Having people trained in O2 is not a huge issue! If you carry the equipment, then CFS has a duty of care to provide the training - and they will. If your getting no joy through your Group Training officer, try the Region, failingl that try the State Training Centre - they will negotiate with the Region.
Funny thought though - R1 brigades have it all - I'm aware of PPV fans, atmospheric monitoring equipment, vertical rescue equipment, converted milk tankers, salvage pumps, floating pumps, portable light towers....... the list goes on and on that are in brigades outisde R1 - and how did they get these "EXTRA' pieces of equipment - they were resourceful - identified the need, organised a method of getting the funds and then purchased the equipment - very clever really and no different than a group in R1 who carry O2 equipment on 1 appliance in each station.
If you look at the stats- with the diverse number of jobs that we are all attending these days - couldn't we all do with O2 equipment, if for nothing more than to help our fellow fire fighters - NOW there is something to groan about!!!