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RESIDENTS AND HOLIDAYMAKERS LEFT VULNERABLE AS FIRE TRUCKSTAKEN OUT OF SERVICE

MEDIA RELEASE
December 31, 2023

The gaping holes in Victoria’s firefighting resources have been exposed once more after an unsafe fire truck was taken out of action, leaving Fire Rescue Victoria scrambling to shift trucks across the state.

There are concerns about the safety of Ballarat’s ladder platform truck, critical for fighting large-scale fires or fires in tall buildings, which has been out of compliance since 19 December.

The truck was taken out of action yesterday, leaving Victoria’s Western Region from Bacchus Marsh to the South Australian border without an appliance capable of rapid rescue from heights.

FRV have now ordered Dandenong to supply their truck as a replacement for Ballarat – the same truck that was shifted to Traralgon and consequently unavailable in Dandenong on the day of a fatal paint factory fire three weeks ago.

United Firefighters Union Victorian Branch Secretary Peter Marshall said the frantic rush to move trucks around the state highlighted the urgent need to upgrade FRV’s outdated firefighting appliances.

“By constantly shifting resources to cover the holes, FRV is robbing Peter to pay Paul – and Victorians are ultimately paying the price for this second-rate firefighting fleet,” he said.

“What will it take for FRV to invest in reliable, up-to-date firefighting appliances? We cannot afford to keep going with so many outdated trucks and unreliable equipment. “The Allan Government must take urgent action to protect Victorians in 2024 by funding the new trucks which are so desperately needed. The risk of tragedy from inaction is simply too great.”

FRV’s policy is that vehicles are to be replaced at a maximum age of 15 years, but over 70 fire trucks are so old that they should be immediately taken off the road, including one truck which is more than 36 years old. The ladder platform truck based in Ballarat is 20 years old, with FRV unable to provide a
written report confirming it was safe for use from an external engineer who inspected it last month.
“It’s critical that firefighters have the resources they need to protect life and property when they need them,” Mr Marshall said. “Ladder platforms are essential for rescues from buildings like hospitals and holiday apartments – we cannot afford to have them sparsely sprinkled around the state.

“Non-compliant trucks and outdated equipment puts the lives of professional firefighters and the community they protect at risk. Almost half of FRV’s firefighting appliances in Melbourne are outdated, leading to more breakdowns with potentially catastrophic consequences. We need the Allan Government to take this seriously and provide the long overdue investment to keep Victorians safe.”

Media Contact: Pia 0412 346 74


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