Nov2014_LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
Request For A Fire Water Main.
I feel this is very important to all parents whose children play and train in the Dayboro Showgrounds precinct.
On 29 June this year, I lodged a customer request with Moreton Bay Regional Council and UnityWater and, to date, I have received two phone calls from UnityWater (and they didn’t seem too interested) and one call from MBRC reminding me that anything to do with water is now a UnityWater matter.
My submission was as follows:
I have recently been made aware that some of Dayboro’s most valuable assets have very little fire protection. Buildings in the Showgrounds complex are at least 10-11 lengths of hose (30 metre lengths) away from the nearest fire hydrant, which is located outside Stewart’s Landscaping yard on Mt Mee Road. The main pavilion has two fire hose reels located inside the building – useless if the pavilion is on fire. In Don Kerr Memorial Drive, we have a Scout Hall (top floor construction is all timber, plus combustibles stored on the lower floor), a proposed Men’s Shed, a junior Rugby League clubhouse (licensed), and a Soccer clubhouse (which I believe is also licensed). The nearest fire hydrants to the Soccer club are at least six lengths of 30-metre fire hose away on McKenzie Street, either side of Don Kerr Memorial Drive. I propose that MBRC and UnityWater carry out a most-urgent study of this request and I recommend that a water main (of no less than 100mm in diameter) be laid between McKenzie Street and Mt Mee Road, and be connected to the water mains in both these roads to allow water required for firefighting to flow from both directions.
It was pointed out to me that the main pavilion is constructed mainly of concrete block – it wouldn’t be the pavilion that would catch fire, but it has a heap of combustibles stored within. There is also a huge bank of 90 kg gas cylinders attached to the rear of the kitchen-end of the pavilion. The caravan park area of the showgrounds is usually chock-a-block of a weekend – all the caravans and mobile homes there carry gas cylinders of varying size as well.
I have been advised that the conditions at the showgrounds are legal in respect of the era in which the buildings were constructed – tell that to anyone who may get caught in a fire there.
The firefighting facilities at the showground urgently need to be upgraded. I think I do have a fair idea of what I’m talking about as I am/have been an Urban Firefighter for over 36 years.
When I received the phone call from MBRC, the lady said to me that the council was no longer responsible for water supplies, but I reminded her that the MBRC is now the "trustee" for the whole of the showgrounds precinct, which includes those buildings on Don Kerr Memorial Drive – and they have a DUTY OF CARE.
I plan on waiting another month for a favourable reply from MBRC and/or UnityWater, then I will raise a petition and have as many of our great townsfolk sign it, before delivering it to MBRC and/or UnityWater. Just remember that UnityWater is 58.24%-owned by Moreton Bay Regional Council – and I believe the rest is owned by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.
Glenn Bell
56 Saddleback Drive
DAYBORO. 4521.
