Photo by Michael Marston - Department of Emergency Services ...

From the Minister
After the recent State
election I was absolutely
delighted to again be
appointed Minister for
Emergency Services.
It’s now more than a year
since I was first appointed.
In that time I have travelled
around Queensland
talking to thousands of our
personnel, both paid and
volunteer alike, and I am continually
struck by their absolute dedication.
This is very much a ‘people portfolio’,
and looking after our people is
something to which I am very
much committed.
I am pleased that one of the
government’s key election
commitments was an additional
$52 million over five years to boost
the capacity of our State Emergency
Service and Rural Fire Service
volunteers.
This will enable greater access to
training for volunteers, especially
through our online campus facility. In
addition this funding will be utilised
to enhance our radio communications
From the Director-General
With the State Election
now behind us, I would
like to warmly welcome back
Pat Purcell as the Minister
for Emergency Services.
I know Mr Purcell is strongly
committed to making
Queensland communities
safer places to live and
work, and I look forward to
working closely with him as
we progress the government’s
community safety priorities.
While the Department of Emergency
Services is undoubtedly in a healthy
position, we must remain focused
on operational service delivery and
enhancing our planning and
preparedness for the wide range of
contingencies we may face in future.
We are very fortunate that the State
Government’s election commitments
have incorporated additional funding
for key departmental initiatives (see
story page 5).
Our emergency services volunteers
were beneficiaries with an additional
$52 million over five years to boost
the capacity of our State Emergency
infrastructure to improve
preparedness and
response capability.
It will also allow us to
develop a volunteer
information register that
will detail the experience,
deployments, training,
skills and awards honours
of all of our active emergency
services volunteers.
Over the next four years we will provide
Surf Life Saving Queensland with $6.4
million to support more surf patrols
and rescue equipment, and provide
$300,000 a year for the next four
years to the Royal Life Saving Society
to expand water safety programs
across Queensland.
In recent years we’ve seen increased
levels of funding across all areas of the
department as we continue our work
to make Queensland a safer place.
There’s still more to be done, and I’m
glad that I have the opportunity to
continue working with you all.
Pat Purcell
Service and Rural Fire Service
volunteers through enhanced
training, equipment
and communications
infrastructure.
The funding will also
provide a major boost to
cyclone preparedness for
the State’s at-risk
communities, including
the provision of emergency
cyclone shelters in regional coastal
centres and the hosting of a ‘Cyclone
Summit’ to review the lessons learnt
from Tropical Cyclone Larry.
An additional $4.567 million over four
years will be used to enhance our spatial
information and mapping capability so
that we can better predict impacts of a
wide range of disasters and incidents.
These initiatives, together with funding
to support our marine rescue volunteers;
provide meningococcal antibiotics in all
ambulances; and other key capital works
initiatives, will give the department a
strong foundation to further enhance our
world-class emergency services delivery.
Fiona McKersie
EMERGENCY October 2006 www.emergency.qld.gov.au