COFFS COASTNews Of The Area
www.newsofthearea.com.au
Wildlife first response training for firefighters By Andrea FERRARI
WILDLIFE first response training for NSW firefighters is being rolled out to help wildlife impacted by bushfires under a new NSW Government initiative. Following the devastating 2019-20 bushfire season, the NSW Bushfire Inquiry acknowledged the need for an increased focus on wildlife response in bushfires and other natural disasters. Through the Environmental Trust, the NSW Government is funding the delivery of
Recommendation 53 of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which proposes that the government develop and implement a policy for injured wildlife response, including guidance for firefighters on handling injured wildlife. “The training will help firefighters to assist any injured wildlife they see when fighting a fire, if it is safe to do so,” a spokesperson for National Parks and Wildlife Service NSW told News Of The Area. “The NSW NPWS is leading the implementation of training in partnership
q Firefighter Mick Armstrong saves a ringtail possum.
12 COFFS COAST NEWS OF THE AREA
with Taronga Conservation Society Australia who shared their specialist advice on how to rescue injured animals from a fireground, along with a working group of subject matter experts.” Together they have developed a two-hour online training course on wildlife first response for NSW firefighters. Content includes assessing and reporting potentially injured wildlife, as well as assisting wildlife where possible under the direction of an Incident Management Team. From 1 December firefighters from the Rural Fire Service, National Parks
q Firefighters will learn what to do with an injured kangaroo.
and Wildlife Service, Forestry Corporation and Fire and Rescue NSW will have access to this training package provided by their respective organisations. The online course is complemented by an interactive handbook that firefighters can take with them on the fireground. The handbook for use with electronic devices is available for download. Environment Minister Matt Kean said the training will help improve survival rates for injured wildlife. “We were all devastated by the images of burnt and injured wildlife during the black summer bushfires,”
q
q First responders will be upskilling on how to care for injured wildlife.
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q Omnitae nonetur? Nonectae vita conet latur, cum adipidi sitaquas First Responders Wildlife Training online manual. Matt said. “Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators were absolutely invaluable during the bushfire crisis – rescuing and caring for around 90,000 injured animals as the state battled our worst ever bushfires.” “This training will ensure our frontline heroes have the tools to assess and report injured wildlife, as well as apply basic first aid and transfer injured animals off the fireground to vets and our army of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators, if safe to do so.”
Friday, 19 November 2021
