Joint media release with the Hon Rhiannon Pearce MP
The Albanese Government has deployed National Emergency Management Stockpile (NEMS) assets to support the South Australian bushfire effort.
This includes a large emergency shelter camp capable of accommodating 256 emergency management personnel close to the Deep Creek bushfires.
The Humanihut camp is made up of a series of modular huts that can be rapidly deployed to disaster and emergency sites and can house either emergency response personnel or displaced community members.
Across 32 (including 4 of which are accessible) huts and 6 ablutions blocks, each camp has off-grid capability with its own power, potable water and waste-water storage. Each hut has its own climate control system, lighting and power and can sleep up to 8 people.
By Friday night, less than 10 hours after a convoy carrying the camp left their depot, 128 emergency personnel moved into the base camp. The Humanihut camp will initially be deployed for seven days but may be extended based on operational need.
The Humanihut deployment is part of a range of Australian Government support for the current South Australian fires, including the use of the Australian Defence Force's Keswick Barracks to house emergency personnel, and the deployment of specialist Australian Government-funded firefighting aircraft.
The National Emergency Management Stockpile allows state and territory governments to access additional equipment and services during a crisis.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Kristy McBain, said the Albanese Government was making all options available to support the firefighting effort.
"This Humanihut camp allows firefighters and other emergency management personnel to stay close to the fire ground, as well as enabling them to spend the end of a long shift somewhere that's airconditioned, has flushing toilets and showers and is much better protected from the elements than a tent." Minister McBain said.
"That can provide a significant boost to fatigue management and improve the time it takes to respond to these fires."
South Australian Minister for Emergency Services, Rhiannon Pearce, said the Malinauskas Government was working closely with the Albanese Government to support firefighters.
"I'd like to thank our firefighters who are hard at work protecting local communities in what is extremely difficult terrain and ask everyone to continue to listen to the advice of emergency services and be bushfire ready."
"To support their efforts, we are working hand-in-hand with our federal counterparts to ensure that we provide them with all the support they need, as quickly as possible," Minister Pearce said.>
