auntys_eyes wrote:That's absolutely shocking!!! How can DFES turn it's back on SO much history and heritage
. I had heard a rumour of a possible ammalgamation and move to the old Midland Fire Station when the WAERN project moved out. Where on earth at Forrestfield Academy would they house an operating VFRS brigade to provide 24/7 access and turn-out capacity??
The meeting was run by the Assistant Commissioner of DFES and 2 other senior staff members. From memory, what was said was:
- both Bassendean and Guilford WILL be closed on the 1st of October 2013, with the new brigade in Forrestfield being formed shortly after. The reasoning was that there has been need for these specific brigades to remain as both brigades have been used as state resources in recent times anyway. All other VFRS brigades in the metro area retain a turnout area of their own at this time.
- Guilford station is heritage listed, Bassendean is not - no decision has been made as to the future of the buildings at this time.
- the brigade will be run by the DFES Perms that run the Training Centre
- the brigade will be housed in a temp building near applied training until a more suitable building can be built at the centre.
- the brigade will be a state resource, and will not have a primary turnout role. As such they will primarily be used for crew replacement at large incidents, or as a strike force intrastate.
- the Bassendean/Guildford running teams may stay separated if the brigades wish.
- Training and station access will not be available 24/7 - the brigade will have to work in with the schedule of the training centre and book training nights (with obvious exceptions for incidents)
- The brigade will have access to all the vehicles at the training centre with the entire crews being trained on selected vehicles, and then selected members will be trained on other vehicles (Ie: Scania pumps)
- It was said that the history and memorabilia of both brigades will be retained, and eventually displayed, as that is over 100 years of awards.