No. 51

$6.5 million for 32 new fire fighting vehicles

The ACT Emergency Services Agency fire fighting vehicle fleet will undergo a major upgrade as part of the ACT Government’s 2007-08 Budget funding surge in the emergency services’ frontline capability.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services Simon Corbell today announced $6.5 million over four years for the ESA Fire Vehicle Replacement Program.

“The ACT Government has allocated $2.5 million to be spent in the next 12 months to accelerate the program,” Mr Corbell said.

“The funding will be spent on replacing older bush firefighting and Fire Brigade response vehicles with modern vehicles that meet current safety and mechanical standards,” he said.

“Acceleration of the ESA Fire Vehicle Replacement Program will remove the oldest vehicles from the fleet and increase the options for replacement, resale, and refurbishment as vehicles reach the end of their service life.

“A further $1.5 million will be spent on the program in the following two years, then $1 million the year after.

The following 32 vehicles will be purchased with the additional $6.5 million over the next four years: 19 bushfire fighting light units; 9 bushfire heavy tankers; 1 large bushfire water tanker; 1 urban fire heavy pumper; 1 command vehicle; and 1 recovery tilt tray. 

“This funding is on top of the existing ESA Vehicle Replacement Program funding of $ 8.8 million announced in the last two Budgets.

“It confirms the ACT Government’s continued commitment to providing our frontline emergency services personnel with the best equipment to keep our personnel and the ACT community safe.

“Our fulltime and volunteer firefighters do a wonderful job protecting the Territory 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The ACT Government recognises this with the allocation today of $6.5 million for the provision of new firefighting vehicles.

“The ACT Government wants to ensure our firefighters are given the equipment needed to do the job.“