Repay WA trial to safeguard network from fire, Redman
Author: Terry Redman
Published on: 11-October-2011
Energy Minister Peter Collier has launched the official commencement of a trial that will see community-based offenders reduce the risk of power poles catching alight or smouldering and collapsing as a result of fire, by hand-painting them with fire retardant paint.
Following the announcement of an agreement being reached between the Department of Corrective Services and Western Power in April, the hand painting of wooden power poles commenced today in Roleystone.
“One of the invaluable lessons learned through the Roleystone fires in February, and the resulting Keelty report into the Perth Hills bushfires, is that fire retardant paint protects poles against low intensity fires and prevents a wood pole from smouldering for hours and eventually falling,” Mr Collier said.
“All of Western Power’s new wood poles in high and extreme fire risk areas now come pre-painted with fire retardant paint and this trial will determine the effectiveness of retrospectively painting poles that are already installed in those locations.”
Mr Collier said applying the fire retardant paint onto wooden poles requires fine weather, which was why Western Power held the commencement of the trial over until the spring.
“This trial will determine the potential cost of applying all wooden poles in high and extreme fire risk areas in Western Power’s network with fire retardant paint, which will ultimately improve the chances of the State’s electricity network remaining operational in a fire affected area,” he said.
Corrective Services Minister Terry Redman said the trial was an excellent example of how communities could benefit from the work of Repay WA crews.
“Not only are 400 community projects across the State currently getting valuable labour from Repay WA, but offenders have the opportunity to develop different work skills,” Mr Redman said.
This trial to increase the number of poles with fire retardant paint is just one part of Western Power’s ongoing commitment to ensure the network is adequately protected against the risk of bushfires, a commitment which was acknowledged in the Keelty report into the Perth Hills bushfires.
