CFA volunteers use 'clapped-out' trucks

Date
    April 3, 2014


Volunteer firefighters say they are using trucks that are up to 28 years old and not fitted with important safety features such as fire-resistant brakes and modern seatbelts.      

The organisation representing the Country Fire Authority's 60,000 volunteers said 24 per cent of their trucks exceed optimal age limits, with 520 vehicles more than two decades old.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria chief executive Andrew Ford said the CFA abandoned its age policy for trucks last year despite a 15 to 20-year age limit applying to most Australian emergency service vehicles.

"The old policy was changed to remove the age trigger. It had a target of replacing trucks every 20 years. It now talks about being 'fit for purpose' and 'fit for task,' and replacing the fleet at an appropriate time."

Mr Ford said the CFA had been unable to fulfil their previous policy because of insufficient funding.

Modern firefighting trucks are four-wheel-drive and able to pump more water, making them the only vehicles suitable for fires such as the Hazelwood mine blaze, he said.

Mr Ford said volunteer firefighters were expected to use trucks that were considered unsafe for career firefighters "doing the same work and servicing the same communities".      

The organisations are pressuring both sides of politics in the lead-up to the state election to commit to recurrent funding of CFA trucks on a rolling five-year basis.

In a list of demands sent to every state MP, they have also called for sufficient funding to keep the fleet under the 20-year age limit that applies to most other emergency service in Australia.

The document says 20 CFA tankers built in 1986 are still in service while "cassette players, film cameras and early video cassette recorders made that year are now in landfill."

But a CFA spokesman said it had adopted a “fit for purpose” strategy to manage its fleet, which assessed trucks based on a range of factors including their optimal age, changing operational requirements, legislative compliance, health and safety, and serviceability of trucks.

He said in the two years to June 2013, the CFA has brought into service, or was in the process of bringing in, more than 200 operational vehicles at a cost of $49 million dollars.

He said 1007 tankers manufactured before 2006 had been retrofitted with "potentially lifesaving crew protection systems" and that "any future funding initiatives will be considered as part of the budget process."

Opposition emergency services spokesman Wade Noonan said the Napthine government had failed to provide any additional funding last year to replace the CFA's ageing fleet.

“Denis Napthine must explain why he has abandoned Victoria's firefighters and failed to fund a fleet replacement program and get rid of clapped-out trucks past their use-by date."      

Greens MP Colleen Hartland recently raised the issue in parliament, saying firefighters were forced to deal with antiquated technology and safety features not up to current standards.      

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Kim Wells said the Coalition government had provided more resources to the fire services than any previous government.

"Since coming to office, the Victorian Coalition government has provided CFA with funding of more than $1.84 billion," he said.

"The Victorian Coalition government acknowledges and greatly appreciates the extraordinary efforts made by volunteers across the Victorian emergency services sector and is committed to supporting all volunteers."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cfa-volunteers-use-clappedout-trucks-20140403-3604w.html#ixzz2xn6O2VtP