combine stations

[rescue5271]

CFS will have to start looking at replacing a number of rural and remote area stations so that new style appliances can fit into the sheds/station,so why can't CFS and local community group's work together so that the fire station and say a community centre/sporting club are all under the same roof?? There are already a number of these around the state and from what people tell me they work well and provide a great way for the locals to come together and be involved in the community. I raised this issue not so long ago to a high ranking CFS officer and he said it would not work,but yet it is already working across the state.

If CFS was to go down this track,then they would be able to access better funding for a joint station/ community centre in rural area's where local community's are finding it hard to raise funds for new centre's/clubs....What do people think and is this a good way of helping a local community....

[Baxter]

The up keep and changes to the stations in those areas of the state area a bit of a prickly pear for the service. Locating in conjunction within a sporting ground complex could provide problems of access and egress for all concerned. The other aspect that needs to be considered is what is required beyond a truck parking bay that larger enough to a fit an appliance. It is a good idea in theory and practices it needs to be done while working with the community to ensure that it is mutually beneficial to all.

If it was my brigade that was going down that path of having a new station built then I would like to see and read a document of building standards for station as no brigade wants to be worse off than what they are presently are (if one exists canone please tell me where I can find such a document)

[rescue5271]

Contact your regional office or the nice people at TECH SERVICES....

[bajdas]

Given the 'Minister for Emergency Services' now owns the buildings and land, would the community club lease from the Minister ?

Otherwise if you wanted to change something in your Brigade building in a few years time that would impact on the Community facility, how would you do that ?

Also, if the community facility closed down (eg lack of funding), would the Brigade be caught with the extra expense of maintaining facilities they do not use ?

I agree with the concept & I think the extra space/facilities at Kangarilla was fantastic during the Mt Bold fires. I also believe the constant advertisment of the emergency service to the community as they use the community facilities would be fantatstic.

But in all things that have potential legal or money impacts between different levels of government, it could be a nightmare to maintain.

[Pipster]

There are several stations now that are leased from other community groups - in particular, local community Halls, so the concept of the Minister leasing portions of a building is not new.

For many brigades, a concept like this might give them an opportunity to have facilities that they wouldn't otherwise get - eg toilets, kitchen etc.....especially since there is  alot of money available for sporting complexes in rural areas, tacking on a shed might be a money wise idea....

Lately, there were several grants available for sporting clubs to the value of $200,000 to add / upgrade / improve sporting  facilities,

I like the concept of co-locating facilities, but I can also see the potential for problems between different community groups, so thee needs to be careful considerations, and a good lease before proceeding!

Pip

[mattb]

It works well at Morphett Vale, our ststation is part of the Hackham Community Sports and Social Club. Basically have a common area which includes toilets and showers that we both have access to, they also have access to our meeting room.

It means that we don't have to worry about cleaning of the toilets and we have a bar and pokies attached to our station that is open from 10am until midnight. Once training is finished on a Monday night most members go next door to contiue 'socialising'. I think it has certainly resulted in a closer brigade and is a good way to finish the night.

We have a really good relationship with the staff that run the club and we generally work together for the better of the facility, normally leveraging off the value of each other when it comes to doing upgrades or asking the council for things.

For info I believe our station is one of the very few left in the state that is still council owned and leased by CFS (I know Kangarilla are in the same position).