But Wangaratta Fire Brigade’s paid staff and volunteers have come together in a show of solidarity to reassure the public no enterprise bargaining agreement would get in the way of their duties.

CFA’s district 23 operations officer Matthew Johnson said the potential of the disagreement to have a detrimental effect on the community meant it was important firefighters showed it was “business as usual”.

“There’s a bit of worry out there that potentially services aren’t going to be there,” he said.

“No matter what’s going on at the moment, the fire brigade’s still here, still responding to emergencies for Wangaratta and surrounding areas – that’s what we’re here for.”

Mr Johnson said he wanted Wangaratta to set an example.

“Personally I only care about the end user, that’s why I became a firefighter,” he said.

Staff and volunteers have worked together in Wangaratta since 1963.

And the partnership has continued, even in recent weeks.

Volunteer Lieutenant Jason Allisey said the politics were irrelevant.

“You are going to get four staff out the door in 90 seconds and we’re going to be right behind them,” he said.

“There is a lot of anger, but I can understand the staff’s view – it’s their workplace, it’s their EBA, but their professionalism hasn’t worn off with us at all.”

Meanwhile district 23’s volunteer leadership group –representing Wangaratta, Benalla, Moyhu and Mansfield groups – met over the weekend and were united in opposition to the EBA.

Wangaratta group officer John Barnard said they supported the former CFA board’s, saying the agreement created separation between staff and volunteers.

“It’s unbelievable that a boy from Wangaratta that rose to be Premier of Victoria would do this,” he said.

“This course will lead to the end of CFA as we know it.”