MEDIA RELEASE
November 2023
Key points:
- FRV Firefighters will rally for firefighter and community safety on one of the last remaining
parliamentary sitting weeks of 2023 - FRV Firefighters are being forced to use outdated trucks that should be off the road. This is dangerous to Firefighters and the community because of the likelihood of truck failures
- FRV Firefighters are going into what is predicted to be the worst fire season since the 2019/2020 Black Summer with more than 59 fire appliances that are over 15 years old
- The Victorian Government will not resource Victorian communities such as Rosebud, Sunbury, Carlton, Geelong and Dandenong that FRV identified as requiring necessary resourcing
- FRV Firefighters are being pushed to the brink and being forced to respond to a rapidly growing population and an ever-increasing number of emergency incidents without the necessary, safe systems of work
Professional firefighters will rally again as part of an ongoing campaign to raise awareness about
concerns over firefighter and community safety. FRV Firefighters will be calling on Fire Rescue Victoria as well as the Allan State Government to urgently and adequately address firefighter and community safety ahead of what is predicted to be the worst fire season since the Black Summer Fires of 2019/2020.
United Firefighters Union Victorian Branch Secretary Peter Marshall said that the Victorian Labor
Government failed to protect firefighters and the community despite consistent calls from professional firefighters.
“Whilst the Labor Government is reported to have spent an eye-watering $380 million to get out of the Commonwealth Games, it refuses to fund Victoria’s fire service or provide FRV Firefighters with the necessary equipment, resources and safe systems of work.”
Fire truck crisis
An internal report (ATTACHED) from Fire Rescue Victoria to the Government exposed the crisis
within the emergency services agency, with an extensive range of problems with its fleet of fire
appliances, and indicated that community safety would be put at risk if urgent fire truck replacements were not acquired quickly.
“FRV’s outdated trucks constantly require excessive repair and maintenance and spend significant
time in the workshop, leaving firefighters without replacement trucks.
“For months, professional firefighters have been highlighting a significant range of problems with
FRV’s fire appliances, and for months they’ve been ignored. Fire Rescue Victoria itself submitted a report to the government confirming that its capacity to protect the community was undermined by outdated and broken-down trucks, but the Allan government and Minister Symes have still done nothing”.
“Almost half of FRV fire trucks in metropolitan Melbourne are over 15 years old and need
replacement. They have rusted roofs, cracked doors and old engines, which have blown up outside
children’s playgrounds. Operational experts have confirmed that FRV requires urgent resourcing to ensure Firefighters can safely respond to the community. The Allan Government and Minister Symes have turned their backs on firefighters and the community”.
“The $380 million spent on getting out of the Commonwealth Games could have funded 375 fire
trucks or 85 new fire stations. Inadequate resourcing”.
A risk analysis undertaken by senior operational firefighters in Victoria identified necessary additional
resourcing for Firefighters’ safe systems of work. Victorian communities such as Rosebud, Portland,
Wangaratta, and Sunbury were identified as urgently requiring additional resourcing to meet the
needs of the rapidly growing community.
Other areas like Geelong, Dandenong, Carlton, Sunshine, and Melbourne’s north, to name a few,
were also identified as requiring necessary specialist resourcing to respond to emergency incidents
such as road accident rescue incidents.
“Firefighters require safe systems of work to protect the Victorian community. “Despite Victoria being the fastest-growing state in the country, the Allan Labor Government and Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes has refused to resource Victoria’s fire service. It’s simply unacceptable, and that’s why thousands of firefighters have come out to Parliament today
to make their voices heard. We call on the Allan Government to put firefighter and community safety first and urgently provide funding for necessary resourcing for this fire season and into the future.”
Firefighter Uniform Failures FRV Firefighters are being sent uniforms that should be condemned and placed out of service, as well as having to wait extraordinary periods for replacement uniforms.
“Glaring examples of firefighter uniform failures include firefighters receiving personal protecting
clothing that does not close due to broken zips, firefighters receiving damaged and ripped gear
including protective barriers that have split away from personal protecting clothing, as well as
receiving uniform that has been damaged during the decontamination process”. - This has resulted in a cohort of FRV Firefighters having inadequate numbers of Firefighter uniforms to ensure their protection, leaving the Firefighter the choice only of wearing contaminated uniforms or alternatively not responding” Mr Marshall said.
- Media Contact: 0414 783 405
FACT SHEET
Firefighters are dealing with outdated, broken trucks.
- More than 59 FRV fire appliances that are over 15 years with some heavy rescue and ladder
platform vehicles over 30 years old. - In internal Fire Rescue Victoria submission to the Victorian Station Government stated that:
o “Emergency service assets are essential to the capability of Victoria’s emergency
service organisations. If they are not fit for purpose, Victorian communities and
firefighters will be put at risk, and Fire Rescue Victoria‘s (FRV) service delivery will be
impacted” – page 4, FRV Replacement Appliances – Cabinet in Confidence - The wasted $380 million spent on getting out of the Commonwealth Games could have
funded 375 fire trucks or 85 new fire stations. - The FRV fleet of appliances is plagued with problems, including rusted roofs, broken doors
and seats, old engines that blow up and broken winches - At any one time, up to 25 fire trucks are being repaired in the workshop, often leaving
firefighters with no replacements in case of a breakdown
Firefighters uniforms and protective equipment is in a poor state of repair. - Firefighters’ uniforms are falling apart with splitting protective layers, broken zippers, and
damaged reflective strips.
Firefighters are being forced to work without safe systems of work. - A risk analysis undertaken by senior operational firefighters in Victoria identified necessary
additional resourcing for Firefighters’ safe systems of work. - Victorian communities such as Rosebud, Portland, Wangaratta, and Sunbury were identified
as urgently requiring additional resourcing to meet the needs of the rapidly growing
community. Yet, the government has provided no additional resourcing.