Canberra firefighters would stay in the ACT Emergency Service Agency's communications centre and receive a second Bronto under an ACT Liberal government, shadow emergency services minister Giulia Jones has announced.
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The Libs unveiled plans to keep firefighters in the territory's triple zero call centre and invest in a second hydraulic platform truck through an $8.635 million package on Tuesday.
Both the move to replace firefighters with civilian call takers and ACT Fire and Rescue's resourcing have come under heavy fire by the United Firefighters Union in recent weeks.
"Canberra's firefighters are passionate about safety and they know what they need to enhance safety for people in emergency situations. Our firefighters have been calling for a second Bronto for many years and the Canberra Liberals will deliver one in government," Mrs Jones said in a statement.
"The Canberra Liberals are also committed to retaining firefighters in the Command Centre which receives 000 calls, ensuring that responses are efficient and that misallocation of resources, time loss and confusion in how to respond, is avoided."
But ACT Emergency Services Commissioner Dominic Lane said last week a second Bronto was not needed due to the falling number of urban fires.
"Myself and the chief officer of ACT Fire and Rescue Mark Brown have been very clear before. We don't need a second Bronto," Mr Lane said on Thursday.
Under a deed of agreement with the CSIRO, the ACT Emergency Services Agency can borrow a Bronto truck from its Deep Space Communication Centre at Tidbinbilla.
However, United Firefighters Union ACT secretary Greg McConville criticised the arrangement as inadequate and impractical, given the truck was unregistered and would require a special permit each time it was deployed.
Mr McConville said the territory's sole firefighting Bronto is out of action again this week due to a service.
"There was actually an incident in Tuggeranong on Monday that it could have been used for and they tried to get the Bronto out of the workshop before they got the double neg," he said.
He said the announcement by the Liberals was a "good start" and addressed two of their six priorities for the ACT election.
"Maintaining firefighters in ComCen helps to maintain a strong organisation and having an additional aerial appliance provides exactly the sort of redundancy that is needed in a jurisdiction like the ACT.
"We've had an enormous amount through our campaign website, thousands, tens of thousands of emails have landed in the inboxes of the candidates and it's clear that at least some of that message has got through to the Canberra Liberals."
The union is also pushing for more firefighters, no part-time stations, a stronger bushfire plan and an increased capability to respond to emerging threats ahead of the October 15 election.
