CODE 2, VOL 37, NO 23 : 31 October 2023

FIRE CONDITIONS REQUIRE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSE

The current conditions for fire across Queensland on 31 October are grim, and many of you and your colleagues are out there right now doing the best you can, and many more of you may soon be called on to do the job you are trained and experienced to do.

But this current fire situation again calls into question the outgoing QFES leadership team.  In particular, the lack of rural fire service operational planning and their ongoing capacity. It’s quite clear change in the senior leadership team and their focus is needed and after announcements by Minister Ryan in parliament last Tuesday 24 October, it can’t come soon enough. I have inserted his words from Hansard below:

“I can announce that current Acting Deputy Commissioner Stephen Smith AFSM will take up the role of acting commissioner until the permanent position can be filled following a full and proper recruitment process. With almost 30 years of service in Fire and Emergency Services, Acting Deputy Commissioner Smith has extensive knowledge, skills and experience in emergency management, both here in Queensland and internationally. Other leadership changes are being put in place as Queensland Fire and Emergency Services undergoes historic reform. That reform will see the establishment of the Queensland Fire Department and the Rural Fire Service as its own entity within the department.”

You can find that statement here at page marked 3089 mid page.

The sooner we have a QFD with a leadership team that focus on operational matters, with real, experienced, qualified professional firefighters, the safer Queenslanders will be.

John Oliver - General Secretary