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ISSUE 217 SATURDAY, October 10, 1987 — FRIDAY, October-16, 1987
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Hinton: fire service upgraded YEPPOON Fire Brigade service will be upgraded to provide increased man-power at the time of maximum risk, but some problems remain, Member for Broadsound Denis Hinton said this week in a Press release. He said he had been advised by Administrative Services Minister Don Neal that Mr Neal had accepted the advice of Rockhampton and District Fire Services Board chairman Ald Terry Moore that the permanent manpower level during the day be doubled from one to two men. He said this was the period of maximum risk, particularly with grass fires. It was also the period when auxiliaries were least available
and it could be a situation where one man on his own was confronted with a fire situation as a result. Mr Hinton said compared to other towns, Yeppoon was heavily served with men. "At Blackwater, where last year 138 fire calls were made, there is one permanent man plus 15 auxiliaries," he said. "Yeppoon, with four men and 15 auxiliaries, had only 79 fire calls." He said he was concerned with the situation after hours when resident officer Lex Semple "must remain within reach of the siren to answer fire calls on an overtime situation".
"This is a heavy responsibility but a considerable cost saving on the present situation given that four men _on roster now service the station," Mr Hinton said. "Mr Semple must advise the Rockhampton station when he is not available so that he can be replaced by a permanent officer from Rockhampton, as would be the case during weekends." Mr Hinton said he had been told by Ald Moore that the system worked well in many other centres in Queensland, including Emu Park. "It comes down to a choice between the
maximum permanent manpower at the time of highest risk, when auxiliaries are scarce, or equal manpower all the time regardless of the cost and reduced efficiency," Mr Hinton said. He said he had previously blocked changes because the station would be left all weekend with only the resident officer. "This situation will be substantially improved with permanent men on duty all weekend, and daylight hours of the two permanent officers staggered between 7am and 6pm to provide maximum cover," he said. "On this advice from Ald Moore, the district should support the new arrangements."
Webb resigns from fire board over decision
STATE Government appointee to the Rock, hampton Fire Board, Maurie webb, resigned in protest on Wednesday afternoon over new manning arrangements at Yeppon Fire Station. Mr Webb said he had to resign because he "could not accept the responsibility for a majority decision of the board to which he was violently opposed". "I had to make my protest because I feel Yeppoon has been left without adequate protection against fire after 8pm," Mr Webb said. He said the fire board's action in removing three of the normally four permanent officers was a backward step. "Yeppoon Fire Station was officially opened in January, 1948, by the then State Member for this area, Jim Larcombe," Mr Webb said. "From that date, and therefore for the past 40 years, this area has had an around-the-clock, seven-day-a-week fire service. "Now, with a stroke of the pen, Yeppoon has been left with a night-time fire service based on the goodwill of one man, Lex Semple. "As long as Mr Semple is prepared to spend his after-hours time within reach of the siren, we have fire protection. "If he wants a night off to go shopping or see friends, he has to phone Rockhampton and wait until a replacement arrives." Mr Webb said this was not good enough. While he appreciated it would be offset by having two officers on duty during the day, there was no guarantee now, and never would be that fires would only start in office hours. This latest move by the Rockhampton Fire Board was not unexpected. The Capricorn Coast Mirror has carried a number of stories in the past four years about proposals of this nature. In each case, word had leaked that something was "on" and the Yeppoon fire auxiliaries had immediately taken strong action.
Every time they were successful. Mr Webb said the auxiliaries had such success because they were reflecting the community's general opinion. "Each tittleittv auxiliaries took action, it was . generally thought that I was the one who had leaked information to them," Mr Webb said. "This I emphatically deny. I did, in each case, my best to help them ... but my efforts were behind-the-scene and, quite frankly, I doubt whether the auxiliaries knew I was on their side." Now that he has resigned from the board, a position he had held for about 12 years, Mr Webb said he was free to express his opinions openly. "I hope my decision my resignation is proved to be useless ... the last thing I want is to be proved right because of some tragedy in Yeppoon, he said. "This is the real reason I have resigned. There are children in boarding schools and the Bush Children's Home; tourists at the Capricorn Iwasaki Resort and every person in Yeppoon who up till now, has gone to bed latowing they had an around-the-clock fire service."
Come on down to the Barn
--l 1F e
ti6UOR BARN For the Cheapest Liquor on the Coast Queen Street, Yeppoon
0 ABOVE: The old fire engine in the Pineapple Festival parade on Saturday was perhaps closer to the point than, many thought. Is it a sign of the 'new' service?
El ABOVE: Cooberrie Park volunteer bush firemen and Capricorn Iwasaki Resort staff back-burn to beat a blaze threatening Bangalee Estate homes on Tuesday.
MIRROR EDITORIAL
We've been downgraded!
YEPPOON has been conned thisweek. It has had its fire service downgraded from 24-hoursa-day, seven-days-a-week to a "dawn-to-dusk" service ... in the interests of "economy". We are told by Member for Broadsound Denis Hinton, who was told by Administrative Services Minister Don Neal, who was told by Rockhampton Fire Board chairman Ald Terry Moore that this new "service" is good enough for Blackwater and good enough for Biloela and, lo and behold, it's as good as Emu Park's. That's great ... for Blackwater, Biloela (and Emu Park didn't have much choice). But it's not
good enough for Yeppoon and districts. We have young ladies boarding at St Ursula's; young men boarding at St Brendan's ... and mere tots boarding at the Bush Children's Home. And we have a large pensioner population, plus a lot of old wooden homes, a lot of old wooden shops and woodenheaded politicians serving us. The service we have just lost apparently was instituted 40 years ago. In the normal course of events the service would be increased by offering greater protection ... instead we have gone backward. The service already relies on the services of auxiliaries (volunteers) and, in the past, they
have threatened to walk off if the service was downgraded. They have said they did not want the responsibility of fighting a fire involving human life without qualified personnel to head them. Under the new scheme there should be a qualified person available ... but under the old scheme, it was guaranteed. The auxiliaries will no doubt meet and decide whether to accept the new scheme or reject it. At least they can do something while we, who pay fire levies, can only grumble. — Or, we could write a letter; or make a phone call; or carry a banner. But don't hold a torchlight parade ... there's too great a risk of fire!
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