ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 2005-2006 ISSN 1442-8288 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2005-2006 – AT A GLANCE 5 STRATEGIC ISSUES – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 8 OUR OPERATING ENVIRONMENT – CEO’S REPORT 11 ABOUT FESA 14 MEETING STATE GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 18 MEETING FESA’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 20 FESA’S KEY GOALS FOR 2006-2007 25 REPORT ON ACTIVITIES COMMUNITY-CENTRED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 27 • emergency management arrangements 28 • cyclone 37 • earthquake 42 • fire 43 • flood 58 • hazardous materials (chemical, biological and radiological) 63 • search/rescue 66 • storm 83 • tsunami 86 QUALITY PEOPLE SERVICES 88 SOUND BUSINESS PRACTICES 103 GOVERNANCE • corporate governance 117 • compliance reports 136 • auditor’s opinion 157 • key performance indicators 158 • financial statements 169 FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 1 PRINCIPAL ADDRESS: FESA House 480 Hay Street Perth WA 6000 POSTAL ADDRESS: GPO Box P1174 Perth WA 6844 TELEPHONE: [08] 9323 9300 FACSIMILE: [08] 9323 9470 E-MAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.fesa.wa.gov.au 2 FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 TO THE HONOURABLE JOHN KOBELKE BSc DipEd JP MLA MINISTER FOR POLICE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES In accordance with Section 66 of the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1985, we hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament, the Annual Report of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia for the year ended 30 June 2006. As well as the Financial Administration and Audit Act 1985, the report was prepared according to the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998, the Fire Brigades Act 1942 and the Bush Fires Act 1954. M Barnett AM FESA BOARD CHAIR J Harrison-Ward FESA CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 25 September 2006 FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 3 GLOSSARY OF TERMS AFAC Australasian Fire Authorities Council AWARE All West Australians Reducing Emergencies BFB Bush Fire Brigade BFS Bush Fire Service BRAG Bush Fire Ready Action Group Bushfire CRC Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management (now the Department of Environment and Conservation) CBR Chemical, Biological, Radiological COAG Council of Australian Governments DEMC District Emergency Management Committee CALM Department of Conservation and Land Management EMS Emergency Management Services ESC Emergency Services Cadets ESL Emergency Services Levy FESA Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia FRS Fire and Rescue Service HAZMAT Hazardous Materials LEMC Local Emergency Management Committee SECG State Emergency Co-ordination Group SEMC State Emergency Management Committee SES State Emergency Service USAR Urban Search and Rescue VES Volunteer Emergency Service VFS Volunteer Fire Service VMRS Volunteer Marine Rescue Services Volunteer firefighters This term is used generically in this report to refer to firefighters in local government volunteer bush fire brigades, the volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, Volunteer Emergency Service units and Volunteer Fire Service brigades. 4 FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 2005-2006 – at a glance Cost of FESA Services 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006 Total: $182,329,000 Other expenses $330,000 Capital user charge $3,038,000 Loss on disposal of non- current assets $259,000 Accommodation expenses Grants and subsidies $4,771,000 $28,042,000 Finance costs $2,508,000 Depreciation and amortisation expense $8,322,000 Employee benefits expense Supplies and services $91,983,000 $43,076,000 • The total cost of FESA services for 2005-2006 was $182.329 million • The projected cost of services for 2006-2007 is $189.083 million – an increase of 5.25% on 2005-2006 estimates. HIGHLIGHTS FUNDING AND CAPITAL PROJECTS • The total grant allocations for local government volunteer bush fire brigades and State Emergency Service (SES) volunteer units amounted to approximately $15 million. • In brief, the Emergency Services Levy provided funding in 2005-2006 for: - 75 new and refurbished firefighting appliances and other vehicles - 23 State Emergency Service trailers - one career Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) fire station - one new collocated facility supporting FRS and SES volunteers in regional WA - four new facilities and four facility upgrades for SES units - two new regional offices for FESA staff - 10 new fire stations and three station upgrades for local government volunteer bush fire brigades - An estimated $740,000 worth of bush fire brigade personal protective equipment (protective clothing). • The $20 million Western Australian Emergency Radio Network project commenced with $12.1 million in funding from the Government and $7.9 million from the Emergency Services