Hi there
What does the forum think of this article - true or false.
05 August 2005
Source: The Advertiser
COUNTRY Fire Service volunteers are ill-equipped to deal with a biological or radioactive terrorist attack, but have been told they would be called upon in such circumstances, the State Opposition says.
Liberal Emergency Services spokesman Angus Redford said yesterday it was "alarming" that CFS volunteers lacked sufficient training at a time of growing terrorism concerns.
However, the Government has rejected Mr Redford's claims, saying the Metropolitan Fire Service was the "lead agency" for chemical and biological responses and CFS volunteers had received "basic training" so they could recognise risks and call for more experienced personnel.
Mr Redford said the Jamestown CFS brigade had received a six-hour training session in dealing with chemical, biological and radiological (CBR) hazards and had been told it was "fully trained".
"The brigade volunteers were also informed that they could also be called on to assist in the aftermath of a CBR incident anywhere in Australia. These events could range from a minor chemical spill to a major terrorist attack using biological or even radioactive weapons."
But Emergency Services Minister Carmel Zollo said the MFS employed three full-time chemical and biological specialists and the CFS also had "fully trained specialists" in this area.
"CFS volunteers are provided with basic . . . training so that they can recognise potential risks, isolate those risks and then call for more experienced personnel to attend," she said.
The CFS said it had 346 trained hazardous-material operators, including a state HAZMAT brigade.
