Metropolitan Fire Service

455 Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (17 October 2018). Is the minister satisfied that the training regime for firefighters is adequate, and that new firefighters are equipped for every role they are called on to perform?

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Correctional Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing): I have been advised:

The SA Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) invests heavily in the provision of training for all operational personnel. The MFS was one of the first Australasian fire authorities to provide operational personnel with access to nationally recognised competency-based training through the Staff Development Framework (SDF). Firefighting is a complex profession that takes many years to fully master. One of the key principles underpinning the SDF is that personnel are provided with training needed to independently perform a role before that role is undertaken.

The MFS enrols recruits in a 14-week recruit training program that prepares them to perform all roles expected by a newly employed firefighter. The 14-week recruit course is the foundational starting point of the SDF. Recruit graduates have been assessed to have the competency and capability to successfully and safely perform all roles that may reasonably be expected of them under the direct supervision of their officer. Recruit graduates are placed on a six-month probationary period where the performance and safety of graduated recruits is closely monitored and regularly evaluated. Any performance or behavioural concerns are promptly addressed through additional training or mentoring.

All graduating recruits enrol in a further six years of mandatory training through the SDF. This program includes increasingly complex and specialised operational competencies as well as training in non-operational skills such as risk management, human resources, finances and communication that will be required as the firefighter progresses to positions of increasing responsibility. This training ensures that firefighters will increasingly be able to perform every role they may be called upon to perform independently (with a minimum of supervision).

Upon successful completion of the six-year firefighter development program personnel progress to the rank of Senior Firefighter. At the rank of Senior Firefighter, enrolment in the SDF becomes voluntary depending on whether the firefighter wishes to contest promotion to higher rank. This training increasingly focuses on the ability to lead and manage operational incidents across the entire range of hazards to which the MFS responds.

The state government believes that in many regards the training and development provided to new and current operational firefighters is industry leading. This includes extensive position analysis and the provision of training tailored that is role-based. In the majority of cases, training is aligned to (but not limited to) nationally recognised competencies. The MFS has also pioneered training in transferable skills including fireground decision making and incident management that increase the commonality and efficiency of learning for firefighters. The state government is therefore confident that the training regime for firefighters is more than adequate, and that new firefighters are equipped for every role they are called on to perform.