No.15

$16.8 MILLION FOR ACT EMERGENCY SERVICES

The Stanhope Government is continuing its commitment to our emergency services, ambulance and firefighting services, with a $16.8 million investment over four years to ensure Canberra is ready for the future, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Simon Corbell, said today.

“The Stanhope Government is committed to ensuring that our community remains safe and secure,” Mr Corbell said. “This Budget provides funding for a number of initiatives that will better prepare our emergency services to respond to any possible situation.

“The 2008-09 Budget provides an additional $5.484 million over four years for the ACT Fire Brigade and $6.746 million over four years for the ACT Ambulance Service to improve operational response capacity. This means 12 additional firefighters and 14 additional ambulance officers will be added to the emergency services workforce.

“The funding will help our frontline emergency services personnel remain the best in the country by ensuring they are better able to respond to new threats caused by our changing environment.

“Funding of $725,000 has been provided in this Budget for ESA’s fleet mobile workshop which will allow vehicles to be serviced without being taken out of operations for service periods. There is also $275,000 for biomedical safes which will facilitate the storage of critical supplies for ambulances at the station level, and reduce the down‑time when ambulances have to travel to a central location to restock.” 

Mr Corbell said this funding would help improve ESA’s response times and the efficiency of emergency services personnel.

“The 2008-09 Budget provides the ACT Fire Brigade with $1.34 million over four years to improve, maintain and store vital Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) specialist equipment. This will ensure our ACT Fire Brigade has the best available equipment for CBR and USAR incidents should they occur. 

“Funding of $2.184 million has also been included in the 2008-09 Budget for the design and planning for refurbishment or construction of new facilities for fire, ambulance and emergency services resulting from this year’s station relocation feasibility study.”

Statement ends

6 May 2008
Enquiries:    Tim Colquhoun	6205 0401		tim.colquhoun@act.gov.au