New South Wales Rural Fire Service

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from NSW Rural Fire Service)
Jump to: navigation, search
 This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please improve this article if you can. (May 2007)
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
Established 1997
Staffing Volunteer
Strength 70,000+
Stations 1000+
Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is a volunteer based firefighting agency and statutory body of the NSW Government that is responsible for the general administration of rural fire management affairs including administration of the Rural Fire Fighting Fund; co-ordination with local government of the State's Rural Fire Brigades; design and provision of fire fighting equipment to rural fire brigades through local government; the training of Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade members; community education in relation to fire affairs; emergency planning and generally taking measures for the prevention of loss and life and property from fires. The Fire Service is responsible to the NSW Minister of Emergency Services.

The NSW Rural Fire Service's jurisdiction covers more than 90% of the geographical area of the state of New South Wales in Australia. The NSW RFS holds claim to be the world's largest fire service, with almost 70,000 volunteer firefighters forming 2093 volunteer brigades across New South Wales.[1] and has 600 paid staff who fulfil the senior operational management and administrative roles of the service (current October 2005)[citation needed].

Contents

RFS memorial in Berrigan commemorating the establishment of the first bush fire brigade in New South Wales.
RFS memorial in Berrigan commemorating the establishment of the first bush fire brigade in New South Wales.

In New South Wales, organised control of bushfires and the genesis of the NSW Rural Fire Servce began with the establishment of volunteer bushfire brigades, the first of which was formed at Berrigan in 1896[2]. The residents of this south-western New South Wales township formed Australia's first official bushfire brigade for mutual protection against the ever-present threat of bushhfires[3].

In 1919 The Local Government Act provided for the prevention and mitigation of bushfires by authorising local councils to establish, manage and maintain these brigades[4]

The Bush Fires Act 1930 gave local councils the authority to appoint bushfire officers with powers in their area that were comparable to those held by a Chief Officer of the NSW Fire Brigades[5]

In September 1937 the NSW Minister who was responsible for Bush Fires called a conference of fire-fighting authorities to discuss the prevention of bushfires during the summer months. As a result the Bush Fire Advisory Committee was established; its object was to prevent and mitigate bush fires[6]. The Committee had no statutory powers but it actively publicised the need for the public to observe fire safety precautions and it highlighted the role of the Bush Fire Brigades. This Committee was largely responsible for preparing the considerable changes to earlier legislation which were brought into effect by the passage of the Bush Fires Act of 1949[7].

Until 1949 Bushfire Brigades managed fires in areas not proclaimed fire districts by the Fire Brigades Act (1909-1927) and serviced by the fire brigades of the Board of Fire Commissioners. Fire fighting services provided by the Board of Fire Commissioners extended through mainly urban areas -the Sydney region falling within the County of Cumberland, the cities of Newcastle and Wollongong, Blue Mountains and larger country towns. As well as the Fire Brigades and the Bushfire Brigades, the Forestry Commission also organised and trained its own fire-fighters who carried out their duties in forests, National Parks and on Crown land.[8]

The Bush Fires Act, 1949 was assented to on 11 November 1949 and came into effect on 9 December 1949[9]. This legislation consolidated and modernised the law relating to the prevention, control and suppression of bush fires, and gave councils and other authorities wider powers to protect the areas under their control. The Bushfire brigades manned by volunteers and directed by their captains and deputy captains appointed by their local Councils were to continue but group captains could now be appointed by shire and district councils or Ministers to direct brigades formed by two adjoining councils[10].

The Act gave the Governor on NSW the authority to proclaim Bush fire districts where no fire district had previously been proclaimed. A Bush Fire Fighting Fund was established for strengthening the volunteer bush fire brigade system. This was to be financed by insurance companies who contributed half the funds, and the remainder was supplied equally by state and local government. The Act enabled the co-ordination of the activities of the Board of Fire Commissioners, the Forestry Commission and the Bush Fire Brigades. The Minister (for Local Government ) was empowered to appoint a person to take charge of all bush fire operations in a state of emergency[11].

