Broome is now home to a new $1.5 million bushfire station, which also houses the Kimberley’s first remote mobile command centre.
Officially opened by Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan yesterday the new station for the Broome Regional Bush Fire Brigade will help boost response times to attend fires at rural properties, pastoral land and remote indigenous communities in the Kimberley.
The new station was made possible thanks to an Emergency Services Levy contribution of $1.29 million.
The Shire of Broome secured the land and contributed $224,000 towards construction costs including project management and landscaping.
Broome Regional Bush Fire Brigade volunteers helped design the building, and also raised $26,000 for an outdoor area.
The project made a significant difference to the local economy with more than 90 per cent of the construction labour being local.
The Broome station includes five appliance bays, a meeting room, training area, personal protective equipment cleaning area and offices.
The new station also means the brigade no longer has to operate out of two facilities, which did not meet all of their operational needs.
The new station will help the brigade recruit, train and retain members, and improve the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ delivery of services to the region.
As stated by Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan:
“I was very pleased to join the official opening of the new facility on Sunday and it was great to catch up with some old faces from the brigade and meet some new ones.
“This new $1.5 million large-capacity, purpose-built facility will be of great benefit to the people of Broome and surrounding areas for decades to come.
“It was a great project for the area with more than 90 per cent of the construction labour coming from local sources.
“Thank you again to the Broome Regional Bush Fire Brigade for all your efforts and I am sure your new facility will make a significant difference for many years to come.”
