1000 Steps: visitors block off Upper Ferntree Gully CFA fireys

A SURGE in the number of people visiting the 1000 Steps is posing a serious threat to life — because Upper Ferntree Gully CFA fireys are often blocked in their station by parked cars.

Fireys Darren Johnson, Daryn Redmen and Mark Goodchild at the Upper Ferntree Gully CFA station. Picture: Stuart Milligan

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THE growing number of people­ using the 1000 Steps is partly to blame for parking problems around the Upper Ferntree Gully CFA station, its captain says.

The parking issue has sparked fears of critical delays­ to fire response, with one councillor saying it could cost someone’s life.

Brigade captain Peter Smith said a growing number of cars were clogging the area around the Burwood Highway station.

He said the problem was driven by the rising popularity of the 1000 Steps, as well as people going to the train station and Angliss Hospital.

Fireys are upset after several incidents of bad parking blocking them in. Picture: Stuart Milligan

In one recent incident, a car parked right up against the station door and the driver returned to move it just before­ a tow truck arrived.

Mr Smith said it was a “huge” issue on weekends.

“We’ve had a lot of problems with parking, even people parked across the bottom of the driveway so we can’t get the trucks out,” he said.

Mr Smith said over summer it got even worse, with cars filling the area every day.

He said people also parked in the brigade’s members’ parks, which delayed firefighters as they arrived to respond­ to a fire.

He urged people to show “a little bit more common sense” and park so they weren’t obstructing fire trucks.

Fireys say the problem is an unfortunate by-product of the popularity of the 1000 steps.

Knox councillor Jake Keogh said the delays could be critical.

“Sometimes it’s delaying them by a minute or more, which could cost someone their house or their life,” he said.

Cr Keogh has asked the council to review the site and see whether more signage or parking inspector patrols were needed.

Council spokesman Karl Liebich said the council’s community laws staff were looking into the issue.

CFA district 13 operations manager David Renkin called on people to be “particularly mindful when parking near fire stations, of not obstructing the movement of fire trucks”.

The Upper Ferntree Gully brigade is currently looking for new recruits. For more information see their Facebook page.