The Act also established the Bush Fire Committee which was to replace the Bush Fire Advisory Committee and was to comprise 20 members representing NSW Government departments, local government, the insurance industry, the farming community, the Board of Fire Commissioners, and the Commonwealth Meteorological Bureau. The Bush Fire Committee was to have a standing committee composed of a Chairman and five others who met at least once a month[12].

The Bush Fire Committee with headquarters in Sydney advised the Chief Secretary and Minister for Local Government on all matters relating to bush fires, and generally coordinated the work of volunteer fire fighting groups and was responsible for community education relating to bushfires[13].

In 1970, by amendment to the Bush Fires Act the Bush Fire Committee was replaced by the Bush Fire Council[14]. The Act provided for at least five members of the Council to be members of the Bush Fire Brigades.

The legislation also provided for the establishment of a special Co-ordinating Committee within the Council[15], and for the appointment by the Governor of a Chief Co-ordinator of Bush Fire Fighting who was responsible to the Committee.

The function of the Committee was to ensure that the facilities provided by the fire-fighting bodies and other sources in the eastern part of the State were co-ordinated effectively prior to and during the bush fire season, and particularly during bush fire emergencies. The amending legislation also provided for a Finance Committee of the Council which was required to make annual estimates of the probable expenditure from the statutory bush fire fighting fund for each of the fire regions proclaimed under the Act[16].

The Council was originally responsible to the Chief Secretary with the Bush Fires Branch of his Department providing a secretariat. In January 1975, the Bush Fires Branch was integrated with the State Emergency Service under the Minister for Youth, Ethnic and Community Affairs and renamed the Bush Fire Service[17]. The Director of NSW State Emergency Services also held the position of Chairman of the Bush Fire Council. Between 1975 and 1978, as a result of reviews of the machinery of Government and a change of Government in 1976, the State Emergency Services came under the responsibility of a number of different Ministers[18].

Late in 1978, the Bush Fire Service was separated from the NSW State Emergency Services and attached to the Department of Services, and in May 1982 it was transferred to the Office of the NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

With the abolition of the Office of the NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services on 31 March 1988, the Bush Fire Council was established as a separate administrative unit from 1 April 1988.

The Department of Bush Fire Services was established in 1990, to administer the Bush Fires Act, 1949. Phil Koperberg was appointed Director-General of Department from 11 May 1990[19]

The Department of Bush Fire Services was responsible for the management and control of the New South Wales Bush Fire Fighting Fund; co-ordination in conjunction with local government of the State's 2,500 Bush Fire Brigades; design and provision of fire fighting equipment to Bush Fire Brigades through local government; the training of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade members; community education in relation to bush fire affairs; emergency planning and generally taking measures for the prevention of loss of life and property from bush fires[20] The Department played an integral role in co-ordinating the fire fighting activities of several other government agencies such as the National Parks and Wildlife Service, State Forests of New South Wales, Sydney Water and the New South Wales Fire Brigades in emergency circumstances[21].

Following a lengthy Coronial Inquiry into the devastating fires of 1993/4 the NSW State Government began drafting the 1997 Rural Fires Act.

The NSW Rural Fire Service was established by the Rural Fires Act 1997 which was assented to on 10 July 1997 and came into force on 1 September 1997[22]. The Rural Fires Act repealed the Bush Fires Act, 1949 thereby dissolving the Bush Fire Council and its Committees. Members of these bodies ceased to hold office but were entitled to hold office on a replacing body.

The Rural Fire Service Advisory Council of New South Wales was established. The Council was to consist of nine representatives with a direct or indirect association with bush fire prevention and control; the Commissioner in charge of bush fire fighting services was ex-officio to be the Chairperson of the Council. The task of the Council was to advise and report to the Minister and Commissioner on any matter relating to the administration of rural fire services, and to advise the Commissioner on public education programs relating to rural fire matters, training of rural fire fighters, and on the issue of Service Standards.

A statutory body - the Bush Fire Co-ordinating Committee - also was established. This was to consist of 12 members including the Commissioner who was to act as Chairperson. The Committee was to be responsible for the administration of rural fires management as well as advising the Commissioner on bush fire prevention.

The Committee was to constitute a Bush Fire Management Committee for "the whole of the area of any local authority for which a rural fire district is constituted". Each Management Committee was to prepare and present to the Council a plan of operations and bush fire risk management plan for its area within three months of establishment. The former was to be reviewed every two years; the latter every five years.