Levy. FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 5 INCREASED CAPABILITY • The establishment of two new multi-skilled Volunteer Emergency Service units at Onslow and Tambellup and Volunteer Fire Service brigades at Ballidu and Waroona. • Enhanced specialist response capability across the Perth metropolitan region in accordance with the Perth Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Resourcing Plan 2003-2013. • Enhanced urban search and rescue capabilities through a joint national agreement over four years between the State Government and the Commonwealth. MAJOR MILESTONES • The Emergency Management Act 2005 was re-introduced to Parliament and came into operation in December 2005, establishing overarching emergency management arrangements for the State’s emergency services, including local governments and support organisations. • Launched and commenced development of the Western Australian Emergency Radio Network which will improve communications in emergencies for every WA community. The ground-breaking program is centred on providing inter-operable communications between all agencies involved in responding to emergencies in WA. More than 7,000 mobile radios will be replaced with dual band equipment. OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS • 1,350 structural fires and 6,566 bush fires were responded to by career or volunteer firefighters. • Helicopter water bombers (Helitacs) were activated for 50 bush fire incidents, delivering 1,305,000 litres of water and 3,713 litres of foam in a total of 1,305 drops. Fixed-wing water bombers worked jointly with the Helitacs at 10 incidents. The aerial intelligence helicopter attended 25 incidents. • SES volunteers spent 656 hours responding to cyclone-related activities (four tropical cyclones crossed the Western Australian coast – Clare, Emma, Glenda and Hubert). • SES volunteers committed 1,144 hours in responding to eight major flood events. • Career and volunteer firefighters attended a total of 928 hazardous materials incidents. • 26 storms hit the state, including summer thunderstorms and winter fronts. SES volunteers spent 6,352 hours responding to storm-related activities. • Rescue1, the Emergency Rescue Helicopter Service, undertook 215 missions. Of these, 130 (60%) were primary taskings to rescue incidents. • SES volunteers undertook 15 cliff rescues, committing 481 volunteer hours in response. • SES volunteers spent a total 865 hours undertaking 124 searches. • Marine rescue volunteers committed 1,496 hours to 953 rescue incidents. • 347 people were extricated from vehicles involved in road crashes. PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS HIGHLIGHTS • Completion of a review of emergency services in Bunbury and surrounding areas, taking into consideration the area's unprecedented growth, which is significantly impacting on emergency risks. The recommendations from the review will assist in planning capability development. • Establishment of a Ministerial Review of Emergency Services in the Shires of Busselton and Augusta- Margaret River to ensure future service provision meets community needs. • Commenced partnerships with three local governments to undertake emergency risk management planning and establish emergency management arrangements in remote Indigenous communities. • Completed a joint cyclone safety research project in partnership with Edith Cowan University. • Developed in partnership with ABC Radio a brochure to provide safety information on floods and cyclones for travellers in the north of the state. • Established the Prepare … Stay and Defend or Go Early program to improve community understanding of evacuation during bush fires. • Continued a program to reduce the number of roadside fires caused by discarded cigarettes. The program began in March 2003 and data shows that incidents dropped to a six-year low in 2005-2006. • Firefighter responses to bush fires decreased for the fourth consecutive year since FESA began a concerted bush fire arson reduction program. Data shows there were 6,678 fewer fires in 2005-2006 than in 2001-2002, when the program commenced. 6 FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006 • Seven Community Emergency Management Officer positions created to work with designated local governments to review the local Bushfire Response Plan and other emergency management arrangements • Identified and inspected high fire risk premises, including backpacker and hostel accommodation and night clubs. • Entered into an agreement with the Department of Water to fund production of flood plain mapping of the Swan and Canning rivers. • In collaboration with the Western Australia Police developed and awarded a tender for a multi media community public alert system. • Established the Western Australian State Tsunami Working Group to determine the state's risk of tsunamis. • Contributed to the delivery of nine new vessels to volunteer marine rescue groups, vastly improving emergency preparedness along the WA coastline. FESA ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006