Two new trucks each equipped with a Technical Rescue POD – essentially a container full of gear that can be lowered off the transporter – have been sent to Warrnambool and Wangaratta.

Wangaratta Operations Officer Paul Scragg said their truck was due to come online this month, with an additional 10 staff put on to support operation.

“It’s been done in other parts of the state, but we’ve never had the equipment or people to do it,” he said.

“We started doing some road rescues a couple years ago, where we took out gear on a trailer.

“In the worse-case scenario, we would have to wait for Search and Rescue to come from Melbourne to conduct a rescue.

“This will be used for the whole North East – they’ve been strategically located to best cover an area.”

The majority of SES units across the North East have rescue capabilities, plus a handful of CFA brigades.

Mr Scragg said it would be difficult to predict the demand for his crews at rescues, without having any past involvement to go by.

“In all my years I’ve never had a trench rescue job, but that’s not to say it hasn’t happened – we will have capacity for trench rescue now,” he said.

“Having this gear is a whole new ball game.

“We’re working with Wodonga to help train up their guys too.”

CFA Chief Officer Steve Warrington said the transporters coming online was a “significant moment”.

“This is about enhancing CFA capability to respond to all kinds of situations and environments,” he said.

“They are versatile and dynamic and will help save lives as well as make it a safer working environment for CFA personnel.

“I want to acknowledge that there has been many people and parties involved in reaching this significant outcome.”

The 10 new positions at Wangaratta come under the Victorian Government’s commitment to employ 350 more career firefighters.