Emergency response to fires and floods in the Hawkesbury is being significantly enhanced with construction beginning on a new $8 million Fire Control and Emergency Operations Centre.
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke joined Member for Hawkesbury Robyn Preston and Rural Fire Service (RFS) members at the site in Wilberforce today to officially turn the first sod.
“Communities in the Hawkesbury have been devastated by back-to-back fires and floods over recent years, which is why it has been earmarked for this state-of-the-art operations hub to help our emergency services better respond to hazards rapidly and effectively,” Ms Cooke said.
“We are investing $71 million in eight new Fire Control Centres in high fire risk areas across the State including Armidale, the Clarence Valley, Cooma, Hawkesbury, Moruya, Mudgee, Narrabri and Tumut.”
Ms Preston said the NSW Government is committed to ensuring emergency services organisations have the infrastructure and resources they need to better protect communities from future emergencies.
“Having a purpose-built and co-located Fire Control and Emergency Operations Centre will provide our local RFS staff and volunteers with the very best facilities for day-to-day operations, and ample room for additional personnel when major events occur,” Ms Preston said.
RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers said construction is expected to take two years and once completed, the new facility will give RFS volunteers what they need to carry out their roles safely and effectively.
“RFS members are dedicated to helping their communities 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Once completed this centre will ensure members of the 23 Brigades in the Hawkesbury District have access to the latest technology and equipment to support emergency events, increase the level of safety and keep the community informed,” Commissioner Rogers said.
