Construction of a new multi-purpose fire station Echuca is about to begin and is expected to be completed within six months.
The CFA Echuca fire station is currently located in Pakenham Street, and the new site will be in High street near the corner of the Murray Valley Highway.
Announcing details of the new station, CFA Operations Officer John Cutting said the all-volunteer fire station featuring four engine bays, a meeting room and facilities will also be the Headquarters of the Deakin Group of fire brigades.
A Local Command Facility (LCF) will also be incorporated in the Fire Station Admin Area. The size of the new station will also increase the capacity for more training to be delivered for larger groups of CFA members compared to the current fire station
The site of the new fire station fits with the council’s objective to develop a fire and emergency services hub which will site CFA, Ambulance Victoria, SES, and the Echuca Rescue Squad all in close proximity.
The construction of the new fire station is in fact several years ahead of schedule according to John, thanks to the cooperation of the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning (DELWP), the Shire of Campaspe, and the Echuca Bowls Club.
“A committee of management arrangement and lease has created a cost neutral option for CFA. Had this not happened it’s unlikely that a new fire station would have been built in Echuca for perhaps another four years,” John said.
John says Echuca has a long history of bushfires as well as major floods due to its position on the confluence of the Campaspe and Murray Rivers.
“This station will not only enhance command capability of the Deakin Group but also provide the facility for use by other agencies during times of major emergency events in Echuca”, John added
The Echuca Bowls Club has indicated that CFA will be able to utilise the member’s car park during major emergency events in order to provide space for additional people. A sport reserve just to the south of the new fire station will be available as a staging area for strike teams during major fire and emergency events.
The contract for construction of the $1.8 million building has been let to a local company – Diverse Builders, based at Numurkah.
Author: Darren Grevis-James