Section 102 of the new act established the New South Wales Rural Fire Fighting Fund to replace the New South Wales Bush Fire Fighting Fund. Quarterly contributions from insurance companies, local councils and the Treasury were to continue in the same proportions as under previous legislation - 14 % from the State Treasury, 73.7% from the insurance industry and 12.3% from local Councils[23]

The Rural Fire Service (RFS) consists of 2,094 brigades and has a total volunteer membership of approximately 69,300. In addition the RFS has about 600 staff situated at Headquarters, regional offices and Fire Control Centres around NSW. The RFS Headquarters, located at Homebush, comprises five Directorates:

  • Administration and Finance
  • Strategic Development
  • Operations Support
  • Operations and Regional Management
  • Community Safety

Region Manager: John Parnaby

Popular coastal tourist areas from Coffs Harbour to the Tweed Shire and the large inland cities of Tamworth and Armidale make up Region North. The Region’s rural centres include Narrabri, Gunnedah, Inverell and Moree. High summer rainfall generally produces moderate bushfire seasons. Its diverse topography and vegetation include cropping and flat grassland, coastal heath, mountainous, dry sclerophyll and rainforest. Parks and conservation areas protect remote, rugged forest and other natural and cultural assets. Ninety-seven per cent of the region is gazetted as rural fire district. The busy Newell, New England and Pacific Highways bisect the area.[24]

Region Manager: Jeff Lucas

Regarded as fire prone by world standards, this region takes in the South Coast, Southern Tablelands and the western areas of the Riverina. The Region covers all of the NSW/Victoria border, surrounds the ACT and includes areas such as the Bega Valley, the Snowy River and Wagga Wagga. Traditionally, the annual bushfire season begins along the coast in spring and closes in the Riverina in autumn. Fire managers are mindful of heavy concentrations of native and plantation forests, fragile coastal heath communities, alpine pastures and sweeping plains of crops and natural rangelands.[25]

Region Manager: Steve Yorke

By virtue of its size, geography and demographics, Region East provides the RFS with its greatest challenge in its mission to protect life, property and the environment. The Region encompasses the densely populated Sydney basin, the coastal zones north to Port Macquarie and south to Kiama, and stretches inland to Bathurst, Muswellbrook and Merriwa. Containing major industrial, commercial and residential zones and areas of significant natural beauty, the region is vital to the NSW economy. [26]

Region Manager: Dominic Lane AFSM (substantive at Oct 2007)

Rural firefighters provide protection to 98 per cent of Region West, which covers almost 53 percent of NSW, from Mudgee in the east to the South Australian border in the west. The Region has a variety of landscapes from the hilly, timbered tablelands in the east to the vast western plains. Major rivers are the Lachlan, Murray and Darling and transport routes include the Newell and Hume Highways and Great Southern Rail Line. The most significant risks are grass and bushland fires, although transport incidents are becoming more frequent.[27]

The most senior member of the organisation is the Commissioner. The inaugural Commissioner was Phil Koperberg, who was head of the NSW Deparment of Bushfire Services (The predecessor of the RFS) from as early as 1985 when he was director-general. After his election to Parliament in March, 2007 Koperberg formaly resigned his position as Commissioner. In September 2007Shane Fitzsimmons was appointed as Commissioner.

  • Anthony Gates (1997- 1998)

Operational Rank Membership Type Insignia
Commissioner NSW Government Senior Executive Service Officer
Assistant Commissioner NSW Government Senior Executive Service Officer or NSW Government Public Service Officer
Chief Superintendent NSW Government Public Service Officer
Superintendent NSW Government Public Service Officer
Inspector NSW Government Public Service Officer
Group Captain Volunteer
Deputy Group Captain Volunteer Image
Captain Volunteer Image
Senior Deputy Captain Volunteer Image
Deputy Captain Volunteer Image
Fire Fighter Volunteer Image

RFS Category 1 tanker
RFS Category 1 tanker

Firefighting appliances utilised within the RFS are all painted white over orange/red with undercarriages painted black, equipped with red/blue flashing emergency lights and sirens and are categorised as follows:

