Hon Sophie McNeill inquired about the increased risks posed by lithium-ion battery fires to firefighters and the community, measures taken to mitigate these risks, additional funding, and the timing of medical screenings for firefighters exposed to a specific Maddington fire. The Minister's representative provided a general response stating that DFES has initiated various safeguarding measures across prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery, and that a plan for targeted occupational heal

AnsweredQoN 423Legislative Council
Asked
14 May 2026
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

Emergency services—Lithium battery fire423.Hon Sophie McNeillto theminister
representing the Minister for Emergency Services:I refer to the
lithium-ion battery fire in Maddington on Sunday 12 April that resulted in
nearby residents being instructed to stay inside with doors and windows closed
and air conditioning off.(1) Has the Department of Fire and
Emergency Services identified an increased risk to firefighters and the
community from lithium-ion battery fires?(2) What measures have been taken to
safeguard firefighters and the community from the risk referred to in (1)?(3) Has any
additional funding been provided to ensure our fire services are adequately
prepared, equippedand staffed to meet any increased risks?(4) Can the minister please confirm when
exactly after exposure to the fire on 12 April, impacted firefighters were
provided with a medical screening?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Emergency Services.
(1)–(4) The Department of Fire and Emergency
Services has initiated a number of measures to safeguard firefighter and
community safety aligned to prevention, preparedness, response and recovery
related to lithium ion battery fires.
A plan for targeted
occupational health monitoring was initiated during the incident.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more