This week we saw FRV’s Ladder Platform capability beyond breaking point, it simply imploded. Within 48 hours there was nearly a 50% reduction in Victoria’s Ladder Platform capability!
Bendigo had their Ladder Platform fail during a fire, forcing the firefighter into an emergency evacuation.
Footscray’s 44m Ladder Platform had hydraulic failure, so a reduced capacity 27m Ladder Platform was moved across from Windsor.
To fill the hole at Windsor, Oakleigh’s Ladder Platform moved across, leaving Oakleigh with nothing.
Oakleigh’s Ladder Platform then broke down whilst at Windsor, so the only Ladder in the CBD of Melbourne moved across to Windsor.
There are NO SPARE Ladder Platforms to bring into service to provide coverage to the 3 stations that have NO aerial rescue capability.
Victoria has the situation where the CBD will have a delayed response due to there being NO Ladder Platform in the CBD, the entire northwest of the state has NO aerial rescue capability, and the Western suburbs where the recent chemical factory fires have occurred, have a truck with a reduced capability compared to their usual one.
There is no plan or funding to replace these out of date trucks, meaning this situation will only get worse!