Committees and strategic alliances

State Emergency Management Committee and State Rescue Board

The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) is responsible for identifying emergency resources from both within and outside the State, and to plan how they will be allocated and coordinated.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) contributes to the SEMC when it is responsible as the combat or lead agency for:

  • Fires in the urban domain

  • Land-based and inland waterways hazardous materials incidents

  • Specified general land rescue

  • Urban search and rescue (USAR), and

  • Chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) incidents.

Counter-terrorism

FRNSW works closely with the NSW Police Force, Health NSW, the Ambulance Service of NSW and the Australian Defence Forces in developing policy and procedures and implementing training exercises to enhance CBR and USAR capability. This is to ensure interoperability at any incidents of terrorist attack. FRNSW is a member of the NSW Government's Chief Executive Officers Counter Terrorism Committee and it contributes to the Cabinet Counter Terrorism Subcommittee.

Fire Services Joint Standing Committee

The Fire Services Joint Standing Committee Act 1998 enables FRNSW and the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) to plan and implement coordinated urban and rural fire services.

The committee provides a forum for consultation and cooperation between FRNSW, the RFS, Fire Brigade Employees' Union and the Rural Fire Service Association to:

  • Develop strategic plans for service delivery and infrastructure

  • Review jurisdictional boundaries

  • Minimise duplication of services delivered to the community, and

  • Minimise duplication of training activities and community education programs.

Bush Fire Coordinating Committee

The Bush Fire Coordinating Committee, established under the Rural Fires Act 1997, provides a forum for consultation and cooperation between FRNSW, RFS, State Forests, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Local Government Association, Shires Association, Rural Fire Service Association, Police Force, Department of Conservation and Environment, Nature Conservation Council, NSW Farmers Association and Department of Community Services to:

  • Plan bushfire prevention and coordinate bushfire fighting

  • Advise the Commissioner of the RFS on bushfire prevention, mitigation and coordinated bushfire suppression

  • Report to the Minister for Emergency Services on any matters relating to the prevention and suppression of bushfires

  • Enter into arrangements with any public authority concerning the reduction of bushfire hazards

  • Give consideration to the principles of ecologically sustainable development described in section 6 (2) of the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 in undertaking any activity that affects the environment, and

  • Establish Bush Fire Management Committees within rural fire districts or other relevant parts of NSW.

Mutual Aid Agreements

Mutual Aid Agreements at a local level further enhance interagency communication and community safety. They enable sharing of resources and the providing of better services to the community.

Memorandums of Understanding

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) exists with the RFS to ensure a complementary and comprehensive fire service for the community of NSW. It recognises the complementary urban and rural focus of the respective services and the FRNSW's additional rescue and statewide hazmat roles.