The Brumby Labor Government will invest $1.2 million to back Anglesea to pioneer a landmark new program teaching thousands of children and visitors about the risk of bushfires.
(Media-Newswire.com) - The Brumby Labor Government will invest $1.2 million to back Anglesea to pioneer a landmark new program teaching thousands of children and visitors about the risk of bushfires.
In Anglesea today, Premier John Brumby and Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley, joined the Anglesea Fire Brigade and project supporters to unveil details of a new Community Fire Education Centre to bring children on school camps through Anglesea for fire education.
Mr Brumby said the Government’s $1.2 million contribution would complement $400,000 in community and corporate fundraising to redevelop the Anglesea Fire Station which was led by the Anglesea & Winchelsea Community Bank.
The redevelopment of Anglesea Fire Station will position it to drive the new pilot project for the 2012-2013 fire season.
“Our Government’s strong economic management means that our State Budget has the capacity to fund new measures as we undertake fundamental reforms to make our State as fire-safe and fire-ready as possible,” Mr Brumby said.
“I am delighted to join the community for this exciting announcement, which will drive the transformation of the Anglesea Fire Station into a state-of-the art station that will host a pilot, on-site program to educate our young people and the community about the risk of fire in Victoria.
“The pilot will build on the extensive community and school education programs run through the CFA which includes a new plan to introduce bushfire awareness into the school curriculum.
“It also builds on the $1.4 billion our Government is investing to ensure our firefighting agencies are well-equipped to do the selfless work they do each year in protecting our communities.”
Community Fire Education Centre project co-ordinator and Anglesea CFA member Jamie Mackenzie said the program would build on Anglesea’s strong record in leadership in fire safety activities.
“Anglesea was one of the first towns to pilot the township protection plans,” Mr Mackenzie said.
“Our aim is to drive down any complacency amongst older Victorians by equipping their children with an education to help protect their families and themselves from the threat of bushfires.”
The new Anglesea Fire Station and Community Fire Education Centre will be among Australia’s first zero net emissions fire station with the redevelopment to involve a range of water and energy-saving features.
Mr Brumby said once established the Community Fire Education Centre will be promoted to primary and secondary schools across Victoria, many of which take students on school camps through the south-west, and to tourists visiting along the Great Ocean Road.
“Anglesea is well-placed to host this pilot because it is a popular place for school camps with thousands of school aged children visiting the region each year, and it benefits from a prime location on the Great Ocean Road with high exposure to visitors,” he said.
“By being able to visit a real fire station in an area that historically has been a high fire risk area, our young people will get a much greater understanding of the risk that bushfires will continue to be to communities in our State.”
The Government has outlined $867.3 million in new investments and reforms to the way Victoria prepares for and responds to future bushfires, stemming from recommendations of the Royal Commission as well as further measures.
It brings to almost $1.4 billion the new measures the Government has announced to address the threat of bushfires since the Black Saturday and Gippsland fires.
Key changes in the $867.3 million package include: • Hundreds more firefighters and a doubling, then tripling of fuel reduction burn targets; • A significant Increase in support for volunteer firefighters; • New fire mapping technology for faster and more accurate community warnings; • More funding to accelerate the roll-out of more Neighbourhood Safer Places; • A tougher maintenance regime for electricity businesses and high visibility arson operations; • Agreement to replace the Fire Services Levy with a progressive property-based levy and improvements to planning controls in bushfire-prone areas; and • A major boost to community education and information about preparing for bushfires, including the introduction of bushfire education in the school curriculum.
“We have already made big changes to how we prepare for and fight fires since the tragic Black Saturday and Gippsland fires. Now we are going further and taking the next steps to continue driving a new focus on the protection and preservation of human life from the threat of bushfires,” Mr Brumby said.
“We want to put as much high quality, accurate and timely information as possible in the hands of individuals, so they can make informed decisions on how they respond to the threat of bushfires.
“Our Government is acting swiftly and decisively. We are determined that the actions we take, in partnership with emergency services agencies, local government, businesses and communities, unite Victorians in one commitment to do all we can to protect human lives from bushfires.”
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