Hunter RFS shares record $216m bush fire funding
22nd October 2009Ministerial media release
Rural Fire Brigades across the Hunter Valley will benefit from more than $30 million in funding this year as firefighters head into a potentially severe bush fire season.
Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan today announced the 2009/10 regional funding allocations for Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigades around NSW.
Mr Whan said brigades in Rural Fire Districts throughout the Upper and Lower Hunter would share $30.5 million from the record $216 million Rural Fire Fighting Fund.
The funding includes $1.6 million towards the new Lower Hunter Fire Control Centre at Rutherford and another $120,000 towards the Hunter Valley Fire Control Centre for the Muswellbrook and Singleton districts.
The funding was welcomed by Hunter Labor Party MPs: Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay, Sonia Hornery (Wallsend), Matthew Morris (Charlestown), Frank Terrenzini (Maitland), Kerry Hickey (Cessnock) and Robert Coombs (Swansea).
Minister for the Hunter Jodi McKay said: "These new centres represent a significant investment in further strengthening the bushfire and emergency protection of the Hunter community.
"They will have dedicated communications and operations facilities to help manage bushfires and other incidents which will lead to more efficient response times and containment efforts across the region," Ms McKay said.
Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery said: "Our fire authorities are well prepared for this bush fire season, which could be one of the worst we have faced for some years. Firefighters have already battled several major fires on the North Coast in warm, windy conditions."
Member for Charlstown Matthew Morris said: "Ensuring our RFS volunteers are well equipped and safe as they work to protect the community will, as always, be our highest priority this summer."
Member for Maitland Frank Terrenzini said: "The Government has allocated almost $395 million to provide more than 3640 bush fire tankers since 1995 and we have boosted RFS aerial firefighting resources by $6 million this summer."
Member for Cessnock Kerry Hickey said: "New national Fire Danger Ratings, including the new categories of severe, extreme and catastrophic, and bush fire warning systems are now in place to provide the best warnings possible to residents as our volunteers put their lives on the line. "
Member for Swansea Robert Coombs said: "Residents in bush fire prone areas should be familiar with these and take steps now to Prepare. Act. Survive."
"They must take the time to prepare their homes and families and ensure they have a Bush Fire Survival Plan setting out what they will do in the event of a fire."
Mr Whan said the $30.5 million in funding would help ensure brigades throughout the Hunter had the training, personal safety gear, equipment and support they needed for their vital work.
"Our volunteers provide vital fire and emergency protection for local residents, businesses, agriculture and the Hunter's thousands of visitors," he said.
"The members of the RFS don't volunteer for praise or accolades but I thank each and every one of them for their hard work and dedication to protecting our community."
Mr Whan said the 2009/10 $216 million Rural Fire Fighting Fund included:
- $31.3 million for more than 200 bush fire tankers
- $16 million for new and upgraded brigade stations and fire control centres and the installation of rain water tanks
- $17 million in maintenance grants to local councils
- More than $17 million for bush fire mitigation, including $2 million to help elderly and vulnerable residents reduce their bush fire risk and
- $6 million to boost aerial firefighting resources.
Bush Fire Survival Plans and other information to help residents assess their home's fire risk can be downloaded from the RFS website at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
Hunter RFS shares record $216m bush fire funding (PDF 47KB)