AT least three long-serving Warrnambool CFA volunteers have resigned as concerns increase about the diminishing role of volunteers at the Warrnambool fire station.
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The Standard has been told the recent increase in the number of career firefighters to six a shift has led some volunteers to believe they will no longer be needed for most call outs.
The minimum of six career firefighters on duty 24 hours day means that up to two CFA units can attend most local callouts, leading some volunteers to believe they will be superfluous to needs.
Similar concerns prompted thousands of CFA volunteers, including several from the south-west, to rally in Melbourne last month.
Warrnambool fire station officer in charge Henry Barton said he was aware of three resignations that had still to be accepted.
Mr Barton said those who had tendered their resignations had done so “for all sorts of reasons” and there were a lot of rumours about the reasons for the resignations that were incorrect.
“They (the rumours) are a disruption to our brigade,” he said.
“We are a strong brigade. We have our differences but that is part of life.
“We work through those differences and overcome them,” Mr Barton said.
There were 30 career firefighters and 70 volunteers at Warrnambool and there was a good relationship between them, he said.
Mr Barton said volunteers were still paged to attend all Code One callouts such as fires more serious than rubbish bin fires, rescues and hazardous materials.
“About 80 per cent of our callouts are for Code One incidents,” Mr Barton said.
Warrnambool station officer and United Firefighters Union (UFU) Warrnambool delegate Troy Cleverley said he understood four Warrnambool volunteers, three lieutenants and the brigade secretary, had tendered their resignations.
He said the four had resigned “for their own reasons” and it was not his place to say what they were.
Mr Cleverley said he was disappointed that some Warrnambool volunteers had taken part in last month’s Melbourne rally, which he believed was against the UFU’s campaign for better conditions.
However the relationship between the Warrnambool career firefighters and volunteers remained “respectful’ and had not deteriorated after the rally, he said.
