Member Services 
VFBV URGES NEW THINKING BY CFA
VFBV’s State Training Committee is pursuing a sensible approach to a phased or pathway model of skills and experiences to allow members to train and acquire breathing apparatus use and endorsement, targeting building skills, proficiency and member confidence.
In some parts of the State, artificial limits or barriers exist for members to be accepted for training and endorsement as BA Operators due to local rules that require a member to demonstrate competence in wearing and completing Search & Rescue operations in hostile hot fire simulated assessments at CFA’s Field Training Grounds.
VFBV’s position is simple, the complete BA / S&R competence is desirable and would be mandatory for a member who is tasked to enter a structure and conduct search and rescue activities, particularly in the pursuit of protecting life and property. Our State Training Committee, supported by the State Operations Committee, is advocating for a common sense approach that would permit members to be introduced to BA along a skills acquisition and experience pathway.
Wearing BA as a modern day firefighter is no longer a specialist skill. VFBV argues that it is at the core of protection for members and capability of members to operate effectively in their fireground roles. The concept VFBV is promoting would see members introduced to the equipment at brigades and dedicated training exercises, mentored and coached through the introductory phase of care and donning of the equipment and then nurtured and encouraged to operate the equipment under supervision at fires and incidents in order to protect themselves from irrespirable atmospheres and smoke.
The ability to wear and operate BA at car fires, external structural fires, bin fires and of course grass & scrub and bushfires can only benefit the health and safety of the member and allow them to grow in confidence in the use of BA prior to any escalation of use in internal structural environments.
This would encourage members to wear and operate the equipment over a considerable introductory period under Brigade, Group and training instructor supervision until such time as they agree and are deemed ready to take up internal structural firefighter training.
Cost and opportunity barriers for brigades to nominate members to undergo familiarisation and assessments at CFA’s Field Training Grounds, plus the relatively low success rate (not to mention the dent to members’ confidence) could be mitigated by CFA adopting the approach VFBV is promoting.
A copy of the BA Pathways – Phased Approach to Competency VFBV Decision Paper is attached for download and brigade and member feedback.
