The state government has committed to building a new modern emergency services training academy to replace the ageing Forrestfield facility.
The McGowan Government has committed to building a new modern emergency services training academy to replace the aging Forrestfield facility.
This comes after the allocation of more than $2 million to this year’s State Budget to explore options for a new emergency services training academy for Western Australia and detailed project planning.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services aim to build a state-of-the-art facility to help train emergency services officers to deal with an increasing range of emergencies and natural hazards.
The new training academy would help ensure Western Australian emergency services are prepared to respond to the ever-changing infrastructure throughout Perth and the regions including complex structure fires, transport tunnel incidents, and structural collapses.
Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan said the McGowan Government has invested significantly in our State's emergency services since taking office and this new training academy is another example of our commitment to getting the best for our emergency services.
“The existing facility at Forrestfield was built in the early 1980s when Perth and the surrounding suburbs and regions had less density and infrastructure.
"We now have traffic and rail tunnels, significantly more high-rise buildings and climate change is affecting the intensity and frequency of bushfires and causing issues with flooding.
"A new training academy will help to ensure our emergency services responders have state-of-the-art facilities to enable them to train and prepare for the growing frequency and severity of modern-day emergencies.
"DFES' responsibilities have also increased substantially since the current training academy was built in the 1980s and the new training academy will enhance the State's ability to prepare for and respond to emergencies, helping to keep the WA community safe,” Mr Logan said.
Mr Logan said the first step is the business case, which will assess the timing, location, costs and other matters, but is an exciting development and aims to make a significant difference to how our emergency services are trained.
The business case would investigate the use of the training academy by other emergency management agencies for their operational training.
Detailed stakeholder consultation will be undertaken with career firefighters, emergency services volunteers, emergency services associations and unions, and other emergency services partners.
The new training academy follows the creation of an Australian-first Bushfire Centre of Excellence in Nambeelup, which is expected to be open by the end of 2020.
