SOUTH Australian Emergency Services Minister Corey Wingard has scheduled a meeting with Mount Gambier City Council next month to discuss the current MFS fleet in the Blue Lake city.
It follows a motion passed at last week’s council meeting to arrange the “urgent meeting” to attempt to secure a pod truck and a 3000 litre urban interface pump rescue appliance for the Mount Gambier station.
The appliances – which have more capacity and capability than the current fleet – will improve the flexibility and range of services for Mount Gambier.
Mr Wingard recently announced the MFS will buy four new “turnkey” fire trucks as part of its 2019/20 capital works program.
However, a spokesperson from the minister’s office could not confirm whether Mount Gambier would be a beneficiary.
“The Minister receives advice from the MFS chief on what appliances are needed where and the government provides the appropriate funding,” the spokesperson said.
“There is a meeting scheduled for January between the mayor and the chief executive of SAFECOM.”
Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell welcomed the motion to meet with the minister, revealing he had worked closely alongside Cr Paul Jenner on a number of issues concerning the Mount Gambier MFS station.
“The time is right to sit down with the minister and make sure the needs of our community are being met both now and into the future,” Mr Bell said.
“The minister is undertaking a review of MFS spending and we need to ensure that we are part of that process.
“Cr Jenner has been an active supporter of the local MFS and we have worked together on a number of issues over a long period of time and I thank him for putting this motion forward.”
A new pump rescue urban interface appliance would be able to hold 1200 litres more water than the current comparative appliance at the station.
It would also provide burn over protection, which Cr Jenner said is a key feature given the rural landscape surrounding the Mount Gambier station.
Mr Wingard’s office responded to the lack of burnover protection in the fleet, stating appliances were being rotated during winter months to provide that protection.
“The MFS works in tandem with the CFS and the State Emergency Service in responding to incidents across the urban interface and local CFS appliances have the coverage and capacity to complement MFS resources,” the spokesperson said.
“Currently MFS appliances are being rotated through a program to provide burnover protection.
“The program runs in the winter months due to peak activity over the bushfire season.”
