Department of Fire and Emergency Services

With a staggering 70% of RAC Rescue missions stemming from road crashes, it's crucial to acknowledge the profound impact these incidents have on our first responders, especially during National Road Safety Week. RAC Rescue Pilot Ron van Heerden sheds light on the enduring toll experienced by those who answer the call for help. From extracting victims from twisted car wrecks to providing critical care amid chaos, WA's dedicated first responders confront harrowing scenes, often bearing the weight of what they witness as they await the next call to do it all again. For the sake of our incredible RAC Rescue Helicopter team, alongside police, paramedics, firefighters, and emergency services volunteers, we implore WA drivers to prioritise road safety. Wear a seatbelt, slow down, and avoid driving distracted, tired, or under the influence. Together, we can all play a part in reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads. Full story here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gS-xNKtU The RAC Rescue Helicopters are sponsored by RAC, funded by the State Government, and managed by DFES.

📣 We’re hiring a Digital Communications Officer 📣 In this role, you’ll be an integral part of our award winning Digital and Campaigns team and will be able to apply your communication skills and creativity to regularly produce content for our socials which showcase our firefighters, volunteers, and other emergency service workers, in addition to our State-wide safety and recruitment campaigns. When the heat is on, you’ll work alongside the DFES Public Information and Media teams to keep our communities informed and empowered to make life-changing decisions. If you are, or know a creative communicator who thrives in a high-pressure environment, get in touch. Applications close 4pm, 15 May 2024.

Around 350 people attended the memorial service in Kings Park to honour those who have died in the line of duty and recognise the contribution made by firefighters past and present 💙 The service to mark International Firefighters' Day saw families of fallen firefighters come together with current and retired emergency services personnel to pay their respects, as eight new names were added to the Honour Roll and engraved on plaques at the Firefighters’ Memorial Grove. Fremantle artist John Butler and Emergency Services Coordinator Andriena Ciric attended to commemorate their grandfathers who tragically died in the same fire near Nannup on 2 January 1958. With the new additions, the plaques now bear the names of 94 WA volunteer and career firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

In what has been a challenging bushfire season, we’re excited to deliver 14 new appliances to our hard-working crews across WA. This new gear will bolster our response capabilities for fires, marine rescues, HAZMAT incidents, road crashes, and natural hazards such as storms and floods. Our career and volunteer firefighters and SES crews in the South West have taken on eight new appliances, including an Urban Pumper Heavy Rescue unit, capable of pumping almost 5,000 litres of water per minute. Marine Rescue Fremantle have received a new Rigid Hulled Boat to assist with rescues, while units in the Pilbara have taken on four frontline response vehicles and a marine search and rescue vessel which will support our remote emergency services volunteers. Thank you to our incredible crews for your ongoing dedication and commitment. We hope these new additions will be a welcome addition to your fleet and a helpful resource in your roles.

We are pleased to introduce our Young People’s Advisory Council! This diverse team from across WA is committed to fostering positive change for the future. Meeting with our Commissioner throughout the year, they'll utilise their unique backgrounds in volunteering, career firefighting and more to support young emergency services personnel. The Council met for the first time ahead of Youth Week and we’re excited to follow their journey and witness the difference they'll make.

Harmony Week celebrates the strength found in diversity and the need to foster inclusivity across all facets of our society 🧡   This includes providing equal access to essential information, particularly in times of crisis. We’re proud of the work we’re doing to offer safety and preparation information in 20 languages, to ensure that every individual, regardless of background, can access life-saving information.   We’ve also engaged with a few of our culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) communities, delivering Disaster Resilience Workshops to Arabic, Farsi, Tamil, Swahili, Somali, Punjabi, and Chinese communities. The workshops empower individuals to prepare for emergencies, have plans in place for when disaster strikes, and provide them with the opportunity to help safeguard their homes and loved ones. This work is the embodiment of the Harmony Week theme 'Everyone Belongs' fostering unity and understanding in our WA communities.

We are proud to share that DFES has been recognised with a Highly Commended award at the recent iTnews Benchmark Awards, highlighting Australia's top IT projects.   The award, in the Best State Government Project category, celebrates the success of our Marine RoIP (Radio over Internet Protocol) project. This innovative project aimed to provide 37 geographically diverse Marine Rescue Groups around WA the ability to monitor radio traffic reliably and remotely from anywhere in the State. Since being implemented in June last year over 3.8 million transmissions have been recorded on the system. Glen Watkins, Technical Architect in our Information & Communications Technology team was in Sydney to receive the award on behalf of the Department.   This recognition stands as another testament to our ongoing commitment to keeping our State safe.

Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2024 Youth Programs Awards which were announced yesterday by Deputy Commissioner Melissa Pexton at a gala dinner and presentation ceremony at Optus Stadium 👏 Highlighting the achievements of cadets and instructors from Kununurra in the north to Denmark in the south, the awards signify DFES’s commitment to increase youth engagement and promote the movement of youth into adult volunteering which is a crucial element for sustained volunteer services.

The Western Australian outback is one of the most vast expanses of desert in the world, making finding an object smaller than a 10c piece akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Last year, a remarkable multi-agency team accomplished just that. They located a tiny radioactive capsule along a 1,100+ km search area in only a week. This incredible result, achieved in the face of seemingly impossible odds, is a testament to the close collaboration of all the agencies involved. Yesterday, our Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Craig Waters AFSM, presented certificates of appreciation to the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Australian Radiation Protection And Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) for their help in finding the lost radioactive capsule. Their expertise, equipment, support, and cooperation were vital to the success of this unique operation.

Summer might officially be over, but the heat isn't letting up. Today’s release of the AFAC Autumn Seasonal Bushfire Outlook paints a concerning picture, predicting continued hot, dry, and windy conditions for the next three months. With an already dry landscape, the risk of bushfires remains high. Since October, our dedicated firefighters have bravely battled 3,757 bushfires, supported by our aerial fleet dropping over 12 million litres of water and retardant. As always, our firefighting teams, personnel, and volunteers stand ready. Are you prepared for the challenges ahead?