Protection from falling trees was on the forefront of minds when Forest Fire Management Victoria created its new G-wagon vehicles.
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Three years ago, two Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning firefighters were killed at Harrietville in treacherous conditions when an Alpine ash tree fell on their slip-on vehicle.
The department has now launched four-wheel-drive ultra-light tankers, which featured a “falling object protection structure” above the cabin to better protect fire crews in from trees and branches in hazardous areas.
Upper Murray district manager Aaron Kennedy said the vehicles were one part of the safety response to the Harrietville tragedy.
“It definitely influenced it, an outcome of Harrietville was about how we could improve protection for our staff,” he said.
“It’s going to reduce the impact from a falling tree.”
The deaths of Steven Kadar and Katie Peters were subject to a coronial inquest last year.
DELWP also implemented guidelines to ensure firefighters were no longer sent into dangerous situations.
The 30 new Mercedes Benz G-wagon tankers are being distributed across the region, including five each at Tallangatta, Mitta and Corryong.
The tankers have a 630-litre water capacity, more than the 400L capacity of older vehicles, an electronic rewind, so firefighters do not have to pull in hose reels manually, and storage areas at a more accessible height.
“The vehicle itself is more ergonomic, more self-sufficient,” Mr Kennedy said.
“For the past three years they’ve been through the designing phase and have engaged with our staff and industry experts to try and come up with the best, most practical vehicle for firefighting, but also for safety.”
The G-wagon vehicles will be immediately put to use this summer for planned burning and emergency fire response, but have also been tested in the snow of Rubicon Valley.
DELWP forest and fire operations Hume regional manager Shaun Lawlor said the allocation of more than 300 vehicles across Victoria was based on the hazardous tree risk in each location.
“Victoria is the first state in Australia to have implemented this level of falling object protection in its firefighting vehicles,” he said.
“DELWP firefighters work in some of Victoria's toughest and most remote forest terrain.”
