Proposed changes to the structure of the Country Fire Authority (CFA) would not adversely impact Sunbury, claims Sunbury fire station operations officer Mark Owen.
The state government released a plan earlier this month that, if approved by Parliament, would make the CFA a volunteer-only organisation.
The proposal involves establishing a new organisation, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), that would oversee all career firefighters in Melbourne and major regional areas. The change has led many to question where that leaves the CFA’s 35 integrated stations which currently have career firefighters and volunteers.
Mr Owen said it would be “business as usual” at the Sunbury integrated station.
“Instead of it being an integrated station it will be a co-location. The FRV truck will just be parked next to the CFA truck,” he said.
Mr Owen said the plan would simply define career firefighters.
“The CFA will just be a volunteer service, as it was originally designed to be.”
He said the change would not affect citizens in any way.
“As far as the community is concerned they will still call triple-0 and a truck will come.”
The state government has also proposed new laws that give all firefighters equal access to compensation for cancers contracted while in the line of duty.
“We have introduced legislation into Parliament [last] week to deliver long-awaited presumptive rights to cancer compensation for both volunteer and career firefighters,” said Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas.
A package of more than $100 million for CFA brigades has been proposed to help the CFA with training, equipment and facilities if the planned reforms go ahead.
“I am working with a number of brigades that want training and need station upgrades to ensure volunteers in Macedon get their fair share of this additional funding,” Ms Thomas said.
