The Queensland Government has announced an $80 million investment to deliver 80 new Type 2 fire and rescue trucks, with the vehicles to be built and assembled through a partnership between Volvo and Fraser Engineering Group and final fit-out at Volvo’s Brisbane facilities.
Premier David Crisafulli said the investment was central to ensuring the State’s firefighters had the resources needed to respond to bushfires, building blazes and road rescues.
“We’re providing our frontline emergency responders with the world class equipment they need to help protect our State,” Crisafulli said.
“These state-of-the-art trucks will help extinguish building fires, rescue Queenslanders from road crashes and fight bushfires.”
The Queensland Government said the investment would replace an ageing fleet that had reached an average age of 11 years, with the new builds offering greater consistency and long-term maintenance benefits.
Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers Ann Leahy said the deal would boost emergency response capabilities across the State.
“Brand new fire trucks will bolster QFD’s fleet and strengthen their response capabilities, and it’s all a part of how the Crisafulli Government’s empowering our frontline firies to help protect Queenslanders,” Leahy said.
Queensland Fire Department Commissioner Steve Smith said the procurement would bring operational and logistical improvements. “This is the largest single fleet procurement arrangement embarked on by Queensland Fire Department,” Smith said.
“Having a single manufacturer is a boost with after-sales warranty and servicing in Queensland, but it also brings consistency for firefighters operating the trucks, making driver training easier.”
The first of the four-wheel drive Type 2 trucks are scheduled to roll off the assembly line late next year. They will be equipped with high-capacity pumps for building fires as well as road crash rescue capability, and deployed across both regional and metropolitan Queensland.
Crisafulli said the investment reinforced the Government’s commitment to its fire crews. “Our firies risk their lives every single day for Queenslanders and we’re delivering the best of the best trucks and tools to protect them and our State,” he said.
