Hot northerly winds. 40+ degree heat. A fire call-out. Yep that was yesterday and a common occurrence this time of the year for our CFA Volunteers.
Our local CFA crews responded quickly, professionally, and with the support of the local community who found themselves directly in the fire’s path. We were fortunate, the fire was contained fast, and most crews were back at station within four hours.
But while we were lucky, many of our Northern CFA Volunteers and Communities have not been. They have been on the ground for days on end, battling ongoing fires, mopping up, and blacking out in brutal conditions. They are exhausted, pushed hard, and still turning up without hesitation.
What makes this harder to swallow is the state of our fleet.
Our tanker, like many others across Victoria is outdated. No air conditioning. Single cab. No basic comforts for crews travelling in the back. Yesterday, that might not have been a deal breaker. But on extended shifts, in extreme heat, it absolutely is. Heat exhaustion, fatigue, and crew safety are real risks, not theoretical ones.
So here’s the question for those in government who have the power to fix this:
Do you drive around in 29 year old vehicles with no air conditioning on days like yesterday, today and tomorrow??
Of course you dont, so why do you expect CFA volunteers to?
We ask for very little. Surely there is enough respect for the women and men who protect this state unpaid, often at personal cost, to at least provide some basic relief from the heat while travelling to and from the fireground or just a well earned short cool rest during a shift.
This isn’t about luxury. It’s about safety. It’s about fatigue. And it’s about respect.