Wednesday, 6 March 2024

Adjournment

Fire services

Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (18:03): (754) My question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. Today I rise to ask for the enhancing of our fire management, primarily focusing on boosting community safety. As bushfires and grassfires continue to devastate regions to the north and west of my constituency, we must prioritise the replacement of the ageing fleet of fire tankers serving the Western Metropolitan Region, my area. The action I seek is for the minister to implement a thorough review of the metropolitan fire truck fleet to ensure that no vehicle operates beyond its designated service date and immediately invest in modernising all out-of-service-date fire trucks to prioritise community safety.

Our current fleet of fire trucks is rapidly deteriorating, posing a significant risk to the safety of families in the Western Metropolitan Region. Recent incidents, including two breakdowns en route to bushfires in the state’s west, have highlighted the pressing need for immediate action. There are reports that a recent review by Fire Rescue Victoria showed that 60 fire trucks in the metropolitan region are over 15 years old and are showing various issues, such as out-of-date engines, cracked doors and rusted roofs. Additionally, the United Firefighters Union has raised concerns that 73 frontline vehicles, representing 58 per cent of the fleet, have passed their service dates.

This alarming situation underscores the critical need for a comprehensive review of the entire fleet of fire trucks across the state, so I call upon the minister to support the implementation of a fire truck review to ensure that no vehicle operates beyond its designated service date. Furthermore, I urge the implementation of proactive measures to prioritise community safety by investing in modernising our fire truck fleet. The safety and wellbeing of our community must be the uppermost priority, and proactive steps must be taken to address this pressing issue without delay.