Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Department overview
Formed1860 (1860)
JurisdictionQueensland Government
HeadquartersKedron, Queensland, Australia
Employees
  • 2,200 front-line officers
  • 2,000 paid auxiliary staff
Minister responsible
  • Mark Ryan, Minister for Fire and Emergency Services
Department executive
  • Steve Smith, Acting Commissioner
Child agencies
Websiteqfes.qld.gov.au

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is the primary provider of fire and emergency services in Queensland, Australia. The QFES was established in 2013 to improve the coordination and planning of emergency services, adopting an "all hazards" approach to emergency management.

QFES headquarters are located in the Emergency Services Complex in Kedron, Brisbane.

The Department of Community Safety formerly had joint coordination control until a merger in 2014.

  • Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) 2014–present
  • Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority 1997–2001
  • Queensland Fire Service 1990–1997
  • Rural Fire Service (RFSQ) 1927–present
  • Queensland State Emergency Service (QSES) 1974–present
  • Civil Defense Organization 1961–1973

The 20,200 QFES personnel are 2,200 full-time professional firefighters and 2,000 on call auxiliary Firefighters, 9,000 Rural Fire Service volunteers and 6,000 State Emergency Service volunteers. QFES front-line operations is supported by a number of non-operational administration staff throughout the State.[1]

The minister responsible is the Honorable Mark Ryan, Minister for Fire and Emergency Services.[2]

QFES former leader, Commissioner Greg Leach, formerly a member of the Country Fire Authority, Ambulance Victoria and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Melbourne)[3] resigned in October 2023.[4]

History

The QFES is the result of 150 years of evolution in Queensland's firefighting services; it was born in 1860 after a fire destroyed a Brisbane cabinet making workshop. The early years were tough for the Brisbane Fire Brigade and it was not until 1889 that the first firemen was employed.

The first legislation for rural fire management was the Act to Prevent the Careless Use of Fire 1865, and for state fire management, the Fire Brigades Act 1876. In 1990, the Queensland Fire Service and the Rural Fires Council were formed replacing the 81 Fire Boards in local government areas and the Rural Fires Board; this was the first step in creating a single fire service for Queensland.

In 1997, it became the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority and 2001 saw another name change to the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.

In 2013, QFRS merged with EMQ and the Corporate Services Division of the Department of Community Safety to become the current Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, encompassing Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, parts of the State Emergency Service, Emergency Management and the Rural Fire Service.

Organisation

Pumper
Mobile Control Centre

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service professional firefighters ensure a balance between the reduction of risk and enhancement of community resilience, whilst providing effective response and recovery capabilities in the primary hazard response areas of: fire and explosion; accident; rescue; environmental and imminent or declared disaster.

Aerial ladder truck

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services provides specialist personnel for: land, marine, air and urban search and rescue; crime scene and forensic searches; missing person searches; animal disease outbreaks and communications.

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service is made up of approximately 2200 professional and 2000 Auxiliary (part-time) firefighters that are responsible for responding to most emergencies. They are trained and work in a command structure with standards to ensure safety. To become a professional firefighter involves a selection process, after which successful candidates undertake a four-month recruitment course. They then go on to partake in study and training in all disciplines of rescue, wildfires, structural fires and major emergencies.

Rural Fire Service

The Rural Fire Service (RFS), made up of approximately 9000 volunteers (3000 active), approximately 1400 rural fire brigades. They are mainly responsible for responding to bushfires and have some land management capability. The current QFES model means that volunteers will support the Fire & Rescue Service in any emergency as required.

Fire Prevention and Fire and Rescue

Queensland's firefighters undertake a range of planning and preparation activities throughout the year. They are trained in structural firefighting, wildland (forest and grassland) fires, vertical rescue, swift water rescue, road crash rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue and urban search and rescue (USAR) and hazardous material mitigation. Fire hazard (vegetation fires) mitigation and response is the primary role of Fire and Rescue and Rural Fire Service in the outer areas. Rural Fire Brigades, in conjunction with Rural Fire Service permanent staff, Fire & rescue Service, local councils, national parks rangers, and local landholders, undertake a range of planning and preparation activities throughout the year to ensure communities are well prepared for the fire season.

