March 5, 2015
A new Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Rural Area Office is tipped to open in Kingaroy on July 1 to manage the 98 rural fire brigades that cover the area between Blackbutt and Monto.
The new office is expected to bring six full-time jobs to the South Burnett, and more direct management to the region’s rural fire brigades.
It has been described as “a win for the community and a win for our rural firies”.
The Kingaroy office follows a review of the State’s rural fire service operations launched in September 2012 by former Community Safety Minister Jack Dempsey, and chaired by former Member for Mirani Ted Malone.
Amongst its other findings, the review identified that the operations of rural fire brigades in the South and North Burnett could be improved if central management was brought closer to where the brigades operated.
At present, the South Burnett’s rural fire brigades are managed from either Caloundra or Maryborough.
The review recommended the creation of new Rural Area Offices in Kingaroy and at several other locations.
Although the State Government has yet to make any official announcement about the operational change, Area Director positions were recently advertised on the State Government’s Smartjobs website.
Applications for the positions close on March 18.
It is expected that once an Area Director appointment is made, the new office will be set up and additional staff hired.
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