CFA Connect Blogosphere

Following a request from Independent Fiskville Investigator Professor Rob Joy, CFA has approved a three month extension of the Independent Investigation into the use of chemicals for live fire fighting training practices at Fiskville Training College dating back as far as the 1970s.

Professor Joy and his team requested this variation to the Terms of Reference after it became clear that more time is needed to complete a comprehensive investigation - there are still a great many interviews to be conducted with CFA past and present members and records to be reviewed.

Professor Joy also advised us that the interview process is proving not only to be an opportunity for CFA members to tell their story, but is also essential for him to gain useful information and that this is going to take more time. Professor Joy does not wish to pre-empt any outcomes or findings by issuing an interim report.

The extension was approved to honour CFA's commitment of ensuring a thorough and detailed investigation. Our members are our priority so it is important to give all members - past and present - every opportunity to contribute and be heard as part of this investigation.

When the allegations were first made in December last year we assured our members that we were determined to deal with this matter properly and seriously - we owe that to our people.

Communicating Better:
One of the issues identified in the Jones report was the need for better communication with volunteers. We know there are improvements to be made in this area. While it's important for us to not overload you with communication, there are times when we need to send you operational and CFA-wide information. In order to determine how our members want to be kept up-to-date, CFA's strategic Communications team have developed a short survey for all members to complete. The survey will be available both online and as a tear-out hard copy in the Autumn edition of Brigade magazine with a reply paid envelope for members to complete. It will also be included in the VFBV quarterly mail-out. I encourage you to take part and have your say at:

I am pleased to announce the appointment of the 3 key management positions within Operational Training & Volunteerism.

It is with great pleasure that I announce the following appointments to the roles of: -

Loddon Mallee Region has conducted a number of teamwork and leadership courses at Hattah in the last couple of months. These always provide an invaluable opportunity for discussion amongst participants about what good teamwork and leadership really mean, how best to lead and what a good team looks and feels like.

I have particularly found the exchanges of views, experience and ideas at the leadership courses to be of great personal value. It's been very instructive for me, as always, to see how others go about exercising leadership. The debriefs we conduct, after each participant has a go at leading the team through a mission, have produced some deep and meaningful exchanges.

Portland Hazmat:
Our thanks to the wonderful effort by a significant number of CFA and other agency personnel in bringing the HAZMAT incident at the Koppers coal tar pitch facility at Portland to a close. Hundreds of CFA members were involved in a range of roles. The incident was an outstanding example of agencies working together in an integrated, collaborative and collegiate way.

One of the issues identified in the report from the Jones Inquiry was the need for better communication and engagement with volunteers, and this applies to all our members. We're working to better understand how members want to be kept up to date in a way that's relevant to them, acknowledging that this will vary.

We recognise that our members are busy people, and we don't want to add to the information overload. There are times, however, when members need to be across operational and CFA-wide issues, and we want to make sure you have the most up-to-date information available.

As per the Victorian Government Media Release on 9 January 2012 regarding the trial of fifteen mobile variable messaging LED signs, "These mobile trailer signs will provide high-impact and visible fire safety messages to motorists who are potentially unfamiliar with the fire risk in some of Victoria's popular holiday destinations".

The signs will be trialled over the next two months and are managed by CFA on behalf of the Fire Services Commissioner.

At its February meeting, held in Melton, the CFA Board foreshadowed that it will amend its policy and procedures in relation to intersection and roadside collections following a request from VFBV. The Board agreed to support these activities - used by brigades to raise funds for CFA or the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal - but with the necessary CFA approvals, and in line with State and local government requirements. These procedures, once developed, will be circulated to all CFA brigades. It is important that they are strictly adhered to, to ensure that insurance coverage for volunteers remains valid.

Also at the February meeting, Regional Manager Greg Esnouf and his team presented the North West Metropolitan Region's growth strategy. In this region alone the population is expected to grow by almost 240,000 people in the next 10 years; good, forward-looking strategies like this will address challenges to our service delivery.

At the Foster fire station in South Gippsland today, we launched a set of new and innovative ‘online' programs and other products that's going to make the delivery and maintenance of CFA training a lot more accessible from now on.

