New 14

[Wagon 1]

Looking through the Volunteer mag and saw a picture of the new 14. Now I thought the idea of a 14 was to be a small vehicle to get into places a 24 wouldn't. Did you see the size of the thing, with all the safety measures on it the thing is nearly as tall as a Hino 24. I think the crew haven is a bit of overkill on a 14 like that, what are others thoughts?

[backburn]

I saw the new 14 for Monash in the mag and it looks more sporty, it should go well in and around the low trees, tight places.

[oz fire]

The canter is a nifty truck, they are nice to drive and are half way between the size of a 24 and a QAV/traditioanl 14. Good for terrain work and where you want good crew numbers - ie in the hills however not as good in the low mallee scrub we have alot of and not as manoverable on running grass fires as the light Landcrusiers aor Patrols. The Canter stle are also great as a second appliance, where crew numbers may not be as high, or where additional equipment is required.

The new one for the Chaffey Group (Monash) will be great. Far better for the tight tracks on the river and also through the mallee parks, the pump configuration and automatic hose reels are awsome and should be very, very effective - would be great to see some more of these for the Park/Mallee areas (Upper S/E) Mallee, KI, Riverland, West Coast, Flinders etc.

I also belive this style of vehicle was through direct consultation with the brigade and group - an attempt by CFS to build an appliance to meet the needs and requests that have come in over years - also similar in size to the NPWS pigs/14s!

Hopefully someone from one of the brigades can give us some feedback after they have been used.

[Wagon 1]

I was talking about the new Canter 14, not the landcruiser LR (another name change from QAV). The roll down crew awning makes the thing look like a monster, its huge. I just wondered has that now made the appliance obselete because the idea of a small vehicle is really non existent.

[Robert-Robert34]

I think that one of those new CFS Rural Light Tray 14 QA vehicles would be a big benefit for Kalangadoo CFS as all of our callouts during fire season/summer are to grass,scrub,haystack and forest fires

By having a Light Rural Tray 14 unit to co-inside with our current 34 appliance Kalangadoo brigade volunteers such as myself who dont have a MR licence and turn up first on reciept of a pager call can respond and first and try to knock the fire down then call for Kalangadoo 34 as back up

[Wagon 1]

That brings up a good point Robert, in the COSO's it states that a minimum of a CFS type 22 should be the initial response, yet we have brigades with only 14's? Go figure that one.

[Robert-Robert34]

Thats very true David and plus a Light Rural Tray 14 QA unit would look good in the Kalangadoo fire station as Kalangadoo 34 is our main response unit which is a real pain during fire season because of our drivers sometimes not being able to get to the shed on receipt of a pager call leaving us non MR licensed brigade members high and dry

By having a Light Rural Tray 14 QA unit based in Kalangadoo fire shed would enable brigade members such as myself who dont hold a MR licence and arrive at the shed first to respond and try to contain the fire before it gets worse

[rescue5271]

Robert may be your brigade should ask for a new 14 but just remember that you may lose the 34 so dont be to fast to ask for one. but if you think that you need it and that you can mann it better than the 34 go for it.

[Robert-Robert34]

It would be real good to have a 14 unit in our station rescue5271 but i think we'll more likely lose or have to move the pump trailer out of bay 2 so that our shed can accommodate for 2 vehicles

There is that chance we might lose Kalangadoo 34 in exchange for Kalangadoo 14 but theres a likely possibility that we'll keep our 34 appliance and Kalangadoo Light Rural Tray 14 will be designated for the brigade members who dont have a MR licence and are first down the shed on receipt of a callout

You are right rescue5271 i should ask the CFS CEO if Kalangadoo can have a LRT 14 QA unit but maybe i'll put that on the brigade wish list and see what our GO&DGO say

[OMGWTF]

but can 2 appliances really be justified for a station that averages about 10 jobs a year?

[Robert-Robert34]

I dont think so OMGWTF but if the fire season/summer is really busy we average about 20 or so callouts and some of those callouts are large scale grass or bushfires by having a LRT 14 unit based at Kalangadoo station would not only enable brigade non MR drivers to use it, but to also respond and contain a fire before it gets worser

I'm aware that Penola & Millicent are RCR and Hazmat brigades but i cant see any reason why Kalangadoo cant have a LRT 14 QA unit as all of our jobs are grass fires on farming properties and scrub fires in scrub land

[OMGWTF]

i agree that it would be great for your area, by the sounds of your call outs, id love to see one in our station 

just saying, that there seem to be a lot of stations out there with more appliances than they really need...

