Firefighters have again warned motorists to keep clear of the Bacchus Marsh station’s exits after installing a new siren to let the community know when the brigade is heading out.
Bacchus Marsh CFA fourth lieutenant Dale Salathiel said the brigade was urging people not to block the path of fire trucks, costing crews minutes that could prove crucial in an emergency.
As reported by the Weekly, the CFA has long complained that people heading to nearby takeaway stores or dropping their children at a dance studio were frequently blocking emergency vehicles.
“People think ‘I’m just dropping my kid off, I’ll be two minutes’, but those two minutes might be crucial for us,” Mr Salathiel said.
Dance studio owner Shelagh Meates said her staff regularly cautioned people about parking in front of the station.
“Sometimes parents just don’t think,’’ she said. ‘‘There might be an emergency and then how will [the trucks] get out?”
Mr Salathiel said a takeaway shop patron recently parked in the CFA-only rear car park and had a collision with a brigade member.
“Our member couldn’t respond to the call-out because he’d had a car accident with someone who shouldn’t be parking there.”
Police are sometimes called to help move vehicles. “We can’t expect them to patrol [the car park], they’ve got their own things to attend to, and often by the time they get to us the person has come and gone.”
Mr Salathiel said yellow “keep clear” road markings were doing little to stop people from parking there.
Moorabool council’s infrastructure general manager, Phil Jeffrey, said the council had committed to reinstating parking bay markings that were removed as a result of works. ‘‘A contractor is currently being arranged to undertake this,’’ he said.
‘‘Council’s community safety officers will continue to patrol the areas as resources permit.’’