  • Category 1 Heavy Tanker 4WD (3,001-4,000 Litres)
  • Category 2 Medium Tanker 4WD (1,601-3,000 Litres)
  • Category 3 Heavy Tanker (Cat 1 without 4WD)
  • Category 4 Medium Tanker (Cat 2 without 4WD)
  • Category 5 Super Tanker 4WD (4,001+ Litres)
  • Category 6 Super Tanker (Cat 5 without 4WD)
  • Category 7 Light Tanker 4WD (801-1,600 Litres)
  • Category 8 Light Tanker (Category 7 without 4WD)
  • Category 9 Ultra Light (Striker/Mop-up) 4WD Appliance (350-800 Litres)
  • Category 10 Urban Pumper 4WD
  • Category 11 Urban Pumper
  • Category 12 Personnel Transport Vehicle
  • Category 13 Bulk Water Carriers
  • Category 14 Tanker-Trailers
  • Category 15 Fire Boat

The most common of these tankers (a tanker is a type of fire appliance) is the Dual Cab Category 1 Tanker (mainly used in a combination of urban and rural roles), also in common use are Category 7 tankers in both single and dual cab and Category 9 appliances. Category 2 tankers are less common, and Category 11 pumpers can be found in many brigades with dedicated urban responsibilities. Most brigades have a category 12 vehicle (generally Toyota Landcruiser Troopcarriers) Category 13 vehicles are usually rented in the event of a major fire campaign, however there are some Districts that maintain Category 13 vehicles. Category 14 vehicles are often found on farms. The remaining categories are seldom, if ever, used. Technical information on some of these tankers is available in the Tanker Information section of the service's website.

There are a number of water-based firefighting appliances (Category 15) within the RFS; these appliances are generally operated by brigades located in areas where the only available access is via water (e.g. communities along the Hawkesbury River of NSW).

Typical RFS Toyota Landcruiser Personnel carrier (PC)
Typical RFS Toyota Landcruiser Personnel carrier (PC)

The RFS utilises various support vehicles. These are categorised as follows:

  • Personnel Carriers. Generally a 4WD in the style of Toyota Landcruisers or Land Rover Defenders. In recent times this has been expanded to Toyota Hilux's and Nissan Navaras
  • Forward Control Vehicles. These mobile communications centres can range in size from small 4WD-type vehicles to bus-type vehicles.
  • Bulk Water Tankers to resupply appliances engaged in fire fighting activities.
  • Catering Units. Catering units vary in size from small trailers, to large fully-equipped mobile kitchen trucks. Catering Units are usually operated by specialist Catering Brigades
  • Lighting Units. Towed behind a personnel carrier, or other service vehicle. Used to light areas for night time operations such as Motor Vehicle Accidents.

The Rural Fire Service also operates an Aviation Unit. The RFS owns a number of aircraft, including a fixed wing "Firescan" aircraft used in mapping, monitoring and detecting fires. The Aviation Unit also contracts aircraft on a full time and on call basis in the role of supporting ground-based firefighting efforts, scouting fires, and spotting new fires. RFS Aviation has also been employed to assist during flood emergencies, such as the June 2005 floods in Northern NSW.

Each Rural Fire Service member is issued and equipped with the latest 'standards exceeding' safety equipment in order to undertake the varied and dangerous roles they are trained for, such PPE includes:

For brigades with bushfire and village fire fighting roles, defensive only

  • Bushfire Boots - hard toe boots, heat & chemical resistant
  • Bushfire Gloves - for radiant heat and sharp objects
  • Bushfire Helmet - lightweight head protection for radiant heat and falling trees/branches
  • Bushfire Two Piece Uniform - consists of gold/yellow jacket and pants with 3M triple reflective striping and RFS reflective back patch and sleeve insignia
  • Flash Hoods - for life threatening situations, ie; when in danger of being overrun by fire

For brigades with strong village roles, who are equipped with CABA (compressed air breathing apparatus) and perform offensive firefighting - list below is issued in addition to the above

  • Structural Boots - steel capped boots
  • Structural Jacket and Over trousers - lime green in colour, worn by those entering a burning building for additional radiant heat protection
  • Structural Helmets - extra strength helmet, with corresponding extra weight

  • Wet Weather gear - two piece bright yellow wet weather gear. Some regions will issue to each firefighter, other regions will only issue per seat per appliance.
  • Cold Climate Jacket (AKA Turnout Coat) - used in cold climates or overnight firefighting.

