Exodus not tied to row

The number of volunteer firefighters statewide may have dropped significantly in two years but the Swan Hill fire captain says the worrying exodus shouldn’t just be correlated to an ongoing union dispute. 

The number of operational volunteer Country Fire Authority (CFA) firefighters has plunged 6.9 per cent from 38,048 in June 2014 to 35,585 in June 2016, according to the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services. 

Swan Hill Fire Brigade captain Dennis Turner said a turnover happened every year after yearly audits were completed.

“There are some volunteers who don’t attend fires so we determine if they still want to be on the books,” Mr Turner said. 

To read of this story, grab a copy of Monday’s Guardian (February 6).