BALLARAT has a new fire station, just in time for summer with the long-awaited Lucas station opening on Thursday.
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The station is a state of the art modern facility with a large footprint which will enable firefighters to be able to train on site.
Officer in charge Kade Dowie said after a long process, it was great to finally take up residence in the new station.
“This is the last step of the introduction of the Lucas Fire Brigade for Ballarat. It’s been a long process so we’re proud of where we are today,” he said.
“We’ve gained a heap in room and facilities for the fire station, equipment for making after fire calls, room for the testing and drying of hoses and equipment, plenty of meeting space and most importantly we’ve actually now got a facility where we can conduct training on site to help upskill and maintain the skills they have.
“It’s critical to make sure our people are safe. Fire fighting is a risky business and the number one thing for the CFA is the safety of its own people. To have this facility really means we have the right people on the job ready to go and do what they have to do this summer.”
The station on the Ballarat-Carngham Road will form part of an emergency services precinct alongside the neighbouring Ballarat West Police complex, a new ambulance station and a police forensic hub which is expected to be operating by the middle of next year.
“As far as the CFA response, the community will not notice any difference to what we’ve seen over the past 12 months,” Officer Dowie said.