Battle over equipment erupts after bushfire, with volunteer firefighters angry over plans to replace truck

Volunteer firefighters in Perth’s hills are locked in a battle with fire chiefs over plans to replace a critical fire truck with equipment that, they claim, is inferior. Only weeks after the Kalmanda Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service was at the frontline of a blaze that erupted on New Year’s Eve, they’ve been told their old type one pump will be replaced by a type two. Attempts to appeal the decision have so far been knocked back. Kalamunda VFRS captain Tony Moiler said they were told they’re not fighting enough fires to justify the type one pump that’s standard for career firefighters. “Very frustrating, because it’s very unjustified,” he said. “Just about everything is increasing dramatically, population, electric vehicles . . . we were completely stunned. “We would be the only area that has the lower capacity pump, as a primary response area. And you’d have to wonder why you do that in an area that is increasing in risk all the time.” Liberal MP Adam Hort suspects the decision is motivated by penny pinching, because the upfront cost of a type two pump is lower - though retro-fitting means both versions end up costing about $1 million. “I will take the advice of those volunteer fireys in my community, who have decades of experience, when they say that they’re concerned that this equipment’s not going to be enough for our community,” he said. “I’m going to go in fighting for them, because it makes no sense to me at all, it is a massive slap in the face to the mums and dads, the Nana’s and the granddads who volunteer their time to keep our community safe.” Emergency Services Minister Paul Papalia said it wasn’t his call to make. “I have full confidence in Commissioner Klemm and his team to deliver on operational matters of this nature,” he said. The Department of Fire and Emergency Services insisted the type two appliance is good enough, or better. “The new model can carry a crew of six, as opposed to four in their current appliance,” a DFES spokesperson said. “Given the large membership of Kalamunda VFRS, this will mean more volunteers can respond to incidents. Additional response numbers will also enhance structural firefighting and breathing apparatus operations.”