FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT 2005 - SECT 118

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ACT 2005 - SECT 118

118—Powers

        (1)         An officer of SASES may take, or cause to be taken, any action that appears necessary or desirable for the purpose of protecting the life, health or safety of any person or animal, or protecting property, relevant services or the environment, or for any other purpose associated with dealing with an emergency or the threat of an emergency (despite the fact that the action may result in damage to, or destruction of, property or any aspect of the environment or cause pecuniary loss to any person).

        (2)         Without limiting or derogating from the operation of subsection (1), an officer under subsection (1), or any person acting under the command of an officer, may (to such extent as appears necessary or desirable in the circumstances)—

            (a)         enter and, if necessary, break into any land, building, structure or vehicle (using such force as is necessary);

            (b)         take possession of, protect or assume control over any land, body of water, building, structure, vehicle or thing;

            (c)         remove or destroy, or order the removal or destruction of, any building, structure, vehicle, vegetation, animal or other thing;

            (ca)         carry out, or cause to be carried out, excavation or other earthworks;

            (cb)         construct, or cause to be constructed, barriers, buildings or other structures;

            (cc)         subject a place or thing to a decontamination procedure;

            (d)         direct the owner of, or the person for the time being in charge of, any real or personal property to place it under the control or at the disposition of a specified person;

            (e)         remove, or cause to be removed, to such place as the authorised person may determine, any person or animal, or direct the evacuation or removal of any person or animal;

            (f)         direct or prohibit the movement of persons, animals or vehicles;

            (fa)         direct a person to submit to a decontamination procedure;

            (g)         remove flammable material or any other hazardous material, or cause flammable material or any other hazardous material to be removed, from any place, building or structure;

            (h)         cause any supply of fuel or other flammable liquid, any gas or electricity, or any other hazardous material to be connected, reconnected, disconnected or shut off;

                  (i)         direct a person who is in a position to do so—

                  (i)         to stop any work or operation; or

                  (ii)         to close any premises or other place; or

                  (iii)         to contain the escape of any hazardous material, or to nullify the effects of the escape of any hazardous material; or

                  (iv)         to shut off or remove any plant, equipment, apparatus or device or to perform any operation in relation to any plant, equipment, apparatus or device;

            (j)         shut off, or cut off, the supply of water or any drainage facility;

            (k)         make use of the gratuitous services of any person;

            (l)         direct, insofar as may be reasonably necessary in the circumstances, any person to assist in the exercise of any power under this section;

            (m)         exercise any prescribed power.

        (3)         In the absence of an officer, the powers of an officer under subsection (1) or (2) may be exercised by any member of SASES.

        (4)         A person must not, without reasonable excuse, refuse or fail to comply with a requirement or direction of an officer of SASES or of any other person given in accordance with subsection (1) or (2).

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         if the offender is a body corporate—$75 000;

            (b)         if the offender is a natural person—$20 000.

        (4a)         If an officer of SASES, acting in relation to an emergency, engages a contractor to demolish, contain, neutralise, dispose of or remove any dangerous or hazardous structure, object, substance or materials, the costs of engaging the contractor are recoverable by SASES as a debt from the owner of the dangerous structure, object, substance or materials in a court of competent jurisdiction.

        (4b)         The Chief Officer may determine that the powers of an officer under subsection (4a) may only be exercised by officers of or above a certain rank.

        (4c)         In any proceedings under subsection (4a), a certificate apparently signed by the Chief Officer certifying the costs of engaging the contractor is, in the absence of proof to the contrary, to be accepted as proof of the costs so certified.

        (5)         This section operates subject to the provisions of the Emergency Management Act 2004 .