Berkeley Vale will be home to one of the 19 new hazardous materials (HAZMAT) vessels being rolled out to Fire and Rescue NSW units across the state.
The vessels will help limit oil, diesel and other pollutant spills at inland waterways and each vessel can tow and deploy absorbent and containment booms to limit hazardous spills.
They also carry specialised equipment designed to contain and recover contaminants, reducing environmental harm during an incident.
The vessels are fitted with advanced emissions technology using the most efficient controls available to help minimise their environmental impact.
The new locally made vessels replace a 15-year-old fleet and offer larger and more stable platforms for crews to operate from.
They are strategically located around NSW to be deployed at any time with response times of under two hours.
Three vessels already have been delivered to locations in Bathurst, Newcastle and Shellharbour, while additional units will be delivered to Batemans Bay, Berkeley Vale, Broken Hill, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Eden, Goonellabah, Leeton, Lithgow, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Tweed Heads and Wagga Wagga over coming months.
Operators of the HAZMAT vessels undergo rigorous training, ensuring crews are prepared for complex incidents.
Training is planned for teams in Berkeley Vale by the end of the year with the remaining boats to be rolled out by June 2025.
The $1.58M fleet is part of the NSW Government’s $18.6M investment in Fire and Rescue NSW’s Fleet Replacement Program 2024/25.
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