DFES district fire officer Gavin Eva faces disciplinary action after being caught drink driving marked vehicle

A senior WA firefighter has faced disciplinary action after he was charged with drink driving in a marked Department of Fire and Emergency Services vehicle. The West Australian can reveal Gavin Eva — who worked in the Bushfire Centre for Excellence as a District Fire Officer — was caught drink driving in Perth while behind the wheel of a marked operational vehicle on February 15. Court records show Mr Eva, 48, exceeded an alcohol blood limit of 0.08g after being stopped by police in Perth. It is understood he was off-duty at the time of the offending. The senior firefighter,who has acted as an incident controller during major bushfires which put homes and lives at risk, indicated an endorsed plea of guilty before his license was disqualified for seven months. He faced court in late March when a magistrate stripped also fined him $850 plus court costs of $300.50. While the exact type of the operational vehicle Mr Eva was driving has not been confirmed, it is understood to have not been a large fire truck. A DFES spokesperson said the firefighter had been subject to a “confidential internal disciplinary process”. “A Department of Fire and Emergency Services policy prohibits the employee driving the vehicle with alcohol in his system,” they said. “The breach of this policy has resulted in a confidential internal disciplinary process between the employee and employer.” It is further understood the firefighter is still currently employed at DFES. Mr Eva was listed last year as working for DFES at the Centre for Bushfire Excellence. The esteemed Centre for Bushfire Excellence is an educational hub where senior firefighters collaborate “for training and learning”. “Our dedicated team also examines bushfire knowledge research across the globe, from traditional fire practices of Aboriginal Australians to contemporary bushfire management practiced internationally,” the centre’s website said.