 Hi All,

The Performance and Strategy introduction session held last Friday afternoon was a great success. We spent the afternoon getting to know one another and participating in a team-building workshop hosted by facilitator Peter O'Brien from LSC Consulting.

Today marks the third anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires. For so many people, including CFA members, their families, their friends, their neighbours and their workmates, this will be a special and sensitive day.

 I am pleased to announce the new Performance and Strategy Team which will commence formally on Monday 6 February, 2012.

The Performance and Strategy team brings into line a key part of Creating Our Future Together. Changes to our organisational structure are about enhancing our fire & emergency management support, building capacity, and positioning CFA into the future.  

Hi All,

Some items of interest from the Bushfires Portfolio this month:

As the third anniversary of 7 February draws near, we remember and honour the 173 people who lost their lives in our state's most significant natural disaster.

We reflect on the courage and strength shown by communities, including CFA members, CFA families and brigades, who lost so much in the fires and are reminded of their professionalism, dedication, courage and selfless bravery.

An enduring feature of our landscape is fire and flood and drought. And this has given rise to a uniquely Australian characteristic - that of emergency service volunteering.  Emergency service volunteering in Australia is in many ways unique.  No other country in the world can boast the comprehensive and professional volunteer emergency services that we see here in Victoria and other states.  Indeed, as I travel the globe, many countries look upon us and our emergency service arrangements with envy.

Given recent reports about the historical live fire fighting training activities at Fiskville, some members and their families may have concerns about the current safety of the Fiskville site. We can assure you that the ground is safe for all staff, trainees and visitors - this has been confirmed by two independent hygiene reports.

The hygienists, both commissioned by CFA, found that while there were some minor areas for improvement, there were no significant risks to the health and safety of those working at the site or those attending as trainees or visitors.

Hi all

The Member ID Project is implementing a coordinated interagency response to Recommendation 19 of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Final Report for CFA members to have an identification card or similar to facilitate their passage through roadblocks established in accordance with the Interagency Guidelines for the Operation of Traffic Management Points During Bushfires.

Changes To Incidents Page On CFA Web Site:
After listening to concerns expressed by members of the public, CFA has re-introduced detail on the District number and the number of appliances at incidents on the CFA website. At the same time, CFA, DSE and the Fire Services Commissioner have been reviewing advice and warning messaging associated with recent incidents. In particular, the process for updating our website and the process for issuing updates on social media such as twitter and the CFA Facebook page. The use of social media for warnings is still new. We are learning as we go and continuously improving.

A number of CFA members, past and present, and their families have contacted CFA to register their interest in receiving regular updates and to volunteer information which they believe will be useful to the independent investigator Professor Rob Joy.

Now the Independent Investigator is up and running, we urge members with information useful to the inquiry to contact Professor Joy's team directly on
(03) 5420 9260 between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email info@fiskvilleinvestigation.com.au

A Busy Christmas Day:
Many CFA and SES personnel had a busy Christmas and Boxing Day assisting people affected by the heavy rainfall event and hail on Christmas Day. Fire crews, Ground Observers, Liaison officers Division Commanders, and IMT members from Districts 7, 13 and 14 all gave up precious family and holiday time. To you, and to your families, we say a special "Thank You!"

Chicago Fire Department Safety Video:
In an effort to make personal safety a top priority, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) have released a new video, Chicago Fire Department - Everyone Goes Home®. More than two dozen survivors of fallen firefighters, including co-workers and family members, participated in the filming of Chicago Fire Department - Everyone Goes Home. All members of the Chicago Fire Department have had the opportunity to see Chicago Fire Department - Everyone Goes Home® and it is now available for the entire fire service. To see the video, go to www.youtube.com/watch?v=vODww1qwSuE.

The Fiskville investigation is well underway with the independent Chair - former deputy Chairman of Environmental Protection Authority Robert Joy - inspecting the facility this week.

The independent investigation is due to report back by the end of March 2012, after which it will be made public.

We ask for patience while this work is being done.

