A Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) team of disaster experts is strategically positioned today, ready to assist the community as Tropical Cyclone Kirrily threatens to strike Far North Queensland.
FRNSW has dispatched 23 firefighters to the area as part of a multi-agency NSW deployment led by the State Emergency Service.
Queensland’s emergency protocols
Many of the FRNSW firefighters are trained in both swift-water rescues and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) skills, recognized globally by the United Nations’ International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG), of which FRNSW and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) are members.
Already familiar with Queensland’s emergency protocols, due to their INSARAG cross-training partnership, the NSW crews are being dispersed throughout the areas of Proserpine, Mackay, Rockhampton, and Gladstone, working closely with their QFES colleagues.
Integral to FRNSW’s response
Among the 23 are two FRNSW Incident Management personnel to assist QFES’s strategic disaster planning
The In-water rescue crews are very experienced operators, who were integral to FRNSW’s response to the floods in the Northern Rivers, Sydney and the Riverina in 2022. Some also have experience as USAR operators, responding to the Turkiye earthquake last year.
Among the 23 are two FRNSW Incident Management personnel to assist QFES’s strategic disaster planning, as well as a Liaison Officer.
FRNSW’s In-Water capabilities
The FRNSW firefighters are equipped with new equipment, including lightweight wetsuits, Personal Flotation Devices, and Personal Locator Beacons, designed to handle Far North Queensland’s humid weather, allowing them to remain in flood-affected areas for longer periods.
The NSW Government recently invested $34 m in FRNSW’s In-Water capabilities, funding the new equipment, as well as the training of additional In-Water technicians, taking FRNSW’s flood-trained personnel to 356.
Recent investment in rescue capabilities
Fire and Rescue NSW regularly plays a critical role in supporting disaster relief operations
FRNSW Deputy Commissioner – Strategic Capability, Megan Stiffler, said Fire and Rescue NSW regularly plays a critical role in supporting disaster relief operations, within Australia and overseas.
“The NSW Government’s recent investment in these rescue capabilities has paid off already with NSW able to respond immediately to Queensland’s request for assistance,” Deputy Commissioner Stiffler said.
New FRNSW equipment
Stiffler added: “The new FRNSW equipment is perfect for the North Queensland climate, preventing heat stress and providing 50+ sun protection.”
Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to hit the North Queensland coast later now.
