Fire Rescue Victoria
 | |
 | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country |  Australia |
| State |  Victoria |
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1 July 2020 |
| Staffing | Career |
| Commissioner | Ken Block |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Stations | 85 |
| Website | |
| frv | |
Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) is a fire service in Victoria, Australia. On July 1, 2020, Fire Rescue Victoria came into operation as a merging of Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and the Country Fire Authority (CFA) career firefighters to serve metropolitan Melbourne and major regional centres. FRV is led by a Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, and is the employer of all career firefighters in Victoria, leaving the CFA composed of volunteer brigades, led by a Chief Officer and supported by seconded FRV staff.[citation needed]
On the 4th December 2019, it was announced by the Victorian Government that Canadian Fire Chief Ken Block has been appointed as the first Fire Rescue Victoria Commissioner.
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2020) |
Victoria has been serviced by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Country Fire Authority since the 1950s. Following the Black Saturday bushfires, the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (2009 VBRC) recommended that a Fire Commissioner be appointed to advise on the boundary between the two services, the Metropolitan Fire District.[2] The 2009 VBRC also recommended strengthening the CFA's integrated model, in which paid and volunteer firefighters train, locate and respond together using the same equipment and training.[citation needed]
The origins of the service created significant political controversy.[3] The genesis for the proposal to split paid and volunteer firefighters, creating two separate services where the integrated turnout model would no long apply, was to resolve an industrial dispute arising from Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the CFA (and separately the MFB) and the UFU.[citation needed] These negotiations, which started in 2014 and were still causing problems for the government in 2017, raised objections by VFBV, volunteers, the leaders of the fire services themselves and the Minister for Emergency Services at the time, Jane Garrett MP, who resigned rather than support a deal she said was "unworkable". The key objections related to concerns that the EBA would significantly disadvantage CFA volunteers and the ability of the CFA Chief Officer to manage them, and the powers of the Chief Officer. Statements by the CEOs and Chief Officers of the CFA and MFB, Emergency Management Victoria, VFBV and others at the Select Committee into the Bill canvassed serious concerns about the impact of the EBA and said that splitting the fire services to resolve an industrial dispute would compromise public safety.[citation needed]
In October 2016 the Australian Federal government passed amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009. These amendments were to prevent any enterprise bargaining agreement terms that "[affect] the ability of an organisation to engage, deploy, support, equip or manage its volunteers".[citation needed] The Government of Victoria stated that creating an enterprise agreement while maintaining a combined career and volunteer firefighting service would be very difficult without such terms.[citation needed]
Subsequently, on 19 May 2017, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino announced changes to the Victorian Fire Services.[citation needed] Neither the Chief Officers, CEOs or Boards of the CFA or MFB were consulted on the development, and neither was the Emergency Management Commissioner.[citation needed] It was publicly released only a day after the fire services themselves were informed [citation needed] and no material changes were made to the proposal before it was passed by Parliament despite significant concerns raised by those parties in public, in the Select Committee [citation needed] and the Parliamentary "Inquiry into Fire Season Readiness".
