A total of 13 staff and members of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) have received Canadian Deployment Recognition Pins in appreciation of their efforts going over to Canada to help fight the country’s last year wildfires.
Minister for Emergency Services, Stephen Dawson and Commissioner for the DFES, Darren Klemm presented the pins and thanked staff and volunteers for their heroic efforts.
Mr Dawson said the special taskforce of Western Australian firefighters was deployed after Australia received a formal request from the Canadian Government to help its crews tackle the worst wildfires the country had experienced in years due to record temperatures.
“In British Columbia, a State of Emergency was declared as more than 3,180 personnel were deployed to fight nearly 300 fires sweeping through the Province,” he said.
Mr Dawson said the Western Australian contingent featured members who travelled from as far as the Great Southern and Mid-West Gascoyne and completed a 30-day deployment in extreme conditions.
“I am extremely proud that Western Australia was able to answer this call and send an emergency response contingent with such a vast skills set to Canada during these devastating wildfires,” he said.
“I thank the Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ staff and volunteers who put their hands up to protect the Canadian community.”
Mr Dawson said their actions in successfully filling key roles, including incident controllers, fire behaviour analysts and aerial firefighting specialists, would certainly enhance their reputation around the world.
