Life membership and other awards

[David]

The other evening a couple of our members were discussing life membership and what qualifies you for this.  The big discrepancy seemed to be, who you get life membership of.  Is it the brigade or is it the Country Fire Service.
Whilst on this topic why does it still fall to the brigades to nominate people for the National medal, considering we now have TAS can't that be an automatic thing.
Would be very interested on other peoples thoughts about this and a direction to written proof for the first one if that exists.

Cheers

[rescue5271]

Its life membership of CFS not that brigade. CFS dont have enough staff to do awards so its the brigade's job to do it and its not that hard has you said we have TAS so all the information is there. There are rules before you can award life membership some say its 20 or 25 years of non stop service so make sure you check first...

[6739264]

I have been led to believe that you can be both a life member of the Country Fire Service and get a groovy medal, AND a life member of a given brigade and thus get your name up in lights on the Honour Board. Although I would assume that the second is more upto individual brigades.

[mengcfs]

Life Membership is not for Brigades...As Bill said it is for the Organisation.  Some Brigades do choose to create an honour board for those members who have obtained Life Membership of the organisation in their Station.

[David]

Well thats cleared a bit of that up, thought it would be of the CFS, bit unfair on those that have to move etc.  As for not enough staff, how were all the 10, 20, 30 year medals done.
As I understand it the National medal is awarded after 15 years diligent service, it concerns me that it then gets left to a couple of volunteers in a brigade to grant it.  Surely there is a way this can be flagged on TAS some how at least.  We are always looking at why we can't keep members and awards are a good way of recognising their committment.
I do have to admit my interest here, I was awarded the national medal last year after 23 years active service.  I really don't want to see other having to wait so long.

Cheers

[6739264]

As I understand it the National medal is awarded after 15 years diligent service, it concerns me that it then gets left to a couple of volunteers in a brigade to grant it.  Surely there is a way this can be flagged on TAS some how at least.

Why make it automatically flag you on TAS when the award may not be deserved? The national medal should be earned, not a "Thanks for having your name on the books for 15 years" sticker.

[Pipster]

As mentioned, the national medal is an award for diligent service, not simply a time served medal, which is why it needs to be on application, not automatically given.

The new CFS medal is a service medal...so when you have reached the relevant time, you get the medal, no application etc required.

And this is one of the reasons that brigades should carefully check their membership lists, and avoid having members given 10 year medals, and no one in the brigade knows who they are!!

Pip

[Bagyassfirey]

My opinion :- The medals are a great waste of money! Yes have them for people and brigades that want them, but dont force it upon those who dont!

Life memberships are a pretty big thing and should never be just handed out willy nilly a lot of thought needs to go in to it!

Cheers

[bajdas]

I believe that SAFECOM staff were going to advise CFS & SES when volunteers became eligible for the awards. I think this was part of the Volunteer Support & Recognition strategy.

When the CFS or SES were notified, then they had an option to formally complete the application.

Because of the staff cuts in SAFECOM, I think this is one of the extras that would save volunteers time, that has now disappeared.

I wonder what other 'extras' that was saving volunteers time is now lost !!

** Personal thoughts & opinions only **

[mengcfs]

As I understand it the National medal is awarded after 15 years diligent service, it concerns me that it then gets left to a couple of volunteers in a brigade to grant it.  Surely there is a way this can be flagged on TAS some how at least.

Diligent Service is flagged in TAS...well at least attendance at Incidents anyway.

[pumprescue]

We have several members with life membership awards that have been in other brigades, although some of those approaching 20 years aren't sure they want that life sentence !!