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MFS numbers in country towns

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rescue5271:
Do you think the MFS will close some country stations due to drop in numbers and that there are CFS stations in the town that can crew their appliances. I did hear murray bridge was having problems as where a number of smaller stations.

But if you look at the MFS in Mt gambier they do around 450/500 jobs a year and its still fully retain staff would it not be better to put in paid fully time day staff?

Firefrog:
This is an emotive topic for some. I personally think dual fire services in one town is quite silly. It wastes money and MFS retained does not in my opinion offer any significant service ehnancement over CFS. Having said that I don't have the answer.

I wonder if one day we will see a single state wide fire service where that service has one station in a town and depending on call volume would either be a volunteer station, a retained station or a career station.

This probably flies in the face of what volunteering is all about but maybe one day we will see a model like this. The jury is out in my head if this would be good or not.

There's always two sides to any debate and I can see how the retained guys would feel if suddenly CFS took over service delivery in some of these places and same goes for CFS.

I wonder if places with 350+ calls a year should be career stations (under what banner I have no idea) paid CFS would be interesting. :shock:

Somewhere between 150 and 350 retained and less than 150 volunteers.

As I type I come up with more issues than solutions.

As for retained stations closing due to lack of numbers - I doubt it! The United Fire Fighters Union would fight hard against that I suspect.

I think interesting times are ahead, probably will see some major changes over the next 10 years.
If we see changes lets hope it brings better service delivery and positives for everyone.

This is more of a "I have a theory post" than anything else. I don't have any insider info, just reading between the really blurry lines.

My thoughts only!! :dontknow:

kat:
Our exCaptain moved to Murray Bridge and joined the MFS auxiliary there - they seem to have a fair few members currently.

So does a town like Murray Bridge need two services or one? If one, which one :!: Do they have a need for a retained service to do the kinds of things that I firmly believe volunteers should spend minimal time doing (ie: tonnes of fixed alarm activations, private alarms). And could they do without a CFS which a) is good urban backup and b) is a central point for a large Brigade with a big population to draw volunteers from to manage rural risks around the area supported by the smaller rural Brigades). Can a volunteer Brigade in a largish country town really sustain volunteers to do some of the more mundane but totally necessary fire service and associated duties? Particularly when the service is unable to address issues such as volunteer release from employment, loss of income, child care etc, recruitment, retention etc.

And what is the difference between two services (or three) in a country town and the duplication and proximity of resources in the urban interface areas?

And rather than just focus on whether a Brigade needs to full time paid, retained or volunteer based on the number of calls shouldn't we also be looking at the risks, types of incidents attended and proximity of other resources? Does a Brigade doing 350 calls a year (many of them fixed alarm or stop type calls) with another service and three other Brigades within 20 minutes really need to be full time paid? What about a Brigade doing 50 in a small area struggling to find vollies where the incidents are high risk/rescue and the next resource is an hour away?

I am in support of all members from all services who are out there protecting their communities and assets regardless of uniform and motivation. I'm sure the vast majority of us would be happy if we can find a better way to deliver our services. I guess that is the challenge of SAFECOM.  :D

Firefrog:
See I don't have the answer :lol:

Very good points Kat!

I agree with lots of them. Of course more than just call rate should determine the type and level of emergency services. Risk level is one huge one that should not be overlooked. There are many brigades covering extreme risks with a huge lack in resources.

I find it so easy to post a simple reply on these issues but the issue is so very complex. I guess each case (town) has very different circumstances and my view is based on my experience of mostly urban fringe. There is one town that I have good knowledge of that should not have two services. But I am sure there are places where they are needed.

As for volunteers attending fixed alarms, In my view if we are providing a service then we should go to the great going jobs and also the mundane. The argument  that those guys are paid let them go (fixed alarm) doesn't cut it if you then complain when you don't get a run to one of their good jobs.

It certainly is a difficult topic.

rescue5271:
:idea:  Why could we not have MFS and CFS in one station in country towns they would work under their own banner but would work as part of a team. I know from my CFA days that paid staff and Volunteers do work and work well I should know I was  in one of those stations. Mind you a member of the VFBA says its not working and I have not had any bad feed back from my old brigade and friends that are at other staff stations where Volunteers are also stationed.

I agree we should provide a service that will be good for both the service and the community,but is it fair that just because a briagde does 250++ calls a year that we say thanks Volunteers but we are going to put in paid staff? I would say no to this if Volunteer members are willing and able to mann the appliances and are happy doing it let them. There will come a time that they will ask for help but dont close the volunteer station the union needs to see that volunteers still have roles to play in the local community I for one would like to see CFS put in a paid member in all stations that do over 150 calls a year to do the admin work like the CFA have done in Vic,and guess what the union did agree to tghis in VIC.

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