Reinstate Mt Compass CFS Captain Anthony Baker
Reinstate Mt Compass CFS Captain Anthony Baker
The issue
Volunteer Country Fire Service brigade captain, and Mount Compass Citizen of the Year 2020, Anthony Baker, was suspended after he spoke out about ‘ineffective’ new trucks.
The new 34P rescue truck, which was only delivered to the Mount Compass station in March this year and cost taxpayers around $500,000, was found to be too heavy when filled to full capacity and breached the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator weight restrictions. In addition, it had a number of other major safety issues when being driven.
This meant it had to be recalled, leaving the station with just a single truck for six weeks.
When Anthony tried to raise concerns about his team being left ill-equipped to deal with an emergency situation, his words fell on deaf ears. Having exhausted all official channels, Anthony turned to Facebook and the media in order to give this issue the attention it deserved. After the story went public, the trucks were given an exemption to address the weight issue, but rather than being commended for raising an important safety issue, Anthony was suspended for drawing attention to the CFS bungle.
The CFS only functions thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers like Anthony Baker, and we the community can’t afford to lose someone with his level of experience and dedication simply because he had the courage to speak up on our behalf.
Anthony Baker is an active member of the Mount Compass community and has been a CFS volunteer for 8 years. He was instrumental in setting up a new local skate park in 2019, and was awarded the local Citizen of the Year award for Mount Compass in 2020. It’s outrageous that the CFS should treat one of their most committed volunteers with such disregard.
On behalf of the Mount Compass Community Association Inc., we call on the Emergency Services Minister Vincent Tarzia and Country Fire Service Volunteer Association president Andy Wood to immediately overturn Anthony Baker’s suspension and reinstate him as Mount Compass CFS captain.
Sign and share with #standwithAnthonyMtCompass to show your support.
The issue
Volunteer Country Fire Service brigade captain, and Mount Compass Citizen of the Year 2020, Anthony Baker, was suspended after he spoke out about ‘ineffective’ new trucks.
The new 34P rescue truck, which was only delivered to the Mount Compass station in March this year and cost taxpayers around $500,000, was found to be too heavy when filled to full capacity and breached the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator weight restrictions. In addition, it had a number of other major safety issues when being driven.
This meant it had to be recalled, leaving the station with just a single truck for six weeks.
When Anthony tried to raise concerns about his team being left ill-equipped to deal with an emergency situation, his words fell on deaf ears. Having exhausted all official channels, Anthony turned to Facebook and the media in order to give this issue the attention it deserved. After the story went public, the trucks were given an exemption to address the weight issue, but rather than being commended for raising an important safety issue, Anthony was suspended for drawing attention to the CFS bungle.
The CFS only functions thanks to the tireless efforts of volunteers like Anthony Baker, and we the community can’t afford to lose someone with his level of experience and dedication simply because he had the courage to speak up on our behalf.
Anthony Baker is an active member of the Mount Compass community and has been a CFS volunteer for 8 years. He was instrumental in setting up a new local skate park in 2019, and was awarded the local Citizen of the Year award for Mount Compass in 2020. It’s outrageous that the CFS should treat one of their most committed volunteers with such disregard.
On behalf of the Mount Compass Community Association Inc., we call on the Emergency Services Minister Vincent Tarzia and Country Fire Service Volunteer Association president Andy Wood to immediately overturn Anthony Baker’s suspension and reinstate him as Mount Compass CFS captain.
Sign and share with #standwithAnthonyMtCompass to show your support.
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Petition created on 24 September 2021