.9 million personal protective clothing replacement
program delivers on an election commitment from the McGowan Labor government.
(1) I am advised
that the Department of Fire and Emergency Services conducted an audit to
confirm original numbers, which identified that 3 091 sets were required.
(2) DFES career firefighters have received their new
PPC allocation. Volunteer firefighters will begin to receive their new
PPC early in the new year.
(3) New level 2
PPC has been delivered to career firefighters prior to the high-threat season.
(4) DFES has upgraded the material used for the level
1 tunic to meet the new Australian Standards. Replacement of level 1 PPC
is through fair wear and tear and is funded internally.

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