TAMWORTH's NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) will get a brand new training facility and fire control centre after council approved the development application for the project.
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The decade-long dream of getting a purpose-built RFS centre in Tamworth became a reality when Tamworth Regional Council formally accepted the application last week.
The brand new outfit will boast some of the best training facilities in the district, an emergency helipad and a fire control hub for local and area commands to be based out of.
Tamworth RFS Superintendent Allyn Purkiss said it's something the local RFS have been "desperately looking forward to" and the finished product would be a huge bonus for the city.
"This is something for the volunteers ... it really is a centre for them, supporting them, and I know those volunteers are really keen to get it built and up and running as soon as possible," he said.
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"To have a purpose-built centre to run basically any emergency will be a great benefit for Tamworth and the area."
The facility will be built on council-owned land on Country Road, in Westdale and Superintendent Purkiss told the Leader he hopes the project will be up and running and ready for use in the 2021 fire season.
A "big open paddock" at the site is set to be converted into a purpose-built training ground for the RFS, the first of its kind in the local area.
"We intend on building a proper hot fire training cell, and associated props so we can practice things like ... confined spaces, working on roofs, there's a heap of other things that we'll build into that centre to allow us to train for almost any activity," Superintendent Purkiss said.
The project also includes a fire control centre and between 20 and 30 local RFS and area command staff will be based there.
Superintendent Purkiss said having a control centre close to the action in Tamworth will make a huge difference. During the last fire season, his team had to operate out of Quirindi.
"It was difficult being that far away, being removed from our volunteers, from our equipment, it made it very challenging so we're really looking forward to setting it up," he said.
The development includes a helipad for emergency use during a bushfire event.
"Having them being able to land at the control centre, being able to do the briefings and get that intel really quickly from pilots and crews is really beneficial," Superintendent Purkiss said.
One point of contention arose for a Tamworth councillor when reviewing the application for the development.
Cr Glenn Inglis said earth mounding and landscaping between the development and the closest residential area should be a priority.
"Particularly when they're doing those exercises around burning vehicles and training and all the rest of it ... well it is an eyesore and will be an eyesore, but I think we can do something about that," he said in the council meeting.
The development was approved with those amendments and will now go to tender.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
