- Minister delivers the keys to three new state-of-the-art Rural Fire Service trucks for Bluewater, Rangewood and Bowen Delta brigades.
- Together, the three new Rural Fire Service trucks represent a combined Miles Government investment of $1.5 million in frontline volunteers.
- The new appliances arrive ahead of the North Queensland bushfire season.
Three North Queensland rural fire flighting brigades have been presented with the keys to $1.5 million in new fire trucks by Fire Minister Nikki Boyd.
Bluewater Rural Fire Brigade has taken delivery of a 1,200-litre capacity, dual cab medium attack appliance.
Rangewood Rural Fire Brigade members are getting acquainted with a new 7,000-litre rural tanker, while a 12,000-litre tanker is assigned to Bowen Delta Rural Fire Brigade.
In addition to significant water capacity, the appliances are fitted with sophisticated fire suppression equipment and better protection for frontline firefighting volunteers.
The trucks will be used for local bushfire response operations and supporting other Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ) brigades in the region.
With its 12,000-litre capacity, the rural tanker at Bowen Delta Brigade is strategically located to boost water availability for firefighting in surrounding rural areas and support for Queensland Fire Department crews in Bowen and Collinsville.
The three North Queensland rural firefighting appliances have been delivered by the Miles Government ahead of the North Queensland bushfire season.
As stated by Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper:
"The delivery of three new fire appliances in the Townsville region is part of the Miles Government's support for getting volunteer rural firefighters on the front foot for the start of the North's fire season.
"With superior fire suppression equipment onboard, these new appliances are designed to step up and back in other RFSQ brigades as a truly region-wide rural firefighting force.
"The new trucks offer better protection on the firefighting frontline for volunteers."
Quotes attributable to Fire and Disaster Recovery Minister Nikki Boyd:
"The safety of North Queenslanders is paramount and that's what makes the commitment of frontline RFSQ volunteers to their communities so important.
"By delivering $1.5 million in state-of-the-art appliances, the Miles Government is boosting the capability of rural brigades in the North, and investing in the safety of volunteer firefighters and the communities they protect.
"We know the LNP doesn't support multi-national coal mining companies paying their fair share of royalties to fund services in regional Queensland.
"That means David Crisafulli will cut deeply into fire safety initiatives and rural brigade funding while forcing frontline volunteers to buy their own equipment, just like the LNP did the last time they were in government."
***Pics of Minister Boyd handing over the keys to the new fire appliances are here for download:
