CFA Training College, Fiskville was the training college for members of the Country Fire Authority (CFA), a large, predominantly volunteer fire and emergency service which has legislative responsibility for fire and emergencies in regional Victoria (Australia). The site is also known as Fiskville, named for Ernest Fisk, of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia).
The college was located on the site of the old beam wireless shortwave transmitter, about 10 kilometres south of Ballan.
The facility was closed permanently in March 2015 following the detection of contaminated water on the site, caused by CFA management knowingly using carcinogenic chemicals to cut costs, and the 2011 finding that the site is associated with a cancer cluster. The contamination extended to properties surrounding the training facility. After it was announced that up to 80 staff would lose their jobs, some CFA members criticised the closure and rallied to keep the site operating by requesting the government properly decontaminate the site and invest in infrastructure upgrades through use of local campaigning, social media and petitions.
History of Fiskville
The name of the property came from Sir Ernest Fisk, the Chairman of Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Limited (AWA) when the property was owned and managed by AWA and used as a long-distance radio communication station as part of the Imperial Wireless Chain. The original California Bungalow style buildings at the front of the property, built to house the station's technical staff and their families, were later used as accommodation for student firefighters. The original generator building housed the Teaching Centre, while the concrete blocks used to anchor the aerials' guy wires are still visible in multiple locations around the property.
Facilities
CFA Fiskville was used by CFA volunteers and staff for general training (both theory and practical), but had many other uses, including:
Live-in training for CFA career firefighters
Fire training for corporate clients
Some training with Metropolitan Fire Brigade firefighters
Frequently used by RAAF Airfield Firefighters from RAAF Laverton & RAAF Point Cook Base Fire Section and Fire Training School.
The Pad
The practical training area was known as the 'Pad'. On the Pad there were several different drill areas, including:
Plane crash, located rear of Bunnings shed (Big Green Shed) in Blue gums. (Search & Rescue) 3 large petrol storage tanks, Pyrose Parade (Gas fire, Search & Rescue) Large vertical refinery structure, Pyrose Parade (Gas fire, fog attack) Service station, Jolimont Road (Gas fire, car fire, fog attack, structural risk) 2 horizontal gas bullets, one vertical gas bullet, and small refinery structure, Jolimont Road (Gas fire, fog attack) Loading dock, Pyrose pde (Flammable Liquids, Gas) Running Fuel Drain Fire (Flammable Liquids, Gas) Hospital, Jolimont Road (Structure fire, Search & Rescue) Single Storey Structure, normally car under carport, 7 Tower Road (Car fire, Structural risk, Search & Rescue) Fish & Chip Shop, back of 7 Tower Road (Flammable Liquid Fire, Structure fire, Search & Rescue) Flashover Room, back of 7 Tower Road (Flashover demonstration) Double Storey Structure, Tower Road (Structure fire, Thermal layering, Search & Rescue) Multiple locations for motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and car fires Factoryette Tower Rd/Jolimont Rd - Structure attack, search and rescue
Other facilities
There were other scenarios around the grounds of Fiskville including a train derailment, training power lines, military helicopter, flammable liquids, truck fires, and an airstrip.
Some non-fire related training equipment included Urban Search & Rescue (USAR), 4WD course, and low ropes course.
There were comprehensive theory facilities including seminar rooms, urban and rural TEWT (Tactical Exercise Without Troops) rooms, and other classroom training facilities.
Fire station
Fiskville was able to operate as a de facto tin shed fire station—it had no boundaries, but responded when neighbouring brigades requested its appliances (if available). The centre ran one Type 4 SEM Scania, an Isuzu Type 3 Medium pumper (NSW Back), an Isuzu Type 3 Heavy pumper, and a 3.4D Tanker. The old 87 Hino was retired in August 2013.
