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Fire Rescue NSW hosts AFAC PPE experts

The AFAC PPE Technical Group toured the LHD Laundry and Replenishment Facility.

CLAIRE BRENTNALL

AFAC

In May 2022, the AFAC Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Technical Group travelled to the Fire and Rescue New South Wales Emergency Service Academy in Orchard Hills for their first face-to-face meeting in more than two years. The AFAC PPE Technical Group, consisting of 20 attendees from 17 agencies across the AFAC Membership, discussed some of the key PPE issues relating to the sector.

Keep it clean: PPE laundering and replenishment

FRNSW has undertaken a significant project for its personal protective clothing (PPC) laundering and replenishment. In 2018, when FRNSW was looking at going to market for its new structural PPC and laundry requirements, it had 38,000 garments in circulation: 19,000 sets for approximately 7,000 firefighters. Back then, FRNSW was using a commercial laundry provider that worked with hospitality clothing, rather than PPC laundering specialists.

Nick Alfieris, FRNSW Director Strategic Procurement and Contract Services, presented on the fire agency’s current decontamination and PPC management system managed by LHD Laundry and Replenishment Facility in Sydney. The group took a tour of the facility, which showcased the project’s processes, successes and refinements since its inception.

The driver for the review of FRNSW’s processes was to ensure the reduction of firefighter exposure to contaminates, a challenged shared by all fire services.

While there are several different models to address contaminate exposure, most focus on the front-end process around how to remove and decontaminate the gear. They do not usually focus on how agencies can still maintain the same operational capability after the fire event.

This is where FRNSW’s model is unique compared with others; it tries to address the challenge of maintaining operational capability while still mandating that firefighters bag and tag after every fire incident. It does so through its next-day replenishment system (NDR). This model focuses on availability and quick replenishment. It allows any firefighter to go to any station at any time to scan out a clean set of structural PPC, and it has also allowed the agency to progress to a more sustainable PPC management system.

During a debrief upon return from the facility tour, the AFAC PPE Technical Group discussed sizing, quantities and timeframes, garment supplier interaction regarding repair, data collection and warranty aspects.

The AFAC PPE Technical Group was briefed on this project at every step along the way by FRNSW colleagues. Attendees found the tour and presentation extremely useful, with hands-on experience and the opportunity to ask critical questions.

Hands-on learning: FRNSW Emergency Services Academy

The following day, the AFAC PPE Technical Group took a two-hour tour of the FRNSW Emergency Services Academy, with FRNSW Chief Superintendent Kenneth Murphy (Operational Logistics) and Academy staff.

Participants experienced the state-of-the-art practical learning environment, consisting of an urban

search-and-rescue scene with an underground train tunnel, a service station prop, a five-storey tower with various fire and rescue scenarios, as well as a live fire facility.

The Emergency Services Academy is a modern training facility designed to ensure first responders have the best knowledge and skills to help the community in an emergency, no matter the threat.

This world-class resource is shared with other emergency services agencies, both locally and globally, to ensure all first responders have access to life-saving, hands-on, practical training across a wide range of areas including fire, rescue, natural hazards, hazardous material management, medical response, counterterrorism and more.

Positive feedback was received from the participants regarding both impressive tours. Outgoing AFAC PPE Technical Group Chair Arthur Tindall thanked FRNSW for facilitating the tours and hosting both the AFAC PPE Technical Group and AFAC Operational Equipment Technical Group meetings.

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1. FRNSW shared their efforts in PPE maintenance and decontamination with the AFAC PPE Technical Group. 2. The FRNSW Emergency Services Academy is a leading training facility. 3. Realistic fire and urban search and rescue training grounds are offered at the FRNSW Emergency Services Academy.

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