Reforming Victoria’s fire and rescue services
As our state grows and changes, the demands on our fire services have also changed.
In just the last decade, 8 reviews have been undertaken into Victoria’s fire services. Every one of them, including the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, made it clear that the state’s services are in desperate need of modernisation.
The Government is making changes to address these issues and ensure Victorians can rely on a modern and local fire service to keep them safe.
A modern fire and rescue service
On 1 July 2020, a new organisation was launched – Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) – bringing together all MFB and career CFA firefighters.
FRV serves metropolitan Melbourne and major regional centres - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Fire Rescue Victoria
FRV operates 85 stations across the state and support volunteer response where required.
You don’t need to know if you live in an area serviced by FRV, CFA or one of the co-located stations, a fire emergency service will be responded to help you in an emergency. All Victorians will receive a world-class fire service no matter where they live.
Learn more about FRV on their .
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- Altona
- Ascot Vale
- Ballarat City
- Belmont
- Bendigo
- Boronia
- Box Hill
- Broadmeadows
- Brunswick
- Bundoora
- Burwood
- Carlton
- Caroline Springs
- Clayton
- Corio
- Craigieburn
- Cranbourne
- Croydon
- Dandenong
- Deer Park
- Eastern Hill
- Eltham
- Epping
- Footscray
- Frankston
- Geelong City
- Glen Iris
- Glen Waverley
- Greensborough
- Greenvale
- Hallam
- Hawthorn
- Heidelberg
- Highett
- Keilor
- Lara
- Latrobe West
- Laverton
- Lucas
- Melton
- Mentone
- Mildura
- Mornington
- Morwell
- Newport
- North Balwyn
- North Laverton
- Northcote
- Nunawading
- Oakleigh
- Ocean Grove
- Ormond
- Pakenham
- Pascoe Vale
- Patterson River
- Point Cook
- Port Melbourne
- Portland
- Preston
- Richmond
- Ringwood
- Rosebud
- Rowville
- Shepparton
- Somerton
- South Melbourne
- South Morang
- South Warrandyte
- Spotswood
- Springvale
- St Albans
- Sunbury
- Sunshine
- Tarneit
- Taylors Lakes
- Templestowe
- Thomastown
- Traralgon
- Tullamarine
- Vermont South
- Wangaratta
- Warrnambool
- West Melbourne
- Windsor
- Wodonga
Co-located stations
Co-located stations include both career and volunteer firefighters. They were formerly run by CFA, under the legislation, these stations have moved to FRV. Volunteer brigades are being supported to co-locate with FRV units.
Click on a circle to see the co-located fire stations in that area. Use the + and - to zoom in and out of the map. Use your mouse or finger to move the map around.
Map of co-located stations
A new brand
FRV has a new logo and staff wear new uniforms.
The FRV brand is important to its people and the community as a mark of the prestige of FRV’s work protecting the community.
The badge was selected from 95 potential designs and was chosen through a collaborative process involving nearly 2,000 former MFB and CFA staff.
The badge’s flame and crossed axes represent the tools of fire and rescue work. The shield upon which they sit represents strength and protection FRV will provide and the helmet which pays tribute to Victoria’s proud firefighting history of MFB and CFA. The Southern Cross, and the laurel wreath represent Australian bravery and triumph over adversity. These features come together to make the badge uniquely Victorian.
Fire Rescue Commissioner
Victoria’s inaugural Fire Rescue Commissioner Ken Block has more than 40 years of fire and rescue experience.
Ken was the Chief Fire Officer of the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services in Canada from 2009 to 2020 and served three terms as the President of the Canadian Association of Fire Chief’s (CAFC).
Ken has worked with career and volunteer firefighter organisations and allied agencies across Canada. He develops strong, productive relationships with his workforce and their unions.
Ken is a tireless campaigner for improving the safety of the community, firefighters and the fire and rescue services.
