The South Australian Premier Steven Marshall was on hand this morning to officially launch a new $80 million state-of-the-art headquarters that unites the CFS, SES, MFS and SAFECOM under one roof for the first time in SA history.
The Premier was joined by Emergency Services Minister Vincent Tarzia as the pair toured the site and met with staff and volunteers who have been busy responding to bushfires in the state’s South East.
At the same time, other staff were coordinating the response to the wild flooding that impacted major rural roads in the regions.
“Future-proofing South Australia’s capability to respond to emergencies is crucial to protecting our community,” the Premier said.
“We saw a huge gap in the state’s ability to respond to bushfires and other natural disasters because the senior leadership teams of our emergency services were not working together under one roof.
“There is no better emergency services hub in the country, but we know it wouldn’t be worth a thing without the incredible staff and volunteers who dedicate themselves to safeguarding our community.”
Minster Tarzia said the new headquarters – at World Park Precinct in Keswick – was home to more than 300 people from the CFS, MFS, SES and SAFECOM.
“This facility is earthquake resistant and features a self-sufficient power source to ensure it’s ready to respond at a second’s notice without the risk of going offline during an emergency,” Minister Tarzia said.
“This facility is a huge win for South Australians and those who serve the community in the emergency services sector.
“And further to that, our local economy got a boost during the construction phase of the project with 250 jobs supported by the build.”
SAFECOM Chief Executive Julia Waddington-Powell said the headquarters spans over 5,500 square metres and houses five heavy tankers and a bulk carrier on standby for operational deployment.
“The emergency services sector is excited to have this state-of-the-art headquarters up and running in what is an historic step forward for the coordination of emergencies in our state,” Ms Waddington-Powell said.
“The headquarters can also double as the new State Control Centre if needed.”
The build was a partnership with developers Charter Hall, Pike Constructions and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
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