Firefighters fight Fire Rescue NSW plan to take Grafton station offline

There is outcry over a move by Fire and Rescue NSW that could almost triple the response time for local fires as the union calls for support of Grafton station.

The difference between a fire causing minimal damage and it leading to total devastation can be a matter of minutes.

That’s why Fire Brigade Employees Union Grafton delegate Chris Rumpf is so concerned about a new plan for the Grafton fire station which he says could extend the wait time for a full response from 10 minutes to almost 45.

The union is fighting Fire Rescue NSW in the Industrial Relations Court over a plan which would allow the Grafton station, and others around the state to be temporarily taken offline in the event of a staffing shortage.

“We have 17 retained firefighters … and because we all have responsibilities to our employers and our families, we need six available to turn out to any job,” Mr Rumpf said.

Fire Brigade Employees Union Grafton delegates Phil Truesdale and Chris Rumpf outside the Grafton station, for which there is a plan to take offline in the event of officer shortages. Picture: Adam Hourigan

Mr Rumpf said currently if there were less than six available, an officer is brought from another station and paid at overtime rates to stay so a crew can be formed.

Under the new plan, the station would be taken offline if unavailable to form the crew, and any jobs allocated to nearby brigades.

“Now, if we get a house fire in Grafton, we’ll have three appliances (trucks) there in 10-15 minutes to work on that fire – two from here and one from South Grafton,” Mr Rumpf said.

“But under this proposal, if we’re taken offline, we’re two trucks down and we’re relying on others coming from Maclean or Woolgoolga or further who are 45 minutes away.”

Mr Rumpf said local officers had been given no notice or consultation over the proposal, and were only recently informed when the union raised the matter.

“South Grafton were put in this situation in 2008 – they’re currently allowed to be taken offline,” Mr Rumpf said.

“What we haven’t been told is if they’re offline, and we’re low on numbers, can we both be taken offline, which means there’s no one in town?”

Fire and Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Fewtrell said under their risk-based approach, a fire truck is only temporarily taken offline when there are more than sufficient resources in the area to respond to emergencies.

“Each fire truck and its crew is a mobile resource available to respond wherever it is needed,” he said.

Emergency services on the scene of a fire that engulfed a B-double truck carrying timber on the Pacific Highway north of Glenugie on Wednesday afternoon. The southbound lanes of the highway were blocked well into the next morning as salvage crews worked to clear the wreckage. Photos courtesy: Fire Rescue NSW

“Our network of coverage is managed centrally from communication centres and is able to provide rapid emergency response based on the fastest available resource, independent of a fixed fire station locations.

“The needs of the community are always taken into account when making a decision to take an appliance offline.”

Fire Brigade Employees Union Grafton delegate Chris Rumpf is concerned over plan to take Grafton station offline in the event of staff shortages. Picture: Adam Hourigan

State Secretary of the union Martin Dixon said they would fight the proposal every way possible, but needed the community’s support.

“We want people to let their family and friends know this Government wants to shut down their local fire station, depriving them and their community of a critical emergency response if anything goes wrong,” he said.

“And most importantly, we need the community to support our local firefighters, who are of course at the centre of this proposal.

“They are doing their best to maintain this vital service, and their employer wants to throw them aside and allow their local community to be exposed.”

Mr Dixon encouraged people to apply for positions at their local Fire & Rescue NSW station if they were recruiting, and thank the local fireys for their exceptional work in the community.