Ten more CFA career firefighters have started on shift at Lara Fire Station to crew a heavy HAZMAT vehicle to better respond to chemical, biological and radiological incidents in Lara and beyond.
Member for Lara John Eren MP visited Lara Fire Station to view the HAZMAT and meet the additional career firefighters.
The HAZMAT has equipment including radiation meters to detect a variety of chemicals, oxygen levels, lower explosive limits, carbon monoxide levels and radioactive materials. It can also 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.
Member for Lara John Eren MP visited Lara Fire Station last week to view the HAZMAT and meet some of the additional career firefighters.
Lara Officer In Charge Geoff McGill said the HAZMAT was a welcomed addition to the already high-quality emergency response capabilities of District 7’s most recently integrated CFA brigade.
“Since career firefighters started responding to incidents alongside Lara volunteers on 8 December last year, we’ve attended 320 incidents including providing support to major fires in south-west Victoria,” Mr McGill said.
“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 Lara but the Greater Geelong region.”
The specialist appliance joins a heavy pumper, two heavy tankers and a forward command vehicle operating from the recently renovated station.
“Our volunteer and career firefighters have been working well together as an integrated brigade,” Mr McGill said.
“Not only have they turned out to a number of incidents as a team, but they also train together, perform key maintenance and administrative duties, and participate in extra-curricular activities on station to build stronger working relationships - it’s been really great to see such a positive collaboration.”
This additional capability and resourcing increases the Lara Brigade to 35 career firefighters on rotating rosters to respond to incidents around the clock from Lara Fire Stations. The increased capability is part of the 350 Firefighter Program, 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.