The new RFS nerve-centre for the wider region is to be officially opened on Saturday morning by Northern Tablelands MP, Adam Marshall.
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At a cost of $2.4 million, it will give fire-fighters the ability to monitor the movement of fires over a wide area as they happen, “in real time”.
It will cover the Inverell, Glen Innes Severn and Tenterfield local government areas and enable fire-fighters to expertly and exactly target fast-moving fires with aerial bombing.
The plan is to keep the existing centre running from its warren of rooms in the old shire hall on Bourke Street. The two facilities will run in tandem for some months to check that the new equipment in the new place is functioning well.
Mr Marshall said recently: “This is a long awaited development and I am impressed at how quickly work has progressed since it started in February.”
“This facility will be the nerve centre for the RFS fighting fires across the three local government areas, covering over 21,000 square kilometres.
“The new development on Lambeth Street will include upgraded office spaces, a fire operations room, new training rooms, kitchen facilities, storerooms, state mitigation service facilities and a brigade station which will provide a comfortable space for RFS personnel and volunteers.
“This multi-million fire control centre will equip local RFS crews with the modern tools to battle fires across the State’s north, including 400,000 hectares of national parks and forests.
“It will be the most advanced headquarters to manage emergency situations anywhere in country NSW.”
The RFS had outgrown its cramped headquarters, the former Severn Shire Council Chambers, in Bourke Street, but the new premises will allow for future expansion, including four new jobs coming with the new headquarters.”
The facility on Lambeth street is not quite purpose built. It’s an adaptation of the Betta Electrical building, but completely gutted and adapted for its new use.
It’s not known exactly when the complete move out of the old premises will happen, certainly within six months.
The fate of the shire council building is in disptue once the RFS has left.
It's been ear-marked by Glen Innes Severn Council for a “youth hub” or youth and cultural centre, but the council is still divided on how to pay for it and how to staff it.
The coulncil is forming an advisory youth committee to say what it wants and then the council itself will make decisions.
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