Fire District Review Panel
Following the creation of Fire Rescue Victoria, the Victorian Government will establish the Fire District Review Panel.[4] The panel will regularly review the Metropolitan Fire District and advise the Minister for Emergency Services on any changes to be made. The Minister will have the final decision to change the district boundaries.[5] Currently, the Metropolitan Fire District is established by the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Act 1958. Any change to the district boundaries must either be by amendment to the act or by request of a municipal council. The district boundaries have not changed since the 1950s, although the capability to do this has existed in the CFA legislation, as has the ability to increase resources where needed using a scaling system to increase resources to support volunteers in urban centres. This scaling up has been removed under the reform and the only model allowed in future is either a fully volunteer or a fully career fire station, with no more integrated training and response which was endorsed (and recommended be strengthened) in the VBRC.[6]
Emergency Services Infrastructure Authority
The Emergency Services Infrastructure Authority (ESIA) will be established following Fire Rescue Victoria. ESIA will oversee planning, project management, procurement, construction of new fire stations and upgrades to existing stations. It will oversee a $44m station building program for the CFA.[citation needed]
The establishment of ESIA will be subject to consultation with FRV, the CFA, the Victoria State Emergency Service, Life Saving Victoria and unions and other representative bodies.[7]
Transitioning CFA stations
Part of the change is to transition 38 CFA stations to Fire Rescue Victoria.[8] These stations currently house both career and volunteer firefighters. The career firefighters will become part of Fire Rescue Victoria. The Government and CFA will work with volunteers to identify the best solution for volunteers at each brigade.[9]
| Region | Brigades |
|---|---|
| North East | Shepparton, Wangaratta, Wodonga |
| South East | Morwell, Traralgon, Latrobe West |
| North West | Bendigo, Mildura |
| South West | Portland, Warrnambool |
| West | Ballarat City, Lucas |
| North East Metropolitan Area | Boronia, Rowville, South Warrandyte |
| South East Metropolitan Area | Cranbourne, Dandenong, Frankston, Hallam, Mornington, Pakenham, Patterson River, Rosebud, Springvale |
| North West Metropolitan Area | Caroline Springs, Craigieburn, Eltham City, Greenvale, Melton, Point Cook, South Morang, Sunbury, Tarneit |
| South West Metropolitan Area | Belmont, Corio, Geelong City, Lara, Ocean Grove |
List of FRV fire stations and appliances
The FRV Fire District encompasses over 1000 square kilometers of the previous Metropolitan Fire District (MFD) in Metropolitan Melbourne, and includes the response areas of 38 previous CFA Brigades
The FRV fire stations are listed below along with the appliances located at each station under the control of the FRV (CFA Co-located appliances not included in this list)
| Station Number | Station Name | Appliance/Callsigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Hill | P1A, P1B, UP1, LP1, CU1, DC1A, DC1B, Rehab1 |
| 2 | West Melbourne | P2A, P2B |
| 3 | Carlton | P3, R3 |
| 4 | Brunswick | P4 |
| 5 | Broadmeadows | PT5, WT5 |
| 6 | Pascoe Vale | PT6 |
| 7 | Thomastown | PT7, TB7, R7, DC7 |
| 8 | Burnley Complex | |
| 9 | Somerton | PT9 |
| 10 | Richmond | P10, TB10, T10A, T10B, pods: BA, BD, FDS, GP, HAR, HL, HRS, USAR-1, TRS |
| 11 | Epping | PT11 |
| 12 | Preston | P12 |
| 13 | Northcote | P13 |
| 14 | Bundoora | P14A, P14B |
| 15 | Heidelberg | P15 |
| 16 | Greensborough | PT16 |
| 17 | Woodstock of Donnybrook (Future Planning) | |
| 18 | Hawthorn | P18 |
| 19 | North Balwyn | PT19 |
| 20 | Box Hill | P20 |
| 21 | Not in use | |
| 22 | Ringwood | PT22, TB22 |
| 23 | Burwood | P23, pods: WRM-5 |
| 24 | Malvern East | P24 |
| 25 | Oakleigh | P25, TB25, LP25, R25, DC25 |
| 26 | Croydon | P26, PT26 |
| 27 | Nunawading | PT27, R27 |
| 28 | Vermont South | PT28 |
| 29 | Clayton | PT29 |
