SA Firefighter

What else are they going to find when the hospital moves ?

I have never laughed so hard in my life numbers....

Why
Is the issue equipment or the new training techniques ?

http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/farrell/2011/mr20110719.html

A vertical wind profiler, which replaces upper air wind observations using weather balloons, has been installed as part of a new, purpose-built meteorological office at Ceduna on South Australia’s west coast.

Officially opening the new Bureau of Meteorology office today, Senator Don Farrell, Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water said Ceduna is the first of nine offices nationally to receive the new wind profiler.

"This new vertical wind profiler enables continuous reporting of winds from 300m to 5km above the station," Senator Farrell said.

"Traditionally, upper atmospheric wind data are collected using weather balloons, released up to four times per day. The new wind profiler can produce vertical wind profiles every 30 minutes, greatly improving the ability to monitor storms and weather systems, and support accurate and timely forecasts and warnings.

"It allows the weather radar to provide a 24-hour continuous weather watch for the region, without having to switch to weather balloon tracking mode for several hours each day."

The $3.1 million new Ceduna office is part of a total federal funding investment of $34 million to upgrade 12 of the Bureau’s oldest meteorological offices across Australia, bringing them in line with the most sophisticated observations stations in the network.

Senator Farrell said the Ceduna weather station had also received an upgraded radar on a taller tower – at a height of 16 metres – which enables continuous weather surveillance over a greater range, out to approximately 150km.

"The new wind profiler and radar provide enhanced weather information of vital importance for South Australia. They also enhance the Bureau’s national network of observations across land, sea and air," Senator Farrell said.

"The new facilities help forecasters understand the weather in an area of Australia where data have been relatively sparse. The facilities will provide valuable information through the Bureau’s website for the benefit of industry, the aviation and rural sectors, local emergency services and the general public."

Operating since 1939, Ceduna is one of about fifty stations in Australia that are part of a global network of surface and upper air monitoring stations feeding data into sophisticated computer models.

The new facility has been designed to be environmentally sustainable and withstand the extreme weather conditions expected on South Australia’s west coast.

STRAPS - well written and sounds a great idea.

In case anyone is interested and not heard about them.

The National Disaster Rescue Competitions are being held this weekend (9th & 10th July) in Adelaide.

From http://www.ses.sa.gov.au/site/news_media/events/national_disaster_rescue_competition_2011.jsp
eight teams from '...around the country being put through their paces in a series of eight staged emergency situations including an entrapment, a mass casualty exercise and a rescue from heights.'

Tea Tree Gully SES Unit is representing South Australia after they won the state competition a few months ago.

I believe the teams from interstate arrived today.

Hopefully we will get some coverage in the media.

The standard call taker in SES SCC would advise the person to CONSIDER (we cant order them) to switch off power at the fuse box, warn others in area and prepare to get out of the building to a relative/friends house.

We also try to determine if the household power from house to street wires are affected. If so, ETSA is notified to assess disconnecting from street pole.

Telephone wires are not so much of a risk, but can be dangerous recoil if snapped.

I suspect people many stay & wait...but debris falling through the ceiling if the roof did lift off with exposed wiring is dangerous.

Hopefully the emergency crew in Uniform can advise them. You have a lot of influence when you stand in uniform in front of them. This includes calming the people, visually asses any health issues (cuts, heart, stress, disabilities, etc).

I am not sure if crews would have time during a storm to door-knock other places that could be affected if the roof came off by where it would land.

A few calls last night described constructed roof debris landing 20m away from the original house and then broken debris beyond that.

The other aspect is to determine 'what is the roof made of' & what insulation is in the ceiling....if asbestos involved & broken....a new set of OHS&W risks to crew & the public.

My personal opinion only

If you applied this to training night (not social) then it could work.

Is that the building sharing with Remark SES Unit ?

Some info on the USAR training standards
http://www.ema.gov.au/www/emaweb/emaweb.nsf/Page/FundingandGrants_Projects_UrbanSearchandRescue(USAR)Training?open&query=usar

Quote from: tft on May 09, 2011, 05:30:57 PM

A knife, that will not help too much.
Now if you had a Leatherman will Pliers, it might help some more.

Depends how good a knife it is mate. Most decent blades will go through light gauge wire easily....

Re cutting wire with a knife.... how do you know it is not a live electrical wire that you are about to cut through ?

Ethernet cable for computers is normally 8 core and telephone cables are normally minimum 4 core.

So yes your knife would get through some of the cores, but it would a few hacks before you got through all cores in a single cable.

If you had a major cable run in a false ceiling come down, then you could be dealing with 20 ethernet cables in a bundle. Anymore and I would hope that the cabler used a support tray.

Just some thoughts....

Also in other youth organisations, they have the requirement for male & female leaders if both genders are in the youth group.

Great YouTube videos

Congrats to all seven teams competing. I viewed the stands on Sunday & was amazed at the complicated scenarios. Add in wet weather & it is amazing what the crews can do safely.