Step 1 - Report
Incident
If a local service provider or community member witnesses or becomes aware of volatile substance use (VSU) in the community, they can report it to the Central Coordinating Agency (CCA). The CCA is the agreed agency with responsibility for receiving incident reports and coordinating a response to VSU incidents.
Document
Using the VSU Incident Report Form (Report Form), document all details of the incident. Include as much information as possible.
The Report Form can either be completed by the person who observed the incident or by someone who received information from a person who observed the incident.
Complete a Report Form even if only limited details are known; for example if empty cans or containers are found but no further information is available. This information is still important as it can trigger further investigation or monitoring, discussion with community members or the source of supply (i.e. retailers or industry).
Complete a Report Form for each incident. If there are five people sniffing together you do not need to submit five different reports as it is one incident. However, if the same five people sniff on three separate occasions this would be identified as three separate incidents.
You can either note the number of incidents on one form, or report the three incidents separately if the details differ significantly. Including names on the Report Form is optional. You may choose to provide this information verbally when you are contacted by the CCA (see Step 2 – Verify).
Submit
Submit the Report Form to the CCA via fax or email as per the details on the form. Ensure that the Report Form is submitted as soon after the incident as possible, to ensure timeliness of the response.