Exhausted firefighters at Canberra Airport are being forced to sleep on the toilet floor as they battle fatigue between 18 hour shifts.
Pictures obtained by Fairfax Media show the cramped conditions at their airport station, with staff sleeping in the women's toilets, on the floor next to a noisy printer and in the gym area surrounded by weights.
![Exhausted firefighters are sleeping on the floor in an office next to a noisy printer.](/web/20170117171139im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/s/g/f/a/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gts7de.png/1484558105816.jpg)
In a letter to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Darren Chester, the United Firefighters Union described the "unacceptable" conditions.
"Currently there are no proper rest or recline facilities at the [Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Service] station at the Canberra airport," branch secretary Henry Lawrence wrote in a letter seen by Fairfax Media.
![The firefighters grab rest where they can as they back up between 18 hour shifts.](/web/20170117171139im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/s/g/f/2/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gts7de.png/1484558105816.jpg)
"Our members are forced to rest in the ladies toilet area, breathing apparatus maintenance room, printer room and the station gym. Obviously this is unacceptable."
Firefighters at the airport worked back-to-back shifts lasting as long as 18 hours, with as little as four and a half hours to rest in between.
"To maintain a workable, user friendly and efficient roster our members work back to back shifts, sleeping and working at the station for anywhere up to 48 hours," Mr Lawrence said.
The union called on the government to help provide appropriate rest areas so they could safely perform their duties.
![The cramped quarters at their airport station has forced some to sleep in the gym surrounded by weights.](/web/20170117171139im_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/s/g/f/7/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gts7de.png/1484558105816.jpg)
Mr Chester said it was important firefighters stationed at the airport had an appropriate place to recover.
"Our aviation rescue fire fighters play a valuable role in ensuring the safety of the travelling public and it's important they have the appropriate resources and facilities to deliver this service," he said.
"I am aware of Airservice Australia's plans to upgrade [the] station at Canberra Airport to enhance its ability to support the aviation industry."
Airservices Australia, the government entity responsible for the station, said it was working to upgrade the facilities.
"Airservices Australia is currently working with the Capital Airport Group as part of a project designed to upgrade our station at the airport to allow us to better deliver our valuable safety service to the aviation industry," a spokeswoman said.
"The station upgrade project includes improved rest areas for our firefighters and an expanded fire vehicle engine bay.
"In the interim, while we continue to work with Capital Airport Group to move forward with the station upgrade, we have been in discussions with them on appropriate permanent and temporary arrangements, which would allow us to meet regulatory requirements."
The Capital Airport Group, which owns the airport, said it would help Airservices provide a temporary solution until a permanent fix could be sorted.
"The Capital Airport Group is working to assist Airservices Australia to provide temporary accommodation for its firefighters, until [Airservices] can provide upgraded facilities.
"The group ... has already offered the used of bungalows near the old guard house for firefighters wishing to rest during or between their shifts."