Importance of the tower to the community of Jarrahdale.
A recent report listed Jarrahdale as 8th on the list of southwest towns most at risk in a fire event. This was a data-based analysis by a company called Risk Frontiers. Their findings show that the Jarrahdale Locality (Post Code 6124 ) has 648 homes and a population that is calculated as around 1,944 (648 houses times an average of 3 occupants – Risk Frontiers) (according to the SSJ Bushfire Risk Management Plan there are 2,338 people). These houses and the people in them live in relatively small cleared pockets almost totally surrounded by forest. with 94.5% of houses within 100 metres of bushland.
It is time that we, the residents of Jarrahdale, and the local Shire really concentrate on what we can do to mitigate this risk. As Risk Frontiers pointed out in a cost-benefit analysis the statistics show that 97% of natural disaster funding is currently spent on the cleanup and rebuilding after the disaster, and only 3% is spent on mitigation to prepare for such disasters. Increasing the amount spent on mitigation will decrease the damage, injuries and potential deaths in the disaster.
That means fully engaging with the Local Bushfire readiness group and the local brigades bushfire readiness plans. But it also means that our crucial infrastructure needs to be brought up to date and maintained at a standard that will mean it works super well in a disaster when we really will need it.
The tower is central to our response to a bushfire because it is our best means of good communication. I became interested in the tower after the power outage due to the pole fire at the corner of Jarrahdale Road and Kingsbury Drive back at the beginning of last year when we lost power and 2 hours later all communications went down no NBN, mobile phone, internet and, no SOS.
JF team investigated the tower and got told so many conflicting things that they started to research original documents with the help of some terrific people in Shire administration and in the DPW.
History of the Tower
The history of the tower is important to tell to clarify any issues around who is responsible for maintenance, fire mitigation and backup power.
- Head Lease between Shire and Parks and Wildlife 2000 for the lease of 2.25ha (Square of 150m times 150m) off Kingsbury Drive to build a multipurpose tower with capacity for up to 12 carriers. The Shire pays annual rent for land and terms of lease stipulate that the Shire must maintain the area including any fire control measure after consultation with and reaching an agreement with the DPW.
- The Shire obtained a Grant from Networking the Nation Board to construct 120-metre tower. One of the tallest buildings at that time. (Minutes)
- Construction completed 2001 including the equipment shelters and the protective cyclone fencing – referred to as the compound which is about 12metres by 12 metres.
- the 5 acres of land is required because of the galvanised cables holding the tower in place are attached to concrete slabs on the ground that are installed just inside the 150m by 150m square. There is no fence around the perimeter of the 5 acres. (see Google maps)
- Telstra then ran optic fibre from Jarrahdale down Kingsbury Drive to the site and up the tower for the mobile phone service. Telstra then billed the Shire for the cost of that work. The Shire paid by allowing Telstra a rent-free lease for the first 10 years. Currently, on its third sublease, Telstra pays $25,000 per annum. Telstra has no obligation under this lease to anything other than keeping its equipment in good order.
- Other service providers include OPTUS, WA Police, Shire ES and DPW. These all have subleases with the Shire which allows them to put equipment in the equipment Shelters and on the tower.
- At the moment all the leases are on holding over clauses pending the signing of a new Head lease between the Shire and DPW.
- Because of its height, the tower has to have an aircraft warning light affixed to the top.
- What is important to understand here is that the Shire owns the tower and enters into sublease agreements with the service providers. These subleases are about leasing space on the tower and are not about fire mitigation or backup power.
So what are the current concerns with the tower?
1. The aircraft warning light.
Firstly and very quickly the aircraft warning light has not worked for the last four years even though it is said by the Shire to have been replaced a year ago.
It is unclear how dangerous this is and we are currently trying to find out who regulates these safety lights, what the obligations are to keep them running and what, if any, penalties exist for failure to replace them. Presumably, it is a possibility that a low flying aircraft might hit it. We have been told that other lights stay on night and day and can be easily seen in daylight. So even in daylight, these would help to warn a low flying Elvis coming in to drop water on fire when there is some smoke around. Is this an insurance issue? Watch this space!
2. Fire Mitigation Work.
The Shire has always maintained that it is only responsible for the compound area in the middle of the 5 acres. The Shire has always claimed that anything outside the compound is the responsibility of the DPW. DPW deny this. It has been a source of tension between the two parties for many years. However, the lease agreement shows that the Shire is responsible for the whole 5 acres which make sense as their tower installation extends to the edges of the 5 acres.
DPW staff and others who have experience with such matters have been out to the tower recently and say that the regrowth indicates it has not had any clearing work down on the area since it was cleared to put the tower up 20 years ago.
JF worked with staff at the Shire Administration to study lease documents and council meeting minutes from 20 years ago and as soon as it became clear that the Shire was responsible those staff members went to work to change the internal Shire narrative and do something about the problem of mitigation. The Shire DES has been up to the site and assessed it as an EXTREME danger from bushfire and is currently preparing an application for funding to the State Fire Mitigation Fund. Hopefully, that will go smoothly and work will be able to be done before the next fire season.
3. Backup power for 4-5 days.
We have watched the developing fire situation over the past 2 years particularly the severe fires starting in the eastern states in 2019 and then in the west here in the last couple of years And we have watched the changed response by FESA and DPW in the way they approach fighting fires.
We now have roadblocks set up and people either have to stay and defend or evacuate. The roadblocks can be in place for 4 – 5 days and many internal roads can remain blocked by burning fallen trees. It is critical that during this time people can communicate and that means that mobile phones and the internet must remain available. When all communication is lost and there is thick smoke and falling embers that is when the panic sets in and people do not know what to do.
That is why we need a power backup system that lasts 4 to 5 days. Such systems are around. There is a Federal Funding program related to the Mobile Black Spot Program that would cover the purchase and installation. It is a program called STAND (Strengthening Telecommunications Against Natural Disasters) Stage 2. Stage 2 will be open for applications soon. Since the Shire owns the tower they are the only party who can make the principal application. This must be supported by documentation from a major telco eg Telstra and by a letter of support from the community. Support from the other service providers on the tower should also be sought as we have been informed that this will be a very competitive process and maximum benefit on the ground will be the main concern.
