21/09/05
Community safety in Murdoch and the surrounding suburbs has been significantly boosted with a new state-of-the-art career fire station, which has been built with funding from the Emergency Services Levy.
Opening the new $1.9million facility in Murdoch Drive today, Emergency Services Minister Michelle Roberts said the levy was making a major contribution to boosting community safety.
"The local community can be proud that their emergency services levy contribution is significantly improving fire services in the area," Mrs Roberts said.
The Minister said firefighters had attended 746 incidents over the past 12 months which included some high profile and major incidents such as the bush fires at Booragoon Lake, Bibra Lake and Samson Park, a structure fire at the shopping centre in Myaree and fatal car crashes on South Street.
"These incidents demonstrate the diversity and high level of skills that Murdoch firefighters possess and it is appropriate that they now have this fantastic facility as their new home," she said.
Mrs Roberts said the new facility replaced the previous O'Connor fire station, which was built in 1973.
"The old facility has served the local community well over the past 30 years, but it had reached the end of its serviceable life," she said.
"The new station will house 36 career firefighters on a 24/7 rotational basis, in addition to a medium pumper and light tanker and a specialised equipment tender.
"These resources will continue to provide the local community and region with ongoing operational emergency management support well into the future."
The Minister praised the efforts of firefighters who worked in collaboration with architects Sandover Pinder, as well as Property Services staff from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, to design the station.
"The end result is an impressive structure that will stand as testament to the improved fire fighting services in the region which has been made possible because of the levy," she said.
Minister's office: 9213 6600