| 30 | Templestowe | P30, PT30 |
| 31 | Glen Waverley | P31, WT31 |
| 32 | Ormond | P32 |
| 33 | Mentone | PT33 |
| 34 | Highett | PT34, WT34 |
| 35 | Windsor | P35A, P35B, LP35 |
| 36 | Not in use | |
| 37 | Not in Use | |
| 38 | South Melbourne | P38A, P38B, BA38, BS38, Hazmat38 |
| 39 | Port Melbourne | P39A, P39B |
| 40 | Laverton | PT40 |
| 41 | St Albans | PT41 |
| 42 | Newport | PT42, UP42 |
| 43 | Deer Park | P43, PT43 |
| 44 | Sunshine | P44, Tb44, R44, DC44A, DC44B, pods: ERM, WRM-3 |
| 45 | Spotswood | P45 |
| 46 | Altona | PT46 |
| 47 | Footscray | P47, LP47, T47, pods: FDS, HL, ML |
| 48 | Taylors Lakes | PT48 |
| 49 | Laverton North | PT49 |
| 50 | Ascot Vale | P50 |
| 51 | Keilor East | P51A, P51B |
| 52 | Tullamarine | PT52 |
| 53 | Sunbury | Pumper 53 (P53) |
| 54 | Greenvale | Pumper 54 (P54) |
| 55 | Caroline Springs | Pumper 55 (P55) |
| 56 | Melton | Pumper 56 (P56), Rescue 56 (R56) |
| 57 | Tarneit | Pumper 57 (P57) |
| 58 | Point Cook | Pumper 58 (P58) |
| 59 | Not in use | |
| 60 | VEMTC | |
| 61 | Lara | Pumper 61 (P61), HAZMAT 61 (HZ61) |
| 62 | Corio | Pumper 62A (P62A), Pumper 62B (P62B), BA 62 |
| 63 | Geelong City | Pumper 63A (P63A), Pumper 63B (P63B), Ladder Platform 63 (LP63), Rescue 63 (R63) |
| 64 | Belmont | Pumper 64 (P64) |
| 65 | Armstrong Creek (Future Planning) | |
| 66 | Ocean Grove | Pumper 66 (P66) |
| 67 | Ballarat City | Pumper 67A (P67A), Pumper 67B (P67B), Ladder Platform 67 (LP67), BA 67 |
| 68 | Lucas | Pumper 68 (P68), HAZMAZ 68 (HZ68) |
| 69 | Not in use | |
| 70 | Warnambool | Pumper 70 (P70), Aerial Pumper 70 (AP70), Transporter 70 (T70) |
| 71 | Portland | Pumper 71 (P71) |
| 72 | Mildura | Pumper 72 (P72) |
| 73 | Bendigo | Pumper 73A (P73A), Pumper 73B (P73B), Ladder Platform 73 (LP73) |
| 74 | Wangaratta | Pumper 74 (P74), Transporter 74 (T74) |
| 75 | Shepparton | Pumper 75 (P75), Aerial Pumper 75 (AP75), HAZMAT 75 (HZ75) |
| 76 | Wodonga | Pumper 76 (P76) |
| 77 | Traralgon | Pumper 77 (P77), Ladder Platform 77 (LP77) |
| 78 | Morwell | Pumper 78 (P78) |
| 79 | Latrobe West | Pumper 79 (P79) |
| 80 | Craigieburn | Pumper 80 (P80) |
| 81 | South Morang | Pumper 81 (P81) |
| 82 | Eltham City | Pumper 82 (P82) |
| 83 | Not in Use (Used for Motorola radio network) | |
| 84 | South Warrandyte | Pumper 84 (P84) |
| 85 | Boronia | Pumper 85 (P85) |
| 86 | Rowville | Pumper 86 (P86) |
| 87 | Dandenong | Pumper 87A (P87A), Pumper 87B (P87B), Ladder Platform 87 (LP87), Rescue 87 (R87) |
| 88 | Hallam | Pumper 88 (P88), HAZMAT 88 (HZ88) |
| 89 | Springvale | Pumper 89 (P89) |
| 90 | Patterson River | Pumper 90 (P90) |
| 91 | Frankston | Pumper 91A (P91A), Pumper 91B (P91B), BA 91 |
| 92 | Cranbourne | Pumper 92 (P92) |
| 93 | Pakenham | Pumper 93 (P93) |
| 94 | Mornington | Pumper 94 (P94) |
| 95 | Rosebud | Pumper 95 (P95) |
| 96 | Not in use | |
| 97 | Clyde North (Future Planning) | |
| FB | South Wharf | FB1, FB2, FB4, FB6 |
(some callsigns are not yet final, tankers transferred from CFA to FRV do not appear to have a numerical callsign assigned to them as of 01/06/2020. South Wharf station appears to no longer have a station number assigned, station number 70 has been reassigned to Warnambool)
History of Legislation
The legislation was presented to the Victorian Upper house just before Easter 2018, and led to a record sitting to allow it to pass, including controversy over pairing of a cross bench member[11] and accusations the Government was using the absence of a sick MP, an independent who was the casting vote on the legislation, to push through a vote in her absence by extending the sitting into Good Friday, which had never happened before. The legislation was defeated on the third reading on Easter Sunday.[12] The bill was a "Disputed Bill" [13] and could be considered after the next election by a committee known as the Dispute Resolution Committee in line with the Constitutional (Parliamentary Reform) Act 2003.[14] The bill was reintroduced 29th May 2019, and passed through both houses 20th June.[15]
Progress
