A WA parliamentary question addresses the impact of firefighter industrial action on fire investigator availability, volunteer training, and staffing within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. The Minister acknowledges impacts on training courses and staffing.

AnsweredQoN 537Legislative Council
Asked
17 May 2023
Portfolio
Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

FIREFIGHTERS —
INDUSTRIAL ACTION
537. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I refer to reported industrial
action being undertaken by firefighters following the breakdown of negotiations
between the union and the state government.
(1) How many fire investigators are available as of
today's date and what is the usual strength for such positions?
(2) Have any
volunteer training courses been impacted as a result of industrial action; and,
if so, please provide details?
(3) How many
positions within the department have been vacated as a result of staff who were
acting in positions returning to their ordinary roles?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services
advises the following.
(1) All station
officers in metropolitan and country regions are capable of determining the
origin and causes of fires. Country regions have trained fire investigators
locally.
(2) Yes. As part of the answer is in
tabular form, and I seek leave to have that incorporated into Hansard .
[Leave granted for the following
material to be incorporated.]
Course
Name
Impact
1 x
On-Road Driver Training
Cancelled
1 x
Emergency Driver Training
Cancelled
1 x
Internal Structural Firefighting
Cancelled
1 x
Casualty Transfer
Cancelled
1 x
Breathing Apparatus
Cancelled
2 x
Breathing Apparatus Refresher
Cancelled
2 x
Structural Firefighting
Cancelled
(3) It was 71 positions.

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