Second Bunbury crew first for country town

The crew and fire truck earmarked for the on-hold Australind career fire and rescue station has found a home as the second crew at Bunbury.

Bunbury is the first State country career fire station to have two crews running 24/7.

When the company in charge of building the Australind fire station went into receivership last year, the State Government decided to put the $8 million earmarked for the project into the construction of a new emergency services hub in Bunbury.

Department of Fire and Emergency Services assistant commissioner Chris Arnol said moving the truck and crew to Bunbury had doubled the presence of career firefighting officers in the city.

“We can handle multiple calls and can attend to fires without having to wait for back up from the volunteers,” he said.

Mr Arnol said the second crew’s presence would not mean volunteer firefighters would be called on less, just that there would be more initial responders.

“With greater numbers, these guys can also train together better,” he said.

DFES district officer Eric Graham said the second crew meant a quicker immediate response to the whole region.

“We now have a greater capacity to back up regional brigades,” he said.

Mr Arnol said plans for the Australind station should be budgeted for the 2017-2018 financial year.

The second crew got its first regional call out on Tuesday night — the day of their first full shift — when they were called out to assist with a house fire in Collie.

Station officer of the second crew Garry McAneny said it was good he no longer had to commute to and from Perth for work.

“We’re looking forward to serving Bunbury with our second crew,” he said.

“It brings us into line with metropolitan fire stations and prepares us for future growth.”