MORE than 25 current and former Moorabool residents who were exposed to dangerous chemicals at the CFA’s Fiskville training centre have joined a potential class action.
The Weekly revealed in July that a report found practical areas for drill (PAD) operators were most at risk due to practices at the site from 1971-99.
A former Fiskville instructor with nearly 20 years’ experience said almost three-quarters of PAD operators were sourced locally during this time.
Slater & Gordon class action lawyer Andrew Baker said a “handful” of possible local claims were from former PAD operators.
More than 200 people connected to the facility have contacted the firm.
Mr Baker said the most common health concerns from local people were prostate, throat and bowel cancers, respiratory illnesses and auto-immune disease.
“Most of our clients were volunteers or career firefighters from all over the state,” he said.
“But of those who were locals to the Moorabool area at the time of exposure, we have a range of clients, some of them now suffering illness as a result of their exposure to Fiskville. We’re also seeing family members who have lost loved ones to illnesses that are now being linked to the training practices employed at Fiskville.”
Father-of-three Andrew Conlan, who grew up on a farm near Fiskville, believes his parents’ work at the facility had contributed to their early deaths.
“Our father was one of the PAD operators who Professor [Rob] Joy’s report recognised as some of those most at risk, and mum worked in the kitchen,” Mr Conlan said.
His father died of heart disease and his mother of bone cancer, but he didn’t realise the possible connection until late last year.
“It was always a suspicion, but this obviously strengthened when we saw the long list of people we knew well who were affected.
“The research shows that, if you’ve got any sort of pre-disposition to heart disease, which dad did, then the PAD is about the worst place you could be.”
Mr Baker said the firm had been inundated with inquiries from others exposed at Fiskville who were yet to develop any associated illnesses.
