This picture shows the number of trucks produced each year for brigades in Queensland.
Click image to download a larger version.
These numbers were supplied by the QFES on Monday 10th July 2023.
The 2022/23 financial year produced only 20 vehicles, all were light attacks and none have fire curtains fitted for crew safety. Out of the 266 light attacks on fleet only the 10 RFBAQ supplied light attacks come fitted with fire curtains.
RFSQ Fleet Update, June 2019 states that 60 vehicles need to be produced each year to maintain the fleet.
As at 1st July 2023 the deficit of truck produced versus required is 141 trucks.
To the ABC the QFES has stated that the Rural Fire Fleet is ageing and that 14% of fire trucks are more than 20 years old - "Queensland firefighters voice concerns over equipment ahead of potentially dangerous season"
The 2021 KPMG report into the QFES found that the vast majority of QFES corporate services are supplied to Fire and Rescue and that QFES corporate service culture is programmed to support Fire and Rescue –
At present, the allocation of corporate services appears skewed to supporting FRS as 86% of non-direct costs in FY21 were apportioned to FRS (as indicated in Section 3.2.1 Service line analysis).
By way of comparison, the split of non-direct costs across other services in FY21 was 6% for RFS, 6% for SES, 3% for DM and <1% for MR. This split has remained relatively consistent since FY15.
It is acknowledged the allocation of increased support to FRS may reiterate cultural challenges identified by stakeholders in relation to the perception that urban/professional fire functions have a more dominant and important role within the overarching QFES model.
KPMG (2021, page 105) "Independent Review of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services". (PDF)
The QFES was found to be a failed model and that is why it will cease to exist in July 2024, but brigades need trucks, training and support now.