Commissioner Block worked closely with the Victorian Government and emergency service agencies to establish Fire Rescue Victoria. Ken joined the Department of Justice and Community Safety on 10 February 2020 before commencing his role as Fire Rescue Commissioner with Fire Rescue Victoria on 1 July 2020.
More about Commissioner Ken .
Country Fire Authority
CFA is now a community-based, solely volunteer firefighter organisation.
Victoria’s 1,220 CFA volunteer brigades will be strengthened and supported to continue to serve and protect their communities.
Volunteer firefighters continue to be an essential part of the day–to-day fire and rescue services – like they always have. CFA will also provide vital surge capacity for major fire events, particularly bushfires.
CFA volunteers serving at one of the state’s co-located stations have been able to remain at that station if they chose.
The CFA continues to encourage and welcome new volunteers. People interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter with the CFA should visit their local brigade or go online to for further details.
$126 million CFA capability funding
The Victorian Government has provided a $126 million funding package for the CFA to go towards critical training and equipment, including:
- new training programs that will deliver new capability and experience for volunteer firefighters
- trialling respiratory protection for volunteer firefighters
- new personal protective clothing for each active operational volunteer firefighter
- fifty new dual cab appliances with burn over defensive systems
- capital funding for 16 new stations for volunteer brigades
- brigade support including peer support and counselling
Fire Services Property Levy
All revenue collected through the Fire Services Property Levy (FSPL) goes to supporting the state’s fire services to provide vital life-saving equipment, firefighters, staff and volunteers, training, infrastructure and community education. The Victorian Government has made a commitment that the costs of implementing these reforms will not be met by increasing the FSPL.
Ongoing reforms
The safety of the community and emergency services people remains the government’s utmost priority. The vital community safety work done by our emergency services will continue while the reforms continue.
Implementation Monitor and reporting
The Implementation Monitor is independent of the Minister and has discretion about how it performs its duties. The Monitor must assess the progress of CFA and FRV as they complete actions in the Implementation Plan to give effect to the reforms.
The Monitor must prepare a report each year on its operations after the end of that financial year.
The Year One Fire Services Reform Implementation plan
On 15 October, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services tabled the Year One Fire Services Reform Implementation Plan.
The Implementation Plan sets out the actions required to be completed over the next 12 months to embed and operationalise the vision for the state’s fire services – a modern, integrated and sustainable system that keeps Victorians safe.
The Implementation Plan adopts a practical focus in its first year to ensure fire agencies can concentrate on immediate priorities without any risk of disruption to service delivery or the optimisation of arrangements following commencement of the new fire services model.
Year One Fire Services Reform Implementation Plan
Year One Fire Services Reform Implementation Plan
A process for the selection and appointment of the Implementation Monitor is progressing in accordance with requirements under the Fire Rescue Victoria Act 1958 (the Act). The inaugural Monitor is expected to be appointed in the near future.
Outcomes frameworks
The Act requires that both CFA and FRV prepare and publish an Outcomes Framework setting out:
- Outcomes-based fire services performance measures.
- Such other matters as are prescribed by the regulations (note: none prescribed to date).
See the CFA Outcomes and the FRV Outcomes .
CFA and FRV will provide the Implementation Monitor with a quarterly update on their performance against the performance measures set out in their Outcomes Framework. The Implementation Monitor will, after receiving the quarterly updates, publish an online quarterly report that sets out the quarterly updates, any supporting data relied upon in the preparation of the quarterly updates, and any other information that the Monitor considers relevant.
On 1 November 2020, CFA and FRV each provided their first quarterly update as required under section 140 (5) of the Act. Once the Implementation Monitor is appointed, they will prepare and publish the first quarterly report as soon as possible following commencement.
FRV Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1
FRV Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1 - Business Rules and Definitions
FRV Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1 - Measures and responsibilities
CFA Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1
CFA Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1 - Business Rule Summaries
CFA Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1 - Summary Data Sets
CFA Outcomes Framework Report 20-21 Q1 - Overview and Insights
FRV Strategic Advisory Committee
The Strategic Advisory Committee provides expert and independent advice to Fire Rescue Victoria on several different areas:
- cultural change
- workforce diversity and flexibility
- the future direction of FRV, including emerging opportunities and risks
- organisational governance
- FRV’s engagement and integration with the broader emergency management sector
- any other matter which is relevant to FRV or on which it seeks advice.
