Queensland has fallen behind the national average on the number of firefighters and needs to act urgently to address decades of underinvestment.
Queensland firefighters have called on the Queensland Government to employ 700 new firefighters and commit to matching the national average on firefighter numbers.
In launching the statewide campaign, United Firefighters Union Queensland Secretary John Oliver said: “Queensland firefighters have been at the forefront of protecting Queenslanders from some of the nation’s biggest natural disasters.”
“Right now, Queensland firefighters are struggling to meet the increasing demand that is placing a strain on our workers on the front line and risking public safety.”
Queensland currently has 50.2 professional firefighters per 100,000 population, below the national average of 63.1 and well below New South Wales on 67.8 and Victoria on 75.2 firefighters per 100,000 population
Local Cairns UFUQ Branch representative Jack Emeleus said “Over the last twelve months, we have been responding to floods in Townsville, cyclones in North Queensland and fires in Queensland and New South Wales. Firefighters like me are already spread too thin. The growing threat of climate change, drought and coronavirus make it more urgent to increase our firefighting workforce.”
“Here in Cairns, our population has increased by more than 35% per cent over the last twenty years, but the number of firefighters hasn’t changed,” Mr Emeleus said.
