Just after 11:17pm last night, an intense fire ripped through a townhouse in Bentleigh East.
Five people escaped the flames — but one was forced to JUMP from a first-floor balcony to survive.
That person could have suffered serious or fatal injuries and it should never have come to that.
A Teleboom fire truck, specially designed to rescue people from upper floors, would have been one of the first trucks on scene — but it’s off the road at the mechanics, and has been kept in service 7 years past its replacement age.
Another Teleboom was sent from over 20 minutes away, but it’s in such poor condition that firefighters have been ordered not to use its ladder for rescues due to cracks and a failing frame. It can only spray water — not save lives.
This person had to jump because critical rescue equipment wasn’t there in time and wasn’t safe to use when one did arrive.
But today, Premier Allan is pushing through legislation to DOUBLE — even TRIPLE — the Fire Services Levy for some Victorians, including farmers… with ZERO extra funding for FRV and only marginal increases for CFA.
This is the horrifying reality of Victoria’s Fire services. Our communities and our firefighters deserve better.
