Up the Creek with no CFA
NO funding has been allocated for a fire station at Armstrong Creek despite the CFA planning to build the complex.
Pressure is mounting for a fire station to be based in the boom suburb after a house fire that killed a 26-year-old disabled woman on Boxing Day.
Armstrong Creek is predicted to eventually have a population of more than 60,000.
The closest volunteer brigades are located at Connewarre and Grovedale.
A CFA spokesman said the organisation had plans to establish a fire station “to service the growth area of Armstrong Creek but the timelines have yet to be confirmed”.
But the Emergency Services Minister James Merlino confirmed no funding had been allocated for the project yet.
He said any funding for a CFA station at Armstrong Creek “will be a part of future budget considerations”.
Mr Merlino said the Government’s controversial fire services reform, which would see volunteer and paid firefighters split into two separate authorities, would see the creation of a panel charged with determining where fire stations were needed to ensure the safety of growing communities across Victoria.
“Our fire services reforms include an independent Fire District Review Panel which would be established to determine future changes to fire services boundaries to adapt to the needs of our growing state,” Mr Merlino said.
To date, the State Government has lacked support need- ed in the Upper House to carry out the changes.
The CFA said systems were in place to protect the area.
“CFA has a number of measures in place to address growth areas, including a system of escalated initial response from support brigades to ensure an appropriate weight of response,” a CFA spokesman said.
G21 chief executive Elaine Carbines said this week’s fatal fire brought the need for critical emergency services infrastructure into focus.
G21’s Armstrong Creek urban growth area plan has previously estimated $55 million would be needed to fund the town centre emergency services hub, which would house CFA, police, ambulance and a regional emergency response centre.
Relatives of the fire victim have been discharged from hospital. The woman’s 62year-old mother, her sons aged 28 and 30, and a 30-year-old male neighbour were taken to Geelong hospital. It’s understood they were treated for burns and smoke inhalation.