Plenty brigade marks start of construction

To be built behind Plenty Hall, which is very close to the current station, the new station will have state-of-the art facilities - providing a great future for the brigade and its local community.

District 14 Acting Commander Ryan Baxter joined Paul Edbrooke MP, Danielle Green MP, Plenty Captain Adrian Marshman and brigade members as the first sod was turned on the new $2.65 million fire station at Memorial Park.

District 14 Acting Commander Ryan Baxter said he is excited to mark this important milestone and looks forward to seeing the project come to fruition over the coming months.

"This new station will be a great asset to Plenty's 76 members who are this year celebrating their 60^th year of serving and protecting their local community," he said.

"The brigade attends more than 200 call-outs per year - more than 50 of those calls are to road accidents requiring the brigade's specialist skills and equipment to perform rescues.

"They are also often directly involved in bushfire response in Victoria and across the country so it's important the brigade is well equipped and provided the best possible facilities to boost their ability to protect lives and property now and into the future."

The new four-engine bay station will have more space for vehicles, better meeting and administration facilities and amenities, male and female change rooms, on-site parking, a storeroom, workshop, hose drying tower and shed.

Plenty Fire Brigade's service area largely consists of medium-density residential areas with pockets of commercial precincts - all with large rural and bushland interface, including the Plenty Gorge National Park. The upgraded station will ensure the brigade can continue to meet the demands of growing townships in urban and rural areas into the future.

Construction of the new Plenty Fire Station is expected to be complete by November 2021.