Fire and Rescue Victoria (FRV) was officially launched on Wednesday (1 July), bringing all Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and career Country Fire Authority (CFA) firefighters together.
The new organisation was established as part of the State’s Fire Services Reforms.
According to FRV: “We serve and protect communities across Melbourne and Victoria’s major regional centres.
“There are 85 FRV fire and rescue stations across the state,” it said.
“Our firefighters operate 47 fire stations in metropolitan Melbourne and 38 regional stations, most of which are co-located with CFA volunteer brigades.”
FRV said its co-located stations included both career and volunteer firefighters.
On the Government’s Fire Services Reforms website it said that as the State grew and changed, the demands on its fire services had also changed.
“In just the last decade, eight reviews have been undertaken into Victoria’s fire services. Every one of them, including the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, made it clear that the State’s services are in desperate need of modernisation,” the website said.
“You don’t need to know if you live in an area serviced by FRV, CFA or one of the co-located stations, a fire emergency service will be responded to help you in an emergency,” it said.
The website said volunteer firefighters continued to be an essential part of the day–to-day fire and rescue services, “like they always have”.
It said CFA would also provide vital surge capacity for major fire events, particularly bushfires.