On 5 October 2020, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services appointed the inaugural Strategic Advisory Committee. The committee members are:
- Dr David Hayward (Chairperson)
- Tasneem Chopra OAM
- Mark Dixon
- Tina Hosseini
- Patricia Malowney OAM
- Gregory Sword OAM.
Pathway to reform
Governance and working groups have been established to work through transitional arrangements, engage stakeholders, provide advice on key matters and ensure information is shared across agencies throughout the implementation of the reforms.
These groups have been meeting regularly since July 2019 and include representatives from CFA, MFB, industrial and representative bodies, other emergency services agencies and government departments.
The Fire Services Reform Governance Groups are working through the logistics of implementation and identifying arrangements that facilitate a safe, smooth and effective transition to the reform model.
Presumptive rights compensation scheme
The reforms introduce presumptive rights to cancer compensation for career and volunteer firefighters, recognising the invaluable service they provide which often requires them to work in inherently dangerous conditions.
Administered through WorkSafe, the new scheme will apply to individuals who have served as firefighters for a specified number of years, depending on the cancer type, and have been diagnosed since 1 June 2016.
Under the presumptive rights compensation scheme, a firefighter claiming compensation for certain cancers doesn’t have to prove that firefighting is the cause of their cancer.
Instead it will be presumed that they contracted cancer because of their firefighting service and that they therefore have an entitlement to compensation under the WorkSafe Victoria scheme.
The presumptive rights compensation scheme covers all Victorian career firefighters employed by FRV, or a predecessor organisation such as Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) or the Country Fire Authority (CFA). The scheme will also cover volunteer firefighters engaged by the CFA.
Firefighters that are diagnosed with one of 12 specified cancers and have served the requisite number of years (5 - 25 depending on cancer type) may have a presumptive entitlement to compensation.
The table below sets out the cancers and qualifying periods for the Victorian presumptive rights compensation scheme. These are consistent with all other Australian jurisdictions that currently have presumptive rights schemes in place for firefighters.
| Disease | Qualifying period |
|---|---|
| Primary site brain cancer | 5 years |
| Primary site bladder cancer | 15 years |
| Primary site kidney cancer | 15 years |
| Primary non-Hodgkins lymphoma | 15 years |
| Primary leukemia | 5 years |
| Primary site breast cancer | 10 years |
| Primary site testicular cancer | 10 years |
| Multiple myeloma | 15 years |
| Primary site prostate cancer | 15 years |
| Primary site ureter cancer | 15 years |
| Primary site colorectal cancer | 15 years |
| Primary site oesophageal cancer | 25 years |
The cancer types and qualifying periods are based on Commonwealth legislation and are consistent with other jurisdictions. Should evidence emerge over time that additional cancers should also be prescribed in the legislation, the Government will consider additional legislative changes.
The cancer types covered under the legislation are consistent with the cancer types covered under equivalent presumptive rights legislation in other Australian jurisdictions.
These cancer types were originally determined based on consideration of a range of different studies regarding the occurrence of cancer in firefighters. The Government has previously committed that should evidence emerge over time that additional cancers should also be covered, the Government will consider additional legislative changes.
Career and volunteer firefighters who qualify for compensation under the Presumptive Scheme will be entitled to the existing benefits that are provided by WorkSafe in accordance with the WorkSafe scheme.
Volunteer firefighters will also continue to have the option of making a non-presumptive claim for compensation under the existing Volunteer Compensation Scheme administered by the CFA. However, volunteer firefighters will not be able to receive double compensation for the same injury under the Presumptive Compensation Scheme and the Volunteer Compensation Scheme.
Reviewed 04 December 2020