There are calls for Victorian fire stations to be fitted with washing machines to help alleviate the pressure on volunteer firefighters.
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Country Fire Authority volunteers are only given one bushfire suit and one structural suit. They are required to wash the kits after each fire because of potentially dangerous toxins.
"Usually, we would have to take them home and wash them in buckets," Lockwood Fire Brigade captain Jamie Tatt said.
"People can't wash them in their own washing machine because of the soot and everything that goes into them. It's been hard going for us."
Central Victorian CFA volunteers have been supporting crews fighting bushfires in NSW and eastern Victoria for the past few months.
One of those firefighters was Lockwood CFA's David Hutchings, who spent a week supporting crews in Mallacoota.
"When we got back, I got something out of my bag and had everything was scattered everywhere," Mr Hutchings said. "I woke up the next morning and thought - I have to wash all of that.
"You get used to it - I've been doing it for 20 years and it's just something that you do. But I just thought, why are we washing it by hand?"
Mr Hutchings posted an image on Facebook to highlight the additional washing up work volunteer firefighters have to do.
Bendigo resident Kylie McDonald shared the post, which led to Reilly's Home Appliances and Jellis Craig Real Estate donating a washing machine to the Lockwood Fire Station.
"I thought why don't we use this as a larger platform to raise awareness that every fire brigade needs equipment," Ms McDonald said.
"They need somewhere to wash their clothes because it's contaminated. They don't need to take that home to their families."
Mr Hutchings said while the Lockwood Brigade was extremely grateful for the donation, it would be great to see washing machines rolled out to every station in the state.
"A washing machine is a really simple thing," he said. "There are 1200 brigades right across Victoria. We all have the same needs.
"Rather than relying on communities to support us, lets do this centrally. To me, it's a no-brainer.
"Rather than having 1200 grant applications, lets have one central body that says we can do this."
Federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said it would be great if all tiers of government came together to make it happen.
"This is something that shouldn't just come from goodwill," she said. "Every CFA should have the equipment they need.
"That is something the federal government could help the state government with. We all need to come together to listen to what our emergency service organisations are saying.
"These are practical ways local MPs and federal and state governments can really help out."