News - United Professional Firefighters Union

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐮𝐦-𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭.These incidents are complex, hazardous, resource-intensive and dangerous. They involve toxic smoke, unpredictable fire behaviour and long-duration operations, placing firefighters and the community at greater risk. The Maddington fire involved about 80 tonnes of lithium-ion solid-state batteries, with crews forced to shift tactics to protect firefighter safety. DFES also warns lithium-ion battery fires are increasing and can involve thermal runaway, intense fire and toxic gases.Firefighters have been raising awareness with DFES, Government and Members of Parliament that these threats are growing and that preparedness, staffing, equipment and capability must keep pace.Instead, too often the answer is delay, inaction, or that WA “doesn’t have the money”.The risk does not wait for the budget. It exists regardless. Once again, firefighters are left to manage the consequences of a system that has not kept pace with the danger.That's why we have been Fighting For Your Safety and the Future of Our Members.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForYourSafety#FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

1 week ago

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐇𝐀𝐙𝐌𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭Career Firefighters from Bunbury 1st and 2nd are currently in attendance at a 3rd Alarm Hazardous Materials incident alongside volunteers from Bunbury Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service (Bunbury 3rd). Bunbury 2nd, however, started today's 10 hour dayshift without a full crew, and is currently operating on Restricted Duties, meaning those in attendance - both Career and Volunteer - are now needing to operate with limited personnel and below the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA's own minimum standards for the WA Career Fire and Rescue Service.This staffing CRISIS has now impacted Firefighter and Community Safety for years, but WA Labor and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA continue not to deliver any tangible solutions.We're having to Fight for Community Safety and Our Future. And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForYourSafety #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

1 week ago

A hazardous smoke warning is still in place for parts of the City of Gosnells as authorities battle to get a factory fire under control. The blaze at a lithium battery recycling facility at Burwash Place in Maddington was given the all-clear earlier this week, but yesterday re-intensified. Scott Hares, DFES Chief Superintendent for Metropolitan South, said firefighters had never dealt with this scale of lithium battery fire before. "This is one of the most significant lithium battery fires in Perth and Western Australia and we are doing a great amount of work on scene to keep the community safe," he told Oliver Peterson on 102.5 ABC Perth. "More than 80 tonnes of lithium batteries are stored at the facility and were involved in the fire." Mr Hares believes the blaze will continue to burn for “a significant amount of time”. "We envision we'll be working through the weekend into early next week to make sure that we can get this thing safe." Three types of battery — lithium ion, lithium metal and lead acid — are ablaze, which makes fighting the fire complicated. "They're all fought in different ways, so we can either extinguish it by smothering it or we can let it burn out in a controlled burn." "But the complexities behind this is that the extinguishing technique we use for one battery isn't suitable for another." Residents in an area bounded by Kelvin Road, Westfield Street, Pitchford Avenue and Attfield Street are being advised to remain inside, with doors and windows closed. So far this year, DFES has responded to 63 lithium battery fires — around four per week. ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

1 week ago

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐒It's at that stage now where Firefighters aren't surprised, management are reliant on band-aid solutions and the government doesn't care enough to do anything about it. Trucks around the state are currently Decommissioned (like Daglish 1st), on Restricted Duties (such as Bunbury 2nd), are being crewed under profile or are reliant on personnel doing 24 hour shifts to keep them available.The WA community pays for these resources to be available 24/7 as a result of relevant risk analyses determining that they're required to ensure public safety. The WA community isn't getting what it's paying for, somebody will eventually get hurt and nobody is taking responsibility for fixing the issue. That's why we've been Fighting for Your Safety and Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#fightingforyoursafety #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

We've been clear that our members require appropriate industrial conditions, support, training and equipment for emerging risks that may result in incidents such as this. However, they're needing to make do with existing resources and equipment, possess limited additional training to assist their effective and safe response to such emergencies, and are lucky if appropriately staffed trucks are online or available to assist.Your Career Fire and Rescue Service is understaffed, under-resourced, undervalued and underfire. That's why we're having to Fight for Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop. ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

