Brigades focus on road incidents and structural fires

BRIGADES across CFA District 9 participated in three intense training activities on Sunday May 28.

The South Gippsland Group of Fire Brigades, including members from Toora, Inverloch and Dumbalk met at Fish Creek for a specialist skill session focusing on motor vehicle incidents. 
Fish Creek, as a Road Accident Rescue brigade, hosted the session.

The Strzelecki Group of Fire Brigades held their session at Coal Creek in Korumburra. 

Historic buildings were filled with smoke to allow members to practice essential breathing apparatus skills, and tankers draughted water to simulate responding to structural fires in remote areas.

The Baw Baw Group of Fire Brigades focused on electric vehicle (EV) incidents, including isolating vehicles involved in accidents and strategies to deal with EVs in a fire situation. 

Members of that Group also reviewed protocols to manage solar panel fires on roofs and to tackle structure fires affecting solar systems.

“Our brigades work together to identify their risk and any training gaps and to coordinate their biannual training days,” Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Emma Conway said.

She noted groups within District 9 host two Group training days per year, with a winter focus on structural or specialist response, while attention turns to brigades building bush and grass fire preparedness as summer approaches.

Emma outlined the prevalence of road accidents recently.

“It’s no coincidence that brigades have focused on road risk; 132 people have died on Victoria’s roads this year, and locally we have responded to a large number of motor vehicle incidents,” she said.
Emma stressed the need for continued learning to ensure brigades provide the best service possible to their communities and others they 
assist.

“Our members are committed to staying up to date in the latest firefighting techniques and equipment and these joint training sessions are an example of that, where we can learn from each other,” Emma said.