Equipping Our Emergency Services For Future
The Allan Labor Government is giving hardworking emergency services the funding and equipment they need – so that communities can respond and recover from floods, fires and storms.
Victoria is one of the most fire-prone areas in the world, and natural disasters are becoming more frequent and severe – and the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund (ESVF) will deliver our emergency services what they need to respond to these disasters.
Through the ESVF, the Labor Government will invest $110 million to deliver a rolling fleet replacement program for VICSES and the CFA – and now Fire Rescue Victoria.
Fire Rescue Victoria’s $40 million rolling fleet replacement program will ensure firefighters get new appliances to keep doing what they do best.
VICSES volunteers across Victoria will be better equipped for the future with the first round of new Next Generation Medium Rescue Trucks to be delivered to units in Glen Eira, Geelong, Alexandra, Kinglake, Essendon, Chelsea, Otway, Beechworth, Kyabram and Murrayville.
CFA brigades in Darraweit Guim, Corop West, Barmah, Erica, Lubeck, Goroke, Crowlands, Modewarre, Kawarren and Moe South will also be the first recipients of new Medium Tankers funded through the ESVF.
Because our emergency services volunteers give our state so much, eligible CFA and VICSES volunteers and life members will be able to access a rebate, administered by the Department of Government Services.
Eligible volunteers include all active VICSES and CFA Operational and Support Volunteers. To be eligible for the rebate, volunteers will need to have served for at least 12 months, have passed probation, and not be suspended on disciplinary grounds or have taken a leave of absence for the duration of the preceding 12 months.
After consultation with councils, emergency services and the Victorian Farmers Federation the Labor Government will also:
Every single dollar raised by this new fund will support our emergency services – helping them to keep communities safe year-round.
As stated by Treasurer Jaclyn Symes
“These changes will give emergency services the funding and equipment they need as they face natural disasters which are happening more often and becoming more destructive.”
As stated by Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward
“This new funding model is giving our incredible emergency service workers and volunteers the modern equipment they need to help keep communities safe.”
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-05/250515-Equipping-Our-Emergency-Services-For-The-Future.pdf