More than $4.1 million worth of new firefighting vehicles has been delivered to Lower Hunter Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigades as volunteers prepare for the upcoming bushfire season.
Ten new vehicles were officially handed over at the Lower Hunter Fire Control Centre in East Maitland on Wednesday 29 July, with nine local brigades set to receive upgraded equipment.
The new fleet will be allocated to the Gresford, Greta, Fingal Bay, Seaham, Thornton, Williamtown-Salt Ash, Bolwarra-Largs, Lochinvar and Medowie brigades.
The vehicles include bulk water tankers capable of carrying up to 11,000 litres of water and frontline bushfire tankers holding around 3,500 litres.
The fleet also features smaller vehicles designed to access challenging terrain, along with specialist trucks used to respond to structure fires and other emergencies.
The upgraded fleet will support volunteers attending a range of incidents, including bush and grass fires, motor vehicle accidents, storms and other emergency situations.
RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said providing volunteers with modern and reliable equipment was essential to ensuring they could continue protecting their communities.
“Our volunteers give their time, skills and experience to support their communities, and it’s important they have the resources they need to carry out that work safely and effectively,” he said.
Mr Curtin also encouraged residents to prepare for the upcoming fire season by getting their homes ready and discussing their bushfire survival plans.
Hunter Minister Yasmin Catley said the new vehicles would give volunteers the equipment they need when responding to emergencies.
“The Rural Fire Service does extraordinary work and these vehicles will ensure they have modern and fit-for-purpose equipment to protect our community when we need it most,” she said.
“Our volunteers put service above self, giving their time, skills and sacrificing their own personal safety to protect others.”
The vehicle rollout is part of a $470 million NSW Government investment over 10 years to modernise the RFS fleet.
The government is also preparing legislation to transfer ownership of the state’s more than 6,000 RFS firefighting vehicles from councils to the RFS from 1 July 2027.
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