The unit is located off Ashley Street at the Central West Industry Park in a building which it says does not suit its needs.
Footscray SES controller Callum Donoghue has asked Maribyrnong Council to help the unit with either the funds to procure and redevelop an existing site or to allow them to use a council owned site such as lot two of the former swim centre.
He said their present building was large enough, but had several shortcomings, including insufficient storage space for emergency equipment and insufficienroom indoors to train more than one group of volunteers.
Mr Donoghue said the building also needed repairs, with some defects posing a risk to occupational health and safety.
Nor does the building have separate toilets, showers and changing rooms for males and females, making some situations “uncomfortable” for the 30 volunteer members of the unit.
Another disadvantage of their present site is that management does not permit them to use signs promoting their drive to recruit more volunteers.
Mr Donoghue said the ideal location for the unit would have a minimum of two training rooms, four separate administrative offices, separate male and female toilets, showers and changing rooms, a laundry, kitchen and a large storage area with sufficient room for vehicle storage.
Maribyrnong Council’s manager of emergency management Theo Pykoulas advised the council to support the SES.
“There is no legal requirement for us to support the SES, but we have a long tradition of helping them,” he said.
“Every time there is a storm or a wall comes down they are there to assist. They are available 24 hours a day.”
Mr Pykoulas said that at present the council paid 70 per cent of the unit’s rental lease while the Melbourne council paid 20 per cent.
The volunteer organisation has served the western suburbs and the City of Melbourne for more than 40 years.
Its borders stretch from Footscray to Carlton, including the Docklands.
The service is split almost equally between the two cities, with this year’s figures showing the unit was called to 71 tasks in the City of Maribyrnong and 66 tasks in the City of Melbourne.
Despite the unit’s service to the community, financial assistance is offered on a goodwill basis as neither Maribyrnong nor Melbourne council is required to support the organisation.
By contrast, Maribyrnong Council pays a compulsory fee for the upkeep of the the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). The fee rose 19 per cent this year and 93 per cent in the past six years.
Mr Donoghue called on the community to support the organisation in their bid to find new accommodation.
“We would love the support of the community, when they see us tinrattling, if they can help us out because in a lot of ways the SES has to help ourselves out on this one,” he said.
To offer assistance, call 9687 2608.
