About Us

History

Established in 1902 as the ‘Special Services’ division of the former Metropolitan Fire Brigade (now Fire Rescue Victoria – FRV), Fire Equipment Services (FES) has evolved to become a sophisticated fire protection services company and industry leader.

In 1984, FES became a commercialised business unit of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade as a result of a de-regulation of the fire services industry, enabling FES to continue servicing fire equipment.

On 1st July 2020, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade transitioned to Fire Rescue Victoria.

 

Going Forward

As the commercial division of Fire Rescue Victoria, FES partners with clients across a wide range of sectors including Municipal Councils, Universities, Hospitals, Healthcare, Aged Care, Educational facilities, small businesses as well as Commercial and Industrial premises to assist in protecting people and assets.

FES is uniquely positioned to provide a multi-faceted service that is more comprehensive in the field of fire safety and emergency management due to access to specialist operational and corporate knowledge available from within Fire Rescue Victoria

FES is proud to continue to deliver emergency management training for businesses and organisations to ensure that their plans and procedures for emergencies are in place. FES emergency management training provides theoretical and practical training to workplaces across Victoria to build confidence in fire awareness, protection and emergency response. Complete regulatory compliance, responsive service and fulfilment of duties is core to FES, including leadership in the industry and the integrity of our people.

For FES, the next three to five years will focus on enhancing the capability of the community to prevent, respond to and control fire and other emergency incidents. Improved fire and emergency safety features in all buildings and reducing the environmental impacts of the industry are other important objectives, along with digital innovation and transformation.

All are key elements for the success of FES and the fire safety industry going forward.

Holistic approach

In recent years, FES has developed a more holistic approach to fire protection services with an expanded offering on a wide range of specialised services for building owners and facility managers that now includes:
Inspection

Inspection and servicing of First Attack Fire Equipment (extinguishers, hydrants, hoses, hose reels)

Installation

Installation and maintenance of Active Fire Systems (detectors, alarms, fire indicator panels, evacuation warning systems, sprinklers, fire pumps)

Reporting and advice

Reporting and advice on Passive Fire Systems (building fire integrity, fire doors)

Assessment and provision

Assessment and provision of Essential Safety Measures (exit and emergency lighting, means of egress)

Instruction

Instruction in Emergency Training (initial response, fire warden)

Delivery

Delivery of Emergency Management (emergency procedures, evacuation diagrams, evacuation drills, consulting)

Community safety

FES’s strategic plan articulates its vision to be a trusted leader, delivering uncompromising quality in fire and life safety through innovative technology and technical expertise. In 2021–22, FES has delivered:

  • Maintenance of approximately 1500 fire detection and suppression equipment items for operational effectiveness in case of an emergency incident
  • Servicing of approximately 17,741 community sites to ensure regulatory compliance
  • Training for approximately 4,554 people in fire and life safety to improve community resilience
  • Removal of 4,378 litres of PFOS contaminated items from sites to protect firefighters and the community

Laws and standards are continually being amended and improved, creating a highly complex environment in which to operate for building owners and facilities managers. It is for this reason that FES consults widely, invests heavily and remains up to date in this regard, so that compliant services and advice may be given to clients at all times.

In the FY 2021-2022, despite the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19, FES returned a higher than expected surplus to assist funding FRV operations.