Moving the Goal Posts Won’t Fix FRV Fleet Crisis
Each week, FRV publishes a weekly fleet report showing how many fire trucks are off the road, using a traffic-light system to label availability as “normal,” “significant,” or “critical.” Until recently: 1–23 offline = Normal 24–28 = Significant 29+ = Critical Now: 1–29 = Normal 30–35 = Significant 36+ = Critical FRV added just 5 […]
Victoria’s firefighters union has raised “serious concerns” about the safety of the West Gate Tunnel
Victoria’s firefighters union has raised “serious concerns” about the safety of the West Gate Tunnel after witnessing an incident where smoke detectors failed to detect a smouldering backup battery under the roadway. The United Firefighters Union (UFU) says the January 21 incident should be a “wake-up call”, but tunnel operators have disputed the incident as […]
On the Ground at West Melbourne Fire Station
Nick McGowan MP visits Fire Station No. 2 in West Melbourne. One appliance on the floor today and already their fourth call this shift — a clear reminder of just how hard crews are working. This is an older station and, like many across the state, it comes with real operational challenges. Access is tight, with […]
From the Track to the Truck
FRV leading firefighter and UFU member Ruby Holten delivered a huge performance, storming home to win the prestigious 120m Ballarat Gift in a thrilling, photo-finish sprint — crossing the line just 0.003 of a second ahead of her rival. A decade of hard work, setbacks and persistence paid off in one of the most competitive […]
7 February 2009 – We Remember!
Today we reflect on the devastating events of 7 February 2009, when extreme weather conditions fuelled catastrophic bushfires across Victoria. Black Saturday stands as a solemn reminder of the ever-present danger posed by bushfires. The scale of destruction was immense — 173 lives were lost, thousands of homes were destroyed, and entire communities were left […]
MEDIA RELEASE: FIREFIGHTERS WELCOME PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY INTO 2026 SUMMER FIRES ACROSS VICTORIA
All Parties Back Bushfire Inquiry to Protect Victorian Communities
Yesterday every political party in Victoria came together to support a cross-party motion calling for an inquiry into the recent bushfires. Nick McGowan described it as an important day for our state and acknowledged that this wouldn’t have happened without the strong advocacy of the United Firefighters Union, who have worked hard to bring together […]
ONLY ONE LEFT: How the Allan Government has broken Victoria’s fire service
Teleboom 7 has been pulled from Thomastown to replace a broken-down Teleboom 10 in Richmond — leaving just ONE operational teleboom across all of Metro and Outer Metro Melbourne. These trucks are critical for rescuing people and fighting fires at height. There is also no spare fire trucks anywhere in Fire Rescue Victoria. The Thomastown […]
International Working Women’s Day 2026
International Working Women’s Day 2026 is a day of solidarity and education, and Trades Hall is welcoming unionists from across the state to join them for a full day of free training and a lunchtime IWWD rally. UFU Victoria is supporting members to participate in the day. Join us at Trades Hall on Friday 6 […]
Fire Rescue Victoria’s own headquarters is literally falling apart
Last week, chunks of concrete broke off the East Melbourne building and crashed onto the footpath below, forcing areas to be shut off due to safety risks. This is Fire Rescue Victoria under the Allan Government — a fire service in visible decline. Victorians are paying twice as much in emergency services tax, yet Victoria’s […]