See Brigades of the NSW RFS

  1. ^ Cite error 8; No text given.
  2. ^ The Australian Encyclopaedia, The Grolier Society of Australia, 4th edition, Sydney, 1983 vol. 2 p. 137
  3. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?cat_id=926
  4. ^ NSW Local Government Act. (No. 41, 1919) Section 494
  5. ^ NSW Bush Fires Act (No. 14, 1930) Section 4
  6. ^ Board of Fire Commissioners of New South Wales Report for y/e 31 March 1937 p. 3 in NSW PP 1938-39-40 vol. 17 pp. 1063-1101
  7. ^ Concise Guide 2nd edition 1992 A-Cl "Bush Fire Council" p. 68
  8. ^ Australian Encyclopaedia, vol. 2 p. 204
  9. ^ NSWGG 1949 vol. 2 p. 3660
  10. ^ http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=%5CAgency%5C641
  11. ^ http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=%5CAgency%5C641
  12. ^ http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=%5CAgency%5C641
  13. ^ http://investigator.records.nsw.gov.au/Entity.aspx?Path=%5CAgency%5C641
  14. ^ NSWGG 1970 vol. 2 p. 2110
  15. ^ Bush Fires Act (No.25, 1970) s. 398
  16. ^ Official Year Book of NSW no. 64 1976 p. 682
  17. ^ p. 7 Report of the Bush Fire Council of NSW 1975 in NSWPP 1976-77-78 vol. 1 pp. 953-987
  18. ^ Concise Guide 2nd edition 1992 A-Cl "Bush Fire Council" p. 68
  19. ^ NSWGG 1990 vol. 2 part 1 p. 3775
  20. ^ NSW Government Directory June 1996 18th edition p. 162
  21. ^ Department of Bush Fire Services Annual Report for y/e 30 June,1996 p.8
  22. ^ NSWGG 1997 No. 95 29 August 1997 p. 6644)
  23. ^ Rural Fires Act (No. 65, 1997) Sections 100, 105, 109 & 111
  24. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=375
  25. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=376
  26. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=374
  27. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/dsp_content.cfm?CAT_ID=377
  28. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_C40AAB85.pdf
  29. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_0AE30D63.pdf
  30. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_C40AAB85.pdf
  31. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_0AE30D63.pdf
  32. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_C40AAB85.pdf
  33. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_0AE30D63.pdf
  34. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_C40AAB85.pdf
  35. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_0AE30D63.pdf
  36. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20060112_7D71BA70.pdf
  37. ^ http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/file_system/attachments/State/Attachment_20050308_0AE30D63.pdf

  • NSW Rural Fire Service Corporate Plan 2006-2008[1]
This article or section needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. Please include more appropriate citations from reliable sources.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_Rural_Fire_Service"
Advanced Search
Included Web Search Engines


Safe Search

close

Top Matching Results

Occasionally Search.com will highlight specialized results that are based on the context of your query. Examples of specialized results include specific links to news, images, or video.

Top Matching Results may highlight information from other Search.com pages, content from the CNET Network of sites, or third party content. The listings are based purely on relevance. Search.com does not receive payment for listings in this section but our partners that provide this data may get paid for listing these products.

Sponsored Links

This section contains paid listings which have been purchased by companies that want to have their sites appear for specific search terms and related content. These listings are administered, sorted and maintained by a third party and are not endorsed by Search.com.

Search Results

Search.com sends your search query to several search engines at one time and integrates the results into one list which has been sorted by relevance using Search.com's proprietary algorithm. You can customize the list of search engines included in your metasearch from the preferences.

The search engines that are used in your metasearch may allow companies to pay to have their Web sites included within the results. To view the Paid Inclusion policy for a specific search engine, please visit their Web site. Search.com does not accept payment or share revenue with any search engine partner for listings in this section.