Media Release | 16 April 2026
Hon. Rob Horstman MLC
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Hon Rob Horstman MLC says new figures revealed in Parliament showing more than 100 fire trucks out of action are a serious warning sign, with frontline capacity being eroded by chronic staffing shortages.
Mr Horstman said these trucks aren’t offline due to mechanical faults, they’re sitting idle because there simply aren’t enough firefighters to crew them.
“Every day, more appliances are being placed on Restricted Duty because there is no one available to man them. That is a direct result of an ongoing staffing crisis across the firefighting workforce.
“This is a clear red flag. When fire trucks can’t be deployed, communities are left exposed and the risk to public safety increases,” Mr Horstman said.
“Instead of ignoring the warnings, the Cook Labor Government must listen to frontline experts and urgently address workforce shortages before this becomes a full-blown emergency.”
When questioned in Parliament, the Cook Labor Government confirmed that between 1 January and 17 March 2026, a total of 104 appliances were designated as Appliances on Restricted Duty (AORD) across 74 shifts, with one appliance sidelined for as many as 47 shifts.
While the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) describes AORD as a method to “adjust response options and manage resources”, Mr Horstman said it effectively means fire trucks are offline and unable to respond.
“Communities across the state are being unknowingly left in a precarious position when local fire resources are reduced or unable to respond due to unsafe staffing levels,” he said.
Recent operational demand has only added pressure, with further restrictions occurring during periods of widespread Total Fire Bans across the Perth metropolitan area.
United Professional Firefighters Union of WA (UPFUWA) Secretary John Marsh said the reality facing firefighters is far more severe than official figures suggest.
“Firstly, the situation is significantly worse than the reported figures indicate. These figures require further scrutiny. Members report the consequences are much, much worse.
“The Cook Labor Government should be appalled at those figures,” Mr Marsh said.
“Firefighters have repeatedly provided facts, data and evidence to the Government about a service in crisis, only to have those concerns dismissed without proper analysis.”
Mr Horstman said the failure to act on direct advice from emergency personnel is deeply concerning.
“UPFUWA has alerted me to recent examples where restricted appliances have caused avoidable delays.
“In March, the emergency response to a fire in Woodvale was delayed by 20 minutes due to a restricted appliance at Osborne Park. As a knock-on effect, the arrival of specialised equipment — including breathing apparatus, ventilation and monitoring capability, to subsequent incidents in Kelmscott and Midland was also delayed,” Mr Horstman said.
“The United Professional Firefighters Union has been upfront, they are understaffed and feel undervalued. For months, firefighters have been seeking better conditions, fair pay, and a genuine understanding of the pressures they are under.”
Mr Horstman said the system is being held together by the goodwill of firefighters working significant additional shifts, but that goodwill is not infinite.
“This deeply concerning situation is a direct result of the Cook Labor Government’s failure to resolve long running disputes with career firefighters and to properly fund the service, both in metropolitan and regional areas.
“Communities are being placed at risk in situations where every minute matters.”
ENDS
