For eight years, career firefighters in Moe have been forced to operate out of a converted petrol station — a stop‑gap solution that was supposed to last only until 2021. Instead, crews are still working in a building never designed for emergency response, while the promised permanent station sits unfunded and untouched just 300 metres away.
Firefighters describe the situation as untenable. The temporary site lacks the most basic infrastructure required for modern fire and rescue operations:
- No dedicated decontamination facilities
- No adequate training space
- No proper cleaning systems for gear and equipment
- Water leaks and structural issues
- Operational delays caused by driving trucks to Morwell just to clean equipment
Every time a truck is taken off the road for cleaning, Moe loses critical response capacity. Every delay increases risk. Every year without a permanent station pushes firefighters and the community further into danger.
The recent decision to sign yet another three‑year lease at the temporary site has left firefighters and the union deeply concerned. It signals that the government is willing to extend a “temporary” solution indefinitely — despite clear evidence that the building is not fit for purpose.
UFU delegate Daniel Ingram has warned that the ongoing delays are causing real operational harm. Firefighters are doing everything they can to protect the community, but they are being asked to do it from a facility that fails them at every turn.
This is not just a workplace issue.
This is a community safety failure.
Moe deserves a permanent, fully equipped fire station — not another year of excuses, deferrals, and political inertia.
