ADF support officers to be embedded in every NSW bushfire coordination centre

Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed to every NSW fire coordination centre after the state asked for more help fighting blazes across NSW.

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Specialist Australian Defence Force personnel are being deployed to fire control centres across NSW after the state requested more help with logistics and engineering support as the recovery effort ramps up.

A Defence Liaison Officer will be deployed at each of the states’s 14 Incident Control Centres, with a list of equipment and support that can be made available at the request of NSW Rural Fire Service incident co-ordinators.

Royal Australian Navy Aircrewman, Petty Officer Jason Wickman assesses the Grose Valley bushfire in the Blue Mountains National Park.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the equipment to be made available would include bulldozers, bulk water carriers and troops.

“We’ll continue to do everything in our power to ensure our fireys have the resources and support they need,” he said.

“We’ve already got our Defence Forces providing helicopter search and rescue, ground transport, accommodation, meals and refuelling.

“My ministers and I remain in constant contact with our state and territory counterparts and fire chiefs and we stand ready to deliver whatever extra help they ask of us.”

Rural Fire Service employee Dwyane Graham and Royal Australian Navy Aircrewman Leading Seaman Brendan Menz view the Tianjara bushfire.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said enhancing its liaison network will enable the ADF to continue providing behind the scenes support that “frees up more firefighters” to fight fires.

“These additional liaison staff will embed with Fire Control Centres across NSW to advise their NSW Rural Fire Service counterparts and help co-ordinate ADF logistical and engineering support,” she said.

“All three services of the ADF continue to provide significant behind the scenes support to firefighting efforts across the nation, including aerial fire reconnaissance, helicopter search and rescue, logistical support such as ground transport, providing meals for exhausted firefighters, as well as basing, refuelling, water resupply, loading fire retardant and air traffic management for firefighting aircraft.”

Members of the Tytherleign family are escorted from the HMAS Albatross 808 Squadron Flight line by Leading Seaman Aircrewman Ben Nixon and Rural Fire Service employee Dwyane Graham after being evacuated from their property near the Tianjara bushfire.

Ms Reynolds said Navy helicopters have also helped evacuate residents from their homes, while Army crews have cleared fire breaks and air force bases were supporting the large aerial tanker fleet.

Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud said the bushfire response had been carefully co-ordinated.

“They’ll be wearing two different uniforms but have one objective, protecting Australians and their property,” he said.

Planning is also underway for the recovery effort to access and clean up areas destroyed by bushfires, which could involve further ADF support if requested by the NSW government.

Originally published as ADF support officers to be embedded in every NSW bushfire coordination centre