Firefighters at Fire Station 67 Ballarat City are now operating under capacity after a fault was discovered in their ladder platform truck — a vital vehicle used for rescues at height and fighting fires from above.
The truck can now no longer perform rescues, making it unfit for critical emergencies. To make matters worse, this vehicle is already a backup, brought in because the station’s regular ladder platform is off the road for major servicing — over a year overdue.
This truck is also 20 years old — meaning it should have been retired five years ago under FRV’s own replacement schedule.
Now, if a rescue from height is needed anywhere in Regional Western Victoria, the next available truck could be hours away.
This isn’t bad luck — it’s negligence, the result of poor planning and failed leadership by the FRV Executive Team. The community is left exposed, and firefighters are left without the tools they need.
It’s no surprise FRV Commissioner Gavin Freeman and Exec members received a 90.85% vote no confidence in their “leadership”
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