The Hume Freeway may be forced to close more often during crashes or fires, as emergency services deal with the added challenge of wire rope barriers.
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The contentious barriers are being installed between Albury and Melbourne to stop cars running into trees or other traffic, but also prevent CFA trucks pulling off the road into a safe position.
CFA’s District 24 operation manager Paul King said if there were any concerns about the safety of firefighters being near moving vehicles, he would make the call to close the freeway.
“Nothing’s changed in that – we’ve always worked that way … Initially what we do is close it until we get enough traffic control in place,” he said.
“There’s been challenges in the process (of introducing wire barriers) because while they’re a really important, life-saving device, there are implications of having them there.
“Our members may not be able to access the road verge if there’s a fire in the middle of the freeway.”
Mr King said he understood the economic and other benefits of keeping the freeway open, so the CFA would try to keep open lanes where possible.
“The 40km/h speed zone around emergency vehicle is vital to that,” he said.
Volunteer firefighters have expressed concerns to the CFA and VicRoads since the wire rope barriers started to be installed last year, leading to 34 meetings and workshops with brigades and districts around the state, including in District 24.
Firefighters are learning to change the way they approach incidents on the Hume Freeway to deal with the barriers.
“We’ve got smaller vehicles that can actually get inside the wire barriers,” Mr King said.
“There could well be less fires on the freeway because cars can’t pull off onto the vegetation.”
More effort will be made to mow grass in the median strip to prevent fires spreading.
Mr King said firefighters were being taught how to cut the wire or lay down barriers if needed in an emergency and he hoped the region would be first on the list when VicRoads starts its training on how to deal with them in an emergency.
He was in favour of the barriers as a life-saving device.
“Crashes are traumatic for our members, they’re traumatic for everyone involved,” he said.
VicRoads and CFA released a joint statement in response to complaints, supporting the wire barriers and promising to develop a detailed map of access points for emergency vehicles.
“We acknowledge there are some concerns among local CFA brigades and we are working with them to address those issues,” VicRoads acting deputy chief executive Robyn Seymour said.
