Ballarat City councillors are pushing to have a firefighting air-crane reinstated in the region.
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Councillors unanimously voted to lobby Victorian Emergency Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley to have a decision to shift the 7,500 litre Erickson Air-Crane from Ballarat to Moorabbin reversed.
Making reference to the devastating Scotsburn fires last December, Cr John Philips said at a council meeting on Wednesday night, he feared for the safety of residents if similar fires were to ravage through the region in the future.
“I cannot stress highly enough my concerns for us as a regional city surrounded by bushland and our ability to protect our residents,” Cr Philips said. “This decision means we now need to work out how we are going to give residents the same amount of protection from fires without a vital air-crane.”
Cr Philips called for the council to write to Mr Lapsley imploring him to reconsider the decision. Mr Lapsley maintained the decision was a Royal Commission recommendation and strengthened the ability of the CFA to fight fires in the region.
But late last week, local CFA members expressed concern at the decision to move the air-crane from Ballarat to Moorabbin, saying its flight time to Ballarat will now be over an hour.
Mayor Des Hudson said the council should go further than penning a letter to Mr Lapsley.
He vowed to discuss the matter “face to face” with Mr Lapsley and other decision makers who left Ballarat without an air-crane.
“The council will ensure personal representation is made...we will speak with appropriate leaders and put our argument forward in person,” he said.
Cr Samantha McIntosh said the news of the air-crane being taken away came as “scary surprise.”
She said there was an urgent need for an emergency response base to be established in city because the Erickson air-crane not only serviced Ballarat but surrounding regions including Ararat, Stawell, Horsham and the Grampians.