Page 380 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 2 March 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
EMERGENCY SERVICE ORGANISATIONS - BUSHFIRE EMERGENCY
MR LAMONT (11.37): I move:
That the Legislative Assembly congratulates all members of the ACT Emergency Service organisations on their valued participation in the recent ACT and NSW bushfire emergency and recognises that the model ACT Service's success is as a result of individual commitment by these workers to excellence in their organisation.
On Tuesday, 4 January 1994, the ACT was experiencing very high fire conditions and a number of grassfires were reported. The conditions on Wednesday, 5 January, were extreme and a major outbreak of fire occurred at Curtin which threatened a number of properties. Generally, the outlook for Thursday and Friday was for milder conditions but worsening for the weekend. A large outbreak of fire occurred on Thursday, 6 January, on the southern slopes of Mount Taylor, with smaller fires at Long Gully and Yarralumla Woolshed. The ACT Rural Firefighting Service, the ACT emergency services and some ACT Fire Brigade resources were heavily involved in these fires.
Due to the fire threat, a leaflet drop by all organisations of the emergency management group was organised for the weekend of 8 and 9 January to advise householders in the urban and rural interface areas of measures to be taken in the event of threat of fire. Prior to the leaflet drop, the Rural Firefighting Service distributed some 10,000 pamphlets during the past two years and there had been a wide community media campaign.
At 4 o'clock on Thursday, 6 January 1994, the Chief Fire Control Officer of the ACT received an urgent request from the New South Wales bushfire headquarters for immediate assistance to help combat a major bushfire in the Sydney region. There were some 154 fires burning in New South Wales at that time. One of the values of the city-state and emergency management arrangements we are building in the ACT is that key players can be quickly brought together and decisions made. In conjunction with the appropriate services, the Government was able to consider and endorse appropriate action in responding to the New South Wales request.
The Government has given considerable attention to how we maintain the high quality of ACT emergency service organisations and continues to improve their operations and coordination. The people working for the police, ambulance, fire brigade, bushfire service and emergency services operate under considerable stress and pressure in order to protect and assist the community. They are the best community insurance policy we have to save life and property. The services are a mix of full-time staff and volunteers. In fact, volunteers in both the bushfire service and the emergency services account for nearly 1,000 people, who give up personal time to train and exercise and then to confront emergencies. They are supported by employers, who give them time and assistance in undertaking their community role.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .