VICTORIA PARLIAMENTARY FISKVILLE INQUIRY UFU MEMBER FORM FOR RECORD OF EXPOSURES

AND INFORMATION

The Victorian Government has established an inquiry into the CFA Fiskville Training Ground which will be conducted by the Joint Environment and Natural Resources Committee. The terms of reference of the inquiry are:

1. A comprehensive historical study of pollution, contamination and unsafe

activities at Fiskville between 1970 and the present day;

2. A study of the health impacts on employees, residents and visitors between

1970 and the present day;

3. A study of the role of past and present executive management at Fiskville;

4. An assessment of the feasibility of decontamination/rectification of the training

site; and

5. Recommendations as necessary to mitigate ongoing harm and to provide

justice to victims and their families

The Committee has called for submissions and there will be public hearings and the UFU will be providing a comprehensive submission. The UFU intends to include information of UFU members’ personal accounts and experiences at Fiskville and therefore requests members that have trained or worked at Fiskville to fill out the following form and email to If you have any queries about the Inquiry or need more information about providing the relevant information, please contact Wattie Watson on or at the UFU Office. The form is attached but contains the following information:

Name Dr. Ivan Howes

Address

Email address

Telephone contact

Employer Rumbalara Aboriginal Co op

Current position/rank Case Manager

Do you agree to have this form submitted to the Fiskville Inquiry by the Yes

UFU?

Do you want your identity kept confidential? No

Dates or years attended Fiskville training ground I attended the shit hole over a ten (10) year period during which my health was exposed to risk caused by Head Office simply lack of concern. And ability to cover problems up. I think i finished duties with CFA on or around 2000

Reason for attendance at Fiskville training ground Training, Testing & Assessment

Position/Rank while attending Fiskville BASO & also when i attempted Recruit Testing

Did you undertake any hot fire training while at Fiskville? Yes

Did you come into contact with water on the training pad? Yes

Did you come into contact with water in any of the dams? Yes

Please list the areas/types of water you came into contact with:

Did you experience any medical conditions during or immediately post your attendance at Fiskville?

If yes, did you have any of the following conditions:

Yes

Stomach pains Yes

Gastro Yes

Skin rashes Yes

Infections Yes

Other

Did you seek any medical assistance for the above symptoms? Yes

Do you have records of exposure and/or medical assistance you can provide to the Inquiry?

Not sure

Post your attendance at Fiskville, did you or your partner experience any reproductive issues?

Not known

Post your attendance at Fiskville, did any of your children exhibit any symptoms or medical issues that may be attributed to exposure to toxins or contaminated water?

Not known

Do you have any personal knowledge of the quality of water at Fiskville?

Was told the dam was ok to go fishing in and or yabbying

No

Do you have any personal knowledge of the testing or management of water at Fiskville?

No

Do you have any other information that may assist the Inquiry? Yes

When i attended the training centre to attempt recruit testing i quickly became concerned at the lack of supervision and care provided by the leaders.

In particular i noticed BA masks were shared and not cleaned after each person used them. This impacted me as i had had hepatitis as a very young child.

Further to this instructors testing often walked away and took not notice of participants attempting tasking.

I noticed on the side of the drums where we were being examined for tunnel exercises that the words benzene appeared. This really frightened me. However when i raised it with the testing officer i was told to either get in and do the test or he would fail me.

His word were "either do the test or move away and i fail you"

I was aware of the dangers benzene posed and i attempted to raise this again but was told "just shut up and do the test or move away".

It had started to rain and the next test was to climb an extension ladder with BA equipment on. I noticed the ladder was not secured at either end and raised this also, refusing to do the test of climbing and descending. To this another officer came across and stopped the testing due to the rain.

Whilst in the smoke house. I was told to run across the wet concrete roof top area and look over the side and state what i seen. Again i could see the dangers in this and reported them.

Obviously i felt impacted by the lack of safety and attitude of the arrogance in the staff.

I reported the benzene sighting and the other incidents to Head Office via the Community safety Manager Jim Birch. Two days later a female safety officer with the sir name of Wood was sent to the training ground and shut the training down until changes were made.

However on my next trip to the training ground (on another training task) i walked over to the drums used for tunnel training and found they still had the benzene stickers on them. They may have had it painted on but i distinctly remember seeing the word benzene.

Please list and attach any documents that may be relevant to the Inquiry.

I may have quite a lot and will look for them

Any other comment or information?

Come talk with me on this. CFA Head Office simply tried to wipe the complaint i made under the table.

SIGNATURE (hard copy signed is being sent in the mail)

DATE: Wednesday 25th. March 2015