Jimboomba’s Rural Fire Service will cease to operate in around 12 months’ time, however Jimboomba will still have a fire brigade.
According to RFS regional manager Alan Gillespie, Jimboomba station is set to become a dedicated urban service and the officers will be paid on-call auxiliary members, which leaves rural volunteers having to upskill or relocate.
A Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said the Jimboomba station is currently a composite model where both rural volunteers and auxiliary members, who are on-call paid firefighters, attend fire and rescue incidents.
RFS area director Clinton Neumann said the transition process started around 2005 when the station became a composite model.
“As a result of this continuation, the Jimboomba service will become urban only,” he said.
“An urban truck is always the first response to any fire emergency.”
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Mr Neumann could not give a definite date for the changeover but said the service was looking at around 12 months in the transitional period.
“Due to the growth of the south-east pocket and the changing area demographic the service needs to be urbanised,” he said.
Mr Gillespie said the change will allow Jimboomba to receive a higher level of service delivery.
”This is the best option to best serve our changing community,” he said.
”The number of urban fires has increased and bushfires have decreased.”
Mr Gillespie said Jimboomba was one of a number of stations undergoing a transition.
“The change will not affect the current auxiliary members,” he said.
“This is a transitional period and the rural volunteers have been given the opportunity to transfer to paid positions if they meet the criteria.
“Those that don’t wish to upskill or don’t meet the criteria can volunteer with other local RFS brigades.
“Change is a challenge for many organisations and ours isn’t immune to that.”
Mr Gillespie also assured residents that a smaller striker unit that was removed from the station this week was not due to the transitional change period.
“Jimboomba is currently in a low risk bush fire season,” he said.
“We move appliances based on risk evaluations and we do it every day.
“If the bush fire risk increases in Jimboomba changes could be made.”
Mr Gillespie said residents should still volunteer for the fire service as there were still opportunities available.
“The Jimboomba station will train where they can and surrounding brigades have offered to take on these rural volunteers,” he said.