[Robert-Robert34]

Well Penola & Millicent have a right to have 2 or 3 appliances as they are RCR & Hazchem brigades but you are right OMGWTF some rural brigades have what you call overkill by means of having 2 or 3 appliances when they only have a small area to cover

Whereas with our brigades we have large areas of agriculture, forestry and conservation parks to look after seeing the necessary need for LRT 14 QA units to be issued to the brigades

On numerous occasions when Kalangadoo was paged to an emergency the truck refused to start for unknown reasons therefore disabling our response and this would have been avoided if we had 14 QA unit in bay 2 as a couple of brigade members could have responded while the truck was being fixed

Which brigade are you from OMGWTF and how much response area do you have to look after is it similar or same to Kalangadoo

[Wagon 1]

I guess you have to be realistic and say that for the amount of calls and the odd time something goes wrong can you really justify a LR/14, but if you really think you need one then buy all means get your Captain and Officers to re-write your SFEC's and submit them to your group for submission to the Region.

[strikeathird]

I dont think so OMGWTF but if the fire season/summer is really busy we average about 20 or so callouts and some of those callouts are large scale grass or bushfires by having a LRT 14 unit based at Kalangadoo station would not only enable brigade non MR drivers to use it, but to also respond and contain a fire before it gets worser

I'm aware that Penola & Millicent are RCR and Hazmat brigades but i cant see any reason why Kalangadoo cant have a LRT 14 QA unit as all of our jobs are grass fires on farming properties and scrub fires in scrub land

According to the stats ur brigade averages 8.6 calls a year.....  Since 98 I think the highest yearly total was 13....?  Unless some one isn't putting all the incident forms in.....?

[Toast]

Perhaps rather than gun for a new appliance, see if you can get more MR drivers trained?

[strikeathird]

I know of some programs where CFS paid for the driver training...

Alot more cost effective than trying for a new appliance... Possibly alot more successful too.

[backburn]

Not to sure about that we have been trying to get more MR Licenses for our brigade for about 2 years no luck yet. We have three to go for test but they can not afford to do it themselfs.

[Robert-Robert34]

I looked into going for my MR licence through TLC in Mount Gambier but found out it cost more than i get paid fortnightly by centrelink

By having a LRT 14 QA unit to co-inside with our current appliance Kalangadoo 34, being that im always first to Kalangadoo base on receipt of a callout i can wait around for another brigade volunteer to rock up then roll in Kalangadoo 14 to the incident and if required call for Kalangadoo 34 to respond 

Like i said before in my earlier post our brigade has alot of agricultural area to cover so having a 14 QA unit would make a big difference as the fire could be contained in it's early stage rather than after it gets worse

[kat]

Talk to your Regional Training Officer.

Funding is available for this critical and necessary training.

If we can't get the appliances out of the door it doesn't really matter what other training we may have done.

[OMGWTF]

managed to get our group to fund $700 worth of lessons towards mine and others truck liscences.

[Andrew]

Hi,

Some time soon the 14 Appliances will be ready for delivery.

Those in the know realize a lot has been going on since the completion of the appliances - the first evaluation and then the request for an alternative diesel fire pump, instead of the original petrol powered fire pump.

Work should be completed some time soon, and the roll out of the 14s will commence.

Andrew

[Robert-Robert34]

Thanks for that update on the new LRT 14 QA units Andrew and do you know what regions will be taking delivery of the new LRT units as i sure hope Region 5 is one of the regions

[strikeathird]

Hi,

Some time soon the 14 Appliances will be ready for delivery.

Those in the know realize a lot has been going on since the completion of the appliances - the first evaluation and then the request for an alternative diesel fire pump, instead of the original petrol powered fire pump.

Work should be completed some time soon, and the roll out of the 14s will commence.

Andrew

Jeepers Creepers!  They didn't seriously come out with a Petrol powered pump did they ?

[Toast]

Yes! Don't worry, we're the Country Fire Service!

I mean really, when CFSHQ make those kinds of decisions, what hope have the rest of us got...