Emergency Services

[scottwa2468]

at the end of the day,maybe police should handle all security with public transport,but in reality at the moment that CANT HAPPEN,listning to channel 50 tonight the police were dangeriously close to breaking point,within an hour there were offenders on premisis (times 2),a stabbing 4 x 328s,2 x dui a nasty car accident car accident,2 violent domestics,it was frightning to see that police were at their limit, 2 vechles i cant remember what department they were from?(some sort of area support group) that needed to help police in that area[/u][/b] at the end of the day it seems that the state government are using bandaids for perth emergency services,ill give you a two examples-

police service

general lack of police numbers,using area support officers instead of recruting perhaps 200 + officers that are urgantly required,(not just getting new reqrutes to replace the dozens of officers that leave the service each year

Fire Brigade (FESA)

talk of them taking the largiest fire tender out of service(this tender is bassed at the city station

the closing down of balcatta fire station (the busiest station in perth,in one of perths largiest industrial areas),to relocate this station in duncraig,and really making wangaras station district smaller),closing down of osbourne pk station to relocate it to another area of osbourne park(many of your tax dollers),instead of closing stations down try building more>ie. the more the population expands then the more services you need

anyway im interested to read what other people think of not just my comments but what your impressions are of perths(and all of WA) and with the poll what area of emergency support do they see as needing the most attention??

Edit: Fixed bolding -- Zebedee

[Fastlane]

Scott,

This is probably in the wrong part of the forum? Perhaps re-post this in the general or police/FESA sections? (and then I'll reply )

[Zebedee]

I've split this new discussion from the Public Transport Frequencies thread and put it in here. Since it talks about more than one of the emergency services, General Scanning seemed to be the most appropriate place

Regards,

[Fastlane]

Thanks Doug..

With regards to the FESA side of things, I think you'll find where stations are being closed, it is simply to relocate the resources to a more suitable position. The population in areas such as Osborne Park and Balcatta isnt in a phase of huge growth, however, since those stations were built, things have changed in the surrounding areas..

Another important point is access to other areas - Osborne Park particularly, was in a strange spot in their old station - no easy access to the Freeway Northbound whereas their new location is close to Freeway entries in both directions. Duncraig as well, has better access - being on Hepburn Ave, they have easy access East & West to the Freeway or Marmion Avenue and West Coast Highway.

As for the largest fire tender, you are possibly talking about the Heavy Rescue Tender in Perth station - used at vehicle accidents and such. One thing to remember, is that every Fire & Rescue pump carries rescue equipment - last I read, the more specialised gear on HRT will be moved onto some of those pumps so it is not lost when the appliance goes.

[scottwa2468]

the reason i posted in this forum is because one of the otherpeople was saying that secureforce should not handle bus security and that police should be in charge of all public transport,i see your point fastlane but I had found out through my work that the recommended response time to a fire is 9 minutes. (used to be 7 minutes),however the average response time is 12 minutes.with balcatta station moving to duncraig was for in partular Hilliries boat habour,fesa had been trying to get the station into the hepburn hights area however local residents opposed this move so the just put it accross the road,Balcatta station wasnt in a bad area,and we have to remember that peters works around the clock in balcatta and balcatta isnt exactly a small industrial area.part of wangara station area is north of hepburn ave and south was balcatta of course now its duncraig.I believe that the huge amount of tax payers money to close balcatta,and relocate osb park station could have been used better ie. and extra station (possably duncraig) while keeping ossie park station where it was and leaving balcatta where it was,these station relocations would have been in the millions of dollars,we have to build more fire stations for the growing population,no relocating them or closing them down

[dazla]

I think the PTA should extend the Transit Guard System to all public Transport and go back to the Special Constable System. The Police simply dont have the resources or the manpower to tackle public transport security.

[meg]

With regards to the FESA side of things, I think you'll find where stations are being closed, it is simply to relocate the resources to a more suitable position. The population in areas such as Osborne Park and Balcatta isnt in a phase of huge growth, however, since those stations were built, things have changed in the surrounding areas..

I'm curious about this comment - surely areas like Balcatta and Osborne Park aren't any less populated (at least by businesses) even though populations are now expanding in other areas?

I would have thought it made more sense to build more fire stations as the population of the state grows, rather than just move them further apart.

I guess it comes down to funds though...

[scottwa2468]

what makes me very angrey is that mr gallop makes us pay a fire service levy,i would not have a problem paying it if we got more fire brigade infunstructure,but as mr gallop prefers to waste millions on the mandurah link and a new stadium while hospitals are very close to breaking,police are streched and crime is up,sja also at breaking point i pray that the libs will get back into power.because mr gallop wastes the billions of dollars extra from gst revenue on rubbish.

[Fastlane]

Scott, you are grossly misinformed.

*ALL* of the funds raised with the Emergency Services Levy are pumped back into the Emergency Services (Fire Service, SES & RAC Resuce 1) - the whole thing is administered by FESA. The govt doesnt get to have a dip into it.

Think about things in these terms - there are some 760 volunteer bush fire brigades ALONE across this state. Many of these have not been well funded in the past when the responsibility lay with local government - some local govts and communities simply couldnt afford it. Now with the ESL, FESA is having to play catchup in a big way - getting out of service vehicles which in some cases were up to 30 years old.. providing protective equipment to people that never had it in the past.. its a huge task - and remember, these people are volunteers.. they DESERVE the support.

The system is certainly better than in the past, where people paid a fire levy as part of their insurance. Those that did not insure (or insured offshore) received the services but paid nothing towards them - hardly fair! At least now, *everyone* makes a contribution.. no freeloaders!

Now, as for industrial areas, you have to remember - the goal of the Fire Services is to Protect HUMAN LIFE, PROPERTY and the ENVIRONMENT in that order. Industrial areas have low populations and you'll find most places would have fire alarms and fire protection systems to help AND provide early alert, whereas in residential areas you have high populations and few of the protection systems you get in industry.. the risk to life for the most part, is where people live..

... and scott, I am *sure* you would be the first to complain if they built a fire station somewhere, where they *never* get called out or used because they really werent needed, as the 'risk' wasnt there..

[scottwa2468]

well it seems you still like to play games fastlane,i did not mention anything about volunteer fire fighters,how can you say fesa is alot better then a few years ago,we have one of the worst average response times in thge country,i work for a government department and have previously worked for fesa so i have seen fist hand how they seem to get less money each year,and dont you protend to know what i am thinking!,why not try posting in this forum instead of spending your time saying the opposite of what i post,and i would be for more stations and this of course will lessen the load on each station.grow up mind you with a nick of fastlane you must see life as one big game!!,

[Fastlane]

out of interest, what job at FESA eh?

and the ESL is about ALL fire services, not just Career..

[scottwa2468]

i dont have to explain myself to you fastlane,i am not going to waste my time playing your games!

[Fastlane]

That is fine.. I'm sure everyone here will take that as meaning you didn't work for them.

No worries

[scottwa2468]

Its no bodys business where or what work i have or am doing,you better got to bed little boy,cartoons start on channel 2 very early!!

[dazla]

Calm down people, this is a scanner forum........not a polictical forum.