MFB and CFA response times released for the first time

VICTORIA’s fire services have had their incident response times revealed for the first time, highlighting the state’s best performing stations and which stations most often fail to arrive in time to a fire.

Response times for Victoria’s fire services has been released for the first time. Picture: file photo, Stephen Harman

RESPONSE times for Victoria’s fire services have been released for the first time, showing the MFB and CFA hit their targets for more than 85 per cent of incidents.

The data shows that the Country Fire Authority responded to 87 per cent of all incidents within its targets between April 1 and June 30.

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But brigades across the state had a lower 79 per cent success rate for responding to hazard class two incidents on time.

Crews must arrive at those fires — defined as in a “significant urban areas” — within eight minutes to hit the target.

The data showed that response times lagged for hazard class two incidents in some growth areas and was as low as 16 per cent in Moe.

A CFA crew attending the scene of a fire. Picture: Zoe Phillips.

Castlemaine, Phillip Island, Lara and Sale were the next worst-performing stations, arriving within the target less than 30 per cent of the time.

Werribee, Mildura, Traralgon and Rowville were among a handful of stations that arrived at all incidents within target.

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington said the response times showed that the service was a “highly capable firefighting organisation”.

“The public has every right to be confident in our ability to keep them safe,” he said.

“What it also shows, is there is always room for improvement — and this is something we must and are addressing.

“The community can rest assured that CFA is well placed to fulfil its critical role.

“We will always look to improve and as we move into summer, our people — volunteer and career firefighters — stand capable, committed and ready to perform their duty to the highest standards.”

CFA chief officer Steve Warrington said the response times showed that the service was a “highly capable firefighting organisation”.

Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said the response times were “not good enough” in some parts of the state.

He said paid firefighters could be added to CFA stations where targets were not being met.

“In Lara, the response times are not acceptable,” he said.

“That is exactly why our fire services have made a commitment to introduce additional careers staff to support our volunteers.

“This isn’t about volunteers versus careers.

“If your house is on fire, you don’t care if it’s a CFA firefighter, MFB firefighter, a volunteer or a career firefighter.

“All you are worried about is whether the fire truck will arrive on time.”

A parliamentary inquiry into the fire services restructure bill recommended the response time data be released.

Another two sets will released in November and January next year, before response times are reported quarterly.

The data dump also showed that, between April 1 and June 30, the MFB arrived at 92.8 per cent of emergency structure fires within the target of 7.7 minutes.

Templestowe, Heidelberg and Broadmeadows were the worst performing stations, failing to arrive in time at more than 20 per cent of incidents.

But 11 stations, including Ascot Vale, Footscray, Eastern Hill, Malvern and Port Melbourne, had perfect records.

They responded to all incidents within the target time.

MFB crews also arrived at 97 per cent of medical emergencies within the 9.2 minute target.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy said: “If there are individual stations that need to have work done to pick those response times up, then do it.”

CFA RESPONSE TIMES

Percentage of hazard class two incidents — fires within “significant urban areas” — attended within 8 minutes

Ocean Grove — 100%

Berwick — 100%

Mornington — 100%

Patterson River — 100%

Bayswater — 100%

Boronia — 100%

Ferntree Gully — 100%

Rowville — 100%

Eltham — 100%

Werribee — 100%

Mildura — 100%

Traralgon — 100%

Bendigo — 98%

Ballarat City — 98%

Morwell — 98%

Cranbourne — 97%

Hoppers Crossing — 97%

Belmont — 96%

Sunbury — 96%

Wangaratta — 96%

Wodonga — 96%

Geelong City — 95%

Frankston — 95%

Shepparton — 95%

Hallam — 94%

Noble Park — 94%

Pakenham — 94%

Corio — 92%

Langwarrin — 92%

Springvale — 92%

Healesville — 92%

Upper Ferntree Gully — 92%

Golden Square — 91%

Geelong West — 91%

Point Cook — 91%

Warrnambool — 90%

Narre Warren — 90%

Rosebud — 90%

Scoresby — 88%

Wendouree — 88%

Bacchus Marsh — 87%

Ballarat — 86%

Dandenong — 85%

Melton — 85%

Hamilton — 83%

Craigieburn — 81%

Bairnsdale — 81%

Warrandyte — 81%

Diamond Creek — 80%

South Warrandyte — 77%

Mt Eliza — 76%

Kangaroo Flat — 75%

Colac — 73%

Edithvale — 72%

Portland — 71%

Sebastopol — 69%

Epping — 67%

Wyndham Vale — 64%

Chirnside Park — 64%

Caroline Springs — 64%

Hampton Park — 63%

Mooroolbark — 61%

Lilydale — 58%

Newborough — 46%

Upwey — 40%

Benalla — 40%

Churchill — 40%

Wonthaggi — 38%

Drysdale — 31%

Phillip Island — 30%

Castlemaine — 27%

Sale — 27%

Lara — 22%

Moe — 16%

Response times for Victoria’s fire services have been released for the first time. Picture: David Caird.

MFB RESPONSE TIMES

Percentage of emergency structure fires attended within the standard 7.7 minutes

Eastern Hill — 100%

Carlton — 100%

Epping — 100%

Box Hill — 100%

Malvern — 100%

South Melbourne — 100%

Port Melbourne- 100%

Newport — 100%

Sunshine — 100%

Footscray — 100%

Ascot Vale — 100%

Windsor — 96.9%

Richmond — 95.5%

Highett — 95%

Pascoe Vale — 94.1%

Hawthorn — 94.1%

Clayton — 93.8%

West Melbourne — 93.5%

Brunswick — 92.9%

Ringwood — 92.3%

Spotswood — 91.7%

Northcote — 90%

Ormond — 87.5%

Oakleigh — 86.7%

Preston — 86.7%

St Albans — 85.7%

Glen Waverly — 85.7%

Vermont South — 85.7%

Burwood — 80%

Broadmeadows — 79.3%

Heidelberg — 73.3%

Templestowe — 70%

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