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INADEQUATE mobile-phone coverage in Dereel has put lives at risk and needs to be addressed before another serious bushfire hits, say frustrated residents and CFA firefighters.
Ian Stanley-Eyles from CFA Dereel said patchy mobile phone reception had left many residents unable to receive fire emergency warnings.
Dereel’s coverage comes from a tower at Buninyong, which provides a weak signal to the area.
A proposed mobile phone tower in the area has been blocked due to the concerns of some residents.
Mr Stanley-Eyles said the issue needed to be fixed before a similar incident occurred and someone was left trapped in the path of a fire.
“It’s going to put them at risk because they are unable to put their plans in place to either defend or to leave,” he said.
One resident told Premier Denis Napthine at a Dereel community meeting yesterday that the area “desperately needed” a mobile-phone tower.
Mr Napthine made a commitment to take the issue up with Telstra and the prime minister.
“We’re a relatively small state in Victoria. There should be nowhere with black spots, particularly somewhere like this,” he said.
Frank and Lisa Degroot lost their holiday house on Paynes Bridge Road. They said reception in the area was terrible.
“We don’t have reception on our block, so when you receive the FireReady prompts you’re going to be lucky to get them or not.”
Dereel CFA captain Darryn Hill said the poor mobile-phone service had affected the co-ordination effort at the fire.
“I absolutely had no reception. I was lucky I had my radio with me so I could get through.”
Dereel resident Gary Crump said mobile-phone service had been an issue in the area for a long time.
“We have to stand on our deck out the back to get reception, it’s shocking,” he said.
Golden Plains Mayor Jenny Blake said a dangerous situation on Wednesday had become life-threatening due to the lack of service.
She welcomed the commitment from Mr Napthine to address the issue.
“I think Wednesday’s fire will have sent a message to the government,” she said.
Telstra spokesperson James Howe said the company was open to a discussion with government about putting mobile towers in remote and isolated areas.
Mr Howe said a tower had been planned for Dereel but would be moved to Rokewood after residents objected
He said the tower was planned to be built in the next financial year.
tom.cowie@fairfaxmedia.com.au