TWO new full-time firefighters will ensure a 90-second response time — the time of leaving base — for all road accidents in Melton.
The appointments mean Melton CFA will have five career firefighters available to support volunteers responding to road accidents.
The additions mean the brigade’s road accident rescue vehicle will be staffed every day.
Senior station officer Jayson Hirt said the appointments would help save lives.
He said the vehicle had operated on a 24/7 basis since 2008, but response times varied because volunteer firefighters were not at the station at all times.
“It’s gone from a volunteer response, which takes time to get from home to the station, to now where we have a 90-second response time so the vehicle will get out the door quicker to accidents. The career firefighters will be on-station and ready to attend road accidents at any time of the day or night.
“The Melton community will have the best of both worlds . . . we have the full-time rescue operators as well as the ongoing service of our dedicated volunteer members.”
Mr Hirt said Melton firefighters were called to a road accident every two or three days.
