CFA members have gathered with Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES) members in Heathcote to celebrate the beginnings of two new emergency services hubs in the north-west of the state.
The facilities in Heathcote and Rochester will bring CFA and VICSES together under one roof to strengthen community resilience and improve collaboration between the two agencies.
The hubs are being built in response to the major floods that swept through the region in 2022.
During the floods, Heathcote Fire Station station was used to house both VICSES and CFA because the VICSES station was destroyed by flood waters.
The new emergency services hub will replace the Heathcote fire station.
The Rochester emergency services hub will also replace the Rochester SES and CFA facilities that were both affected by the floods.
The new co-located hubs will provide modern, flood-resilient facilities for both agencies.
Featuring seven motor bays, dedicated operational areas, training and administration spaces, and sustainable design features including solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems and energy efficient building services, the hubs will future proof both agencies from disasters and allow volunteers to seamlessly support their communities.
Deputy Chief Officer for North West Region Trevor Weston said the hubs were a welcome addition to the CFA brigades in both Heathcote and Rochester.
“We are always looking for ways to better work together with our emergency services counterparts,” Trevor said.
“We have taken on board many lessons from the devastating events of 2022 and we know these facilities will improve service capability for both of those communities.”
