CFA crews missing key response targets when attending structure fires across state

The CFA’s annual report has revealed the organisation is falling short of its benchmark response time when attending structure fires across Victoria.

CFA crews are falling short of the required response time when attending structure fires but are hitting road accident response times. Picture: Mark Wilson

The state’s volunteer firefighting service is failing to meet a key response target, as it continues to grapple with a declining workforce.

The Country Fire Authority’s annual report, tabled in parliament on Thursday, revealed the organisation is only getting to 80 per cent of structural fires within its benchmark response time – falling short of its 90 per cent target.

But the CFA has exceeded its goal of getting to road accident rescues in the recommended time, with 92.4 per cent of all call outs responded to within the required window.

As revealed by the Herald Sun in September, the number of Country Fire Authority volunteers has dipped to 28,785 – down from 38,335 in 2014-13, and well below the organisation’s target of between 35,000-37,400 people.

In the past year, the CFA employed nine operational staff and 862 support staff but both of these figures fall just shy of its 2022-23 target figures.

CFA boss Jason Heffernan said his team were sifting through thousands of applications to join. Picture: David Crosling

Chief officer Jason Heffernan said the CFA had launched a new statewide volunteer recruitment drive to support brigades in areas that have declining memberships.

“The number of people expressing an interest to join CFA exceeded 5,700 in the past year and we are now assessing these applications for their suitability and availability as volunteers,” he said.

CFA chair Greg Wilson said in 2022-23 more than 14,000 volunteers received training through CFA programs.

“This remains a key area of improvement for us,” he said.