New fire dispatch system continues to be slammed by firefighters

Firefighters are still describing the restructured communications system for Fire and Rescue New South Wales as a “disaster”.

Communication centres at Wollongong and Katoomba were closed as part of the rationalisation this year, with all triple-0 fire calls now directed to either Newcastle or Sydney.

Personally, even today, I’ve just watched fire trucks in the Illawarra responded dangerously to calls where other trucks should have gone, and I’ve attended calls where the closest stations are skipped to save money and call other fire stations further away.

Fire and Rescue NSW keep calling the issues “technical problems” but they are failing to fix the problems, and the community is now at risk.

The system is failing every hour, and it’s only a matter of time until someone is hurt.

I’ve just watched calls to a hospital and an aged care centre be affected by the system. Disgraceful.

Darin Sullivan

Wollongong Firefighter

President FBEU – 0422436044