Training

[Steveg]

I have heard a lot of late about new Hazmat skills which Hazmat operators will be required to learn.
Things like Mass Decontamination and Atmospheric Monitoring, which are fairly specialised fields.
Does anybody else believe that when a Hazmat job escalates to a level at which atmospheric monitoring or Mass Decon (terror attack maybe?) is required, the roles should fall to Professionals, ie the army in the case of Decon?
I am happy to be trained in all fields, but there is a lot of volunteers out there who just dont have the time to be doing courses of this calibre, and keeping their training up, along with their personal lives as well.
I would be interested to hear from other Hazmat Brigades if they are having problems with this training, or how they are handling it, or if indeed it is just the rumor-mill running again. :?

[Firefrog]

CFS is fast moving forward with these roles, the new PUA national hazmat unit of training is being developed and people are being trained in atmospheric monitoring and Mass decon.

As for Army - they do have an Incident response regiment which has very specific skills and has soldiers & military firefighters attached to it. I don't know specifics but would assume that they would be mobilised any where in the country if the need was great enough.

I think it is important (in the days will live in) for every response agency to be equipped and trained to deal with all sorts of unprecedented incidents. If we do see mass casulty incidents it will take all of us to know what to do and and do it well.

SACFS was founded on communities getting together to protect themselves from the threat of fire. Now the threat is still fire and a whole lot more. Communities still prepare to protect themselves.

[corocfs]

Does anybody else believe that when a Hazmat job escalates to a level at which atmospheric monitoring or Mass Decon (terror attack maybe?) is required, the roles should fall to Professionals, ie the army in the case of Decon?

i'd like to think that we are proffesionals... just un-paid.

[Steveg]

Just clear that one up a bit. By Professional, I mean people who are trained Specifically for the role, like the TAC guys we call on now.
This is purely a thought of mine,
sorry fot the slip-Of Course, I agree With you, firetruck, about us all being professional.

[CFS_Firey]

As far as atmospheric monitoring goes, considering the toxic gases released in house fires, even though it's SOP to always wear BA even in overhaul, It's almost duty of care for the OIC to be able to tell the resident if it safe or not to go back into their house...

and as for the Mass decontamination, members from our brigade have done it - Its only a couple of hours, and is essentially teaching them how to use the new equipment that's available. (In other words they will essentially be doing the same HAZMAT roll anyway)

[Mike]

New skills are something i look forward to learning about. Keeps life interesting.

Anyways, as for the army.... The only reason Army resourses can be used at an **emergency** incident is if all other resourses have been exhausted. Apparently even then it takes a bit to get them out.....

[oz fire]

Lets be realistic - the army - yea, for a CBR/terrorism incident yes - good call - but for a hazmat, forget it - the time it takes the squadron to be released to assist the civil community, travel, arrive and then set up, we can have the equipment that the two fire services have set up, used, packed up and going home.

WE (SA fire services) own similar mass casualty docon units to those used by the ADF and we have people trained in them - also MFS will send a team with it to assist in setting it up - it's not a big job and 4 people can do it in less an 20 mins - not allot of training requred either - just a good leader.

As for atmospheric monitoring - there are already brigades with the equipment and it's only a one day course!!!!

Once day it will be common - search the web, read some of the papers - if you knew what you were being exposed to at rural fires you would think twice, or in the area smoke (ie what falls out from the main plume)from a structure fire, bin fire, car fire and alike - atmospheric monitoring isn't hard and it's a great tool for all situations!

Steve if you guys at Eden want a good night - get Neil to approach Benrdon (Upper Sturt Capt) for an informative training night on atmospheric monitoring - it's definitely worth it and he knows his stuff - after all he is the accredited training provider :-D

[Steveg]

allright, perhaps using the army as my example was a bit far-fetched.
Obviously, from what everybody tells me, the atmospheric monitoring is not as complex as people have been led to believe. (not being a hazmat operator, i have not read the book).
If CFS brigades are going to be carrying atmos monitoring gear, and its not as complicated to use as i thought, then sure, its a great idea.

i guess it does boil down to the simple fact that we do have to keep evolving, and improving the way we do things, and learning about new products & technology.

[strikeathird]

In relation to the ADF, there would be no question as to there involvement if there was a Terror related incident, but I think MFS / CFS can suffice for most duties.

I think I read some where, that if exposed to a grass fire for more than 2 hours (breathing in smoke, etc)  , its the same as smoking for a couple of months....

Nasty stuff...   But,  some one has to do it.    :-)