By CASEY NEILL
THE state’s busiest CFA crew and will soon have a new $13 million home – but what Dandenong Fire Brigade really needs is more firefighters.
That was the message from the United Firefighters Union last week as the State Government and CFA unveiled plans for the 24-hour station at 186-194 Princes Highway as well as progress on a CFA regional headquarters in Dandenong South.
CFA regional director Peter Schmidt said the station would be the largest of its kind and enhance the brigade’s ability to protect and serve the community.
But union secretary Peter Marshall said the career and volunteer firefighters carried a massive workload, with more than 2500 callouts each year.
“Dandenong has a staff of nine firefighters per shift and seven appliances,” he said.
“The volunteers who assist do a wonderful job, but this is an area of great cultural diversity, with more than 50 nationalities, and they are new to our tradition of volunteer firefighting.”
Mr Marshall said the Noble Park brigade no longer had a primary response area, which put Dandenong under further strain.
“Both Dandenong and Springvale fire stations have been promised an extra firefighter per shift, to help cover the shortfall at Noble Park,” he said.
“This is overdue, but only the start. Dandenong needs an extra three firefighters per shift, minimum.”
Mr Marshall urged the State Government to use the new Fire Services Property Levy, applicable from 1 July, to boost firefighting.
Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells viewed plans for the new fire station on Thursday 20 June and announced that construction had started on a CFA Southern Metropolitan Region headquarters and emergency management complex in April.
He said the Dandenong crew responded to more callouts than any other in Victoria and its new home was on track to open in July next year and would support increased staff.
The regional complex is in the Estate One Business Park at 81-125 Princes Highway and should be completed by May next year.
Mr Wells said the site would house up to 65 emergency management personnel who now work in Oakleigh, Dandenong, Pakenham and Moorooduc.
“For the first time in CFA history an incident control centre, a district command centre and a regional control centre will be housed under one roof,” he said.
He said the multi-million dollar projects would create up to 330 jobs during construction.
The existing co-located Southern Metropolitan Headquarters and Dandenong Fire Station site at 120 Princes Highway will be sold once the move into both new premises is complete.
