DUBIOUS claims in the metro press of so-called ‘turf wars’ between the State’s two leading fire fighting agencies were shown to be a nonsense in the Nambucca Valley as Fire and Rescue NSW and the Rural Fire Service conducted yet another joint exercise.
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The relationship between the services locally is long lived, and close – as many incidents, particularly structure fires and motor vehicle accidents, are attended by both FRNSW and RFS crews.
While the ‘townies’ and the ‘bushies’ have their own specialist skills and equipment for certain situations, they often work in tandem at incidents.
As part of a charter to strengthen and build the special relationship between the agencies, a series of combined exercises has just been held in the Lower North Coast Zone – at Nambucca Heads, Macksville, Bowraville and Kempsey.
In the Nambucca Valley, this involved the relevant FRNSW brigades, plus RFS units from Warrell Creek, Eungai, Scotts Head, Gumma, Valla, Valla Beach, Headquarters, South Arm, Newee Creek, Missabotti and Talarm.
The sessions were attended by rank and file and senior group officers and staff.
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Anyone driving past the old KFC at the Nambucca Plaza on Tuesday night could have been forgiven for thinking a major incident was under way, with a host of trucks and firefighters rotating through a series of exercises.
Some of the activities involved RFS trucks providing a water supply to the FRNSW pumpers, and revising work and communication systems.
The townies then showed the bushies how they could assist setting up and processing at decontamination and disrobe areas, as well as how to operate a ‘one man’ ground monitor.
Both the RFS and FR stressed the heightened awareness of safety in all aspects of firefighter activity.
By the end of the cold night, many an old friendship had been renewed and new ones had been forged.
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