CFA Connect Blogosphere

This week I visited staff at Fiskville, along with Deputy Chief Officer John Haynes, two consultants from Cardno Lane Piper and other members of my executive team.
 
The main purpose of our visit was to reiterate that business will continue as usual at Fiskville and any calls to close the site are unwarranted.

The Fiskville training centre is the state's premier all-hazards, all-agency training facility. Our hard-working and passionate staff members have delivered quality firefighting training there for over 40 years. I look forward to at least another 40 years of training being delivered from this important facility.

It's important to remember that the site is safe for use. Fiskville, as well as CFA's other training grounds, has been inspected by hygienists and environmental consultants. There were no significant risks found to the health and safety of those who work there or to trainees and visitors. WorkSafe has also visited the site on a number of occasions and has not found any significant risks.

The Professor Joy Report did, however, call for some precautionary actions to be taken at the site - something that we're taking seriously.
 
Cardno Lane Piper has already been engaged to oversee this precautionary work and consultants Alan Bull and Lauren Ryan will be seen around Fiskville over the next few weeks conducting investigations into the soil, surface water and groundwater quality. They will also examine the old landfill sites identified in the Professor Joy Report. 
 
Also this week, further discussions have been held with the Head of Monash University's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, to assess the feasibility of conducting a Health Impact Study. These discussions have been positive and work has begun to prepare a study proposal.

In addition, the heath surveillance program run by CFA for those identified as high and medium-risk exposure groups is in the process of being finalised and people will be contacted soon.

Any members who have concerns are encouraged to phone the health and welfare hotline on 1800 628 616 or email fiskvilleprojectteam@cfa.vic.gov.au