Thank you for your continued support and attendance at the recent Community Meeting at Footscray Fire Station. The Meeting was well attended and included a contingent from the Maribrynong Council, including Mayor Michael Clarke, who voiced his concerns.

At the meeting (close to one month ago now) community members were given a briefing of the myriad issues raised by Footscray Firefighters including:

- the refurbishment has forced the re-deployment of Footscray’s Ariel Appliance to another fire station 11 Kilometers away due to the design being flawed. The Aerial Appliance needs to be strategically positioned at 69 Droop Street in Footscray because of the high risk factors such as the Western & General Hospital, other high rise buildings and industry,

- the refurbished/reconstructed fire station will cause a delay in the firefighters responding to fires and incidents because of being badly designed. Previously firefighters were located on the ground floor. They will now have the obstacle of having to overcome three flights of stairs when proceeding to respond to a fire/emergency,

- the refurbishment/reconstruction will result in forcing firefighters into a situation of having to occupy a building that doesn’t have enough space, inadequate facilities and food preparation equipment,

- the refurbishment prevents access to members of the community with disabilities because of being poorly designed, and

- the refurbishment breaches the Metropolitan Fire Brigade's (MFB) own Disability Action Plan which was only launched in December 2008.

The Firefighters have provided numerous examples to the MFB on how they can resolve several of the issues. Yet in the month since the community meeting, the MFB have done relatively nothing to fix the station, preferring to argue the problems away.

Because of the MFB inaction, the UFU approached the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) for help. This resulted in an inspection of the Fire Station accompanied by Commissioner Foggo from the AIRC. After listening to both parties and inspecting the Station, the Commissioner issued a report detailing her recommendations on what should be done to fix the station.

The report contains a series of recommendations for resolving the issues. In the past, the MFB’s record of continued work on stations and facilities after they have been occupied has been poor. A case in point is the Burnley Training Complex, which is still not functional and fraught with problems many months after occupation. However, now that the Firefighters have the AIRC report which clearly outlines that there are significant problems at the Station, as well as recommends a way forward, the Firefighters have decided to move into the new station and will occupy as of 10 February 2009. The Firefighters hope that the Commissioners report will be enough to ensure MFB management rectify several of the Firefighters’ concerns.

However, there is still disagreement on many of the problems, and so the UFU will seek further aid from the commission in such cases.

Additionally the UFU is greatly dismayed at the MFBs continued deference of any action to provide disabled access to the Station. There has still been no explanation as to where the money allocated to build the Fire Stations Lift has gone and the MFB has not accepted any responsibility.

Some months ago, the MFB launched its Disability Action Plan. At the time, the UFU raised its concerns that the plan was being implemented without legally required consultation with the Firefighters Representative body, the UFU. The UFU considered that the MFB was rushing through its plans purely in order to achieve government monitored KPI’s.

The MFB’s Disability Action Plan states that it takes into consideration the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act (1992), the Victorian Disability Act (2006) and the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act (2006). The UFU has concerns that the MFB has seriously failed to satisfy the requirements found within each of the Acts, and thus will shortly be taking action against the MFB.

Finally, there are also trained Health and Safety Representatives at the station that will be fully investigating Occupational Health and Safety issues upon occupation.

As you can see, there is still a way to go, in order to ensure that the Footscray Firefighters are living and working in a functional Station, and that the MFB are complying with the Acts outlined above. The UFU will continue to keep you updated on the Footscray Fire Station matters.

Please contact Peter Marshall if you require further information on 0419 127 004 or email on p.marshall@ufuvic.asn.au.