Community-based offenders help reduce fire risk, Redman
Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 11-April-2011
Announcing the trial in Bunbury today, Mr Collier said community-based offenders, under the Repay WA scheme, would coat fire retardant paint on power poles in high fire risk areas.
The offenders on community service orders will be part of a trial to test whether hand painting poles could become a viable long-term option.
“Fire retardant paint protects poles against low intensity fires and prevents a wood pole from smouldering for hours,” Mr Collier said.
“Western Power already machine coats new poles with fire retardant paint before they are placed in the field but it plans to explore the option of retrospectively painting poles already in the field and in high fire risk areas.
“Hand painting poles after they have been installed is usually a prohibitively costly option, which is why Western Power is looking at the opportunity of using community-based offenders.
“Western Power will provide basic training and for some, the opportunity to learn a new skill, while the corporation will have access to no cost labour.”
The trial involving two community-based offenders, overseen by a Repay WA supervisor, will be held in a selected high fire risk area.
The trial will be held over three weeks, after which a quality assessment and feasibility study will be conducted.
Corrective Services Minister Terry Redman said the trial was an excellent example of how communities could benefit from the work of Repay WA crews carrying out a range of tasks.
“About 144,000 hours of adult community work were completed last financial year, equating to about $2.294million worth of labour,” Mr Redman said.
“Not only are 400 community projects across the State currently getting valuable labour from Repay WA, but offenders have the opportunity to develop work skills and I hope, get a sense of pride and achievement from their efforts.”
Western Power managing director Doug Aberle said the effectiveness of fire retardant paint on poles was evident in the recent Roleystone bushfires, where poles which had been coated in fire retardant paint were still standing after the fires had moved through the area.
The fire retardant paint improved the chances of the network remaining operational in a fire affected area because without it wooden poles could smoulder at the base long after the fire had passed.
