The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) is a government department that is responsible for fire and emergency services in Western Australia. The department came into being in 2012 as a result of the Perth Hills Bush Fire review.DFES is responsible for the management, training and funding of career and volunteer Services including: The Bush Fire Service (BFS) Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) Career Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS or FRS) Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service (VFES) State Emergency Service (SES) Volunteer Marine Rescue Service (VMRS)
History
The DFES was formerly known as the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA), a statutory government authority created in January 1999 to administer the following legislation within the state of Western Australia: Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998 Fire Brigades Act 1942 Bush Fires Act 1954 Emergency Services Levy Act 2002 Emergency Management Act 2005
In the July 2017 Western Australian machinery of government changes, the department remained unaffected.
Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia
The inaugural meeting of the Fire Brigades' Board was held on 16 January 1899. This later led to the establishment of the Western Australian Fire Brigades' Board in 1909. WA Fire Brigades updated their name in 1995 to the Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia, to more accurately reflect the service provided to the communities of Western Australia.
In 1999, with the creation of FESA, brought together the Fire and Rescue Service, and the Bush Fire Service to form the Fire Services Division of FESA. The Fire and Rescue Service and Bush Fire Service actively maintain their original identities.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services was established in 2012 and replaced FESA. The first Fire and Emergency Commissioner Wayne Gregson was appointed. Wayne Gregson is a former WA Police Assistant Commissioner. A new state of the art headquarters is located at Stockton Bend, Cockburn Central. This building includes the state and metropolitan operations centres, statewide communications centre, operations/capability commands and corporate services.
Structure
DFES operates under the Emergency Services Minister of the Government of WA and is the Hazard Management Agency (HMA) for cyclones, floods, storms, tsunami, structural collapse, HAZMAT incidents, earthquakes and fire. Their operational branch comprises Metropolitan Operations, Country Operations and Operations Capability and oversees the following services:
The Career Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia (FRS or CFRS) consists of 1,190 paid firefighters working from 25 metropolitan stations and 4 country stations. Career firefighters attend a 21 week training course held at the academy in Forrestfield. Working on a 2-2-4 roster of two 10 hour day shifts followed by two 14 hour night shifts and then 4 days off. Metropolitan stations operate with at least one urban pumper and light tanker, with a crew of 1 station officer and 3 firefighters. (Perth station does not run light tankers). Country stations operate with a crew of 1 station officer and 4 fire fighters. Some metropolitan stations operate as relieving stations where 2 additional firefighters are on shift, these firefighters will fill short staffing at other stations if the need arises.
Appliance allocation is typically 1 urban pumper and 1 light tanker, with a 2nd pump located at Perth, Vincent, Daglish, Freemantle, Welshpool and Bunbury. Two CLP's are located at Perth and Freemantle stations. Two SET's are located at Murdoch and Osborne Park. Three permanent Urban Tankers are located at Joondalup, Malaga and Canning Vale. With additional Urban Tankers brought online at Ellenbrook, Hope Valley and Maddington, during the high threat period. The ICV is located at Belmont Station.
The Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) is a volunteer service predominantly attending motor vehicle accidents, structure fires and HAZMAT incidents outside of metropolitan areas. In 2019 the VFRS had 2,371 volunteer firefighters in 94 brigades across the state.
The Bush Fire Service (BFS) is a volunteer service tasked with attending any fire outside of a gazetted fire district within a Brigade's Local Government area. They predominantly combat bushfires and conduct hazard reduction burning on a local level. As of 2019, there are 566 Bush Fire Brigades (BFBs) with 19,521 volunteers.