NSW firefighters home from Qld
26th October 2009Ministerial media release
NSW Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan has thanked more than 80 NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) personnel who assisted with the firefighting effort in Queensland over the past week.
Mr Whan said the firefighters had been deployed to assist their interstate colleagues on fires in the Rockhampton and Bundaberg areas.
"NSW has a long history of helping other states in their time of need and once again, our volunteers have shown exceptional professionalism interstate," Mr Whan said.
"Our crews, from areas including the Illawarra, Bathurst, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Baulkham Hills, Sutherland and Wollondilly, undertook important work such as property protection and backburning over the past week.
"With the level of fire activity easing in Queensland, NSW crews have now returned home."
Mr Whan also thanked the families and employers of the NSW firefighters.
"It takes an incredible amount of commitment for these firefighters to be deployed interstate, away from their families and their jobs," he said.
"We are proud of their commitment, as well as that of their families and employers, whose contribution is just as important."
Mr Whan said the recent fire activity in Queensland, as well as across NSW, was a reminder to people everywhere about the importance of taking steps to Prepare. Act. Survive this bush fire season.
"Latest forecasts are pointing towards a busy bush fire season in NSW and now is the time for people to prepare their homes and themselves," he said.
"People should be undertaking essential work around their homes, such as clearing fuel from their properties, to give their homes the best chance of survival from bush fire.
"It's also critical that people complete a Bush Fire Survival Plan so everyone knows exactly what to do in the event of a fire," he said.
Bush Fire Survival Plans and other information are available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
NSW firefighters home from Qld (PDF 32KB)