[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Implement Myer Fire Findings_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

IMPLEMENT MYER FIRE FINDINGS

And Replace Faulty TFS Radio Units Immediately

Tim Morris MP
Greens Emergency Services Spokesperson

Friday, 14 August 2009
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the resolution of the Coronial
investigation into the 2007 Myer fire which destroyed Myer's historic
Liverpool Street shopfront in Hobart, and called on the Emergency
Management Minister Jim Cox to support the immediate implementation of
the Coroner's findings with regard to extra training and better
resources for the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS). 

Greens Emergency Services spokesperson Tim Morris MP said the Coronial
report found that inadequate training and preparation of TFS officers
for fighting multi-level building fires hampered efforts to save the
Myer building, and the Minister must now ensure that TFS officers
receive the extra training that the Coroner believes they need.

Mr Morris also called on Minister Cox to take specific action over the
inadequate radio communication devices used in firefighter's breathing
apparatus, after the failure of these devices almost cost the lives of
two firefighters who became trapped in the Myer building during the
fire.

"The resolution of this long-running, but important, investigation is
welcome, and it is now up to Minister Cox to prioritise the full
implementation of the relevant findings as soon as possible," said Mr
Morris.

"The failure of radio communication devices in breathing apparatus must
never happen again. It is obvious that this problem has the potential to
kill firefighters, and I am specifically calling on Minister Cox to
replace these deficient devices immediately."

"The Coroner believes that TFS officers need more training and better
resources if they are to successfully face such a fire again, and
Minister Cox must now ensure that our firefighters are better equipped
and trained than they were when facing the Myer fire," said Mr Morris.




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