As you may be aware the Herald Sun recently reported on the quality of water being used for training purposes at Fiskville. We take very seriously the health, safety and wellbeing of our members and indeed all persons using the training facilities at Fiskville.
To provide certainty and comfort for all people doing live fire training at Fiskville, we made a decision last week to only use mains water until further notice.
We will keep using mains water for training while we receive further expert advice about how we best manage our water systems in the future.
Importantly, no-one from CFA has reported ill from the water used in live fire fighting training and we have been unable to verify media reports of brown and frothy water.
Independent water testing is in place and has been conducted in accordance with a water management plan adopted for use in 2009.
While we don't believe recycled water used during live fire fighting training at Fiskville has placed anyone at unacceptable risk, we acknowledge that we may need to take medium and longer term measures to ensure we have a water training system that provides people with greater confidence and certainty.
The Herald Sun report today indicates that the UFU has inferred that CFA treats volunteers poorly. These comments are offensive and not based on fact. CFA only exists on the strength of our volunteers and career staff.
As an organisation that prides itself on our volunteer backbone, we greatly appreciate the work that our volunteers do - they provide invaluable support and that is something that we, as an organisation, do not take for granted.
I am focused on dealing with the issues raised over the past weeks and months and do not want to be diverted by personal attacks raised by the UFU.
Finally, the CFA Board is in receipt of the independent Professor Joy report into historical practices at Fiskville and is considering the report. I do not wish to be drawn at this time on the contents of that report but assure all members of CFA and those who have registered their concerns, that a comprehensive and transparent action plan will be developed to address the findings.
http://www.cfaconnect.net.au/news/response-on-fiskville-water-quality.html
Mick BourkeCEO
