By Laura Michell
Response times are improving at most of Brimbank’s fire stations, with brigades responding to 90 per cent of code one emergencies in less than eight minutes.
Latest response times released by the MFB reveal the Deer Park station recorded the greatest improvement in its response times, reaching 90 per cent of code one calls in seven minutes, 54 seconds between October and December 2018, down from eight minutes, 36 seconds between October-December 2017. The brigade responded to 128 incidents in the three months to December 2018, 11 of which were structure fires.
Sunshine fire brigade was Brimbank’s busiest, responding to 189 incidents in that period, of which 14 were structure fires. The brigade responded to 90 per cent of code one incidents in seven minutes.
Keilor responded to 127 incidents, reaching 90 per cent within eight minutes, 24 seconds, while Taylors Lakes responded to 72 incidents, reaching 90 per cent within seven minutes,
54 seconds.
Across Brimbank, crews are most often called to car accidents and rescue operations, emergency medical incidents and false alarms.
A MFB spokeswoman said the organisation was proud of Brimbank’s efforts.
“The results are strong and are a testament to the professionalism and dedication of MFB firefighters,” she said.
St Albans was the only station where response times increased, rising from seven minutes, six seconds between October – December 2017, to eight minutes, 18 seconds between October-December 2018.
The spokeswoman said the St Albans brigade had only one appliance, meaning nearby crews had to be dispatched to some incidents, resulting in longer than usual response times.
“Other factors that … affect response outcomes include an increase in urban density and sprawl, road congestion and works, traffic collisions, rail crossing or boom gates, extreme weather, and the time of day,” she said.
