Tonight at Fire Station 56 Melton, the spare pumper—already in use while the station’s regular truck is out for repairs—suffered a critical failure during routine checks. The water pump failed to engage, producing a severe grinding noise with zero water pressure. Despite multiple restart attempts, the issue persisted, forcing the truck out of service.
Major Safety Issues include:
Unstable steering & suspension—unsafe at speed, severe vibrations Reverse lights non-functional—posing safety risks Faulty water supply inlet—reducing firefighting capability
This truck is 15 years old, now at its retirement age, but there are no plans to replace it. With no spare trucks available, Melton, Dandenong, and Geelong are all missing fire trucks due to fleet failures.
This is unacceptable. Melton residents pay a Fire Service Levy for a world-class fire service—not one struggling with failing trucks. Firefighter and community safety must come first.
