The 2019 / 2020 bushfire season has been one of the worst in living memory and CPA Group’s Fire & Rescue Division has been at the forefront in helping our clients.

Recently we have been supporting NASA and playing a small part in ensuring the continuation of Australia’s contribution to Deep Space research and communication by providing tactical and operational support for the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) located at Tidbinbilla, about 35kms southwest of the city of Canberra.

The CDSCC plays an important role in NASA’s exploration of space providing the vital communications gateway between deep space craft and the mission teams on Earth.

Famously, the team supported the Apollo missions to the moon including the Apollo XI.

Currently supporting over 30 missions, the centre helps ensure that the critical science obtained by robotic spacecraft in extreme environments at incredible distances makes it back home to Earth. High profile missions such as the Voyagers, the Mars Rovers, and Hubble are well known, but dozens of other spacecraft are quietly engaged in work of equal importance that daily increases our understanding of the world and the universe.

Of course, this mission involves huge infrastructure and investment on the ground and supports billions of dollars of assets in space. Due to its remote location, the centre has been at higher risk from the current to bushfires. The risk is compounded by difficult access to the site and the distance from emergency services.

This is where CPA Group has come in!

We are providing 2 experienced Emergency Services Officers, a fully equipped fast attack striker vehicle and an audit and review of the centre’s preparedness during this high risk season. CPA Group is well equipped for this mission – our National Operations Manager, Chris Maguire is a former Chief Fire Officer Australian Capital Territory Fire Brigade.

CPA Group – playing our small part in the mission to discover and explore the most remote parts of the universe!