A series of incidents at a central Victorian fire brigade has wide-reaching implications for the Country Fire Authority volunteers, prompting the organisation to reiterate its values.
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The series of incidents in Eaglehawk sparked an investigation which has prompted some profound questioning by the organisation about what is acceptable behaviour in volunteer brigades.
The investigation initially surrounded the treatment of a 17-year-old female volunteer by four more senior members of the brigade, including former Captain Hayden Allen.
Two Eaglehawk Fire Brigade volunteers have been suspended and one is undergoing a disciplinary process following an investigation by the CFA.
It subsequently expanded to consider a further three incidents, one of which involved the young woman being ‘restrained with duct tape to the bull bar of a fire truck’.
“The fact that there have been multiple incidents of a concerning nature is evidence of an underlying cultural issue within the brigade,” the CFA found.
The volunteer-led organisation refuted suggestions the incidents involved lighthearted ‘hazing’.
“Even if the incidents could be characterised as such, they demonstrate a culture where there is a lack of discipline and respect for all members,” the report stated.
“In fact, the nature of the incidents and their repetition indicate a culture that tolerates and condones bullying of younger and more vulnerable members of the brigade.”
According to the CFA, the incident which prompted the review was initially portrayed as ‘play fighting’ by those involved.
CCTV footage showed the “serious and potentially harmful nature of this incident,” the report said.
“The footage clearly shows that the young woman was wrestled to the ground by a male volunteer, dragged along the floor, and forced under a fire truck where she was sprayed with water.”
Mr Allen was involved in all four of the incidents, according to the report.
He has quit the CFA, but would otherwise have faced ‘serious disciplinary charges’.
A CFA source told the Bendigo Advertiser the former captain had not shown any remorse or taken any responsibility for his behaviour.
“The captain used his position of power against young volunteers and entrenched a culture of poor behaviour,” the source said.
They made it clear the individual would not be stepping into a brigade station ever again.
The Eaglehawk Fire Brigade was the primary brigade at 104 fire and rescue events in the past year.
It attended a further 79 emergencies in a supporting role.
The brigade consists of 70 volunteer firefighters – 51 men and 19 women.
It has 18 junior members, all aged under 18 years.
CFA takes aim at brigade’s leadership
The Country Fire Authority has recommended strengthening the processes for volunteer member selection and appointments to leadership positions following a series of incidents at Eaglehawk Fire Brigade.
Ten recommendations stemmed from an incident review prompted by concerns surrounding the treatment of a 17-year-old female volunteer by four older male volunteers in November.
An investigation by the CFA revealed the incident was not an isolated event, “but was in fact the latest in a series of inappropriate actions directed at the young woman and other young members of the brigade”.
A report of the investigation’s findings, which the Bendigo Advertiser has seen, recommends a CFA staff officer be temporarily appointed to lead the brigade.
The document cited ‘leadership deficiencies’ in the brigade’s recent history, with the influence of former Captain Hayden Allen on younger members ‘of most concern’ to the organisation.
“Many of these young people are at an impressionable age and were being inducted into a culture that is the antithesis of CFA values and the code of conduct,” the report stated.
“It would appear that the young members participated in the unacceptable behaviour to gain favour with the captain and be offered ‘the first seats on the truck’”.
The report also recommended a review of leadership positions within the brigade, “to ensure that they are held by members with appropriate skills and experience.”
The CFA found that senior members of the brigade had not shown leadership on a number of occasions.
It was recommended that all members of the brigade receive urgent, compulsory training on CFA values.
Banning hazing and initiations was also recommended, though the incidents of interest were not defined as such.
“In fact, the nature of the incidents and their repetition indicate a culture that tolerates and condones bullying of younger and more vulnerable members of the brigade,” the report stated.
The CFA recognised a need to clearly articulate ‘any behaviour that has the potential to harm people mentally or physically is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.’
Improving brigade support to ‘identify behaviours that reflect CFA values’ was also among the proposals.
The CFA believes a deputy chief officer should be responsible for ensuring the recommendations are implemented, and for reviewing the progress of both the brigade and the district.
The organisation’s strategic planning is also likely to reference Eaglehawk, especially regarding leadership.
