SA Firefighter

General Discussion => SA Firefighter General => Topic started by: Bagyassfirey on December 16, 2011, 03:03:02 PM

Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 16, 2011, 03:03:02 PM
16-12-11 16:04:38 BIRDWOOD QRV IS NOW OFF LINE AND STOWAGE HAS BEEN TRANSFERED TO BIRDWOOD 14 WHICH IS NOW ONLINE. FROM CAPTAIN - CFS Birdwood Response

Anyone know why the QRV is offline its one of the new ones isn't it?
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: kiwifirefighter on December 16, 2011, 03:09:11 PM
I think from reading a pager message yesterday, the QRV is being replaced with one of the village pumper 14's
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 16, 2011, 03:25:32 PM
yea i noticed that to... Be interesting to know if they have swapped them for good or a short term thing!

Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alex on December 16, 2011, 05:53:07 PM
Hmmmmm now to get our hands on that QRV........
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: ftstn on December 16, 2011, 08:26:16 PM
I heard there was issues with the suspension upgrade that was used, apparently it was not ADR compliant and nissan will not touch the modified vehicles when it involves warrenty work
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: JJD on December 17, 2011, 08:38:53 AM
Yes Birdwood are now proud owners of a 14 appliance (has done its fair share of work already!!). There is nothing wrong with the QRV (it will be missed!), its new home has been allocated (sorry alex) and will head there sometime next week.
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 17, 2011, 10:11:14 AM
So is the 14 better suited to birdwood or the QRV was essentially needed elsewhere.

Ya would think Birdwood be pleased with the 14 over the QRV??
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: pumprescue on December 17, 2011, 08:44:19 PM
Just trying to work out who needs a QRV unless it's a replacement for old one?
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: JJD on December 18, 2011, 01:40:19 AM
The 14 is far better suited to our brigade than the QRV, the only reason we had a QRV is that its all the brigade could afford to build back in the day and the new QRV was replacing an existing asset of the same type.

I can't say until later in the week where our QRV is going but (in MY opinion or to my knowledge) it is neither a "need" nor a replacement for an older appliance...

Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: pumprescue on December 18, 2011, 10:26:55 AM
Why am I not surprised in the slightest.......welcome to the CLOWN FIRE SERVICE.
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Zippy on December 18, 2011, 10:58:38 AM
it is neither a "need" nor a replacement for an older appliance...

That equals "Kulkami / Marama"
Title: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alex on December 18, 2011, 08:35:19 PM
So I can keep dreaming about being actually able to tackle plantation and vineyard fires effectively and quickly?
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: safireservice on December 19, 2011, 08:28:19 PM
So I can keep dreaming about being actually able to tackle plantation and vineyard fires effectively and quickly?
Like you get them every day?
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alex on December 19, 2011, 09:26:39 PM
So I can keep dreaming about being actually able to tackle plantation and vineyard fires effectively and quickly?
Like you get them every day?

Hi mate.
No not every day. But if you look at the McLaren Flat response area, approx 90% of it is either vines or plantation.

Do areas covered by a rescue get a cutout every day?
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Zippy on December 20, 2011, 10:38:05 AM
Do areas with a brand new 300,000 truck get a call every month? :P
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: JJD on December 21, 2011, 11:45:51 AM
And here's your amswer!


21-12-11 12:50:49    MOUNT PLEASANT QRV TO BE DELIVERED TONIGHT.FAMILIARISATION SESSION TONIGHT AT BIRDWOOD STATION 1930HRS. ALL MPLT MEMBERS AND GO'S ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND. - CFS Mount Pleasant Response
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: pumprescue on December 21, 2011, 01:36:54 PM
Riiiiiiiight
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Fire000 on December 21, 2011, 07:37:33 PM

Barossa Group seem to be rather happy about their new QRV acquisition.

20:50:04 21-12-11 FYI THE EAGLE HAS LANDED AND WILL TAKE UP RESIDENCE AT MT PLEASANT. BAROSSA GROUP OFFICER 21:18 21/12 - CFS Barossa Group Info

then

20:52:47 21-12-11 One small step for a Fire Fighter. One Quick attack for a Fire. - CFS Barossa Group Info


Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 21, 2011, 07:40:07 PM
Anyone would think its something SPECIAL....Personally i think there a hunk of junk!
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alex on December 21, 2011, 09:26:46 PM
Does anyone have any inside info as to what thought/reasoning at a state fleet management level was behind the move from Birdwood to Mt Pleasant?

What paperwork may have been done?

How Birdwood managed to get an upgrade from a QRV to a LT? and presumably an adjustment to SFEC?

How Mt Pleasant managed to get there SFECs upgraded to include the QRV?



All completely honest and straight forward questions.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Zippy on December 21, 2011, 09:30:16 PM
Clown fire service
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 22, 2011, 06:26:46 AM
Does anyone have any inside info as to what thought/reasoning at a state fleet management level was behind the move from Birdwood to Mt Pleasant?

What paperwork may have been done?

How Birdwood managed to get an upgrade from a QRV to a LT? and presumably an adjustment to SFEC?

