- Published:
- Tuesday 30 June 2020 at 9:00 pm
Victoria is growing and changing, and as a community we’re adapting to the changing climate, and other factors including population growth, urbanisation, building codes and regulations.
What won’t change is our commitment to the communities we serve, and our efforts to keep Victorians safe. FRV will rise to meet these challenges and ensure the safety of our communities and our staff.
This new organisation is a modern fire and rescue service that will meet the needs of twenty-first century Victoria. Established on 1 July 2020 as part of Victoria’s Fire Services Reforms, FRV will serve and protect communities across Melbourne and Victoria’s major regional centres from fire and rescue stations across the state, and various offices and facilities.
Its career firefighters will operate 85 fire and rescue stations in metropolitan and regional Victoria, some of which will be co-located with CFA volunteer brigades. In the sector, we work together as one team, and FRV will proudly continue to work alongside the Country Fire Authority (CFA), which will be a fully community-based volunteer fire service.
For more than a century all agencies and all personnel – firefighters, staff and volunteers – have proven why Victoria’s fire and rescue services are held in such high regard. FRV will be able to draw on the decades of knowledge and expertise from all over the state, and continue to deliver and enhance our strong, cohesive and agile fire and rescue service, utilising the expertise of our people to handle everything from urban search and rescue to marine fires and bushfires.
It will be our FRV priority to continue to work seamlessly with our emergency service sector colleagues to provide the best response for all Victorians, wherever they live in the state.
I feel privileged to have the opportunity to develop and lead such a dynamic, skilled and dedicated team of people, and I am looking forward to continuing to build relationships within the community, the sector, and with agencies and organisations.
It is these partnerships, with our communities, fire and rescue and other emergency services agencies, government and businesses, that will help keep us strong and resilient, and deliver the best outcomes for the community.
It is truly an honour to be able to play a key role in the provision of our community service and the bright future ahead.
With change we have a unique chance to understand our strengths and to identify opportunities for development, and I look forward to working with you in the provision of exemplary service across the state.
Regards,
Ken G. Block
Fire Rescue Commissioner
Updated