Ten additional CFA career firefighters at the new Lucas Fire Brigade have turned out to around 15 incidents in a heavy HAZMAT (hazardous material) vehicle since the specialist appliance came online on 30 March.
The HAZMAT supports response to chemical, biological and radiological incidents in the region and beyond.
Incidents so far have ranged from asbestos decontamination, hazardous chemical incidents and atmospheric monitoring.
District 15 Operations Manager Brett Boatman said the HAZMAT was a welcomed addition to the already high-quality emergency response capabilities of CFA’s newest brigade.
“Our growing community means firefighters must continue to expand skills and enhance resources to better respond to more complex incidents that occur resulting from more infrastructure and more people moving into the region,” Mr Boatman said.
“Since coming online 8 December last year, Lucas has responded to more than 185 incidents ranging from car accidents to supporting paramedics at Emergency Medical Response incidents, and house fires, increasing CFA’s ability to protect life and property in this new Ballarat suburb and surrounding areas.
“The HAZMAT gives us extra resources so our firefighters have more than enough equipment to ensure the community is well protected during incidents like gas leaks, and chemical spills, not only in Ballarat but all of Western Victoria right up to the South Australian boarder.”
Features of the truck include detection equipment used to monitor a variety of chemicals, oxygen levels, lower explosive limits, carbon monoxide levels and radioactive materials. The HAZMAT can set up emergency and mass public decontamination sites for a range of incidents, with decontamination showers and inflatable tents resourced to clear people of any contaminants.
The HAZMAT is in addition to the station’s heavy pumper fire truck, which has equipment including hydraulic cutters and spreaders, roping kits, personal floatation devices and low-voltage fuse removal equipment.
This additional capability and resourcing increases the Lucas Brigade to 30 firefighters on rotating rosters to respond to incidents around the clock from the temporary fire station inside a warehouse at Delacombe while the new fire station is built nearby. The new station is expected to be completed by November, 2018.
The new fire station is part of the Growth Programs, which is a government commitment CFA is delivering to improve service delivery at integrated fire stations through significant investment in new career firefighters and infrastructure.
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