In its last meeting of 2011 the CFA Board was updated on the independent investigation into the historical use of fuels and chemicals at Fiskville. With the wellbeing of CFA members past and present foremost in their minds, the Board has established a special committee to oversee member welfare and wellbeing and to ensure members are kept informed.

I'd like to assure members that a recent WorkSafe inspection carried out on the site, along with our own, have not indicated any concerns with current practices at Fiskville.

In September 2011 the Victorian Government released the Green Paper Towards a More Disaster Resilient and Safer Victoria. This provides a number of options intended to provoke discussion around the State's crisis and emergency management arrangements to determine the most effective arrangements for creating a more disaster resilient and safer Victoria.

The Green Paper sought submissions from individuals, community groups, the emergency management sector and emergency services, and represents the first step in the process to further reform Victoria's emergency management arrangements.

Today we've released the Terms of Reference for the Independent Investigation Into The CFA Facility At Fiskville (1971-1999).

We also announced a new ‘Investigation and Information' hot line (1800 628 616) for people with concerns to call between 8:30am and 8:30pm. Callers will by able to access assistance directly, or be referred on for further advice.

People can call the information line anonymously, however, data regarding calls taken and issues raised will be reported to ensure appropriate follow-up action is taken where required. People can also email: fiskvilleprojectteam@cfa.vic.gov.au

All of us, CFA members past and present and our families, have been shocked and saddened by reports in the Herald Sun last week that link past practices at Fiskville to various forms of cancer. Our foremost thoughts are with those CFA members who are or have been a victim of cancer and to the families of CFA members have been cancer victims. For many of us at CFA, Fiskville has been a big part of our lives. We've lived there, worked there, trained there, met there, celebrated there and we've mourned there. Many CFA members have raised their families there. Fiskville is, and has been for so many years, an integral part of the origins, history and culture of the CFA. Fiskville is close to all of our hearts. Fiskville is also a big part of the local community in the Ballan area. Many locals have been or are employees, contractors and neighbours. It is natural that many in the community are also sharing our concern and our pain.

In this latest update I can advise you that former deputy chairman of the EPA Rob Joy has accepted a role to chair the Fiskville investigation.

With 25 years' experience in environment protection and resource management, his credentials are exemplary.

The CFA Board welcomed two new volunteer-nominated members at its November meeting.
Don Robertson is a long-time member of Strathkellar brigade in District 5 and served as president of the Victorian Rural Fire Brigades Association.
Paul Denham joined Picola brigade at the age of 16 before moving to Barmah brigade then Boronia brigade, where he is a life member. He is currently a VFBV State Councillor for District 13.

Chief Officer Euan Ferguson reported to the Board that grassland curing is nearly 100 per cent in the northwest of the State and well advanced in the west, north and north central. CFA messaging and readiness/response strategies have been modified.

As many CFA members would be aware, the Herald Sun ran a series of articles this morning making a number of very serious allegations linking CFA's Training College at Fiskville to cancers in CFA members and their families. These allegations date back to the 1970s and 80s.

Since becoming aware of the allegations for the first time when contacted by the newspaper yesterday, we have set up a team who will provide support to CFA members - staff and volunteers - who spent time at Fiskville and investigate the allegations. There are members who will understandably be concerned by the reports.

Our last evidence drop to the Bushfires Royal Commission Implementation Monitor (BRCIM) Neil Comrie was delivered on 28 October 2011. Twenty-one pieces of evidence were submitted in total, managed by the Bushfires Portfolio Management Office (BPMO). A major piece of the evidence included a Community Safety evaluation report on CFA's community education and engagement projects.

The BPMO gathered evidence of the Township Protection Plan (TPP) project not only delivering but exceeding the BRCIM's requirement of 140 plans with a total of 200 new TPPs which are now available on the CFA website. The TPPs were developed by CFA in consultation with local councils and communities for people who live in or visit townships with a high risk of bushfire. Read more

TO ALL CFA MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This morning's Herald Sun contains an article by Ruth Lamperd that makes a number of very serious allegations linking CFA's Training College at Fiskville to cancers in CFA members and their families.

These are very serious claims. The first time that we became aware of this report was yesterday when we were asked for comment by the Herald Sun.

We are very concerned for the health of our current and former CFA employees.