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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-30 Daily Xml
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NEW SOUTH WALES BUSHFIRES

Mr ODENWALDER (Little Para) (14:47): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Can the minister inform the house about the South Australian contribution to combating the bushfires in New South Wales?

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:47): I thank the member for Little Para for the question. The New South Wales fires have been described by authorities as the state's worst in 45 years. They destroyed over 200 homes and claimed two lives. When the New South Wales fires began to intensify on Thursday 17 October, the South Australian Country Fire Service began considering what support it could provide New South Wales through its interstate support plan in anticipation of a request from the New South Wales authorities.

On the morning of Friday 18 October, a request for assistance from New South Wales did arrive from the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, and men and women of the Country Fire Service were ready. Crews were assembled at Adelaide Airport by 3pm that afternoon for a 4.15pm departure to Sydney. The first deployment involved 52 personnel, comprising mostly volunteer CFS firefighters, incident management personnel and a liaison officer. The CFS was ably supported by personnel from the MFS, State Emergency Service and the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, and I was at the airport to send them off.

Additional requests for four strike teams were received at approximately 2pm on Monday 21 October. Each of these strike teams comprised five appliances, one bulk water carrier, one logistics vehicle and one command vehicle accompanied by one mechanical service truck (which was provided by the SAMFS) and an incident control vehicle. This is a very significant commitment of resources.

Thirty-three CFS vehicles and 44 personnel departed for New South Wales that day. Crews departed for Sydney the following day at 2.15pm. Trucks and crews had all arrived at the Penrith staging area by 7pm on Tuesday 22 October. South Australian crews were available for tasking at first light on Wednesday 23 October, as planned. In total, our combined emergency services contributed 353 personnel and over 30 vehicles to the firefighting effort. This was a significant logistical operation and a demonstration of the speed and professionalism of the South Australian emergency services.

It is my pleasure to advise the house today that all firefighters have now returned safely. Theirs has been a job well done. Although the worst is over, many fires in New South Wales continue to burn, and I wish the New South Wales authorities and the community all the best with their ongoing efforts. I take this opportunity to note that Bushfire Awareness Week commenced in South Australia on Sunday 27 October. Now is the time for families in, or near, bushfire prone areas to ensure they have a bushfire survival plan. Bushfire planning does not belong to the CFS alone; it is a shared responsibility across all levels of government, industry and the community, and I urge everyone to consider their responsibilities.

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