The fire service boundaries that dictate fire dispatches in Melbourne haven’t changed significantly in 60 years. This was fine for a more centralised population of under one million people. But today, as our population approaches five million, much of this growth is in the outer metro areas. Which means suburbs such as Hoppers Crossing, Melton, Craigieburn and Springvale are considered ‘country’,
and therefore don’t receive the same professional level of fire response as their metro counterparts. In 2009, the independent Bushfire Royal Commission said, ‘urban growth around Melbourne has far exceeded the metropolitan fire district boundary’. Which demands the question, why do some of our most urban communities have a ‘country’ structure governing their fire response and safety? We believe the safest and most sensible way forward is to modernise our fire services by creating a single career fire fighting and rescue service that looks after all of Melbourne equally. And importantly, to do this without affecting our volunteer fire fighting services and their surge capacity.
