Governance and funding

State Government Acts and Regulations

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) (as of 1 January 2011) formerly the New South Wales Fire Brigades (NSWFB), created in 1910, is the State Government agency responsible for the provision of fire, rescue and hazmat services in cities and towns across New South Wales in accordance with the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989 [external link], the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 [external link] and other related legislation.

All Acts and Regulations listed below link to the NSW legislation website.

Funding

How we are funded

The Treasurer sets the amount of the FRNSW budget each year.

There are three contributors to the total. The insurance industry contributes 73.7%. Local government contributes 11.7%. The State Government contributes 14.6%.

The insurance industry is required, as a condition of doing business in NSW, to remit its 73.7% from the insurance premiums it receives. The total premium income of the insurance companies is not subject to contribution. For instance, only half of a company's income from household insurance premiums is counted, and only 2.5% of motor vehicle premium income.

Local government councils only pay their 11.7% for FRNSW if FRNSW has a station in their "Fire Districts". All councils in the Sydney area are required to contribute because they are part of the "Sydney Fire District".

Outside Sydney, the Councils in many towns and cities from Albury to Young contribute 11.7% for the local FRNSW Fire Brigade.

Although FRNSW does hazmat everywhere and not just in Fire Districts, Councils that don't have a Fire Station of FRNSW in town do not contribute.

The State Government contributes the other 14.6% from the Consolidated Fund. While not everyone in the State contributes the same amount, we all contribute to some extent.

Through taking out insurance, many people contribute when they pay their insurance. The insurance company shows a separate amount on their invoice notice, which they call "fire service levy". This amount is only an estimate of what the insurance company itself will pay. Insurance companies are not required to do any reconciliation between what they show on your premium, and what they actually remit.

Local government (Councils) remit the amount FRNSW calculates as their share. When you pay rates, or pay rent to a landlord who pays rates, you contribute to the Council's contribution.

We all contribute to the State's 14.6% when we pay taxes.

Resilience NSW [external link] is the central billing and distribution agency for contributions from insurance companies and local government councils for FRNSW, NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW State Emergency Service.

Charges

FRNSW does not charge for attending fires, or attending hazardous materials emergencies for less than one hour, or for rescue operations.

The Fire and Rescue NSW ACT 1989, Sect 42 [external link] allows FRNSW to charge for attending false alarm call-outs to monitored AFA systems. This charge is intended to motivate building owners and managers to be continually pro-active in managing their AFA systems and to ensure they are properly maintained. It has been demonstrated that properly maintained systems assist in reducing the number of false alarms. For further information, visit Automatic Fire Alarms.

Charges may be made for attending a non-fire-related hazardous material emergency for more than one hour. Further information can be found in the FRNSW Hazardous Material Incidents Charing Policy (PDF).

If you have an enquiry in relation to a hazardous materials incident charge, please contact Field Operations Business Services on (02) 9742 7577.

Donations

The core response activities of FRNSW are funded by a mix of funding from state and local government and the insurance industry. We do not solicit donations for our own core activities. FRNSW only accepts donations (usually in the form of sponsorship) for certain community safety prevention programs.

Further information on our policy for manage gifts and benefits can be read in our Managing Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality Policy and Procedure (PDF).

Bushfire related donations

The NSW Rural Fire Service is the lead combat agency for bushfires in NSW. Information about bushfire related donations can be found on their website www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/about-us/fundraising [external link].

Bushfires and scams

There are currently a wide range of appeals raising funds for people and animals affected by the bushfires. Unfortunately, some of these are scams. Further information about scams can be found on the ACCC website here: https://www.accc.gov.au/update/bushfires-and-scams [external link]

Fundraising

As part of FRNSW's community involvement, many of our personnel regularly make personal donations as well as help to raise funds for selected external organisations such as the Burns Units at The Children’s Hospital, Westmead and the John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle. These organisations were chosen because of their connection with the work of FRNSW. If you have an enquiry about fundraising, please contact The Office of the Commissioner. Phone (02) 9265 2999 or e-mail

Individual fire stations sometimes participate in and support particular local community fundraising initiatives. This is a matter for local Zone Commanders and Station Commanders to consider, in accordance with the FRNSW’s policies and procedures. Requests for involvement of local firefighters in fundraising should be made to your local fire station.

Raffles

Members of the public often ring FRNSW because they have been contacted, usually by phone, to buy raffle tickets ‘to support the firefighters.’ FRNSW does not run raffles. People are urged to be careful when responding to any such invitations. In particular:

  • try to identify exactly who is asking you for the money (ie if they say firefighters, ask which fire service or brigade specifically, and ring to check if this is true);
  • be very careful about giving personal financial information such as credit card and bank account details.

The Rural Fire Service Association (RFSA) is a non-profit group which runs raffles to provide financial support to families of volunteers who are injured fighting fires. The RFSA has no connection with FRNSW. If you have been contacted about a raffle for firefighters, you can contact the RFSA office on (02) 4722 2122 or check their website at www.rfsa.org.au [external link] to check whether the call is genuine.

Community support

The Burns Unit, The Children's Hospital at Westmead

Voluntary payroll deductions from members of FRNSW and additional proceeds from other fundraising activities, including FRNSW Band, are presented annually to Westmead Hospital’s No. 2 Bandaged Bear Station.

Western Plains Zoo

FRNSW sponsors the Asian short-clawed otter at Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo. This sponsorship allows us to place fire safety messages outside these animal exhibits. This has proved a cost-effective way to reach large numbers of visitors to the zoos each year with fire safety messages. The sponsorship also underlines our wider role in protecting the environment from the dangers posed by hazardous material incidents.
Taronga and Western Plains Zoos [external link]