PLANS for a rural fire brigade at Mount Cotton have turned into a political football after a meeting to discuss setting up a volunteer rural brigade last month.
Redlands MP Matt McEachan took aim at Capalaba MP Don Brown and said his claims such a service would affect the role of urban firies and possibly result in a levy were incorrect.
He was speaking out after Mr Brown said average response times for urban firies at Mount Cotton and Sheldon were two minutes, compared with other areas’ response times of 30 minutes.
Mr McEachan said a rural fire brigade for Mount Cotton and Sheldon was a community right and the area was notorious as one of the most dangerous and fire-prone areas in south-east Queensland.
“It’s up neighbours to rally together and work together to protect their own properties,” Mr McEachan said.
“It’s not the place of a politician, especially a politician that does not represent that community, to voice any opinion of that community’s decision.
“If there was any credibility to the Member for Capalaba Don Brown’s ambit claims then he ought to have attended the community meeting along with the Urban Fire Service. Neither did.
“Manned stations are there to respond to fires whereas Rural Fire Brigades are involved in land management and bush fire prevention – they are not designed to attend house fires.”
Mr Brown said he was involved as the Mount Cotton area was serviced primarily by Capalaba fire station with support from permanently manned Class A Fire and Rescue stations at Wishart, Redland Bay, Woodridge, Cleveland and Beenleigh.
“While a rural brigade may be approved, Redland City Council would have to decide if it were prepared to raise a rural fire levy from ratepayers who are already charged an A-Class Emergency Management Levy,” Mr Brown said. “The only occurrence of this to date, in an A-Class Emergency Management Levy district, is at the Gold Coast City at $2 per property per year.”
Response time figures were given to Mr Brown during a briefing with QFES.
