Deep concerns publicly aired by Peter Marshall, secretary of United Firefighters Union Victoria (UFUV), over unreliable equipment to confront any future fire hazards in the new Metro Tunnel (MT) and West Gate Tunnel (WGT) should beam out a red light to all travellers on them.
Among Mr Marshall’s stated concerns (list is too long to include here) in his correspondence with Eddie Lacko, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) are: 1) expired/unreplaced long-duration breathing sets, 2) aged fire trucks breaking down and 3) poor firefighter training.
However, a further vital issue stands tall: no functioning central radio communications.
Eddie Lacko’s communication with Peter Marshall declared that, in the event of FRV portable radio faults, local simplex channels would be utilised to enable continuation of firefighter communications.
Mr Marshall replied that, in the context of major underground infrastructure like the MT, “a reliance on local simplex channels is unreliable and unsafe”.
A significant barrier seems to lie at the centre of this whole fiasco: firefighters are experiencing a deprivation of urgent funding by the Victorian Government for updated, reliable equipment and appropriate training. Looking at the real fire hazard problems outlined by Mr Marshall, I can’t reject a conviction the UFUV’s observations are valid. It appears Premier Jacinta Allan has buried public safety assurances.
Until this discomforting scenario is rectified and my confidence restored, I will not risk travelling on the MT or WGT.
Peter Phillips
Springvale
