New $578,000 fire engine boosts Blacktown
10th September 2009Ministerial media release
Fire and emergency protection for residents and businesses in Western Sydney has been boosted with the handover of a new fire engine to the NSW Fire Brigades' Blacktown Fire Station.
Member for Blacktown, Paul Gibson, represented Minster for Emergency Services Steve Whan to officially hand over the new $578,000 fire engine to firefighters at a special ceremony at Blacktown Fire Station.
"This vehicle has been specifically designed for firefighting in urban areas and also carries state-of-the-art rescue equipment," Mr Gibson said.
"This new Blacktown appliance features a pump that supplies up to 4000 litres of water a minute for firefighting operations and a foam system to fight chemical, petrol and bush fires.
Mr Gibson said firefighters from Blacktown had responded to more than 1800 emergency calls in 2008/09 ranging from building and grass fires to rescues and hazardous materials incidents.
"The Blacktown Brigade does an extraordinary job in protecting their community, and this new pumper will help them do their work even more effectively.
Minister Whan said the Rees Government's record $903 million 2009/10 emergency services budget included $589 million for the Fire Brigades, providing $18 million to continue updating its fleet with more than 20 new fire engines and specialised vehicles" he said.
"This is the largest roll out of new and upgraded fire engines in NSWFB history.
"This means that since 1995, the Labor Government will have allocated more than $243 million to provide almost 550 new and refurbished fire engines for communities around the State."
NSWFB Acting Commissioner John Benson said the new specialist vehicle would further enhance the response capability of Blacktown Fire Station.
"Fleet upgrades such as this ensure that our frontline firefighters have the best equipment and the latest technology to ensure the safety and protection of their local communities," he said.
New $578,000 fire engine boosts Blacktown (PDF 26KB)