The ACT's emergency services agency has denied union allegations that it is planning to close fire stations overnight.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The concept of making some Canberra fire stations part-time was first raised last year, during a string of reviews underpinning a major structural overhaul of the Emergency Services Agency.
One confidential review from a UK-based consultancy suggested ACT Fire and Rescue could potentially close the stations during low demand periods.
The government ruled out that plan in July.
But it has again reared its head, after the United Firefighters Union accused the government of having conducted new modelling on "12/7" cover, or having stations only open for 12-hours per day for seven days.
Branch secretary Greg McConville said such a plan would put lives at risk.
"You simply cannot run emergency services on a part-time basis, emergencies don't follow business hours – when they happen, at any time, we need to be ready to respond immediately, delays can cost lives," he said.
"The fact that the government has conducted modelling of this kind at least twice suggests that they are serious about the proposal."
Emergency Services Agency Commissioner Dominic Lane again ruled out any plans for part-time stations in the ACT.
"There is no plan to introduce part-time stations," Mr Lane said.
The UFU say the consultant recommended making the Molonglo station part-time, something it said would be "unsafe" and "unfair" for a region undergoing significant growth.
Mr McConville said the average response time to the Molonglo Valley from the nearest station for a first pumper is 10 minutes and 30 seconds.
The union said the advice also recommended to make the Chisholm station part-time.
It has cited an example of a fire in Chisholm last month, which it says highlights the dangers of part-time fire stations and the government's plan to remove trained firefighters from the triple-0 call centre.
The union said the fire started in a Chisholm home after 8pm. A pumper was sent to the scene, but a firefighter in the triple-0 communications centre was able to instruct the resident to put out the fire before it arrived.
"What's deeply concerning is that if the government's plans to remove firefighters from [the communications centre] were implemented on this night, no firefighter would have been on duty there and no fire truck could have responded in time from Chisholm," Mr McConville said.
