The staff at the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI) depot in Bendoc had a lot to smile about today as their new incident control centre was officially opened by the Parliamentary Secretary for Environment, Brad Battin and State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull.

Mr Bull said having the depot fully operational and ready for the upcoming fire season was a great result for the local community.   “The Bendoc DEPI office is a Level 3 Incident Control Centre, which is able to handle a full-scale emergency incident.

“The depot redevelopment will play a key role as a Level 3 Staging Area, where task force crews and heavy machinery can now be accommodated whilst waiting for deployment.

“The new depot is a great addition to fire service facilities available in the district,” said Mr Bull.

Mr Battin said the new $4.7 million depot is part of the Victorian Coalition Government’s stronger regional focus and commitment to boost service delivery to regional areas.

“Our ability to effectively manage emergency situations and planned burning operations across the remote alpine area in this region is critical,” Mr Battin said.

Located on a significant slope, the new depot was built on two levels to maximise use of space at the site.

It has been designed specifically to withstand snow and hailstorms that are not uncommon in the area, incorporating best practice standards in chemical and fuel stores, and offers fantastic new amenities for local and visiting crew.