Residents in Oakford are being asked to join an online petition to support the development of a new Volunteer Fire Brigade facility in the community.
The petition commenced this week after an assessment of the community needs proved the current fire station.
Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale Councillor Morgan Byas created the petition to highlight the need for the new fire station.
“I’ve been involved in the Oakford fire brigade relocation for about 18 months,” he said.
“The current station has been there for a significant amount of time, and the brigade has a lot of love for the facilities there, however it is reaching the end of its useful life.
“One of they key concerns about the current facilities is that they can’t support the function of interim incident control centres, which are demountable buildings that appear during a major emergency event.
“It’s just gotten to the point where we need to upgrade the facilities, for the future of the Oakford area.”
The current station is on private land, and does not belong to the Shire.
There is a short-term rental agreement in place but due to being privately owned, the upgrades cannot take place at the current facilities.
“So, council undertook a comprehensive consultation process last year to identify a new site for the future Oakford Station,” Mr Byas said.
The land preferred by council is currently owned by the state government.
“My understanding is that we are close to reaching a deal with the state government,” Mr Byas said.
“Which just leaves us to make plans and build the facilities.”
Mr Byas understands the importance of remaining proactive and protecting the community.
The online petition is to rally the support of ratepayers and residents so that the Oakford community is not overlooked for funding by the state government.
Considering 97 per cent of the Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale is bushfire prone; the development of a new Volunteer Fire Brigade Station plays an essential role in maintaining the region’s emergency service infrastructure.
Mr Byas is seeking 100 signatures on his petition to be put forward to the State Government and support the rally for funding.
