NSW Fire Brigades Disability Action Plan 2001-2005
Introduction by the Commissioner
"The NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) has been serving the community since 1884 and continues to strive to be a world class fire and emergency service providing the community with a service they can trust, rely upon and be proud of now and into the future.
"The NSWFB is a major emergency service provider and must ensure that it is equally appropriate, relevant and accessible to all members of the community it serves. To this end, the NSWFB has declared a Guarantee of Service to the community which identifies the level of service that the community can consistently expect.
"It is in this context that I welcome the opportunity provided by the NSW Government’s Disability Policy Framework to review the way in which the NSWFB delivers information and services, to ensure accessibility to all members of the NSW community, and in particular to people with disabilities. About 19% of the total Australian population has a disability and a further 14% are classified as having a handicap. The incidence of disability increases with the ageing of the population with 50% of persons aged 60 years or more having a disability.
"In this context, the NSWFB recognises the need to design its service delivery, information, training and processes to provide a capacity to respond effectively to the needs of people with disabilities.
"The NSWFB is proud to chair and host an Interdepartmental Committee on Home Safety. The com position of this committee is listed in the disability plan. The focus of the Interdepartmental Committee is to reach community groups including:
- isolated elderly individuals who live alone with no family support;
- people with a disability, including mental illness;
- people from a non-English speaking background;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders; and
- carers of the elderly or people with a disability.
In developing the Disability Action Plan, the NSWFB is committed to ensuring that the Plan:
- complies with relevant Commonwealth and State Disability legislation;
- has Brigade management support;
- will be achieved through incorporation in the various planning processes;
- is dynamic and will evolve as a result of consultation.
"I am confident that the implementation of this Disability Action Plan by all members of the NSWFB will result in a service that continues to set benchmarks in excellence in all that it does."
For complete details please see the full version of NSW Fire Brigades Disability Action Plan (PDF, 163Kb)