CFA volunteers and Fire Rescue Victoria firefighters joined forces on the steps of parliament today to demand the Allan Government upgrade the state’s ageing tanker and pumper fleet.
United Firefighters Union Secretary Peter Marshall said Victoria was in the middle of a fire truck crisis with firefighters responding to emergencies every day with no certainty that their equipment would hold.
“We’re calling on the Premier to immediately commit to replacing the fleet and restoring capability,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s about ensuring firefighters are not sent into life threatening situations with outdated and unsafe trucks. Lives depend on it.”
Both career and volunteer firefighters are warning the Allan government they face a critical lack of firefighting capability despite the government raking in more than $1.5 billion in emergency services taxes on all property owners this financial year.
At least 474 CFA tankers, pumpers and specialist vehicles have been on the road for more than 25 years, according to the government’s own figures.
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria chief executive Adam Barnett said firefighting crews also faced having to sit on the back of the CFA’s 700 single-cab trucks, where they were exposed to heat, smoke and fumes.
Leaked FRV reports also show that up to 34 trucks were offline in each week in October and November last year – roughly one in six vehicles, creating a critical shortage.
Even the government’s own fire services implementation monitor Niall Blair highlighted the risks firefighters face, reporting as far back as 2023 that Victoria’s fire crews were operating in stations and driving tankers that “are aged beyond useful life”.