How Mt Pleasant managed to get there SFECs upgraded to include the QRV?


All completely honest and straight forward questions.


Probably Nothing just a straight forward move.....
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: pumprescue on December 22, 2011, 07:37:08 AM
I remember reading somewhere that they wanted every group to have a QRV.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: JJD on December 22, 2011, 05:23:56 PM
As i have mentioned before, the 14 is far better suited to Birdwood than the QRV (my personal opinion is that a second heavy tanker would be more appropriate, however we will have to see how the 14 goes first, it may surprise us!!).

To my knowledge ex-Birdwood QRV is now a regional resource (much the same as Tanunda QRV) and although based from Mt Pleasant can be shifted anywhere at regions discretion...

I have no idea what went on at the state level, however there are some SFEC changes in the pipeline, as Birdwood and surrounding areas risks have increased substantially over the last 10 or so years.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alan (Big Al) on December 22, 2011, 05:58:01 PM
Wow wish some other brigades out there could just get a truck and see how it goes and if it doesnt work just get another one  :|
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Alex on December 22, 2011, 07:59:41 PM
As i have mentioned before, the 14 is far better suited to Birdwood than the QRV (my personal opinion is that a second heavy tanker would be more appropriate, however we will have to see how the 14 goes first, it may surprise us!!).

To my knowledge ex-Birdwood QRV is now a regional resource (much the same as Tanunda QRV) and although based from Mt Pleasant can be shifted anywhere at regions discretion...

I have no idea what went on at the state level, however there are some SFEC changes in the pipeline, as Birdwood and surrounding areas risks have increased substantially over the last 10 or so years.


Thanks mate. Thats the kind of stuff i am wondering. The local area down here has had a susbstantial increase in infrastructure, and yet the fire cover has remained in the form of a single rural/urban HT [current build 34] for years. Some background work has been done investigating applications for QRVs for plantation/vineyard firefighting plus other advantages at prangs, etc. Infrastructure is there in the form of a two bay station, we have a trailer we currently cant tow, etc, so was curious as to how a move like that is made to a brigade already sporting two HTs for a workload covered by some brigades with only one.

However, who really knows what goes on at a state level.

And as i said, still baffled as to how Birdwood [regardless of risk, which i agree is quite substantial but no differant really to our or any other Adelaide Hills area brigades area] can go from a single HT to a HT and a LT without an alteration to SFEC.

Mind you, look at some other stunning examples out there;
4 appliances at Carey Gully for an average of 40 calls a year.
A brand new 34P to Tarlee, who has 2 airsets, no HAZMAT or RCR, and only an average of 25 calls a year.
An HT and a QRV at Furner for an average 3 calls a year.

The list goes on and on.

Without meaning to just sound like im having a whinge, i would just like to know what thought process is put into appliance allocation statewide considering no substantial changes to SFECs have occured in years.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: pumprescue on December 23, 2011, 06:35:44 AM
There seems to be no plan, no reason and a lot of no idea. The allocation process over the last 18 months has been a complete and utter farce. If I ran my business the way CFS does I would be broke in no time or sacked for mis-management.

Alex at the end of the day its going to come down to your brigade doing the hard yards to justify the vehicle. Even then it might take some re-allocation within the group to get it.

The region sure as eggs won't help, they don't do anything unless pushed.

But you know that, its never been any different.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Pipster on December 23, 2011, 06:11:09 PM
Like much in the CFS, what we have in terms of appliances is often based on our own history.

Yes, Carey Gully has 4 appliances - but historically, they fundraised very hard, to get the funds funds for 4 appliances.  Their Tanker  (sorry, BW6) is 29 years old, their 24 is almost 17 years old, QRV is 18 years old, and the youngest appliance, their 14 is 11 years old - hardly a modern fleet, especially when you compare their fleet to adjoining Groups!

So ultimately, their SFEC hasn't changed since SFEC's came in.  You may not agree with it, but that's the way things appear to have happened.

We all know getting an SFEC changed is difficult - but it seems to work both ways - difficult to upgrade your SFEC, but very little down grades either

Pip
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: ftstn on December 29, 2011, 08:07:39 PM
If anyone from Birdwood is following this thread, I would lke to know what you think of the 14 once you have a bit of time with it under your belt, seems to have bounced around a little, just looking for some opinions on it

matt
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: probie_boy on December 31, 2011, 09:02:20 AM
If I may speak for a moment...

As a member of a brigade that owns a QRV, I thought I may chip in,

We have a love/hate relationship with our QRV.

Love - the speed of it, its accessability in tight areas, good setup for its size, ability for more drivers to respond in it

Hate - Setup of the cab, insufficient rear suspesion, excess weight, reduced ability to have more members respond to jobs.

Its a great truck, has its flaws, but overall I feel calling it a "hunk of junk" as Baggyassfirey has is a rather uneducated and incorrect opinion.
Title: Re: Birdwood QRV
Post by: Bagyassfirey on December 31, 2011, 11:03:03 AM
Point taken