Dapto and Oak Flats Rural Fire Service Brigades

Ms LYLEA McMAHON (Shellharbour—Parliamentary Secretary) [11.38 a.m.]: On Saturday 28 March I joined the Minister for Emergency Services at an event held at the Dapto Rural Fire Service station in Wongawilli, a suburb quietly nestled toward the escarpment and on the western fringe of Dapto, in my electorate. The Minister and I organised this visit to present more than $5,000 worth of new ground radios for New South Wales Rural Fire Service volunteers in the Illawarra. The core reason that the Minister and I attended the Dapto Rural Fire Service station was to meet the volunteers and thank them for their long-time contribution to protecting the Illawarra community from fire, and for offering their services and resources to their comrades in Victoria.

It was only weeks ago that volunteers from the Illawarra Rural Fire Service joined the firefighting efforts in Victoria and again underlined their reputation as some of the most professional and dedicated firefighters in the world. There are almost 700 Rural Fire Service volunteers in the Illawarra district, who selflessly offer a high level of protection for the people of this region. With the incomprehensible reality of the Victorian bushfires at the forefront of our minds, the certainty of such disaster and tragedy really drives home the enormity and savagery that these men and women are up against in their everyday roles—a heroic role, by anyone's standards.

A lot of the individuals present at the function at Dapto Rural Fire Service station have, time after time, answered the call without hesitation, be it in the early hours of the morning, at work, at social events, during important family commitments, or just recuperating from the last blaze that they fought for the safety and protection of the community at large. It was therefore a humbling experience meeting these dedicated men and women and expressing to them our deepest gratitude on behalf of the Government and the local community for their ongoing service and unwavering commitment. We also used the forum to highlight the Government's commitment to providing the volunteers with the training, technology, equipment and support they need for their vital work. The new radio packs are just one example of this.

I take this opportunity to put on record some of the names of the volunteers and cadets from the Oak Flats rural fire brigade and the Dapto rural fire brigade, who take on these roles and rise to these challenges without so much as a second thought. These include Chief Superintendent Bruce McDonald, who was representing Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons; Chief Superintendent Steve Yorke, Regional Manager East; Superintendent Richard Cotterill, Illawarra Zone Manager; Captain Harvey Bailey, Dapto Brigade, and members of his team, including Fred Priestly, Joe McDiarmid, Steve Roberts, Jason Gallagher, Bruce O'Dea, Mark Collins, Steve Martin, David Hampton, Robert Kennedy, Marcus Bartel and Kerrie O'Dea. Kerrie O'Dea also deserves particular mention for organising a wonderful afternoon tea for the assembled guests.

Captain Chris Nolan from the Oak Flats Brigade attended, as did a number of his crew. They included Chris Huer, a deputy, Sandra Huer, a deputy, Colin Crawford and Gary McDougal. Oak Flats is one of the few stations in the region that has a cadet brigade, which is participating in the Australasian championships. The cadets present on the day were Lisa Rainey, the team captain, Laura Wilson, Jennifer Butler, Suzannah Butler, Chris Brown and Ben Nolan. Whilst many people put their hands up to assist in Victoria, I would like to acknowledge those members from the Oak Flats brigade of the Rural Fire Service who went to provide support and assistance: Steven Barlow, Chris Huer, Sandra Huer, John Bridge, Tim Ball, Brett Sheridan and Steven Skinner. There were also a number of brigade captains from the surrounding area present on the day.

Day in, day out Rural Fire Service members in the Illawarra provide a vital service, whether fighting bush, grass or structure fires, providing support at motor vehicle accidents or search operations or helping people with fire safety and prevention. We owe our Rural Fire Service volunteers a great debt of gratitude for their professionalism and commitment and the time they generously give up to assist their community. The Illawarra area has experienced bushfires on a number of occasions, which have been documented since 1939. Significant fires occur each year, with potential to cause major loss and damage. Hazard reduction takes place in many areas of the Illawarra and a significant amount of effort by the Rural Fire Service goes into engaging with the community. The Rural Fire Service in the Illawarra has established the service's first Community Safety Brigade, which brings together the existing brigades and specialist personnel to engage with the community. In conclusion I recognise the great work of these volunteers. We must also acknowledge and thank their families and employers, whose support and encouragement are vital to the continued success of the Rural Fire Service.

Mr BARRY COLLIER (Miranda—Parliamentary Secretary) [11.43 a.m.]: I thank the member for Shellharbour for bringing to the attention of the House the wonderful work, commitment and dedication of the members of the Rural Fire Service at Dapto and Oak Flats. They are volunteers who are willing to put their lives on the line and, as the member said, are willing to go anywhere to protect lives and property. She also mentioned the members of the service who were willing to go to assist our brothers and sisters in Victoria to fight the horrific fires that occurred there. Often the media uses the word "heroes" in a very loose sense, but these people are willing to put their lives on the line to save other lives and property. They are true heroes in every sense of the word. As the member said, all of us owe the brigades so much, as we do every other member of the Rural Fire Service and all the volunteers and emergency services throughout the State. I thank the member for bringing to the attention of the House the wonderful work of the Rural Fire Service volunteers from Dapto and Oak Flats.