Statement on changes to PPC cleaning contracts

Published:
Wednesday, 23 December 2020 at 10:40 pm

The safety of the community and our firefighters is FRV’s highest priority. 

From 1 January 2021 all personal protective clothing (PPC) used in FRV’s firefighting operations that contains fire rated materials will be laundered through a certified provider.

This ensures the protective capabilities of the garments are properly maintained, and that all contaminants FRV firefighters may be exposed to during emergency response are removed safely. 

A centralised and certified service will ensure consistency, and provide the highest level of safety for the community who handle PPC, and our firefighters who rely on these garments to keep them safe.

 

Background: 

  • While FRV was established on 1 July 2020, the transition of contracts and some other resources is still underway and the changeover of laundering arrangements between agencies occurs from 1 January 2021. 
  • Arrangements with vendors who previously delivered this service to career fire stations were established by CFA and will remain in place until 1 January 2021.
  • FRV has ensured regular communication with CFA on this matter, and formally notified CFA of this change in early September 2020. 
  • CFA continues to have responsibility for the laundering arrangements for CFA volunteer PPE.
  • The total garment management contract (inclusive of garment procurement, laundering, contaminant testing, couriering and distribution, warehousing, and garment decommissioning) for FRV will deliver efficiencies in the order of approximately $300,000 per year.

Updated