Question regarding the awareness of private contractors' presence and instructions during the Waroona-Yarloop bushfires by DFES personnel. The answer confirms awareness and refers to incident action plans for tasking.

AnsweredQoN 115Legislative Council
Asked
24 February 2016
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

WAROONA–YARLOOP BUSHFIRES — PRIVATE
CONTRACTORS
115. Hon MARTIN PRITCHARD to the Attorney
General representing the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to the Waroona–Yarloop
fires in January 2016.
(1) During the
fires, was the incident controller, or any other Department of Fire and Emergency
Services personnel, including those at the regional operations centre or state
operations centre, made aware of the presence of private contractors working on
the fire, of their position on the fireground and of the nature of instructions
given to that contractor by the Department of Parks and Wildlife?
(2) If yes to (1), what was the
content of advice provided and when and how was that advice conveyed?

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for
Emergency Services, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services advises as follows —
(1) Yes. The
Department of Fire and Emergency Services is aware of numerous private
contractors engaged during this incident. Their positions on the fireground and
instructions would be specific to their role and the incident strategies and
tactics. DFES personnel were made aware of the presence of private contractors
engaged as firefighters by the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Further information
may be sought from DPaW as to their exact role.
(2) Contractors
are tasked according to the incident action plans. These tasks would be
conveyed predominately at the start of the shift and as the situation changed.

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