The latest MFB EBA has been passed by Fair Work Australia,[16] and is anticipated to be the template for the new FRV EBA.[17] The EBA continues to contain the provisions that concerned its opponents and continues to concern them given FRV staff will transfer their industrial arrangements when seconded to CFA, raising concerns that those provisions will still impact the volunteers. While not mentioned in the 2019/2020 Victorian State Budget,[18] a rise in the Fire Services Levy [19] of 10% is widely anticipated in response to a rise in paid staff numbers, despite a previous government promise the levy would be frozen for two years after implementation. This levy is paid by all landholders and businesses in Victoria, with the country areas not being served by FRV being levied at a higher rate.[20] The State Budget included an efficiency dividend of $1.8B across the public service, and it is unknown what the impact on FRV will be.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Fire Services in Victoria - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Final Report Summary (PDF) (Report). Vol. Volume 1. Parliament of Victoria. July 2010. pp. 18–19. ISBN 9780980740820. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
{{cite report}}:|volume=has extra text (help) - ^ Willingham, state political reporter Richard (21 June 2019). "Four-year political storm ends, but real test for fire services reforms lies ahead". ABC News. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
- ^ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "Who is responsible for reviewing the metropolitan boundaries? How often do boundaries get reviewed?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ Firefighters' Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2017 (PDF) (Bill, Part 4). 2017. p. Pages 41-50. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ Inquiry into the Firefighters’ Presumptive Rights Compensation and Fire Services Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2017 Final Report (PDF) (Report). Parliament of Victoria. 22 August 2017. p. 30. ISBN 9781925458992. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Priority 3 - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- ^ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "What is happening to Victoria’s fire services?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "FAQ Archive - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. "What happens to CFA volunteers at the 35 integrated stations?". Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Metropolitan Melbourne - Fire Services in Victoria". Fire Services in Victoria. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
- ^ "Subscribe to The Weekly Times". www.weeklytimesnow.com.au. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ Counsel, Office of the Chief Parliamentary. "Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel - Victorian Legislation Home Page". www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ McDonald, Robert. "Parliament of Victoria - 10. Bills". www.parliament.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ "Victorian Statute Book Act". www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
- ^ Counsel, Office of the Chief Parliamentary. "Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel - Victorian Legislation Home Page". www.legislation.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "2016 MFB UFU OPs EBA" (PDF). Fair Work Australia. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Heraldsun.com.au | Subscribe to the Herald Sun for exclusive stories". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Delivering for all Victorians | Victorian Budget 19/20". budget.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ scheme=AGLSTERMS. AglsAgent; corporateName=State Revenue Office Victoria; address=Level 2, 121 Exhibition Street. "Fire Services Property Levy". State Revenue Office. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ George.Diamantopoulos; scheme=AGLSTERMS. AglsAgent; corporateName=State Revenue Office Victoria; address=Level 2, 121 Exhibition Street (5 May 2015). "Fire services property levy current rates". State Revenue Office. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)