The 47th annual Retirement Dinner was held on Wednesday, where 550 of our members farewelled this year's retirees - who take with them 600 years of combined experience!We also awarded the 2025 Firefighter of the Year Award to Morten Boe (Fremantle Fire Station).Morten's career as a Firefighter has been defined by consistency, humility and an unwavering commitment to others. Over more than 30 years, Morten’s impact across operations, mentoring and mental health has not only shaped the Career Fire and Rescue Service to date, but will continue to impact how the service operates into the future. To all of our retirees - We wish you a wonderful, healthy and fulfilling retirement. Thank you for everything you've given in service to the communities of Western Australia. ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

2 weeks ago

Photos from Sophie McNeill's post ... See MoreSee Less

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

3 weeks ago

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩The Enterprise Bargaining system has failed to address long-standing, structural problems within the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).Years of unresolved issues have steadily eroded the capability, sustainability, and wellbeing of WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service.For more than a decade, Firefighters have absorbed increasing operational complexity, emerging risks and heightened public expectations while wages, conditions and organisational support have failed to keep pace.The consequences are already visible. There are growing difficulties attracting and retaining firefighters and officers, increasing levels of stress and burnout, rising medical retirements, and escalating workers’ compensation claims. These are not isolated issues. They are clear indicators of a system under strain.Industrial agreements that are intended to provide stability are being routinely challenged or reinterpreted by DFES, forcing constant disputes over matters that should be resolved through consultation and good faith.WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service is not seeking special treatment. It's searching for fair and reasonable conditions that reflect modern firefighting, protect workforce sustainability, and ensure the community continues to receive the level of service it expects and deserves.When an entire workforce feels undervalued, unsupported, and unheard, outcomes suffer immensely. That is why we've been Fighting For Our Future.And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForYourSafety #FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

3 weeks ago

𝐖𝐀 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝We'd be absolutely ecstatic to report that the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and WA Labor have decided not to fight WA's Career Fire and Rescue Service as part of an arbitration process in the WA Industrial Relations Commission, instead deciding to fund:⚕️ A holistic health and wellness program aimed at stopping Firefighters leaving the job broken through injury, trauma, cancer and a range of other injuries/illnesses.🔋 Adequate investment in emerging risks and technologies to ensure the right training, equipment and skillsets are deployed at incident types involving new, more complex threats to public safety.👩‍🚒 Appropriate wages and conditions to ensure experienced staff are retained, a diverse pool of people can be recruited and staff feel valued in their roles, addressing significant morale issues across the service.🪜 Correction of the existing rank structure, ensuring adequate professional development, assisting staff retention and future proofing leadership.🗣️ Enhanced consultation so that decisions affecting our members are made with their input - Nothing about us without us.𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞.#FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook

United Firefighters Union of Western Australia

4 weeks ago

𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭Our members responded to a 4th alarm underground structure fire in Alkimos this morning, approximately 1,500m down a tunnel related to a Seawater Desalination project in the area. This was an unusual and complex incident that required specialist capabilities, knowledge, skills and problem solving abilities, which are not currently recognised by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and WA Labor in terms of wages, conditions and work value.It was also an incident requiring specialist training and equipment, but our members have only been provided access to, or are supplied with, both of these in limited forms. Finally, it was an incident that required capabilities, specialised equipment and breathing apparatus support from one of WA's two Specialised Equipment Tenders (SET).However, this support was significantly delayed (37 minutes) due to Osborne Park's SET being unavailable (as a result of a staffing matter that was no fault of the Department's) and the alternative of Murdoch's SET not being available given it was on Restricted Duties (their Station Officer had been sent by DFES to another station at the start of the 14 hour nightshift due to the ongoing staffing crisis, making the truck unavailable).This incident highlights the impact of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA and WA Labor running the service lean, without redundancies. It also exemplifies significant need to manage emerging risks, in terms of training and equipment. Further, it affirms that our members are being expected to possess advanced skillsets and capabilities without these being fairly recognised in work value or conditions. Incidents like these are why we're having to Fight for Our Future. And the Fighting Needs to Stop.#FightingForOurFuture ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook

Social Media