Emergency Services Levy allocation
In 2018-19, the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) raised $365 million from ratepayers, $4 million from local government owned properties and $24 million from the State Government and non-trading State enterprises.
The money collected provides facilities, equipment and resources, protective clothing, uniforms, vehicles and training for WA’s fire and emergency services personnel, both career and volunteer across the State.
The ESL also supports specialist activities across the State such as fire investigations, building inspections, emergency planning and community safety programs. ESL raised in 2018-19 has been used to fund the following major activities. Please note this is a high-level grouping of cost allocations for the year.
Table 1. Major activities funded through the ESL
$128 million
Career Fire and Rescue Service
Employed personnel in fire stations across Perth, Albany, Bunbury, Geraldton and Kalgoorlie who are response ready for a variety of emergency situations, 24/7.
$19 million
Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service / Volunteer Fire and Emergency Service
The committed volunteers in towns and built-up areas who provide an emergency response when it is needed most.
$32 million
Bush Fire Service
The dedicated volunteers who protect us from bushfires through fire suppression, prevention and risk management services and fire safety education in rural and pastoral areas.
$10 million
State Emergency Service
The steadfast volunteers in orange who provide help to the community in a variety of situations such as severe weather and search and rescue operations.
$8 million
Volunteer Marine Rescue Service
The devoted volunteers along our coastline who protect and save lives at sea.
$11 million
Rural Fire Division
Improving rural fire management through increased investment in mitigation, strengthening relationships with volunteers, and greater collaboration between agencies.
$28 million
Emergency Services Training
Providing professional development for volunteers and career personnel to enhance their operational and organisational skills.
$18 million
Aerial Firefighting and Aviation Services
Operation and coordination of the aerial fleet that is deployed rapidly to emergency incidents, protecting lives and property during the bushfire season.
$58 million
Asset Construction and Maintenance
Includes construction of fire stations and other facilities as well as maintenance, improvement and replacement of facilities, response vehicles and equipment.
$4 million
Volunteer Engagement
Working with communities and local governments to strengthen relationships with our volunteers.
$11 million
Emergency Management Strategy and Planning
Research and planning activities to improve our services and inform decisions on how we allocate our resources.
$4 million
Health and Wellness
Enhancing psychological and physical well- being for emergency services employees, volunteers and their families.
$4 million
Investigation and Compliance
Determining the cause of fires and ensuring compliance with relevant standards to reduce the frequency and impact of emergency incidents.
$13 million
Emergency Response Coordination
Includes the running of emergency operations centres and the ‘000’ communications centre to dispatch and coordinate emergency responses.
$28 million
Technology and Communications
Improving and maintaining the technology and communications infrastructure behind all our emergency services.
$3 million
Special Operations
Upskilling personnel and maintaining specialist equipment to enhance our emergency response across a range of events such as hazardous material spills and building collapse.
$12 million
Community Awareness and Education
Providing information and programs to communities to increase awareness and build a more resilient and safer State.
A summary of the ESL monies collected for direct distribution in the form of operating and capital grants is reflected below. Further information on all grant expenditure is available in note 3.2 of the Financial Statements.
| Table 2: Grant Expenditure from the ESL in 2018-19 | Operating $'000 | Capital $'000 | Total $'000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government Grant Scheme - Bush Fire Service* | 9,947 | 10,371 | 20,318 |
| Local Government Grant Scheme - State Emergency Services* | 2,104 | 2,851 | 4,955 |
| Comprehensive Crew Cab Protection - Bush Fire Service | - | 2,428 | 2,428 |
| Community Emergency Services Managers | 2,371 | - | 2,371 |
| Volunteer Marine Rescue Services | 2,199 | 2,798 | 4,997 |
| Local Government Bushfire Risk Management | 1,462 | - | 1,462 |
| Mitigation Activity Fund - ESL | 966 | - | 966 |
| Grants to volunteer entitities | 733 | - | 733 |
| Grants to volunteer representative bodies | 592 | - | 592 |
| Private brigades | 197 | - | 197 |
| Other ESL grants | 529 | - | 529 |
| 21,100 | 18,448 | 39,548 |
A detailed breakdown of grant allocations approved to local governments for Bush Fire Brigades and the State Emergency Service can be found on our website at www.dfes.wa.gov.au