Aussie Firefighters Demand Truck Upgrades After Repeated Breakdowns

Victorian firefighters are calling on the government to upgrade their fleet after “potentially catastrophic” breakdowns during bushfires in the state’s west. A 15-year-old pumper tanker was among vehicles deployed to Beaufort on Feb. 22 as part of an emergency strike team intended to battle a bushfire. But the truck did not make it, instead breaking down on the Western Highway at Ballan, the United Firefighters Union (UFU) said. A second 15-year-old pumper was then meant to replace that truck but overheated, preventing it from leaving Beaufort Fire Station. Both the broken down pumpers were of retirement age. They were immediately replaced by other pumper tankers from Fire Rescue Victoria’s network, a spokesman for the emergency service said. ...