As we head into what could be the worst fire conditions since Black Summer, Victorians expect their firefighting fleet to be ready and reliable. But instead, we’re witnessing a growing list of fire trucks being taken offline due to failures across the state:
* Pumper 24 (Glen Iris): Out of service due to mechanical failure. This truck has reached its 15-year service life, with no spare truck to replace it.
* Pumper 56 (Melton): Offline after an emergency system failure. This truck is also overdue for replacement, with no spare available. When a fire alarm went off at a nearby nursing home, the nearest vehicle, Rescue 56, was responded but has no water or firefighting capability—leaving lives at risk.
* BA Support 38 (South Melbourne): Critical for providing breathing apparatus and spare air cylinders during structure fires, this truck is offline with an engine failure. Repairs won’t happen anytime soon, especially over Christmas.
These are just examples from just yesterday. Our firefighting fleet is failing when we need it most. Victorians pay a Fire Service Levy to ensure safety, yet our frontline firefighters are left scrambling with outdated, broken equipment.
Premier Allan, it’s time to admit there’s a fire crisis. Victorians deserve a plan to fix this before tragedy strikes.
