Tathra bushfires: Fire union calls for inquiry into ‘turf war’ between RFS and NSW Fire and Rescue

The FIRE brigade’s union is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the “ongoing turf war” between NSW’s two fire services after The Daily Telegraph revealed the Rural Fire Service turned down two NSW Fire and Rescue offers to help with the Tathra bushfire.

THE fire brigade’s union is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the “ongoing turf war” between the state’s two fire services after The Daily Telegraph revealed the Rural Fire Service turned down two NSW Fire and Rescue offers to help with the Tathra bushfire catastrophe.

Fire Brigade Employees Union official Mick Nairn said “heads need to roll” as they had numerous trucks on standby on the far south coast — both for housing protection and bush areas.

More than 70 houses and businesses were destroyed in the coastal town of Tathra. Picture: AAP

“We’re calling on an open inquiry here. We would like preferentially a parliamentary inquiry,” Mr Nairn said.

“This is part of an ongoing turf war. The community is probably unaware but there are invisible boundaries everywhere. And that determines which trucks are responding where. This has got to stop.”

Tathra devastated: Local fireys ignored offers of help

Fire Brigade Employees Union official Mick Nairn. Picture: Kristi Miller

He said houses could have been saved and things needed to change so appliances were sent to jobs as quick as possible.

“I don’t want to see more Tathra’s. I see homes destroyed and a whole bunch of firefighting appliances that our members staff that weren’t used and called in as early as possible,” he said.

“Our appliances we had down there were numerous. Pumpers for housing protection.

We also had numerous tankers capable of going off road in the area as well.”

He rejected the RFS’s claims the vehicles on offer were not suitable.

Gutted homes at Tathra after the fire swept through the town. Picture: Gary Ramage

“On the day due to the nature of the severe warning we had appliances in position around the far south coast capable of going into the bush if needed.”

Mr Nairn said he would support a shift to one state fire service instead of two to stop the problem of the “turf war”.

“Clearly the solution is quite simple, the nearest appliances that can do the most good and get there the quickest need to be called,” he said.

“It makes sense having one service. You’re looking at streamlined, you not having two head offices you’re not having these turf wars over budget.”