Look to the skies and keep your eyes on the prize – your classroom could have a chance to name Australia’s newest aerial firefighting plane.
Students from class groups in years 5 to 8 across rural and regional schools are invited to participate in a naming competition to welcome the arrival of the first national Large Air Tanker (LAT) acquired by the Morrison Government.
Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan said the competition will give rural and regional students the opportunity to name the Large Air Tanker which will be instrumental in fighting bushfires.
“This is a chance for us to get future generations involved and thinking about disaster preparedness,” Mr Tehan said.
“The winning class will have their nominated name displayed on the Large Air Tanker ahead of the 2022/23 high-risk weather season, which traditionally starts in summer, and a chance to have their input in the design of the signage.
“Across states and territories, the high-risk weather season can vary, and the Large Air Tanker will be here to accommodate the early starts and late finishes to these fire seasons.
“The winning name will be displayed on the aircraft until 2024 when the current contract ends.
“To further celebrate the success, the winning class will have an article included in the Australian Journal of Emergency Management’s April 2022 edition.
“This aircraft delivers extraordinary capabilities, including the ability to reach almost anywhere in the country within hours and drop 15,000 litres of retardant or water on fire when it reaches the fires.
“It’s the integration with the hard work of firefighters on the ground, along with a well-prepared community, that makes the difference.
“We urge all Australians to consider their evacuation plans and people wanting more information on how to plan and prepare should contact their local fire service.”
Further information about the Large Air Tanker naming competition is available on the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience website.
