Member for Mildura, Jade Benham, says more needs to be done to support firefighters in regional Victoria.
The Minister for Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes, stated, “At the moment, the FRV fleet availability is over 80%, meeting the given requirements and benchmarks.”
However, the local member says much of this figure includes unsafe and unreliable trucks that should not be in operation.
Having spoken with representatives from FRV they have described the Ministers recent visit as nothing more than a ‘photo opportunity’ with current issues raised by FRV being ignored or further delayed.
“The 15-year lifespan is the policy of FRV, and of many fire services in Australia, and across the world, meaning FRV does not have the fleet or equipment they need,” said Ms Benham.
“We aren’t just chasing new flashy trucks or stations. All we are asking is for the equipment and infrastructure to allow firefighters to help our community, and to keep firefighters safe whilst we do it,” said Ms Benham.
