Ella K in 7F proposed the winning name ‘Phoenix’, as did students from the other two schools. Students from the schools said that it is "a symbol of renewal and rebirth", that the National LAT “is curing the land with its tears by putting out fires”, and that it will allow ‘new life rising from the ashes’. The Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience congratulated the winners in a press release yesterday.

“I thank all of the schools that participated in the naming competition and congratulate the winning schools. I look forward to seeing the new livery on the LAT and this name could not be more appropriate,” Senator McKenzie said.

National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) CEO Rob Webb said that the National LAT is an opportunity to strengthen the resilience of Australian communities against bushfires. “The National Large Air Tanker is a new capability that will work with and supplement NAFC’s existing firefighting fleet. The National LAT provides a significant boost to Australia’s aerial firefighting capability and can be quickly deployed across the country, or to situations that may not otherwise be well served by aerial or ground firefighting resources.

The air tanker can carry and drop 15,000 litres of retardant or water and is important for firefighting in difficult-to-reach areas across Australia.

The Competition received entrants from every state and allowed young Australians to get involved and contribute to Australia’s disaster resilience. AIDR and NAFC would like to thank all the teachers and students who submitted entries to the competition and commend their commitment to Australia’s disaster resilience.

Follow this link to the full media release. 

Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching