Mr. Keith Leonard:

I thank the Senator. In terms of delivery of the fire service, we set national standards and policy in the Department but each local authority is independent in how it exercises its functions in relation to the fire service and all services it provides. In some counties we are aware that fire services provide chainsaw facilities but in other counties, that is done by outdoor staff or occasionally it is contracted. That is a decision for the chief executive and the chief fire officer. It would be deeply inappropriate for us to get involved in those types of localised operational decisions.