THE State Government has committed to funding a $3 million Rural Fire Service Control Centre in Kelso.
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Member for Bathurst Paul Toole made the announcement and said he was pleased to bring the project to fruition after years of campaigning.
“It’s been in the works for a number of years. Even back when I was a mayor there were discussions of a control centre,” Mr Toole said.
“This is a great result for the firies and for the project.”
Up until now the RFS has been operating out of the old Evans Shire Council building on Lee Street.
Mr Toole, along with RFS Superintendent Tom Shirt, described the Lee Street site as inadequate and crowded when it came to holding meetings.
“All the other agencies come in and we just don’t have the room, the working space, to coordinate fire fighting,” Superintendent Shirt said.
Bathurst Regional Council is backing the project and has provided a block of land on Hampden Park Road for the new facility.
Deputy mayor Ian North said the control centre was “desperately needed” for the volunteers, and he thanked Mr Toole and the NSW Government for their contribution.
“It is great news for Bathurst,” he said. “It is great news for the volunteers who now have a state-of-the-art facility to work out of.”
Superintendent Shirt said there were 2000 RFS volunteers across the region and, with the addition of this facility, they would be able to receive appropriate training to prepare them for fighting fires.
“It is certainly something the volunteers have been pushing for,” he said.
Construction of the facility is expected to start in the first quarter of 2015 and to be completed towards the end of the year.
“This will enable the RFS to greatly enhance their operation capability in an environment that will provide and meet the highest of standards through a state-of-the-art facility,” Mr Toole said.