❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice from Hon Robin Chapple to the Minister for Emergency Services regarding DFES procedures for handling submissions, fire fighting vehicle standards, water usage recording, and Direct Fire Brigade Alarm Network compliance checks. The DFES response provides clarification on these matters.
AnsweredQoN 953Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Under which clause of the Privacy Act 1988 mandates that a
reference number provided to a client
for an online submission must be private? (2) How does Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) acknowledge what time frame a submission can be expected to receive a response? (3) Are submissions handled in
numerical order as received? (4) What transparent system
does DFES have in place to track submissions? (5) What specific fire fighting
vehicular standard (and year(s) of publication) is used to determine the
appropriate amount of on-board fire fighting water supplies? (6) What specific fire fighting
vehicular standards, including standard number and year of standard
publication, does DFES use as the reference for the design of its fire fighting
vehicles? (7) Have DFES fire fighting
vehicle designs and specifications ever been independently audited for their
operational efficiency? (8) If yes to (7), when and
where can this review be found? (9) Why is a record of water usage at a structural fire not an operational requirement? (10) Is there any legislative
requirement that prevents DFES from recording how much water is used at a
structural fire? (11) How long have there been
two people to undertake compliance checks for the purposes of connection to the
Direct Fire Brigade Alarm Network? (12) What is the name of the
person, other than Geoff Morton, who is qualified to do this?
reference number provided to a client
for an online submission must be private? (2) How does Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) acknowledge what time frame a submission can be expected to receive a response? (3) Are submissions handled in
numerical order as received? (4) What transparent system
does DFES have in place to track submissions? (5) What specific fire fighting
vehicular standard (and year(s) of publication) is used to determine the
appropriate amount of on-board fire fighting water supplies? (6) What specific fire fighting
vehicular standards, including standard number and year of standard
publication, does DFES use as the reference for the design of its fire fighting
vehicles? (7) Have DFES fire fighting
vehicle designs and specifications ever been independently audited for their
operational efficiency? (8) If yes to (7), when and
where can this review be found? (9) Why is a record of water usage at a structural fire not an operational requirement? (10) Is there any legislative
requirement that prevents DFES from recording how much water is used at a
structural fire? (11) How long have there been
two people to undertake compliance checks for the purposes of connection to the
Direct Fire Brigade Alarm Network? (12) What is the name of the
person, other than Geoff Morton, who is qualified to do this?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
7 May 2014
Responded by
Attorney General representing the Minister for Emergency Services
Response time
50 days
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) advises:
(1) The
Privacy Act 1988
does not apply to State Governments. The Department's staff must comply with section 39 of the
Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998
regarding the use of any information obtained in the course of duty.
(2) Submissions are allocated a reference number and tracked via that number from the time it is received in the DFES Built Environment Branch (BEB) system.
(3) Submissions are handled in the order they arrive in the office. Regulation 18 of the Building Regulations 2012 allows for a period of 15 days before a Certificate of Design Compliance for the proposed building is signed. DFES BEB generally responds to submissions within the 15 day time period.
(4) Submissions are tracked via the DFES BEB Property Tracking System which is accessible to the DFES BEB staff.
(5) The minimum quantity of on board firefighting water required is specified in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards:
· (NFPA) 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus dated 2009 Chapter 5.4
· (NFPA) 1906 Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus dated 2012 Chapter 11
(6) The specific standards relating to fire appliance design and build are those contained in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards:
· (NFPA) 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus dated 2009
· (NFPA) 1906 Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus dated 2012
(7) No. However, the DFES and local government's end user acceptance group - the Volunteer Vehicle and Equipment Advisory Committee (VVEAC) is hosted by DFES four times annually. The VVEAC has substantial input to design criteria and resolution of design issues. In addition, several DFES Project Advisory Teams have supported change management of fleet.
(8) Not applicable
(9) For structural fires, water can be obtained or provided from a number of sources, including internal building fire service supplies either from the main or tanks, sprinkler systems, water carried on fire appliances, reticulated (mains) supplies or from static (open) water sources. The application of this water can be through large deluge style monitors, variable flow branches attached to either 38 or 64 mm delivery hose or through smaller diameter hose reels. Current technology does not enable accurate recording of the volume of water. Sufficient water is applied to control, extinguish and overhaul the fire.
(10) No
(11) DFES employs one person to conduct Direct Brigade Alarm compliance checks. Contractors are employed to assist as when required.
(12) Not applicable.
(1) The
Privacy Act 1988
does not apply to State Governments. The Department's staff must comply with section 39 of the
Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998
regarding the use of any information obtained in the course of duty.
(2) Submissions are allocated a reference number and tracked via that number from the time it is received in the DFES Built Environment Branch (BEB) system.
(3) Submissions are handled in the order they arrive in the office. Regulation 18 of the Building Regulations 2012 allows for a period of 15 days before a Certificate of Design Compliance for the proposed building is signed. DFES BEB generally responds to submissions within the 15 day time period.
(4) Submissions are tracked via the DFES BEB Property Tracking System which is accessible to the DFES BEB staff.
(5) The minimum quantity of on board firefighting water required is specified in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards:
· (NFPA) 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus dated 2009 Chapter 5.4
· (NFPA) 1906 Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus dated 2012 Chapter 11
(6) The specific standards relating to fire appliance design and build are those contained in National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards:
· (NFPA) 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus dated 2009
· (NFPA) 1906 Standard for Wildland Fire Apparatus dated 2012
(7) No. However, the DFES and local government's end user acceptance group - the Volunteer Vehicle and Equipment Advisory Committee (VVEAC) is hosted by DFES four times annually. The VVEAC has substantial input to design criteria and resolution of design issues. In addition, several DFES Project Advisory Teams have supported change management of fleet.
(8) Not applicable
(9) For structural fires, water can be obtained or provided from a number of sources, including internal building fire service supplies either from the main or tanks, sprinkler systems, water carried on fire appliances, reticulated (mains) supplies or from static (open) water sources. The application of this water can be through large deluge style monitors, variable flow branches attached to either 38 or 64 mm delivery hose or through smaller diameter hose reels. Current technology does not enable accurate recording of the volume of water. Sufficient water is applied to control, extinguish and overhaul the fire.
(10) No
(11) DFES employs one person to conduct Direct Brigade Alarm compliance checks. Contractors are employed to assist as when required.
(12) Not applicable.
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