Prisoners from Karnet have volunteered to assist with the re-loading of water, fire retardants and foam into Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) waterbomber aircraft over 10 years.
They played a crucial support role during the devastating Waroona-Yarloop fires in 2016, setting a record for the number of planes re-loaded in one day (110).
Karnet Prison Farm Superintendent, Ray Edge, said the waterbomber re-loading team members were not only providing an important service to the community, but also learning new skills and experiencing the rewards of teamwork.
“The prison re-loading team are very enthusiastic, and they take great pride at being as good at filling a plane with water as anyone,” Superintendent Edge said.
“Once trained they are on standby and available to assist DBCA seven days a week as required.”
The prisoners honed their re-loading skills during a DBCA training session with an Airtractor waterbomber at Dwellingup Airstrip yesterday (Friday, 29 October).
DBCA has extensive aerial firefighting capabilities, including aircraft used to detect and combat bushfires in vast areas of often inaccessible and rugged country. DBCA’s aerial fleet provides effective support to ground based firefighting operations.
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