It was thought that there was a gap in representation on the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council for Deputy Captains and above. This includes personnel not currently used as Deputy Captains or above, who might be used in the Incident Management Team, for example the A.C.T. Rural Fire Service Planning Officer. Although most of these people may be represented on the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council through other agencies, such as the A.C.T. Volunteer Bushfire Brigades Association and the A.C.T. Trades & Labour Council, at times the ideas of Fire Controllers could be at odds with their organisation.
The Group has the objective of providing all Fire Controllers with a medium to transmit any specific concerns to the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council.
Another objective is to provide to the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council, if required, some of the scientific expertise that was lost with the withdrawal of CSIRO. While it is recognised that the expertise lost is irreplaceable, at least the new Fire Controllers Group can provide some scientific expertise from within its ranks to address some of the issues and concerns raised at times within the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council. Furthur if issues can not be addressed, at least there is sufficient knowledge available to know where to look to find solutions or recommendations.
This Group also has the aim of drawing together both departmental and volunteer Fire Controllers under one umbrella, and all Fire Controllers will have a say in this Group irrespective of whether they are departmental or volunteer.
With this in mind, it is proposed that the member on A.C.T. Bush Fire Council will alternate between departmental and volunteer personnel. For the first term of A.C.T. Bush Fire Council that this Group sits at, the member will be a departmental person, with the deputy member a volunteer nomination. At the next three year Council, the present member will stand aside, the new member will be from the volunteer organisation and a new departmental deputy member will be nominated. This is aimed at giving more Fire Controllers a chance to be part of the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council.
The Group was also formed to try and get some representation back on A.C.T. Bush Fire Council for those people who play a major role in bushfire suppression activities. It was thought that the vacancy created by the departure of CSIRO could leave the way open to nominations from groups who might have very little in way of fire fighting expertise, and and yet could greatly influence future policy and directions of the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council.
With the creation of the Fire Contollers Group and its acceptance on the A.C.T. Bush Fire Council, this now gives good representation to people and groups actively involved in fire suppression.
The inaugural meeting was held on Tuesday January 17 1995.
Ian G. McArthur (Member A.C.T. Bush Fire Council - Bushfire Controllers Group) 23 December 1994