Fire brigade finally finds new home

A “long and exhaustive” search to find a site for the new Broome Volunteer Bushfire Brigade headquarters is finally over after five long years.

In 2013, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services committed $960,000 to the Shire of Broome for the project.

One site was explored on lot 2642 Broome Road but it was rejected after it was identified as a future drainage discharge point.

The 2.28ha parcel of land earmarked for the building at lot 1047 Wattle Drive — between the Broome Speedway and caravan park — sits on the outskirts of town and electricity and reticulated water are available. A suita-ble site had to meet a set of key criteria including size, location, cost, availability of services, zoning, native title and natural hazard risks.

In a report to councillors, emergency, health and ranger services manager Ty Matson said the search to find a suitable location had been time-consuming and hard.

“Investigations regarding potential sites were exhaustive and lengthy,” he said.

“There were very few sites that met all of the above criteria.

“Many potential sites were discounted because of lack of services or because of cost implications associated with works to bring electricity and reticulated water to the site or achieve an acceptable level of hazard immunity.”

The proposed headquarters includes office space, indoor training activities, ablutions, equipment storage and communications.

A large shed with maintenance area would have the capacity to house five large fire appliances or 10 light vehicles.

The current BVBFB facilities include two sites — a storage depot on Farrell Street where two fire response units are housed, and the existing headquarters on Walcott Street.

Councillors unanimously agreed for the Shire chief executive to notify the Department of Planning and Lands and Heritage requesting creation of a reserve over lot 1047 for the purposes of “fire and emergency services”.