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Emergency Services | December 19, 2024

Alarming findings by independent fire services monitor

The Independent Fire Services Implementation Monitor has slammed secondment arrangements between the CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria, concluding that arrangements are not working, have not worked for quite some time and, in fact, will never work.

Member for Lowan and Deputy Leader of The Nationals, Emma Kealy, has called on the Premier to take immediate action to fix the problem.

“This is an extremely concerning situation and the Premier needs to intervene and address the issues identified by the monitor as a matter of urgency,” Ms Kealy said.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria CEO, Adam Barnett said the findings came as no surprise to the organisation.

“The VFBV has been the canary in the coalmine about these issues for years and these findings from an independent monitor herald a crossroads for the Victorian Government – an opportunity to make it right,” he said.

A statement released by the VFBV said that Fire Rescue Victoria is contractually required to supply CFA with 45 Assistance Chief Fire Officers and 96 Commanders. The monitor has found that there are at least 17 senior vacancies each week, and, at its worst, more than 33 vacancies a week, accounting for more than 20 per cent of the CFA’s paid operational workforce.

“Under current arrangements, the CFA Chief Officer is forced to rely on 94 per cent of his operational chain of command being seconded from a different organisation,” Mr Barnett said.

“These are alarming figures as we head into Victoria’s fire danger period.”

The VFBV has called for the Allan Labor government to restore the CFA Chief Officer’s control of his operational workforce, which it believes is critical to the organisation’s ability to perform its role and respond to fires and emergencies in one of the world’s most fire-prone areas.

It is also calling for the CFA to be fully funded and supported, with immediate transparency measures to be implemented.

“The VFBV is calling on the Premier to intercede and commit to fixing these issues once and for all,” Mr Barnett said.

“CFA volunteers and the Victorian public deserve no less.”