Black Hawk helicopters to fight NSW bushfires
High-level talks are under way between the state and federal governments over allowing firefighters to be deployed in two Black Hawk helicopters during major bushfire emergencies.
NSW
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High-level talks are under way between the state and federal governments over allowing firefighters to be deployed in two Black Hawk helicopters during major bushfire emergencies.
The Turnbull government announced the former military choppers would be transferred to the NSW Rural Fire Service to bolster its aerial squadron once they were withdrawn from armed forces service.
Almost three years on, the NSW RFS is still waiting to use the helicopters, with Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulations restricting non-military personnel such as firefighters from flying in them.
However, Police and Emergency Services Minister David Elliott and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack were locked in negotiations on Thursday to overcome the rules impasse.
As a result, it is understood the NSW RFS is anticipating delivery of the helicopters, which will be used predominantly for rapid response to remote area fires given the aircraft having cruising speeds of 270km/h, as early as the end of this year.
The talks come as the NSW government prepares to spend $17.2 million to make the two helicopters ready for use by firefighters as part of a $268.2 million, four-year funding package to boost NSW’s firefighting capabilities.
The funding package, which forms part of the upcoming NSW Budget, will also include $34.4 million to overhaul thousands of kilometres of fire trails, including widening them and putting up signposts to tell firefighters of the location of water portals, and $5.2 million for firefighting drones.
Another $50.9 million will go towards firefighting tanker replacements and safety retrofits for frontline fleets also operated by Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry Corps.
Hazard reduction is also a focus of the package with $37.6 million to be spent on additional mitigation crews.
Fire and Rescue NSW will receive $22.7 million for a personal protective clothing replacement program along with $19.9 million to upgrade the dispatch system. There will also be $10.6 million to implement a new National Fire Danger Rating.
Enhancing firefighter safety through fire ground tracking, training and accreditation of heavy plant machinery operators will get $6.7 million.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the package takes the commitment by the government in response to the Bushfire Inquiry, in partnership with the Commonwealth, to more than $460 million.
“This commitment will bolster the future of our fire agencies and preparedness of communities, many of whom of have personally witnessed the devastating effects of fire,” he said.
Mr Elliott said the government would continue to act on lessons from the Black Summer bushfires.
RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers said: “This commitment will assist by increasing mitigation crews on the ground, getting aviation assets in the sky, and most importantly providing safer trucks for our firefighters.”
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