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The Queensland Fire Department (QFD) is the primary provider of fire services in Queensland, Australia. The QFD was established on the 1st of July, 2024, and has committed to a refocus on firefighting operations after the organisational change from QFES.[2] The QFD’s headquarters are located at the Emergency Services Complex in Kedron, Brisbane.
 | |
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 July 2024 |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland Government |
| Headquarters | Kedron, Queensland, Australia |
| Employees |
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| Annual budget | $987.4 million AUD (2024–25)[1] |
| Minister responsible |
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| Department executives |
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| Child agencies |
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| Website | qfes |
In 2021, personnel included 2,600 full-time (professional) firefighters and 2,000 on-call auxiliary firefighters, and approximately 27,000 Rural Fire Service volunteers.
The Queensland Government minister responsible for QFD is the Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers, currently the Honourable Ann Leahy.[3]
History
editOn 1 November 2013, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service merged with Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ) and the Corporate Services Division of the Department of Community Safety to become the QFES, encompassing Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, parts of the State Emergency Service, Emergency Management and the Rural Fire Service.[citation needed]
In October 2022, following a review by the honourable Minister Mark Ryan, it was decided QFES would be dissolved in June 2024. The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service would become the Queensland Fire Department, with Queensland Fire and Rescue and the Rural Fire Service as part of its structure, and a new central headquarters for the QFD.[4][5]
On Monday 3 June 2024, the State Emergency Service (SES) was moved to the Queensland Police Service; along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Queensland, becoming part of the new Marine Rescue Queensland (MRQ).[4][6][7][8]
The QFD headquarters will be located at 240 Sandgate Road, Albion, Brisbane, with a 2025 opening date.[5]
Organisation
editQFD is an agency which is composed of two separate primary agencies that together provide fire and rescue services to the entire state of Queensland. The two organisations are Queensland Fire and Rescue (QFR), and Rural Fire Service Queensland (RFSQ). [9]
QFR stations are located in cities and towns and their primary duty is responding to structural fires, bushfires and road traffic crashes (RTCs) as they are equipped with the specialist equipment required for this. Other primary duties of QFR firefighters are to respond to hazardous materials and technical rescues.[9]
Rural Fire Brigades are mainly located in rural and sparsely populated remote areas of the state. Primarily, the RFSQ responds to bushfires and carries out hazard reduction burns and community education programs regarding fire safety. Brigades may also receive road crash rescue and animal rescue training. They often partner with other government and private agencies as well as landholders to carry out bush firefighting and public awareness duties.[9][10]
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Queensland Fire and Rescue
editSince the merger of the fire boards in 1990, the Queensland state firefighting agency has operated under several names:
- Queensland Fire Service 1990–1997
- Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority 1997–2001
- Queensland Fire and Rescue Service 2001–2024
- Queensland Fire and Rescue 2024–present
Queensland Fire and Rescue is made up of approximately 2600 professional and 2000 auxiliary (on-call) firefighters, responsible for responding to emergencies in cities and towns and providing fire and rescue to Queensland. Becoming a Queensland Fire and Rescue firefighter involves a highly competitive selection process, after which successful candidates undertake years of professional training after the initial recruit course of four months. Recruits then complete study and training in all disciplines of rescue, suppression of various types of fires, and major emergencies.[citation needed] They are the leaders and professional arm of the QFD.
Rural Fire Service
edit- Rural Fire Board 1927–1931
- Rural Fire Board 1948–1990
- Rural Fire Service Queensland 1990–present
The first Rural Fire Board was established in 1927 with the Rural Fires Act of 1927 (Qld), and suspended in 1931 due to the Great Depression. The boards were re-established in 1948, and merged with the Department of Emergency Services in 1990, becoming the Rural Fire Service (RFS). In 2014, the RFS was incorporated into QFES.[11]
References
edit- ^ "Budget 2024-25 Service Delivery Statements - Queensland Fire Department" (PDF). Queensland Government. Retrieved [2024/11/13]. https://budget.qld.gov.au/files/Budget_2024-25_SDS_Queensland_Fire_Department.pdf
- ^ Queensland, c=AU; o=The State of. "Frequently Asked Questions | Disaster and Emergency Services Reform". www.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Member Details - Queensland Parliament". Queensland Parliament. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ a b "QFES, SES To Split Up". southburnett.com.au. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ a b "New Fire Department to call Albion home in 2025". miragenews.com. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Disaster and Emergency Services Reform". qld.gov.au. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "New era for state emergency and marine rescue services starts today". Ministerial Statements. The State of Queensland (Department of the Premier and Cabinet). 3 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "A warm welcome to SES and MRQ". myPolice Queensland Police News. The State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service). 4 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ a b c "Queensland Fire Department (QFD)". qld.gov.au. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Beyond the Smoke" (PDF). fire.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Rural Fire Service History". Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. Retrieved 17 February 2024.