KELSO fire station was offline for nine hours on Sunday as the region sweltered through temperatures in the high-30s, according to the Fire Brigade Employees Union.
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Country sub branch representative Tim Anderson yesterday said it was alarming that the station, which is manned by retained firefighters, was effectively closed due to a lack of manpower on a day when conditions were so bad a total fire ban had been called.
There are three Fire and Rescue NSW trucks in the area – two at Bathurst and one at Kelso. Mr Anderson said when Kelso went offline on Sunday, it left only two trucks in operation.
“One-third of our resources were not able to respond to a fire which puts the community at risk,” Mr Anderson said.
He said if Fire and Rescue NSW couldn’t guarantee four firefighters would be available to man a pump, the station would go offline.
But Mr Anderson said it wasn’t necessary because there were other measures management could have taken to keep Kelso online.
It just doesn’t make sense that Kelso was not online when there was such a high fire danger.
- Tim Anderson
However, Acting Superintendent Tom Freedom yesterday said while Kelso was two firefighters short on Sunday, resources from Bathurst could have been quickly redeployed to cover any fires in the Kelso area.
He stressed the station was not closed but, rather, temporarily offline between 8am and 5pm.
Acting Superintendent Freedom said the pump could still have rolled with two firefighters if necessary, provided there was back-up from nearby stations. As it was unclear whether there would be enough firefighters available to man the Kelso station, the decision was made to take it offline.
However, the union argues it would have been better to call in other firefighters to boost numbers and keep the station operating.
“A decision was made not to use relief firefighters,” Acting Superintendent Freedom said.
“With hindsight, it might have been more prudent to do so.
“We try very hard to man our trucks, but you can’t always guarantee there will be enough crew.
“Retained firefighters are entitled to have a life.”
Acting Superintendent Freedom said if a station was taken offline, management tried to have additional staff available in adjacent areas.
“In this case the station was supported by extra crew and appliances from surrounding areas,” he said.
However, Mr Anderson said this does not change the fact that it is fire brigade policy that all stations remain open on total fire ban days in case there is a major incident.
He said at times like this, Fire and Rescue NSW works closely with the Rural Fire Service in putting together a strike force for rapid response.
“On Sunday, Kelso Fire Station was offline until 5pm, when there were alternatives,” Mr Anderson said. “They could have supplemented those manning the station with relief firefighters or recalled staff to duty, yet they chose not to.
“Only two days earlier we nearly lost a house at Dunkeld in a fast-moving grass fire. Luckily, a rapid response from Fire and Rescue NSW and the RFS saved it. If it had happened on Sunday there would have been one less truck to attend.
“It just doesn’t make sense that Kelso was not online when there was such a high fire danger.”
Mr Anderson said firefighters at Kelso notified management they would have to supplement staff at Kelso on Sunday to keep the station open.
“For whatever reason they chose not to do that,” he said.