Rural Fire brigades set for long-term boost to vehicle fleet

• Pipeline for new and replacement Rural Fire Service (RFS) vehicles increases to over 400 appliances with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) commencing a procurement process to deliver 285 new and replacement trucks over three years
• Total pipeline investment increases by $85 million to $123.5 million

QFES is set to invest more than $85 million into a new three-year 285 RFS vehicle  building program.

This increases the investment to $123.5 million and means the pipeline of new and replacement RFS vehicles is now 412.

The additional investment includes funding for at least 80 light attack, 140 medium attack, and 30 heavy attack firefighting vehicles, plus 18 bulk water tankers. 

Exact quantities will be finalised once the procurement process has been completed.

Market approaches have commenced and QFES will work with chosen vendors to deliver those vehicles over three financial years. The delivery dates will be subject to the capacity of the market but the investment signals certainty for brigades that more trucks will be coming.

The acquisition of 285 vehicles is in addition to the 127 RFS vehicles that QFES already has in production and will be delivered to Queensland brigades over the next two financial years.

As part of an existing budget commitment, funding of $1 million has been allocated to continue the retrofit of deluge systems on RFS vehicles and improve safety for rural firefighting volunteers.

Quotes attributable to the Minister:

“The State Government is looking to provide the state’s RFS volunteers with the most up to date equipment available,” he said.

“In addition to the delivery of 127 new vehicles already in production, QFES will go to the market this financial year for a further three-year Rural Fire Service appliance build program, for an additional 285 appliances.

“This will bring the total fleet pipeline program to 412 appliances and is on top of the or 413 appliances that have been delivered by the Palaszczuk Government since 2015.”

Quotes attributable to Commissioner Leach:

“As Queenslanders face the prospect of dangerous bushfires every year, it is vital our rural firefighters are equipped with the best and most up to date firefighting fleet,” he said.

“It is reassuring to see such significant investment in medium attack firefighting trucks, which are the most commonly used appliance by our 26,000 RFS volunteers across the state. There’s a clear commitment to firefighter safety through the retrofitting of deluge systems on RFS vehicles.

“RFS crews will have the opportunity to test prototypes in real world situations and provide feedback to inform any future investments in vehicles or technology.”

ENDS

Media contact – QFES Media 3635 3310.