# Labor Delivers Massive Emergency Services Boost

Date: 12 Oct 2026
Released by: Paul Edbrooke, Minister for Emergency Services

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Victoria's Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program will share more than $31 million across 350 projects for CFA, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria and Volunteer Marine Search and Rescue, Emergency Services Minister Paul Edbrooke announced at the Whitehorse SES Unit. The government is also spending a further $53 million on summer readiness, including a 60-aircraft firefighting fleet, more than 600 ultralight forest firefighting vehicles and 130 additional forest firefighters.

## Original release

Labor is backing the Victorians who keep us safe with the equipment, resources and support they need. More funding for volunteers, more aircraft and hundreds of firefighting vehicles will help keep Victorians safe this summer. Powering up our volunteers Labor is delivering the biggest-ever Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program. Minister Edbrooke today visited the Whitehorse SES Unit to announce this year’s recipients. More than $31 million will be shared across 350 projects for CFA, VICSES, Life Saving Victoria and Volunteer Marine Search and Rescue. Whitehorse will receive more than $127,000 for a new 4WD twin-cab ute, three automated defibrillators and new first aid kits. The record round delivers almost $20 million for vehicles, more than $5 million for facility upgrades and more than $1 million for other operational equipment. This will deliver new trucks, boats and facility upgrades for volunteers in every region including: - Longwood CFA and Echuca CFA which will each receive $543,000 for new medium tankers. - Golden Square CFA which will receive $76,400 for a new field command vehicle. - Torquay Surf Life Saving which will receive $88,000 for equipment upgrades. - Carrum Coast Guard which will receive $58,000 for new boats and vehicle refurbishments. More resources for summer Labor is investing a further $53 million to ensure more firefighting aircraft and firefighters are available this summer than ever before. A fleet of 60 aircraft including air cranes, black hawks and large air tankers will support our firies from the air. Forest Fire Management Victoria will also have more than 600 ultralight firefighting vehicles to support its response – including a surge-pool over more than 100 vehicles. This means Victoria will have its largest-ever forest firefighting vehicle fleet ready to respond this summer. We’re also adding 130 forest firefighters and scaling up our existing 500-strong workforce to put more forest firefighters on the ground than ever before. We’re also strengthening Fire Danger Rating Signs to give communities clear, timely warnings when fire danger rises. This builds on the $17 million investment in bulk water carriers and diesel security for CFA and $6.4 million for two portable cell service towers to boost communications during emergencies. It’s at risk under a Liberal-One Nation Coalition Labor has doubled investment in emergency services including $2.4 billion this year. That includes our biggest-ever Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program. Under Jess Wilson’s Liberal-One Nation Coalition, this is all at risk. They’ve promised to cut VESEP grant funding. You can’t cut $40 billion from the budget without cutting emergency services that keep Victorians safe. Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Services Paul Edbrooke “Our emergency volunteers are there for Victorians when it matters most, and Labor is giving them the equipment and facilities to get the job done.” “The Liberal-One Nation Coalition will cut grants to CFA, SES, Lifesaving Victoria and other volunteers – you can’t cut $40 billion without cutting the emergency services Victorians rely on.” Quote attributable to Minister for Environment Jaclyn Symes “Labor is delivering Victoria’s largest-ever aircraft fleet and more forest firefighters than ever before, so our crews are ready for this summer.” Quote attributable to Member for Box Hill Paul Hamer “Whitehorse SES is the busiest SES in Victoria and I’m proud to back these amazing local volunteers with new equipment to keep doing their vital work to keep our community safe.”

## Key details

- Author/spokesperson: Paul Edbrooke, Minister for Emergency Services
- Published: 12 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: Australia
- Subject country/region: Victoria (Australia)
- Original source: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/labor-delivers-massive-emergency-services-boost
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/au/mr01885-labor-delivers-massive-emergency-services-boost-12102026.html

Original source: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/labor-delivers-massive-emergency-services-boost
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/au/mr01885-labor-delivers-massive-emergency-services-boost-12102026.html