Page 2254 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 4 August 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
New South Wales RFS has participated in and assisted ACTRFS with remote area firefighting team training and their ongoing capability building. ACTRFS are continuing to work alongside New South Wales to conduct hazard reduction burns in the surrounding New South Wales region, which is an integral part of bushfire preparedness and training for members in both services.
ACTSES participate in cross-border training with the local New South Wales SES units, and the New South Wales SES south-eastern zone to upskill local ACTSES members in capabilities not regularly utilised in the ACT, specifically around flood boat operations and vertical rescue. Whilst the skills obtained may not be traditionally used within the ACT, it allows ACTSES to have appropriately skilled membership to support NSWSES operationally when required.
By participating in training and maintaining strong working relationships with their cross-border counterparts, the ESA are better equipped locally and have the support of New South Wales agencies should it be needed. The ESA works in collaboration with the New South Wales parks service, the ACT Parks and Conservation Service and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries to deliver multi-hazard level 2 incident management training courses that cover the four main streams of the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System—AIIMS—structure. These courses are run locally and are offered to members from all four operational services within the ESA as well as enabling staff to ensure there is a consistent approach to incident management in both ACT and New South Wales.
In the last few years ESA members have also had the opportunity to attend the level 2 AIIMS training at the New South Wales RFS training academy in Dubbo, New South Wales which has enabled the ESA volunteers and staff to train alongside members of New South Wales RFS to share experiences. Training with and learning from members of New South Wales RFS strengthens the ESA’s capability to manage local incidents as well as provide valuable support interstate when required.
The ESA also regularly deploys public information officers to assist New South Wales during times of emergency. During the black summer fires, ESA deployed four public information officers to six different locations across New South Wales. More recently, ESA deployed five public information officers to two locations within New South Wales to assist with the flood response. In the last 24 months the ESA has worked with New South Wales RFS to certify three level 3 public information officers under the New South Wales RFS public information officer training program.
Since March 2020, the ESA has facilitated awareness workshops for Australian Defence Force (ADF) planning and liaison personnel in AIIMS, to ensure that any ADF personnel who may work collaboratively within ESA incident management teams are aware of the systems, processes and terminology used by emergency management personnel.
Further to the various training opportunities both formally and informally, the ESA is also involved in joint scenario exercises and planning activities each year that assist with planning and preparing for incidents. ACT Fire & Rescue, in conjunction with
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video