HOT TOPICS - December 2021

Message from the Executive Director

On behalf of the Bushfires NT team I would like to pass on our gratitude to our outgoing Bushfires Council and Regional Committee members, volunteers and their families for their hard work and willingness to support fire management across the Northern Territory this year.

2021 has shown the true spirit of our volunteer network with your willingness to continue to manage fire within your community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, which included lockouts, lockdowns and the vaccination mandate. Our volunteers:

• Attended 486 fire incidents, equating to 4110 volunteers hours spent on the fire ground
• Completed 97 planned burns, accumulating to 2560 volunteer hours
• Issued 1481 burn permits to landholders.

Your dedication and enthusiasm in reducing the risk of fire in your local community has been simply amazing. Although I am unable to individually thank every volunteer, your work within the community does not go unnoticed and is well recognised by the Administrator, Government Ministers, other agencies and the public. Without your assistance Bushfires NT wouldn’t have been able to achieve the below in 2021. 

• Developing effective fire management plans in collaboration with landowners
• Conducting an effective fire break compliance program with 6895 properties inspected with 96.3% found compliant
• Implementing the Fire Ready Week in March and setting up the new Gamba Fire Mitigation unit
• Undertaking an amazing effort preparing for and responding to the Territory Day celebrations
• Trialling and receiving feedback on the prototype of the new Grass Fire Units – the feedback has been incorporated into the next version, with an expected 9 new vehicles planned to be fitted out in coming months.
• Rolling out accredited firefighting 1 (FF1) training to new Bushfire Volunteers
• Completing resurfacing works to Hughes airstrip and installation of 350,000 litre water tanks to the Hughes and Batchelor airstrips

This year has paved a strong foundation into implementing key milestones that will be finalised in 2022 for Bushfires NT which includes:

• The delivery of accredited training units for firefighting and planned burns to our existing volunteer network through EMERG Pty Ltd.
• Awarding a contract for the ongoing delivery and construction of new grass fire units to be introduced to our volunteer network to meet safety and functional requirements.
• Implementation of the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) in response to the Royal Commission for National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

In recent years, Bushfires NT has under gone significant changes in the way we operate and conduct business. Thank you for your willingness to adapt and change during this crazy ride. I am proud to be leading this amazing organisation and supporting our volunteers and staff in the great work that we provide to our local communities to improve fire management and protecting communities against the threat of bushfire. 

On behalf of Bushfires NT, I wish all of our volunteers and their families a safe Christmas and a Happy New Year. Fingers crossed for a fire free festive season and I look forward to catching up with you throughout 2022.

Collene Bremner
Executive Director

New emergency water tanks

The Dundee Volunteer Bushfire Brigade has been busy installing water supply tanks around Dundee and the Finniss River Station. This will be  very helpful during the fire season.

Building a modern and consistent Fire Danger Rating System

Bushfires NT and the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) working with all other Australian states and territories to implement an Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS). The AFDRS will enhance public safety and reduce the impacts of bushfires by improving the scientific accuracy behind fire danger predictions and improving how fire danger is communicated.

Why are we changing the Fire Danger Ratings?

Fewer than four in ten Australians understand and use the current Fire Danger Ratings to plan days in summer, and only a third have acted due to a Fire Danger Rating in the past.

In a time when people seem to be craving an increasing amount of information, it might feel counter-intuitive to be reducing the number of ratings. However, comprehensive social research has found that most Australians want a simpler, more straightforward Fire Danger Rating system.

One of the largest social research studies undertaken in Australia investigated how communities in bushfire-risk areas interact with fire danger ratings, finding that across all states and territories, the public would have an improved response to fewer levels, simpler language, calls to action.

The new simpler AFDRS will empower communities to make the most appropriate decisions for the safety, in the lead up to days of dangerous conditions.

For more information please contact the AFDRS Implementation Project Officer Kelly Benham at Bushfires NT on 08 8922 0844 or email bushfires.nt@nt.gov.au

Bushfires NT volunteer appreciation events

The Bushfires NT volunteer appreciation events are held once a year across the Territory to recognise and appreciate the efforts of our bushfire volunteers for their hard work throughout the year.

Events are held in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, and Darwin. The Katherine event was postponed to a later date this year due to Covid.

I had the pleasure of attending the Alice Springs and Darwin events, and it was fantastic to see many of them again and hear their stories.

The Minister stopped into the Darwin event on her way back from Katherine to present some
well-deserved awards.

It’s been a long year and they have worked hard with lots to be celebrated.

Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers for their continued commitment and assistance throughout the year.

Meet JACK

Bushfires NT will be trialling an ARB hydraulic lift jack as a replacement to the wallaby jacks currently supplied to the volunteer network. Bushfires NT will be supplying one ARB Jack and accompanying jack base to each brigade to trial for the next 6-12 months, with volunteers asked to submit feedback to the Assets and Capabilities Manager by contacting Bushfires.NT@nt.gov.au  

The feedback received will assist in determining if these are introduced across the Bushfires NT fleet.

Key functional benefits of the ARB hydraulic lift jack include:

• JACK’s body is made from aircraft grade 6061 T6 aluminium for maximum strength. Running up the body, 9 hooking points offer the adjustable hook a wide range of lifting heights; capable of lifting up to a total of 2,000kg.
• The handle’s high position and top pivot function provides users with ultimate control while preventing the need to uncomfortably kneel down in a deep trench to operate.
• When under load, an internal blow-off valve provides overload protection to safeguard both JACK and most importantly, the user, from the dangerous consequence of the vehicle suddenly dropping if the working limit is exceeded.
•  JACK’s body can be rotated 360° to align the pivoting foot to match the terrain.
• The easy-to-access red lowering lever ensures lowering the vehicle is achieved swiftly and safely thanks to the two-stage descent feature and safety stop.
• The ARB Jack Base provides users with a sturdy surface during recovery missions to limit slippage or sinking into soft ground when using a jack and can support up to 7,000kg.
• JACK is compliant with AS/NZ 2693-2007 and ASME B30.1 -2015

More information on the ARB jack can be accessed through https://www.arb.com.au/recovery/hi-lift-jacks-accessories/jack/

The hydraulic lift jack is not to be used as a primary resource for changing tyres, and is to be used in conjunction with a bottle jack.

Bushfires NT alerts

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