❓ Mr. Cowper asks the Minister for Emergency Services about the benefits to South West volunteer fire brigades from government investment following the Keelty report. The Minister details significant upgrades and expansions to fire stations, equipment, and training, highlighting the positive impact on community safety and volunteer capabilities.
AnsweredQoN 129Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES — SOUTH WEST
129. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for
Emergency Services:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to acknowledge chief fire control officers John Twaddle, Phil Penny and
Bluey Wilson and all the volunteers and support crews at the recent fires in my
electorate.
I understand that the minister spent
last Friday in the south west visiting a number of volunteer brigades. Can he
outline to the house how those brigades have benefited from the Liberal–National
government's investment in new facilities and equipment in the wake of
the very publicised Keelty report?
129. Mr M.J. COWPER to the Minister for
Emergency Services:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to acknowledge chief fire control officers John Twaddle, Phil Penny and
Bluey Wilson and all the volunteers and support crews at the recent fires in my
electorate.
I understand that the minister spent
last Friday in the south west visiting a number of volunteer brigades. Can he
outline to the house how those brigades have benefited from the Liberal–National
government's investment in new facilities and equipment in the wake of
the very publicised Keelty report?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question and for his ongoing support of all
the volunteer firefighters in his electorate. I know that the member's
electorate has been subject to a number of serious fire events in the last six
weeks, not the least of which was the one that occurred last Friday. I was very
concerned, driving down there, that something might happen to that wonderful
sign on the side of the road with the member's big smiling face, which
I see every time I drive down there.
I was down at the cape near Margaret River last Friday. I opened five
new fully revamped volunteer fire stations. This is a massive investment in the
protection of the community in the south west capes area. The government has
reopened Dunsborough, Yallingup
Coastal, Cowaramup, Wa llcliffe
and Witchcliffe fire stations. Had members seen these stations a year and a
half ago, they would have seen that they were very small rundown fire stations—some
of them were new, but very small. They are now massive. Four of them have been
converted to dual-registered brigades, so they are not only volunteer bush fire
brigades but also volunteer fire and rescue service brigades. They have been
fully equipped with new or upgraded trucks that have great crew protection, drop-down
heat shields, fire-protection blankets and spray bars. The brigades have new,
modern facilities and trucks, including a couple of new 34 Urban tankers, which
we saw in Dunsborough. The great thing that has come out of this is that when
we have dual-registered brigades—four out of those five are now
dual-registered—a lot more resources are put into training the
volunteers. The really good news about this—we should be commending
people for this—is that 40 volunteer bush fire brigade firefighters
have stepped up to receive another level of training as volunteer fire and
rescue service brigade firefighters. Those 40 people are now trained in such
things as structural firefighting and using breathing apparatus so that they
can attend not only bushfires but also structural fires. It has been a
wonderful investment and has been done very professionally in full consultation
with local service volunteers at the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Local
government down there has warmly welcomed this and it has been readily accepted
by the community. It has been a great investment of $7 million by this
government, which is getting on with delivering all the reforms recommended in
the Keelty review. There are lots of wonderful volunteer firefighters in those
communities doing a brilliant job in a very high bushfire-risk area. We should
be very proud of every single one of them.
the volunteer firefighters in his electorate. I know that the member's
electorate has been subject to a number of serious fire events in the last six
weeks, not the least of which was the one that occurred last Friday. I was very
concerned, driving down there, that something might happen to that wonderful
sign on the side of the road with the member's big smiling face, which
I see every time I drive down there.
I was down at the cape near Margaret River last Friday. I opened five
new fully revamped volunteer fire stations. This is a massive investment in the
protection of the community in the south west capes area. The government has
reopened Dunsborough, Yallingup
Coastal, Cowaramup, Wa llcliffe
and Witchcliffe fire stations. Had members seen these stations a year and a
half ago, they would have seen that they were very small rundown fire stations—some
of them were new, but very small. They are now massive. Four of them have been
converted to dual-registered brigades, so they are not only volunteer bush fire
brigades but also volunteer fire and rescue service brigades. They have been
fully equipped with new or upgraded trucks that have great crew protection, drop-down
heat shields, fire-protection blankets and spray bars. The brigades have new,
modern facilities and trucks, including a couple of new 34 Urban tankers, which
we saw in Dunsborough. The great thing that has come out of this is that when
we have dual-registered brigades—four out of those five are now
dual-registered—a lot more resources are put into training the
volunteers. The really good news about this—we should be commending
people for this—is that 40 volunteer bush fire brigade firefighters
have stepped up to receive another level of training as volunteer fire and
rescue service brigade firefighters. Those 40 people are now trained in such
things as structural firefighting and using breathing apparatus so that they
can attend not only bushfires but also structural fires. It has been a
wonderful investment and has been done very professionally in full consultation
with local service volunteers at the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Local
government down there has warmly welcomed this and it has been readily accepted
by the community. It has been a great investment of $7 million by this
government, which is getting on with delivering all the reforms recommended in
the Keelty review. There are lots of wonderful volunteer firefighters in those
communities doing a brilliant job in a very high bushfire-risk area. We should
be very proud of every single one of them.
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