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General News

16 January, 2023

New heavy tanker on the road to Avoca

Avoca’s firefighters will be bolstered by a new heavy tanker this year, helping protect crews and communities from bushfires. The station is one of 28 across Victoria set to receive a heavy tanker, which will replace existing single-cab tankers...

By Christie Harrison

New heavy tanker on the road to Avoca - feature photo

Avoca’s firefighters will be bolstered by a new heavy tanker this year, helping protect crews and communities from bushfires.

The station is one of 28 across Victoria set to receive a heavy tanker, which will replace existing single-cab tankers.

The new dual-cab tankers can withstand fire temperatures of more than 600 degrees and feature electronic monitors, electric rewind hose reels, modern cab chassis enhancements and higher levels of emissions controls.

Avoca Fire Brigade Captain Aaron McHoul said the new tanker holds more water than their current truck, and will be sent out on strike teams to larger fires.

“We’re very happy with it, it will benefit the Avoca community and the firefighters,” he said.

“It was quite a surprise to find out we were getting it but we are one of the busier brigades in the Pyrenees group. It’s meant to be state-of-the-art, it’s bigger than what we’ve got and can hold 4000 litres.

“This truck can also go on region strike teams — if you all got called to a fire, say in Gisborne, there’d be five trucks going which are all the same, so you can hop on knowing everything works the same.”

Avoca’s new wheels are expected to be rolled out before the next fire season and are part of the $22.73 million State Government investment to produce 48 heavy tankers and two light tankers.

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