CURRENT ISSUES 

Each year the Association raises many issues with CFA on behalf of Regional Councils and the brigades and groups they represent.

Increasingly VFBV is also pursuing issues on behalf of volunteers and their brigades, particularly those that affect both urban and rural brigades.

Below is a cross section of the issues we have raised along with CFA's reply.

TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS GOODS

The Association for sometime has been seeking information on the materials etc to be transported to the proposed long term containment facility at Nowingi in north west Victoria and the likely impacts on brigades along the transportation routes.

CFA has provided the following information:

Product Information

The materials being transported to Nowingi are classified by EPA as Category B wastes.  This means the materials are waste materials only and not necessarily dangerous goods.  It is an EPA requirement that all wastes are solid and dry.

Most will be waste that has been stabilised or treated to ‘lock’ the waste into a stable form that is resistant to leaching and that generally pose a lower risk to human health and the environment.  Examples of this waste include water based paints and lacquers that have stabilised to a solid form; non-flammable material such as sludges from tanks or pits in service stations, oil terminals or refineries; filter cake in solid form stabilized as necessary (generally comprising the residue resulting from neutralisation and filtration of industrial dishwashers or other water-based wastes; contaminated soil containing metals or other contaminants that cannot be treated or recycled.

Road Transportation

Wastes transported by road will be in shipping containers on trucks permitted by DEP for the transportation of Category B wastes.  Waste transport vehicles and containers will be fully enclosed to prevent spillage, uncontrolled release and wetting by rainwater.  All transport vehicles will be fitted with spill response equipment and driver/operators will be trained in emergency response.

Packages waste will sit on standard wooden pallets and may be stacked two units high within shipping containers.  Each shipping container has a normal capacity of 40 tonnes, however the expected maximum loading will be approximately 20 tonnes per container.

The maximum receiving capacity of the facility may see as many as eight containers being transported per day.  This means four to five trucks per day travelling along the route.

Emergency Response

In the event of a response by CFA crews to an incident involving the spillage or uncontrolled release of waste being transported to Nowingi, then the following principles should apply – the safety of all responding crews is the primary concern; appointment of a safety officer be considered; although the materials may be listed as non-flammable and non-toxic, it is possible that the emergency may involve the burning of other materials.  This fire may impact on the waste material.  Until potential hazards are known then:

D Don't enter smoke, gas or vapour clouds
A Approach carefully, preferably upwind
N No closer than 70 metres
G Gather information by observation
E Examine more closely, only if necessary using BA with full PPC
R Retreat may be necessary
 

FUNDING TO UPGRADE FIRE STATIONS NOT UP TO OH&S STANDARDS

The State Council, on behalf of Region 13 requested CFA what it proposed to do to fund fire stations that are not up to OF & S Standards and in particular Badger Creek

CFA’s response was as follows:

In reply to your letter of 16 December seeing additional Government funding to enable the upgrade of fire stations not up to OH&S standards, I provide the following advice.

The Director Asset Management is currently conducting a pilot project in CFA’s North East Area to review the standard of fire stations and to make a detailed assessment of maintenance requirements.  This assessment will take into account OH &S exposures.

The aim of the project will be to accurately scope the nature of works required so that we can develop an appropriate funding regime.  At the conclusion of the North East pilot, an assessment will be made about extending this program to other areas of the state.

With respect to Badger Creek, the Area Manager has advised that OH&S issues are being addressed by the procurement of an ATCO-style building, including a toilet facility, for the brigade this financial year.  This will be an interim measure until a new station can be funded.

MINIMUM SKILLS

The Association had an on going dialogue with CFA on the question of allowing new brigade members with limited minimum skills on to the fireground in a mentored situation. We believed that the state coroner in his findings following the Linton Inquest had left room for this to happen.

