CFA train in response

By EMMA SUN
FIREFIGHTERS from around the hills took part in a training exercise at the Silvan Water Treatment Plant recently.
The CFA members and representatives from Melbourne Water, Victoria Police, SES and Parks Victoria, formed a multi-agency group of about 100 people to work on response arrangements for an incident at an important facility.
Brigades from Montrose, Belgrave and Monbulk took part.
CFA Eastern Metropolitan Region acting operations manager Colin Brown said Exercise Vanlis aimed to allow participants to put their training and qualifications to test in a real-time environment.
The exercise, which was based around how emergency units would react to a chlorine leak, tested areas from command and control to following standard operating procedures.
Silvan brigade captain Stuart Parker said it was a good day that provided a great chance for everyone to learn more about emergency response.
“The day enabled all of the emergency services to put into practice what they would need to do on a major exercise at a major incident,” he said.
“We had members wearing space suits because in a real situation, people responding to the incident can’t be exposed to chlorine gas.”
Despite training for a highly unlikely scenario, Mr Parker said the different groups worked really well together and he was pleased with the efforts of all involved.
“The operations between the CFA and Melbourne Water worked quite well, which is why we need to do these things,” he said.
“There’s no use waiting for something untoward to happen and not have anything in place that is an appropriate way of combating it.
“It was very rewarding and an invaluable exercise for all members and participants.”