One of these activities is hazard reduction burns. Hazard reduction burns use fire under controlled circumstances to reduce excess vegetation and minimize the potential for bushfires to spread.

Community education

There is an increasing awareness that timely and effective fire prevention and education saves lives and property. Fire and Rescue Service professional firefighters visit many schools and engage in a range of community education activities to ensure the community is prepared for a range of emergencies.

Permits to Light Fire

The Fire and Emergency Services Regulation 2011 regulates the use of fire by not allowing fires to be lit without a specific permit. Fire Wardens and authorized fire officers manage the permit to light fire system.

A permit to light fire is required for any fire that exceeds two meters in any direction and can be acquired free of charge from a fire warden.

Fighting Bushfires

Professional firefighters cover the major population areas across most of Queensland. Rural Fire Brigade volunteers respond to the outbreak of fires outside of the fire and rescue coverage and within their local area and in surrounding areas in support of other rural bushfire brigades and emergency services. QFES is made up of two distinct fire services and when these services are bought together, they are used to provide a stronger, more efficient response to large scale bushfires.

Deployments and assistance during disasters

All elements of QFES are often sent on deployment to assist other states during disasters. Both professional and volunteer services are also used for state-based deployments.

State Emergency Service

The Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) is a statewide organisation of volunteers from a variety of backgrounds who respond to emergencies and disasters across the State as needed. They are trained and equipped by local councils and QFES, to help their communities across a range of functions, and their primary purpose is to assist the community. The SES is designed to empower people to help themselves and others in their community in times of emergency and disaster. The basic concept is one of self-help and mutual assistance within each community.

SES members also assist other emergency services with provision of: emergency lighting; emergency welfare services; management of traffic at emergency scenes and emergency communications.

Leadership

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Commissioner of the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service.

Period served Name Notes
Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority
1997–2001 Wayne Hartley, AFSM Formally Director of the Queensland Ambulance Service.
Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service
2001–2002 Wayne Hartley, AFSM Formally Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority
2002–2014 Lee Johnson, AFSM
Commissioner, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
2014–2015 Lee Johnson, AFSM Formally Commissioner of Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS).
2015–5 June 2019 Katarina Carroll, APM Formerly Assistant Commissioner in the Queensland Police Service.
2 December 2019 – 2023 Greg Leach, AFSM Former Deputy Chief Officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (Melbourne). Previous Commissioner of Tasmania Ambulance.

Ranks and structure

The QFES employs both professional firefighters and on call paid Auxiliary firefighters to staff its more than 240 urban fire and rescue stations.

Ranks of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Services are as follows:

Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Professional Firefighters

  • 4th Class Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE"
  • 3rd Class Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and single chevron
  • 2nd Class Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and double chevron
  • Qualified 1st Class Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and triple chevron
  • Senior Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE", triple chevron and gold crossed axes
  • Leading Firefighter – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE","LEADING FIREFIGHTER" with triple chevron and gold crossed axes - as of 2019, this rank is being phased out
  • Station Officer – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and double impeller
  • Inspector – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and triple impeller
  • Superintendent – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE", single impeller and crown
  • Chief Superintendent – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE", double impeller and crown
  • Assistant Commissioner – Black epaulette with white embroidered "Fire and Emergency Services", crossed branches with laurels
  • Deputy Commissioner – Black epaulette with white embroidered "Fire and Emergency Services", crossed branches with laurels and a single impeller
  • Commissioner – Black epaulette with white embroidered "Fire and Emergency Services", crossed branches with laurels and a single crown

Fire and Rescue Service Auxiliary Firefighter

  • Auxiliary Support – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' and 'AUXILIARY SUPPORT'
  • Firefighter – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' (Grade 1 & 2)
  • Firefighter (5 Years) – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' with single bar
  • Firefighter (10 Years) – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' with double bar
  • Firefighter (15 Years) – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' with triple bar
  • Lieutenant – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' and single impeller
  • Captain – Black epaulette with red embroidered 'FIRE & RESCUE' and double impeller

Fire Communications

  • Fire Communications Officer 1.1 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS" and lightning bolt
  • Fire Communications Officer 1.2 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", a single chevron and lightning bolt
  • Fire Communications Officer 1.3 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", two chevrons and lightning bolt
  • Fire Communications Officer 1.4 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", three chevrons and lightning bolt
  • Fire Communications Officer 1.5 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", three chevrons, lightning bolt and single bar
  • Fire Communications Supervisor – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", double impeller and lightning bolt
  • Fire Communications Manager – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered "COMMUNICATIONS", triple impeller and lightning bolt

