Deputy Premier and Minister for Emergency Services James Merlino visited Stawell SES headquarters on Friday to announce they had successfully applied for $65,000 to help in the purchase of the vehicle. 

The emergency service currently has to tow a trailer with rescue equipment when responding to calls for assistance. 

Stawell SES unit controller Alan Blight said this greatly inhibited their response times.

“With our increased call-out response in the mountains we’ve had a 50 per cent increase over the last 12 months,” he said.  

“We normally average around 35 to 36 incidents a year, this is now around 50 – we also have a higher incidence of high-angle rescues.

“Our unit is a base for taking out rescue personnel to the Grampians, Mount Arapiles and the Pyrenees Ranges, but we don’t have a dedicated vehicle to carry that high-angle rescue equipment to these areas.”

Mr Blight said the announcement was “huge” and would increase their capacity to respond to people in need.

“Having the trailor also made it hard to negotiate places to get into – that will be easier now,” he said. 

“We will have an increased capacity to service the Northern Grampians and greater Victoria areas.”

Mr Merlino thanked Stawell SES for their service and said the recent funding would help them continue their good work. 

“Volunteers are there for us in our time of need, responding to thousands of incidents every year across the state,” he said. 

“This funding boost will give these brigades, units and clubs a helping hand so that they can purchase the equipment they need to get on with the job of keeping Victorians safe.”

There were 300 successful applicants in the 2017-18 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program.

Up to $13 million was shared by emergency services across the state.