At Essendon Airport today, Mr Brumby announced Westpac have sponsored a fixed-wing aircraft equipped with new fire-surveillance technology to patrol bushfire-prone areas across the state. Toll Holdings have donated funding to refurbish six district mechanical officers vehicles and buy one new vehicle.
He said the new Westpac FireWatch aircraft has bolstered the state’s aircraft firefighting capacity, which includes Australia’s first large airplane that can drop 45,000 litres of water, skycranes Elvis and Elsie plus 32 additional aircraft and a national on-call register of 170 aircraft.
The Westpac aircraft is the first of its kind with new technology called Electronic Aerial Reconnaissance which can capture images through cameras fitted to the aircraft’s wings and stream information directly to fire controllers on the ground, complementing the role of the on-board air observer.
“The task for us all is to work together to make our state as fire-safe and fire-ready as possible and I congratulate Westpac and Toll Holdings for their commitment to supporting Victoria’s firefighting effort,” Mr Brumby said.
“These partnerships are a great example of how government, communities and the private sector are working together to rebuild after the tragic Black Saturday and Gippsland fires and to protect lives and homes from future bushfire threat.
“Across Victoria communities have put in a massive effort to prepare for the fire season and this new equipment will complement the more than $700 million in record resources our Government is providing to our emergency services.”
The Westpac FireWatch aircraft will operate on high fire-risk days. It will patrol areas including the Dandenong Ranges, coastal areas and high-density suburbs and towns in and around bushfire-prone areas.
Westpac State General Manager in Victoria David Hyde said Westpac was delighted to support the work of CFA to save lives and protect communities in bushfire-prone areas across Victoria.
“Westpac is proud to be working with CFA to reduce the risk of bushfire in Victorian communities,” Mr Hyde said.
“Westpac will continue to support CFA in Victoria with fundraising and volunteer support from our employees as well as playing a role in increasing fire safety awareness in the Victorian community from the bank’s 164 branches across the state.”
The Westpac FireWatch aircraft will be part of a trial being conducted by the State Aircraft Unit to evaluate and further develop the new aerial surveillance technology.
Toll Holdings has provided funding to refurbish six CFA district mechanical officers vehicles. It has matched dollar for dollar funds raised by its employees following the 2009 Victorian bushfires. Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron said the new and refurbished vehicles would be based at Horsham, Kangaroo Flat, Wangaratta, Mt Evelyn, Moe, Warrnambool and Geelong. “There has never been more staff, more equipment and a greater effort to prepare and these new partnerships show what can be achieved by working together – government, communities and the private sector,” Mr Cameron said.
Toll Group managing director Paul Little AO said while Toll Holding had operations in 55 countries its headquarters were proudly in Victoria, where it employed 6000 people, many of which were involved in the firefighting effort.
“We had people flying the skycranes, replenishing CFA water tankers and volunteering. Toll is part of Victoria and we are delighted to assist CFA via this donation,” Mr Little said.
Images by Keith Pakenham CFA Public Affairs
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