# Department of Fire and Emergency Services

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) is a government department that is responsible for fire and emergency services in Western Australia. The department came into being in 2012 as a result of the Perth Hills Bush Fire review. DFES is responsible for the management, training and funding of career and volunteer Services including:
* Career Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) 29 BGU's, 1,249 members
* Bushfire Service (BFS) 551 BGU's, 20,227 members
* State Emergency Service (SES) 64 BGU's, 1,929 members
* Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services (VFES) 40 BGU's, 1,184 members
* Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) 93 BGS's, 2,219 members
* Marine Rescue Service 39 BGU's, 1,570 members
* Public Service Officers and Technicians 658 members
DFES Currently employs 1,249 career firefighters and 600+ staff members as well as over 29,000 volunteers in the 6 services statewide.
There is also 2,579 members in the Emergency services Cadets and Youth programs across 5 services

## History

The DFES was formerly known as the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA), a statutory government authority created in January 1999 to administer the following legislation within the state of Western Australia:
* Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998
* Fire Brigades Act 1942
* Bush Fires Act 1954
* Emergency Services Levy Act 2002
* Emergency Management Act 2005
In the July 2017 Western Australian machinery of government changes, the department remained unaffected.

### Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia

The inaugural meeting of the Fire Brigades' Board was held on 16 January 1899. This later led to the establishment of the Western Australian Fire Brigades' Board in 1909. WA Fire Brigades updated their name in 1995 to the Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia, to more accurately reflect the service provided to the communities of Western Australia.
In 1999, with the creation of FESA, brought together the Fire and Rescue Service, and the Bush Fire Service to form the Fire Services Division of FESA. The Fire and Rescue Service and Bush Fire Service actively maintain their original identities.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services was established in 2012 and replaced FESA. The first Fire and Emergency Commissioner Wayne Gregson was appointed. Wayne Gregson is a former WA Police Assistant Commissioner. A new state of the art headquarters is located at Stockton Bend, Cockburn Central. This building includes the state and metropolitan operations centres, statewide communications centre, operations/capability commands and corporate services.

## Structure

DFES operates under the Emergency Services Minister of the Government of WA and is the Hazard Management Agency (HMA) for cyclones, floods, storms, tsunami, structural collapse, HAZMAT incidents, earthquakes and fire. Their operational branch comprises Metropolitan Operations, Country Operations and Operations Capability and oversees the following services:
The Career Fire and Rescue Service of Western Australia (FRS or CFRS) consists of 1,249 paid firefighters working from 25 metropolitan stations and 4 country stations. Career firefighters attend a 21 week training course held at the academy in Forrestfield. Working on a 2-2-4 roster of two 10 hour day shifts followed by two 14 hour night shifts and then 4 days off. Metropolitan stations operate with at least one urban pumper and light tanker, with a crew of 1 station officer and 3 firefighters. (Perth station does not run light tankers). Country stations operate with a crew of 1 station officer and 5 fire fighters. Some metropolitan stations operate as relieving stations where 2 additional firefighters are on shift, these firefighters will fill short staffing at other stations if the need arises.
Appliance allocation is typically 1 urban pumper and 1 light tanker, with a 2nd pump located at Perth, Vincent, Daglish, Fremantle, Welshpool and Bunbury. Two CLP's are located at Perth and Fremantle stations. Two SET's are located at Murdoch and Osborne Park. Three permanent Urban Tankers are located at Joondalup, Malaga and Canning Vale. With additional Urban Tankers brought online at Ellenbrook, Hope Valley, Midland, Welshpool and Maddington, during the high threat period. The ICV is located at Belmont Station, the POD carrier is also located at Canning Vale
The Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) is a volunteer service predominantly attending motor vehicle accidents, structure fires and HAZMAT incidents outside of metropolitan areas. In 2024 the VFRS had 2,219 volunteer firefighters in 93 brigades across the state.
The Bush Fire Service (BFS) is a volunteer service tasked with attending any fire outside of a gazetted fire district within a Brigade's Local Government area. They predominantly combat bushfires and conduct hazard reduction burning on a local level. As of 2024, there are 551 Bush Fire Brigades (BFBs) with 20,227 volunteers.
The Volunteer Fire and Emergency Services (VFES) is also a volunteer service. It was established to combine the resources of any combination of a BFS Brigade, a VFRS Brigade, MR Group or an SES Unit to replace the Volunteer Fire Services (VFS) and Volunteer Emergency Service (VES) in 2016 It has just over 1,184 volunteers as of 2024.
The State Emergency Service (SES) is a volunteer service with the role of attending a vast array of natural disasters and search and rescue incidents. They attend land searches for missing people, storm damage, urban search and rescue (USAR), cliff rescue, road crash rescue, transporting personnel and equipment to fires as well as many other roles. The SES has a K9 unit with volunteer's dogs being trained in searching for missing people and a mounted unit for land searches. As of 2024 they had 1,020members and 64 units.
The Marine Rescue Service Western Australia (VMRS) is another volunteer service tasked with assisting the Western Australian Police with searches for missing people or vessels, assisting disabled vessels and rescues in water around the state. As of 204 there are 39 MRS Groups with 1,570 volunteers.
In April 2018 a new Rural Fire Division was announced after the findings of the 2016 Waroona Bushfire Special Inquiry. It will be another branch under the DFES structure and will consist of:
* Bushfire Centre of Excellence (training and research into Bushfire mitigation)
* Bushfire Mitigation Branch
* Bushfire Technical Services
* Land Use Planning
* Office of Bushfire Risk Management

