Secure land today for the new Gordonvale Fire Station of tomorrow

by | Jun 14, 2014 | Media Releases

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt has renewed his call for the Queensland government to secure a site for a new Gordonvale fire station.

Mr Pitt said the location of a new station would need to take into consideration the unique response profile required to serve the greater Gordonvale area.

[singlepic id=592 w=320 h=240 float=left] “As much of the operational work is now with road rescues the government should be identifying a site close to both the Bruce Highway and Gillies Range Road that would give rapid response times to vehicle crashes and also provide better services to Goldsborough and Little Mulgrave residents.

“The former Labor government had been looking to locate Gordonvale fire and ambulance services together but when the opportunity came to relocate the Ambulance Service within the grounds of the Gordonvale Hospital, it was decided to fast track the new ambulance station.

“The decision for this kind of critical infrastructure should be based on the needs of the local community, but with the change in government the LNP appears to have made the replacement Gordonvale fire station a low priority.

“With an ever increasing population in the local area, I know the people of Gordonvale would at a minimum appreciate the certainty of securing a suitable parcel of land.”

[singlepic id=591 w=320 h=240 float=left] Mr Pitt said the current Gordonvale fire station was 64 years old and in need of replacement.

“The culture of firefighting has changed significantly since the existing building opened in 1950,” Mr Pitt said.

“Appliances are much larger carrying a greater amount of equipment to not only fight fires but for road rescues and containment of hazardous substances.

“Changes to workplace health and safety regulations require modern training facilities as well as turn out rooms where all equipment from a job can go in a special area so contaminants can be sealed if necessary.

“Put simply, the existing station has reached the end of its working life, and like the old Mareeba station which was of a similar age and design and was recently replaced, the Newman Government should now be looking to secure a suitable site for a replacement Gordonvale station.”