The following is the contents of a letter from the coroner to CFA:

In the context of writing this letter I acknowledge the vital importance of the work undertaken by all volunteers and their association for the Victorian Community.  However, the approach by the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria Inc., as indicated in its letter, is not a correct construction of my finding in Linton.  Quite clearly the systems of mentors need to be seen in the context of the entire risk management package for volunteers.  The tenor of my Comments and Recommendations in Chapter 23 is aimed at improving safety for all firefighters, whether they be first timers or experienced.  The subheading “A system of ‘mentors’ for enhancing training and experience” at page 628 is followed by a heading “Fire-ground management – ensuring a competent mix.  The need for competent wildfire fighters” at page 629.  I refer to the quote which underscores my comments earlier in this letter contained in paragraph 23.6.23 (p. 629) dealing with minimum wildfire competencies,:

“…The proposals in the agreement should be adopted by the agencies as soon as possible.  Provided that there is an adequate system of mentors there should be no difficulty in permitting new, appropriately trained firefighters, being introduced to the fire-ground for that necessary element to gain competency – experience.”  (Underlining added by me for the purpose of this letter).

Accordingly, it is my strong view that new (whether volunteer or otherwise) firefighters should not be introduced to the fire ground without having completed minimum wildfire competencies.  The mentor system is meant to operate once they have that minimum level of training and necessary introduction to help them better understand the safety issues and problems surrounding work in a dangerous environment, a wildfire.

JOINT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE PROPOSAL

This Association and VFBV has been agitating for the introduction of a Joint Operations Committee as many of the matters that affect volunteers at brigade level are very much operationally focused. We believe that there would be significant benefit to both CFA and volunteers in such a committee.

CFA has replied to our latest request as follows:

As you rightfully point out, this matter was previously the subject of discussion between the parties, but never progressed for a host of reasons.  I have requested the Director Operations/Chief Officer to consider your request and, in doing so, examine any potential linkages/cross-overs with existing committees.  I am sure you will support this approach to ensure we do not introduce another committee for committee’s sake.  In exploring your proposal, I also want to make sure we achieve the objectives of maximising volunteer input/consultation in the operations functional area in the most efficient and effective way possible, particularly for volunteers.

The Director Operations/Chief Officer will contact you in the near future to arrange a suitable time to discuss the issues involved with your proposal and to agree on the best way forward.

Thank you for taking the time to present your proposal to me.  Should you have any further queries in this regard please do not hesitate to contact Deputy Chief Officer Graham Fountain at this office.

TANKER CONFORMANCE TO LEGISLATION IN REGARD TO WEIGHT SPECIFICATION

On behalf of Region 23 State Council approached CFA on the above matter following the discovery that a range of tankers were indeed overweight.

Below is CFA’s response to our letter:

CFA takes very seriously its obligations to conform to legislation with regard to vehicular weight limits.  The recent incidence of over-weight trucks has highlighted the need for additional measures to identify problem vehicles whenever they may be in CFA’s fleet.

CFA has now invested in two sets of electronic weighing scales to be used in the DMO Workshop network as part of the state-wide truck inspection program.  Each year a proportion of the truck fleet will be weighed on a random basis to ensure on-going compliance.
Our expectation is that this measure will, over time, identify any vehicles in CFA’s fleet that may still be over-weight and allow this to be rectified.

There were a large number of causal factors contributing to the recent production problems of light tankers.  In order to ensure no repeat of this problem, CFA has implemented changes to its production-checking process:

1. CFA manufacturing technical specifications now require the body manufacturer to obtain a weighbridge certificate of the bare cab chassis before the build program commences.

2. The manufacturer is now required under contract to certify that the finished appliance under load complies with manufacturer’s and VicRoads’ requirements.

3. On future appliance programs, the first appliance will be weighbridge certificated to demonstrate compliance with the certified design.  The first appliance will be fully loaded for all options listed under the contract.

STOCKPILING TYRES

Raywood Brigade through Region 2E raised this matter and State Council referred it to CFA.

CFA’s response was as follows:

You forwarded a motion proposed by the Raywood Rural Fire Brigade at the State Council last year for consideration and I apologise for the delay in responding.

The matter raised by the brigade is one that ought to be considered as part of the review of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and the related documentation that complements the Act.  Our preliminary reaction is that while stockpiles of tyres might not necessarily be a specific issue in any new Act, reference to it could be incorporated as part of an overall approach to addressing fire risk, either in the Act, regulations, guidelines or codes of practice.

