Member for Barwon raises concerns about reducing minimum firefighters from four to two

IN SHORT

• Member for Barwon Roy Butler has questioned a proposal to reduce minimum firefighter numbers on Rural Fire and Rescue NSW trucks from four to two
• Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell outlined the strategy in November, citing resource challenges in rural areas where four-person crews are difficult to maintain
• The proposal has raised concerns about firefighter safety and response capabilities in remote areas where backup can be hours away

Member for Barwon Roy Butler has lodged a Question on Notice in Parliament about a proposal to decrease minimum firefighter numbers on Rural Fire and Rescue NSW trucks from four to two.

The question, submitted during the recent sitting week, seeks information about any plans to reduce crew requirements on fire appliances servicing regional and remote NSW.

The proposal has sparked concern about firefighter safety and response capabilities in areas where backup is often hours away.

Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell outlined the strategy in November, explaining that resources in rural areas were stretched thin and the usual four-person requirement for trucks was proving difficult to accommodate.

The proposed two-person tanker strategy would utilise some part-time firefighters to address staffing shortages in rural towns.

However, the proposal has raised questions about how reduced crews would handle complex emergencies, particularly structure fires where multiple firefighters are needed to rescue people from burning buildings while others fight the blaze.

Radio presenter Mark Levy challenged Commissioner Fewtrell on whether the changes would impact lives and firefighting capabilities during a heated on-air exchange in November.

"I don't like this," Levy said, pressing the Commissioner on whether response times and rescue capabilities would be compromised.

For communities across the Far West, firefighting resources are already stretched across vast distances.

The region relies heavily on volunteer Rural Fire Service brigades, which cover approximately 95 percent of NSW's land area but serve less than 10 percent of the population.

Remote properties can be hours from the nearest fire station, making crew size and capability critical when responding to emergencies.

Any reduction in minimum crew numbers would potentially affect both Rural Fire Service volunteers and Fire and Rescue NSW career firefighters working in regional areas.

The NSW Rural Fire Service is the world's largest volunteer fire service, with over 70,000 volunteer members organised into 2,000 local brigades.

Mr Butler's Question on Notice seeks clarification on:

• Whether the proposal applies to RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW, or both

• What assessment has been made of safety implications

• How the change would affect response capabilities in remote areas

• Timeline for any implementation

The question will be answered by the relevant minister in coming weeks.

Regional firefighting capacity has been under scrutiny since the Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020, with concerns about equipment funding and staffing levels in rural areas.