SA Firefighter

We were rated Urban/Rural (don't worry I know the difference) and this was based on the three risk ratings in special, rural and structural threat. These were developed a long time ago using complex formulae and I don't know how much work has been done on them since. Just because there are a lot of urban risks in an area doesn't mean the Brigade will be rated urban/rural - there are other factors involved like proximity of other resources. And when the prescriptions were released with the SFEC document I'm pretty sure there were only 27 - and you would be quite suprised to know who they were, I'm sure.

We have BA Brigades in the Region that do not posess a set of Nomex turnout gear. Group budgets may be accommodating $10 000 photocopiers but basic PPE is still an issue. The thing is who should be monitoring this???

In the past we had a few examples like an operator refusing to turn us out to a MVA when requested twice by police (actually told them it was a council issue). On third call argued with a Brigade member on scene who insisted we be called.

I believe these issues have been fully resolved and appreciate the excellent work being done by our current SOC staff.

There are a lot of strange ideas that will never be adpoted by CFS raised in these forums Like proper urban appliances

Gotta keep trying

Crikey I'm suprised that the extinguisher service people haven't tapped your market!!!

We had a tribe of them here competing for business and cutting each others lunches to the point they were overserviced.

Now done 12 montlhy.

Beware, the old dead wood may actually have some impact on the integrity of the structure

Lot of barriers to women in particular joining the fire service.

Mainly broad cultural and social issues not easily adressed, I think!

Be interesting to see what the survey discovers but I believe by far and away the majority of female members had male relatives or partners in the service and that is how they were introduced.

Ah, no such thing as "some RCR".

We do RCR

Good to read your informative, "chatty" post. Thanks. And that's one small SES member in your avatar

In the old days of iron on skills badges people often ended up with others overalls (BA used to have a year on it as well) complete with non removable skills badges.

A participant on a level one I was instructing on went into a fit of laughter because I had a BA badge on my overalls (which to be fair were a bit oversize - in those days overalls were hard to come by and I had to make do with what was there) saying "yeah, right, as if.."

Good way to get an instructor off side (it was my badge earned fair and sqaure)

personally i cant erven believe the topic ws raised here...

Is this because you disagree with it

I disagree with a large amount of posts on this and other forums but I'm glad they're raised and respect the views of the posters!

Although I'm sure all of us are in the service as a serious commitment to community safety, some also get a lot of enjoyment and recreation out of it and view it as a hobby and mightn't mind being out of pocket for the experience. I don't disrespect anyone who feels that they shouldn't have to be out of pocket as well as out of time, peace of mind, family harmony etc

But surely it's designed to be a general type thing?

For example if it says Tailem Bend 2nd Rescue XYZ Brigade that's an automatic type alarm but locally we know if it's 5km East then it would be XYZ Brigade, but 5 kms West and it's ABC Unit, 5kms South and it's DEF Unit, 20kms up the Mallee and it's GHI Brigade, out the other way JKL Brigade. All these locations are only covered by the "Tailem Bend" entry in the directory but realistcially there are three CFS Brigades and two SES units that may be the appropraite second rescue in the area known as "Tailem Bend" depending on which side!!! These are documented in our risk and response plans.

Providing these smaller rural Brigades with different resources is a good solution in my opinion.

I can't see the point in closing a Brigade with keen, active members.

Sure, a rural Brigade with 10 or so calls a year may not seem important but any rural fires in their current area will surely have the potential to be larger when waiting for resources from over 30km away. I also think it will place greater strain on the remaining Brigades to deliver services when they are likely already stretched.

As discussed in another post if you can only get 2 or 3 members out of these smaller Brigades it can really help to augment the "bigger" Brigade numbers particularly during "day" (work) hours.

I'd hate to see any Brigade around us go and would like to think that even if they felt that they were struggling that they'd receive support and assistance to stay rather than have the bureaucrats rub their hands together in glee But I've always been a bit naiive.

One night we had a strange call on the Alerts which was amazingly well handled by the SOC operator. At the completion of the call the SOC operator said "OK, the call came from a public phone outside the Riverside Hotel".

Awesome! Within 5 minutes we'd had stern words to some very shocked kids (and so did the local constabulary)     

Think Group size should also take into account geographical area. I know there are a lot larger Groups but I can tell you that as the former Coorong Group Training Officer, the old Group was large enough
It took me six years to deliver training in each of the stations (6 at the time). Tailem Bend to Salt Creek is about 130kms.

It is no secret that I was very strongly opposed to the amalgamation of Coorong and Coonalpyn Groups and so were very many others within Coorong Group. I certainly would have been unwilling to continue in any Group capacity in a Group that large. The Region continually put this issue on the agenda for several years and it was opposed over and over again. In the end our Group only passed it as a concession to keep my Brigade within that Group. Unfortunately a meeting of a Brigade rep from each of the 15 Brigades in Coonaplyn and Coorong Groups voted for the Regions proposal of the amalgamtion minus Tailem Bend who were relocated to Swanport Group. This was against our Brigades and Groups wishes but was passed there by those who knew nothing of our Brigade or its requirements.

On the 15 Brigade thing though - scary thing is advice was that within 5 years several of those Brigades would no longer exist (apparently would be Brigade's voluntary wishes but I have yet to find one).