CFA volunteers from across the region rushed to Goomalibee to fight a fire that swept across the area before Christmas. The CFA has confirmed all members were contacted following that deployment to check on their mental health and welbeing.
The CFA volunteer group committee has raised serious safety concerns after it said it received multiple, worrying reports from brigades across Victoria.
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It released a statement saying too many CFAs were relying on older vehicles.
An example it gave was the Benalla Group, which comprises 19 local brigades, which it said has 14 appliances operating beyond their recommended service life.
CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said that all CFA vehicles were fit for purpose, regardless of age.
“Emergency response vehicles are a key part of our response capability and our focus is always on whether the vehicles are safe, appropriately equipped and fit for purpose, regardless of age,” he said.
“All emergency response vehicles within the CFA fleet are maintained by our expert network of mechanical officers and are subject to annual maintenance servicing and an annual fire-worthy inspection by qualified technical staff.
“CFA replaces vehicles as, and when, it can within the budget it has available and continues to advocate strongly for more investment from government to accelerate our fleet replacement program.”
CFAVG, however, stated that the reports it had received indicated risks to frontline capability and safety.
While some of those reports were linked to ageing fire trucks, it stated that others indicated inadequate station facilities, prolonged fatigue, and gaps in operational and post-fire support.
A Victorian Government spokesperson said the CFA was currently better funded and better resourced than it had been under previous governments.
“The latest CFA annual report makes it clear,” the spokesperson said.
“In 2024-25 CFA funding reached its highest level in five years.
“The CFA board has also been clear that funding has increased year-on-year since 2020.”
When most people are fleeing in the opposite direction, CFA members are heading towards fires and the dangers they bring, in order to protect communities.
Photo by
Bree Harding
But CFAVG said the issues stemmed from the way those funds were prioritised.
It stated that the reports it had received, which spanned several regions, pointed to systemic issues rather than isolated incidents and reinforced an urgent need for greater transparency and government accountability.
CFAVG also raised concerns that in Goomalibee, brigades and community members in areas affected by a fire in December had reported a perceived lack of follow-up support.
This is something the CFA strongly disputes, at least when it comes to its volunteers.
“Following the Goomalibee fire, the Goorambat members involved were contacted individually by the local duty officer to check on their wellbeing and offer ongoing support,” Mr Heffernan said.
“This was also followed up by the chief officer, who reached out to the Goorambat captain.
“Ongoing contact and support was offered in the days following the fire by the local assistant chief fire officer.
“As part of our Mental Health Literacy Program, CFA provides workshops, webinars and other helpful resources covering topics such as self-care, early help-seeking, navigating grief and loss, navigating trauma and supporting leaders to have wellbeing check-in conversations.”
CFAVG spokesperson Leigh Harry also highlighted reported issues in other groups across Victoria.
“CFA volunteers accept risk as part of the job, but they should not be operating in ... outdated stations, or facilities that no longer meet basic standards,” Mr Harry said.
“These are not criticisms of brigades or volunteers. They are warnings about system-level failures that expose volunteers to unnecessary risk.”
Mr Harry said CFAVG was particularly concerned about the cumulative impact of an ageing fleet, inadequate facilities, long deployments and uncertainty around post-fire support on volunteer wellbeing, morale and retention.
“Volunteer sustainability is a public safety issue,” he said.
“When volunteers feel unsafe, unsupported or overlooked, it directly affects the capability communities rely on in emergencies.”
He said that CFAVG was not seeking to single out individual CFA members or brigades, but was calling for greater transparency and accountability from government regarding fleet condition, station infrastructure, replacement schedules and operational support.
The Victorian Government spokesperson said the CFA remained one of the largest volunteer emergency services in Australia.
“We’re seeing a major surge in those wanting to join, especially younger Victorians,” they said.
“We thank every single volunteer that has turned out to protect Victorians this fire season, and we deeply appreciate their work.”
Mr Heffernan echoed that sentiment.
“CFA maintains one of the largest and most capable volunteer emergency workforces in Australia, and volunteer numbers have remained stable and strong in recent years,” he said.
“Following the recent bushfires, more than 2230 Victorians expressed interest in joining CFA, three quarters of whom are aged 18 to 34 and nearly half were from the north-west and north-east of the state.
“Member health, safety and wellbeing is CFA’s top priority and our members are highly trained to work in difficult conditions to protect and support their community and navigate hazards and risks on the fireground.”
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