WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

does Water corp Fire support have p1 or p2 status

No.

I may Be incorrect but I believe the Support vehicle is set up for emergency turn out L&S
The vehicle has the capability its just a matter of regulations.

I have a picture here somewhere but I am sure that it does have lights fitted just to back up pacestick. Even some of their water trailers have red and blue lights on them.

Why would you give sirens to water corp. They dont require them and they dont need to get to a job in a emergency that's why we have fire trucks.

Hi Macca, not sure about the sirens. However, to contribute to this discussion, in Bullsbrok and surrounding areas where we do have one 7:2, tanks and hydrants and scarce or non existant. 500 lts on a light tanker and 4000 lts on one 3:4 does not go very far. In the past, at major incidents, we were very grateful that Water Corp. got there so quickly with tankers. Saved a lot of time with lots a vehicles leaving fires and travelling 5 - km to a reliable water source in town. In City of Swan there are limited 7:2s operational and they are always being called out. Maybe this is why Water Corps have siren?

.....oh I forgot to add to previous comment, this is especially pertinent in the late evenings & night when air support is not available. I know there will be a lot of discussions about the use of sirens and lights in an "emergency", as a community, we were very grateful when the Water Corp turned up with the wet stuff so quickly.

I once saw lights and sirens on a B-double fuel tanker. I don't have a problem with it as long as the drivers are trained.

WaterCorp Fire Support does not have a siren fitted - it is fitted with Red Beacons/Grill lights for movements on the Fireground.

Firstly, do not get confused with the overuse of the often incorrect term "lights & sirens". Just because a vehicle has warning lights fitted it does NOT automatically mean it has a siren fitted as well. The two are not mutually inclusive. Some vehicles, for whatever reason, have warning lights fitted (including red and blue), but do not have a siren.

Secondly, some vehicles from recognised emergency services, as well as statutory bodies, have warning lights fitted for use only at or on active incident scenes. Different services/departments/organisations have in place regulations/SOPs/guidelines that require vehicles to display warning lights in certain circumstances. Those vehicles may not have a siren, may not be required to attend under priority, may not have drivers trained in priority/UDD driving, but never-the-less are required to display warning lights whilst attending an incident.
By way of example, our BFB has a vehicle which is fully marked as a BFB vehicle, is fitted with red/blue warning lights and siren but is not authorised to be driven under priority. It turns out "normal road" and we activate the warning lights once at an incident.

So aunty, why does this vehicle even have a siren fitted?

xr8edute wrote:So aunty, why does this vehicle even have a siren fitted?

When it was first aquired it was used as a priority vehicle hence fitted with both lights and siren. Since then the vehicle's role has changed, and also standards for priority authorised vehicles have changed (she's getting a bit old).

Here is another point to through out - would you think its required to have a small fleet of vehicles that are able to go emergency conditions to attend burst water pipes? [severe incidents]

With water becoming precious and valuable - sometimes can take Water corp over an hour to attend [burst water pipe resulting in the road collapsing]

Just my 2c

written_ficton wrote:With water becoming precious and valuable - sometimes can take Water corp over an hour to attend [burst water pipe resulting in the road collapsing]

Problem is a burst water pipe doesn't involve life endangerment, so there is no justification for it. A road is likely to crumble before anything major, I've been to two or three now where the road just turns into a mini lake and an off road course, nothing serious enough.

a burst main may endanger life if we over-run the reticulated supply at a big job and dont have enough water for clp's, monitors, sprinkler systems etc- at this point water corp would be required to attend asap to isolate surrounding non-essential supply.