Roles and Responsibilities

As a HAZMAT brigade we are required to respond to emergency incidents involving the spillage or leak of a hazardous material. The CFS, as nominated in government policy, is the designated Combatant Authority for hazardous materials incidents in area of responsibility. This means the accountability for dealing with the incident, and ensuring the incident site is made safe (normalised).

Together with HAZMAT, we are required to respond to incidents involving potential Chemical, Biological or Radiological (CBR) hazards. This has required operators to be skilled in new procedures ranging from management of a CBR incident to courses in monitoring hazardous atmospheres and mass decontamination.