Fire & Rescue Scientific Branch

Volunteers

  • Volunteer Scientific Officer – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC'
  • Volunteer Scientific Officer (5 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with single bar
  • Volunteer Scientific Officer (10 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with double bar
  • Volunteer Scientific Officer (15 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with triple bar

Volunteers (Brisbane Based)

  • Scientific Support Officer – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC'
  • Scientific Support Officer (5 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with single bar
  • Scientific Support Officer (10 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with double bar
  • Scientific Support Officer (15 Years) – Black epaulette with light blue embroidered 'SCIENTIFIC' with triple bar

Senior Officers

  • Inspector – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and triple impeller
  • Superintendent - lack epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and single impeller and crown
  • Chief Superintendent – Black epaulette with white embroidered "FIRE & RESCUE" and double impeller and crown

Rural Fire Service (Paid and non-paid staff)

Volunteers

  • Member – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS'
  • Firefighter – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and single bar
  • Senior Firefighter – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and double bar
  • Crew Leader - Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and triple bar
  • Officer – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and single impeller
  • 1st Officer – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and double impeller

Representational Positions

  • Deputy Group Officer – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and single impeller with bar
  • Group Officer – Ink Navy epaulette with yellow embroidered 'RFS' and double impeller with bar

Staff (Paid)

  • Rural Officer 1 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'RFS' with single bar
  • Rural Officer 2 – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'RFS' with double bar
  • Rural Inspector – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'RFS' and triple impeller
  • Rural Superintendent – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'RFS' single impeller and crown
  • Rural Chief Superintendent – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'RFS' and double impeller and crown
  • Rural Assistant Commissioner – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'FIRE & EMERGENCY' and wreath with crossed branches

State Emergency Service (Paid and non-paid staff)

Ranks on SES

Volunteers

  • Community Member – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES'
  • Field Operations Member – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and single chevron
  • Senior Field Operations Member – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and double chevrons
  • Leading Field Operations Member - Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and triple chevrons
  • Deputy Group Leader – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and single cyclone
  • Group Leader – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and double cyclone

Representational Positions

  • Deputy Local Controller – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and double cyclone with single bar
  • Local Controller – Ink Navy epaulette with orange embroidered 'SES' and double cyclone with double bar

Staff (Paid)

  • SES Officer Grade One – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'SES' and single white cyclone
  • SES Officer Grade Two – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'SES' and double white cyclone
  • Area Director – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'SES' and triple white cyclone
  • Executive Manager – Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'SES' with single white cyclone and crown
  • Regional Director - Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'SES' with double white cyclone and crown
  • SES Assistant Commissioner - Ink Navy epaulette with white embroidered 'FIRE & EMERGENCY' and wreath with crossed branches

Honors and awards

Medals

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service medals and ribbons are worn in accordance with the strict Order of Precedence below, from center to right. The award with the highest precedence is worn closest to the centre of the chest and on the top row of ribbon bars when more than four awards are worn.[5]

Commissioner's Medal for Valour
Commissioner's Distinguished Service Medal
Commissioner's Commendation for Bravery
Commissioner's Meritorious Service Award
Diligent And Ethical Service Medal
QFES Medal
SES Meritorious Service Medal

Citations

Citations are worn centrally, 5mm above the nameplate on the right breast pocket of service shirts, tunics and coats. The Order of Precedence for Queensland Fire and Emergency Service citations is as follows:[5]

Commissioner's Unit Citation
G20 Citation
2010-2011 Queensland Flood and Cyclone Citation
XXI Commonwealth Games Citation

References

  1. ↑ "Fire and emergency | Emergency response services". Queensland Government. Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ↑ "Member Details - Queensland Parliament". Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "Commissioner Leach Bio" (PDF). QFES. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
  4. ↑ www.qfes.qld.gov.au https://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/newsroom/articles/resignation-announcement-qfes-commissioner-greg-leach. Retrieved 7 January 2024. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. 1 2 State of Queensland (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services) (November 2016). "Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Honours and Awards 2016" (PDF). Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 March 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2017.
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