### Ranks and insignia

DFES :
| Title | Epaulette | Helmet |
| Commissioner | Crossed staffs in gold wreath with red background below a crown. | Black 2 x white stripes on both sides |
| Deputy Commissioner | Crossed staffs in gold wreath with red background below 3 pips | Black 1 x white stripe on both sides |
| Assistant Commissioner | Crossed staffs in gold wreath with red background below 2 pips | Black |
| Chief Superintendent | Crossed staffs in gold wreath with red background below 1 pip | Silver 1 x white stripe on both sides |
| Superintendent | Crossed staffs in gold wreath with red background | Silver |
| District Officer (Urban & Rural Fire) | 3 blue impellors | Blue 1 x white stripe |
| District Officer (Natural Hazzards) | 3 gold pips | Blue 1 x whte stripe |
| Area Officer | 2 blue impellors below a band | Blue |
| Community Emergency Services Manager (CESM) | 2 gold pips, local government name printed below | Lime green 1 x white stripe on both sides |
| Career Fire & Rescue ||||
| Station Officer (SO) | 2 blue impellors | Red 2 x blue impellors on both sides |
| Leading Firefighter | 3 yellow chevrons below 2 crossed red axes | Yellow 3 x yellow chevrons on both sides |
| Senior Firefighter - 15 years (SFF-15) | 3 x chevrons ( 2 x yellow above 1 x red) below 2 crossed red axes | Yellow 3 x chevrons ( 2 x yellow above 1 x red) on both sides |
| Senior Firefighter | 2 x yellow chevrons below 2 crossed red axes | Yellow 2 x yellow chevrons on both sides |
| Firefighter 1st & 2nd class | 1 x yellow chevron below 2 crossed red axes | Yellow 1 x yellow chevron on both sides |
| Firefighter 5th, 4th & 3rd class | 2 crossed red axes | Yellow |
| Trainee Firefighter | Blank coloured epaulette | Yellow |
| Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service ||||
| VFRS Captain | 3 x red bars below a red impellor | Lime green |
| VFRS Lieutenant | 2 x red bars below a red impellor | White 1 x blue stripe on both sides |
| VFRS Apparatus Officer | 1 x red bar below a red impellor | White 1 x green stripe on both sides |
| VFRS Secretaty (Non-active) | 1 x yellow line above SECRETARY in writing | |
| VFRS Leading Firefighter | 3 x red chevrons below 2 crossed branches | White |
| VFRS Senior Firefighter | 2 x red chevrons below 2 crossed branches | White |
| VFRS Qualified Firefighter | 1 x red chevron below 2 crossed branches | White |
| VFRS Firefighter | 2 crossed branches | White |
| VFRS Ex Captain | 1 x yellow impellow above EX CAPTAIN in writing | White |