While we have not determined any specific process at this stage, we are proposing that the Act Review will re-commence later in the year with a view to getting legislation into Parliament during 2007.

INCREASE OF BRIGADE ALLOWANCES

The Association sent the following motion to CFA:

“That CFA be requested to increase brigade allowances after the completion of the investigation of brigade finances in response to the Auditor-General’s recommendation on CFA Annual Report.”

CFA has advised in the following way:

The background notes of your letter mention that CFA is currently undertaking an extensive program to collect financial data from all brigades and groups of brigades across the State.  Whilst the founding purpose of this exercise is to obtain information for CFA to adequately respond to recommendations made by the Auditor-General, it is also an opportunity for CFA to more fully understand a number of matters relating to brigade financial management.  These include income and expenditure streams, banking arrangements, auditing and book-keeping issues, FEM activity, fundraising, allowances and grants, tax compliance, assets and liabilities.

CFA acknowledges that brigade allowances have not been reviewed for some time, and intends to do this following the data collection process.  The Project Steering Committee has recognised the need to review allowances by including this topic in the “Principles” that have been developed to assist in formulating changes to brigade financial management.

PROCEDURES IN THE EVENT OF A TERRORISM INCIDENT

The Association pursued this matter on behalf of Region 8 who had submitted it from Mt Martha Brigade:

CFA’s response was as follows:

Thank you for your enquiry regarding procedures in the event of a Terrorism Incident.  The very notion of a terrorist-based incident is one that evokes emotion throughout the community – such is the design and concept of terrorism.

Incidents that result from terrorist-based activities are treated, in their base form, no differently than any other consequence of a crisis situation.  The principles that we use are primarily those that we would use for a Hazmat situation.

Given the sometimes broad and devastating effect of the type of incidents, one aspect that is clear is that no agency, service or government department can effectively manage these types of situations or incidents on their own.  The capability and capacity to plan for and respond to the hazards of terrorist-based situations is a multi-agency effort.  This aspect is clearly provided for in legislation and uses the same management principles (Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System – AIIMS) as would be used for a major wildfire situation.  CFA is actively involved with other services and agencies with regard to this point and encourages all brigades to strengthen their relationships with other emergency service organisations.

However, it is the consequence of a terrorist-based event that can be different from the day-today hazmat incident.  Typically this will involve chemical, Biological or Radioactive (CBR) attributed and/or explosive or improvised explosive devices (IED) used to activate or spread the CBR component.  To this point CFA and MFB have increased their capability to detect and analyse the CBR components of an incident.  A specialist position of CFA Scientific Officer has been created and filled by Craig Tonks. And three purpose-built hazmat detection vans have been purchased and strategically located at Corio, Dandenong and at CFA Headquarters.

CFA has been actively involved with Victoria Police and has had opportunities too place operational personnel with the Counter Terrorism Co-ordination Unit for extended secondments.  This has taken CFA to a position of being trusted colleagues, allowing them to be included in briefings and discussions relating to sensitive information.  This aids planning and preparation from both agencies’ perspectives, and serves as a strong basis for future intelligence and information sharing.

In relation to the Commonwealth Games, CFA has taken a lead role with M2006 Organising Committee and has systematically and strategically prepared a range of planning for Games venues in the CFA area.  Underpinning this planning and preparation is a range of Counter Terrorist exercises, designed to develop and strengthen the management aspects relating to what has become known as ‘consequence management’.

At ground level, the principles and requirements of any Brigade are as per those required for hazmat situations, with the exception being there is a greater multi-agency approach, particularly as casualty management and patient care.

Regarding procedures for use with terrorism related situations, Brigades and groups should be referred to the 10 series of the Chief Officer’s SOPs (Specialist Response), and be familiar with all of these SOPs including SOP 10.06 Chemical, Biological and Radiological Response.  A further SOP relating to Suspicious Unidentified Substances (formerly ‘white powder’ incidents) is in the final drat stage and is expected to be signed off for distribution to Brigades in the next few weeks.

I trust that this detail answers our request and would be more than happy to invite Manager Major Events and Security Peter Baker, to attend a future Association meeting to further brief your membership.
 
 
 
 

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