Fire Prevention

Fire prevention programs are undertaken at the Tamala Park Waste Management Facility. The purpose of these is to:

• Minimise the frequency and impact of facility fires.
• Ensure contingency plans are followed in the event of a fire.
• Promptly contain and manage fires so as to minimise their duration and impact.
• Ensure significant fires are reported to the Department of Environment & Conservation within 2 hours.

Fire prevention measures include:

• Application of principles of separation, containment and protection to the storage of potentially combustible materials to minimise risk of spread of fire.
• Site boundary access is restricted to a single entrance by a 1.8m security fence topped with three barbed wire strands. The facility is fully supervised during operational hours.
• Burning of waste or bushland on site is prohibited.
• The MRC works closely with DFES both to minimise fire and associated risks and to provide training opportunities for DFES.
• Emergency response contingency plans for fire events are in place. In summary the MRC has a bore licence that supplies a 90,000 litre concrete tank on site suitable for fire fighting purposes. In addition trained staff have access to earth moving, water truck, fire ute, and other fire fighting equipment and will utilise DFES capabilities if required.
• Periodic emergency response exercises are undertaken.
• Periodic Bushland Fuel Assessments of the site are undertaken.