UnitedFuture's Emergency Services Policy unifies the emergency services on a policy and funding level, yet enables them to keep their distinct individual roles. Services will be better able to work jointly or individually, as required, in times of local emergency. They will also co-ordinate more effectively during a major national emergency.
It is UnitedFuture policy to:
- Establish a new Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA), responsible to the Minister of Internal Affairs, to replace the Fire Service Commission and the present Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management;
- Ensure that the new Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA):
- assumes responsibility for funding, auditing, and purchase and contract agreements;
- develops policy and establishes and monitors national operational standards to ensure the better co-ordination of emergency services;
- funds the establishment of three common communication centres nationwide to handle all emergency calls;
- integrates and co-ordinates under a single authority the different emergency services, including the armed services, on both national and local levels to deal with civil emergencies;
- Introduce more flexibility for EQC claims procedures;
- Ensure that public donations to national disaster relief are at least matched dollar for dollar by the government;
- Promote co-operation between community groups, such as Neighbourhood Support and Community Patrol groups, and Police and local councils. Encourage these groups to share information, develop community safety initiatives in line with Police crime reduction strategies, and to also function as Emergency Readiness teams, providing a street-level infrastructure for civil defence assistance;
- Establish a dedicated non-emergency phone line to deal with less urgent incidents, operated at the local level;
- Ensure that ambulance and air rescue services are maintained at a level that does not compromise public safety.