The Blue Mountains has been overlooked for its first compressed foam fire tanker for the region – the cutting edge of firefighting equipment – with the tanker going to the Sydney region instead, according to a council document.
In a letter tabled in the Blue Mountains Council business papers late last month, council general manager Robert Greenwood has written to the Minister for Emergency Services, David Elliott, asking for answers about firefighting equipment at Glenbrook and Mt Victoria stations.
He asks why Glenbrook, which was due to “have their current tanker upgraded to a four-wheel-drive compressed air foam system (CAFS) appliance” has had their new tanker redeployed to “another station in the Sydney region”.
The CAFS appliances are better suited to property protection during serious bushfires than the standard Fire and Rescue NSW appliances and the proposed redeployment would compromise the safety of the city, Mr Greenwood has said.
The Gazette understands the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union expected the Mountains to receive two CAFS vehicles this year. They are currently in industrial negotiations over staffing and CAFS vehicles.
Country sub branch representative Tim Anderson said “in a nutshell we believe the CAFS should be in the Blue Mountains because that’s where the greatest risk is, unfortunately the Fire Commissioner believes otherwise”.
“They are parking these tankers in Sydney at permanently manned brigades, most of those guys have already been trained and it’s basically cheaper.”
Mr Anderson said it related to the cuts to the Fire and Rescue budget of “1.2 per cent per annum three or four years ago, and its continuing on every year, so we get less of a service”.
“You don’t need to be a brain surgeon to know that the greatest risk is in the Mountains and that’s where some of them should be,” he added.
“It’s not about bashing up our management, we’ve got less money, so management have to make harder decisions. I’m sure if they weren’t restricted by these budget cuts … this is a political problem.”
In a lengthy statement, Minister for Emergency Services, David Elliott, told the Gazette that when deciding the preferred locations for placement of Compressed Air Foam System (CAFS), FRNSW “considered numerous fire stations across NSW”.
“At the end of 2014, a bulk 9,500 litre CAFS tanker was installed at Cranebrook fire station, near Glenbrook, increasing fire protection for the Lower Blue Mountains area. As with all FRNSW appliances, this tanker can be redeployed anywhere it is required, including Glenbrook or other Blue Mountains locations.
He said Glenbrook had “a bushfire tanker and an urban fire truck, which also has bushfire fighting capability. Penrith, Regentville and Springwood fire stations are also well-resourced and permanently staffed, and are close to Glenbrook”.
Mr Elliot added there were “plans to place another 9,500 litre CAFS tanker at Katoomba fire station, and this is being negotiated with the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union at present. The tanker has recently been delivered to FRNSW and is ready for installation”.