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Fire Fact Sheet

Victoria’s firefighting capabilities are to receive a massive boost from the 2004-05 State Budget, to the tune of $168 million over five years.

By Department of Sustainability & Environment - 4th May 2004 - Back to News

That figure includes $74 million for extra seasonal fire fighters and equipment in the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and $38 million for a range of assets including around 190 new tankers for the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

For DSE, funding is provided for an extra 180 staff (an increase of 25%), equating to 22 new fire crews, which means more fire fighters on the ground where they are needed.

A 25 percent increase in staffing levels will give DSE the ability to restructure the way it prevents fires and fights fires 12 months a year, going a long way to implementing the recommendations of the Esplin Inquiry into bushfires.

The extra funding also means extra equipment and facilities for firefighting operations, including:

• 3 new D4 first attack bulldozers
• 3 new D6 dozers
• 4 new D4 transport trucks
• Helipad upgrades
• 2 tipper & float combinations
• 2 Mallee rollers
• A range of equipment such as slashers, chainsaws, camp trailers, refuelling trailers, mobile kitchens and ablutions vans.

As part of the Budget funding package, $1.7 million will also be spent in 2007-08 and $10.0 million TEI upgrading roads and tracks, so that access to fires can be as swift and uncomplicated as possible.

The bulk of the new staff and equipment will be targeted at high-risk areas including Mount Macedon, the Dandenong Ranges, Melbourne’s catchments and the Surf Coast, with other areas to follow as required.

However every part of the State will see benefits from this major injection of funds as the extra manpower allows more resources to be devoted to fire prevention every day of the year.

It will allow DSE to carry out more fuel reduction programs at the most appropriate times of the year, as recommended by the Esplin Inquiry.

Another benefit will be the ability to place a greater emphasis on community engagement, as well as taking care of future needs through increased training and better succession planing within the fire division.

Other duties to be carried out by the new staff will include land management, upgrading facilities, land-use planning and informing communities about local land management issues.

The funding boost to the Country Fire Authority will deliver state-of-the-art trucks to help protect regional communities.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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