## Stations
### Metropolitan Career fire stations

| Station | Appliances | Appliances | Appliances | Co-located with VFRS |
| Station | Pumper | Specialist & Support | Summer fire season | Co-located with VFRS |
| Armadale | Armadale 1st (UPHR) Armadale LT | | | Armadale 2nd VFRS HSR and LT |
| Belmont | Belmont Pump (HP) Belmont LT | Belmont ICV Foam Trailer | | |
| Butler | Butler Pump (UPHR) Butler LT | | Butler 3.4 UT | |
| Canning Vale | Canning Vale Pump (UPHR) Calling Vale LT | POD Carrier Canning Vale 2.4UT | | |
| Cardup | Cardup Pump (UPHR) Cardup LT | Cardup 3.4UT | | |
| Claremont | Claremont Pump (UP) Clarmont LT | | | |
| Cockburn | Cockburn Pump (UPHR) Cockburn LT | Foam Trailer | Cockburn 3.4 UT | |
| Daglish | Daglish 1st (UP) Daglish 1st LT Daglish 2nd (UPHR) | | Daglish 2nd LT | |
| Duncraig | Duncraig Pump (UP) Duncraig LT | | | |
| Ellenbrook | Ellenbrook Pump (UPHR) Ellenbrook LT | | Ellenbrook 3.4 UT | |
| Fremantle | Fremantle 1st (HP) Fremantle 1st LT Fremantle 2nd (UPHR) | Fremantle CLP Foam Trailer | Fremantle 2nd LT | |
| Hope Valley | Hope Valley Pump (UP) Hope Valley LT | | Hope Valley 3.4UT | |
| Joondalup | Joondalup Pump (UP) Joondalup LT | Joondalup 3.4UT | | |
| Kensington | Kensington Pump (HP) Kensington LT | | | |
| Kiara | Kiara Pump (HP) Kiara LT | | Kiara 3.4UT | |
| Maddington | Maddington Pump (UP) Maddington LT | | Maddington 3.4UT | |
| Malaga | Malaga Pump (HP) Malaga LT | Malaga 3.4UT | | |
| Mandurah | Mandurah 1st (UPHR) Mandurah 1st LT | | | Mandurah 2nd VFRS 3.4UT and LT |
| Midland | Midland Pump (UPHR) Midland LT | | Midland 3.4UT | |
| Murdoch | Murdoch Pump (UPHR) Murdoch LT | Murdoch SET | | |
| Osborne Park | Osborne Park Pump (UP) Osborne Park LT | Osborne Park SET | | |
| Perth | Perth 1st (UP) Perth 2nd (UP) | Perth CLP Perth LRV | | |
| Rockingham | Rockingham 1st (UP) Rockingham 1st LT | | | Rockingham 2nd VFRS HSR and LT |
| Vincent | Vincent 1st (UP) Vincent 1st LT Vincent 2nd (UPHR) Vincent 2nd LT | | | |
| Wangara | Wangara Pump (UP) Wangara LT | Foam Trailer | | |
| Welshpool | Welshpool 1st (UP) Welshpool 1st LT Welshpool 2nd (UPHR) | | Welshpool 3.4UT Welshpool 2nd LT | |

### Country Career fire stations

| Station | Appliances | Appliances | Appliances |
| Station | Pumper | Specialist & Support | Summer fire season |
| Albany | Albany 1st (UPHR) Albany 1st LT | Albany 1st 3.4UT | Albany 1st LT 2 |
| Bunbury | Bunbury 1st (UPHR) Bunbury 1st LT Bunbury 2nd (UPHR) Bunbury 2nd LT | | |
| Kalgoorlie | Kalgoorlie 1st (UPHR) Kalgoorlie 1st LT | Kalgoorlie 1st 3.4UT | Kalgoorlie 1st LT 2 |
| Geraldton | Geraldton 1st (UPHR) Geraldton 1st LT | Geraldton 1st HSR | Geraldton 1st LT 2 |

## Vehicles and equipment

The Department maintains and coordinates a range of specialist equipment and emergency response vehicles. This includes pumpers and tankers, aerial ladders and other equipment designed to combat incidents including search and rescue, urban search and rescue (USAR), firefighting and other natural disasters.
Appliances used by DFES brigades groups and units include:

### Pumpers

| Fleet ID | Appliance Type | Appliance Specifications | Appliance Specifications | Appliance Specifications | Body Builder |
| Fleet ID | Appliance Type | Cab Chassis | Pump and Capacity | Water and Foam Capacity | Body Builder |
| UP | Urban Pump | Scania P310/320 | Waterous CMC (Split shaft) twin stage 4732 LPM @ 10 Bar Waterous CMK (PTO) twin stage 4732 LPM @ 10 Bar (UP/UPHR 37 onwards) | Water: 1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | Paull and Warner Resources (UP/UPHR 37 onwards) Southwest Fire Units |
| UPHR | Urban Pump Heavy Rescue | Scania P310/320 | Waterous CMC (Split shaft) twin stage 4732 LPM @ 10 Bar Waterous CMK (PTO) twin stage 4732 LPM @ 10 Bar (UP/UPHR 37 onwards) | Water:1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | Paull and Warner Resources (UP/UPHR 37 onwards) Southwest Fire Units |
| MPHR | Medium Pump Heavy Rescue | Scania 94D | Waterous CSHK twin stage 3500 LPM @ 10 Bar | Water:1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | WA Fire Appliances |
| HP | Heavy Pump | Scania P310 | Waterous CMC (Split shaft) twin stage 4800 LPM @ 10 Bar | Water:1400L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 240L | Southwest Fire Units |
| CP | Urban Pump Type 2 (Previously Country Pump) | Volvo FM | Waterous CGVK (PTO) single stage 3000 LPM @ 10 BAR | Water: 1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | Paull and Warner Resources |
| CP | Urban Pump Type 2 (Previously Country Pump) | Iveco Eurocargo | Waterous CGVK (PTO) single stage 3000 LPM @ 10 BAR | Water: 1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | Frontline Fire and Rescue |
| CP | Urban Pump Type 2 (Previously Country Pump) | Isuzu FTR | Waterous CGVK (PTO) single stage 3000 LPM @ 10 BAR | Water: 1200L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | WA Fire Appliances Paull and Warner Resources (CP20) |
| HS | Urban Pump Type 3 (Previously HSR, HAZMAT Structural Rescue) | Isuzu FTS 4x4 | Waterous CLSK (PTO) single stage 1800 LPM @ 10 BAR | Water:1400L Foam A: 60L Foam B: 200L | McDonald Johnson Southwest Fire Units Frontline Fire and Rescue |

### Tankers

* Light Tanker (LT) (Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series)
* 1.4 Tanker (Isuzu and Iveco Cab Chassis)
* 2.4B (Broadacre) / 2.4R (Rural) / 2.4U (Urban Tanker) (Isuzu Cab Chassis)
* 3.4U (Urban Tanker) (Isuzu Cab Chassis)
* 4.4B (Broadacre) / 4.4R (Rural) (Isuzu, Iveco, Volvo and Tatra Cab Chassis)
* 12.2 Bulk Water Tanker (Isuzu Cab Chassis)

### Specialist Vehicles

* Road Crash Rescue Tender (RCR)
* Incident Control Vehicle (ICV)
* Combination Ladder Platform (CLP)
* Vertical Rescue Vehicle (LRV)
* POD Carrier
* Rehabilitation Vehicle

### SES/VFES vehicles

* Personnel Carrier (Toyota Landcruiser 70 Series V8 Troop Carrier used to transport personnel and equipment to incidents)
* General Rescue Utility (Isuzu NPS 75-155/NPR 75-190 used to transport rescue/communications equipment to incidents)
* General Rescue Truck
* Commuter Bus
* Road Crash Rescue Tender
* Flood Rescue Boat

### Aerial Fleet

* x6 Bell 214B Helitaks with a 2,650L capacity
* x11 Air Tractor 802 with a capacity of 3,150L (Joint operated with DBCA)
* x1 Eurocopter AS355 Écureuil (Air attack supervision and fire mapping)
* x2 Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin (Utility, air attack supervision and fire mapping, capacity for water bombing with 1200L bucket)
* x1 Lockheed C-130 Hercules Large Air Tanker with a 15,000L Capacity (Water or Retardant)
* x2 UH-60 Blackhawk Helitak with a 4,500L capacity
* x3 Bell 412EP Rescue helicopter operated by RAC, To be replaced by the Leonardo AW139
* Scania Urban Pumper (UPT1)
* Combination Ladder Platform (CLP)
* Incident Control Vehicle (ICV)
* Hazmat Structure Rescue (UPT3)
* POD Carrier
* 3.4U Urban Tanker
* VFRS/CFRS Light Tanker
* Bush Fire Service Light tanker
* Bush Fire Service Isuzu 4.4 rural tanker
* Bush Fire Service Isuzu 1.4 rural tanker
* Isuzu 12.2 bulk water tanker
Vehicles are named based on their water capacity, drive type (2x4/4x4) and role. For example: 1.4R meaning approximately 1000L, 4x4 and designed for a rural environment.

## Incidents

In February 2023, a Coulson Aviation Boeing 737-300 crashed while fighting fires in Fitzgerald River National Park; both pilots survived the crash.