Metropolitan Fire Brigade: Role of MFESB

The Fire Brigade's mission is to minimise injuries, loss of life and the cost of property and environmental damage caused by fire and other emergencies, at an acceptable community cost.

 

Strategic, expert advice is also provided by the MFESB to the State Government on major events and anti-terrorist activities.  The MFESB has consistently maintained a targeted 7.7 minute response time during 2001/2002 and achieved the highest percentage of fire containment to room of origin among all other fire services in the nation. Response time is measured from receiving the call details to the first vehicle arriving on scene, so it can be seen how important it is for the public to ensure the Brigade is contacted immediately a fire/incident is discovered.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade is the combating authority for the following emergency incidents:

Fires             
Fires are categorised as either structure (fires in or involving a structure) or non structure (eg. grass, scrub, motor vehicles etc).

 

Accidents involving:                                                                                                                                  
Boilers/pressure vessels, dangerous goods & hazardous materials, lifts & cranes, trenches and tunnelling. Where dangerous goods and hazardous materials are involved, strict procedures relative to personnel protection and decontamination are enforced.

Oil spills & pollution     

Inland waters - the Brigade has specially trained Waterway Responders with suitable water craft and specialised equipment to combat incidents on the water including marine firefighting and hazardous material spills.

Rescue            
Road, rail and industrial accidents, building collapse and heights. Personnel specially trained in High Angle Rescue (rappelling) and Urban Search & Rescue are located with the appropriate equipment at Richmond Fire Station (10 stn).
 

 All MFB firefighters are permanent employees (no volunteers) with the majority working rotating shifts to provide a 24 hour response service.

A minimum total of 248 officers and firefighters are on duty at any given time to crew the emergency vehicles and carry out essential duties.

Commanders 12
Inspectors 35
Senior Station Officers 92
Station Officers 308
Leading Firefighters 350
Firefighters-Various grades (approx.) 700

The various ranks are identified by insignia in the form of epaulettes worn on the shoulder of uniforms.

On the fireground, epaulettes are also worn, however, different coloured helmets and markings assist in rank identification. In addition, personnel up to the rank of Inspector wear yellow coloured overtrousers with yellow markings on their fire tunics. Ranks from Commander and above wear white tunics and overtrousers.

©2003, 2004 COPYRIGHT The Australian Scanning Encyclopedia, VicNews Ltd, and Ashley Geelan.

 Portions ©1995-2004 Metropolitan Fire Brigade. No part of this page may be transmitted or re-produced in whole or part without permission from the author(s).

Some information within this page has been taken directly from the MFB Web Site.

This Page Last Updated: January 7, 2004

 

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