Suburbs Left Behind: The Troubling Performance of Fire Rescue Victoria
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), Victoria's professional firefighting agency, has been under scrutiny for its poor performance in responding to structural fires, particularly in the outer suburban areas it was supposed to serve better. Since its formation in 2020, FRV has consistently missed its target response time, failing to meet the 90% response rate within seven minutes and 42 seconds.
This issue is particularly concerning given the recent tragic death of a three-year-old boy, Jordan Dashwood, in a house fire in Werribee. The fire crew's response time was significantly slower than the benchmark, highlighting the urgent need for improvement in these areas.
The problem is not just limited to response times. FRV's budget has increased by 33% since 2020, largely due to a $200 million increase in wages. However, the United Firefighters Union (UFU) argues that the state government has failed to adequately resource the restructure, with no new fire stations built and a lack of investment in firefighters.
The UFU's secretary, Peter Marshall, points out that the Tarneit and Point Cook stations serve a combined population of nearly 350,000 people but are under-resourced with only a single FRV pumper each. This lack of depth in resources means that response times are slower, and the lives and properties of these communities are at risk.
The situation is further complicated by the ongoing dispute between the UFU and the state government over a new pay deal. The union is also campaigning against the re-election of Labor under Premier Jacinta Allan, adding to the political tension surrounding the issue.
Despite the criticism, a spokesperson for Emergency Services Minister Vicki Ward claims that FRV's response times have improved in the past year and are faster than all other states. However, this claim is met with skepticism by Liberal MP Nick McGowan, who argues that Melbourne's outer growth suburbs are not getting the resources they need.
The underlying issue here is the challenge of serving outer-suburban areas with rapidly growing populations, newly developed housing estates, and road networks. As former emergency management commissioner, Craig Lapsley, noted, FRV needs to invest in new resources to meet the growth and new challenges these communities create.
In conclusion, the performance of Fire Rescue Victoria in responding to structural fires, especially in the outer suburban areas, is a cause for concern. The agency needs to address the underinvestment in resources and infrastructure to ensure the protection of life and property in these communities. The recent tragic death of Jordan Dashwood serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improvement in fire services across Victoria.