Report ‘damning’: Minister backs CFA's response
FOUR incidents were at the heart of the Country Fire Authority’s investigations into the Eaglehawk Fire Brigade – all of which the organisation said involved “potentially harmful physical contact with young people.”
The CFA believes alcohol consumption, ‘low appreciation of CFA values’ and a lack of personal responsibility were contributing factors.
An incident involving a 17-year-old female volunteer and four older male volunteers, including then-Captain Hayden Allen, captured the organisation’s attention.
CCTV cameras at Eaglehawk Fire Station recorded the moment a 17-year-old female volunteer was wrestled to the ground by one volunteer, pushed by another, then dragged along the floor and forced under a fire truck, where she was sprayed with water.
“The footage depicted the apparent assault of the young woman, whilst other members observed but did not intervene,” a report on the investigations stated.
The incident occurred about 8pm on November 27, after the brigade had returned from a community event. One of the volunteers told the CFA ‘the brigade captain directed him to bring [the young woman] towards the water jets’.
“The captain operated the water jets once the [young woman] was under the truck,” the report said.
The second event occurred later that evening, and was revealed during a review of the CCTV footage.
In this instance, the CFA said the same young woman was pursued by Mr Allen, “who repeatedly flicked her with a towel”.
The young woman slipped over and fell on the ground as she tried to grab the towel from the captain.
“The captain then grabbed a set of keys attached to a lanyard from the wall and started swirling the keys near [the young woman’s] head,” the report stated.
The woman recovered, got to her feet and began flicking the volunteer who had earlier wrestled her to the ground with the same towel the captain had used against her.
That volunteer then removed his thong from his foot and chased the woman through the fire station, finally hitting her.
“The footage shows that [the young woman] reacted to this contact and appeared to be injured,” the report said.
The CFA has recommended banning alcohol consumption at Eaglehawk Fire Station and intends to review its Drugs and Alcohol Policy following an incident the day prior to the aforementioned incidents.
The Eaglehawk Fire Brigade running team had returned from a competition in Horsham.
CCTV footage shows a volunteer ‘running through the wet car park, into the fire station, with an open bottle of beer in his hand’.
The volunteer slipped on the wet floor and fell heavily on his back as he entered the engine bay, according to the CFA report.
“The CCTV footage also shows some members of the running team mingling and consuming alcohol,” it stated.
“A volunteer [a fourth individual] is seen with a bottle of scotch in one hand and a stubby holder with a can in the other.”
That evening, the CFA said three members of the running team were lifted off the ground ‘and, despite resisting, were thrown into a water trough filled with water’.
One of the volunteers told the CFA he had filled the water trough especially for that purpose.
“The group then returned to the inside of the fire station and continued drinking,” the report said.
There is no CCTV of the fourth incident, which occurred about August/September, and involved the same young woman being strapped to the bull bar of a fire truck with duct tape.
The incident was revealed to the CFA during the course of its interviews, and confirmed by both a volunteer and Mr Allen.
Both men told the CFA the incident occurred and that they were involved.
“Four members of the brigade identified as directly participating in the incident were immediately suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. This included the captain of the brigade,” the CFA stated.
The report said Mr Allen’s behaviour demonstrated “a lack of judgement and awareness of his responsibilities as a leader.”
“The behaviour did not meet the values of CFA nor community expectations,” it said.
Mr Allen has quit the CFA and declined to provide comment.
The CFA stated in its report that Mr Allen would have faced serious disciplinary action had he remained in the organisation.
Multiple misconduct and negligence charges were considered.
“In the event that he sought to return to CFA, his application to re-join would be denied,” the CFA said.
Emergency Services Minister James Merlino said the report’s findings were very clear and damning of the brigade leadership, “which allowed and encouraged such appalling behaviour.”
He believed banning the former captain from re-joining the CFA “an appropriate penalty for someone who behaved in a way that is in no way acceptable in any workplace or any community”.
Two of the other three volunteers have been charged with a single count of misconduct.
One of the volunteers has been suspended for five weeks. The other is undergoing a disciplinary process.
The other volunteer has been charged with three instances of misconduct and two instances of negligence, and has been suspended for 14 months.
All three volunteers, and an additional four witnesses, will undergo compulsory counselling and training in respectful conduct.
Investigations involving the running team members and another volunteer are ongoing.