SA Firefighter

Plenty time Robert....they can be very boring...if you've ever had interstaters come and help us...we only give them the shite tasks to do...nothing different for us...

check the lightening tracker Robert34.....loads happening in the mid north area...and more to come in a couple of days....I think our biggest issue this summer is going to be lightening strikes...we had another start on EP yesterday in Hincks National Park...

30,000 lightning strikes hit Adelaide yesterday so its surprising that we didnt have another Black Tuesday on our hands...thankfully the bombers did their work,as well as on ground crews.90 fires were reported yesterday.

Now you boys in the SE get that BURNOVER TRAINING done

We over on EP were glad somewhere else in the state had a turn..

We had been watching the lightening and were in the blocks ready overnight but thankfully, 19,000 strikes all happened at sea....and then you guys took over...

Great effort with very little lost..good work guys..

But only for places with an automatic weather station.

I think Captcom was talking about having difficulty in getting accurate forecasts in the local area, as the AWS are few & far between, and conditions vary greatly across the area....

Pip is correct...we do all that has been suggested but our issues are that we dont have enough AWS and in the right places..

We have a lot of problems with being able to get weather forecasts in reasonable timeframes...I understand that we have to provide on ground weather conditions first but it can take up to hours for us to get a forecast back...

Does anyone else have such issues?? 

It makes it hard to plan not having the forecast to work with..

He also needs to realise that his Capt and GO's are aware of what he's posting...and they aren't impressed on any level.

Perhaps he needs to look at the mission statement and definition of community service....our role is to "protect property, life and the environment"...which can encompass many tasks..

Maybe you're right Bill....the message should change from it's time to HAVE YOU DONE IT YET??  the message is too nice and relies on people having a conscience...oh, hang on, they pay their EMS levy...that gives them the right to do nothing but expect us to be superheroes...how could I forget that..

Unfortunately people want to blame someone, sometimes in life s hit happens.
People have the attitude its not my fault the fire happened and that I was not ready.
I feel for Euan and the CFS on the West Coast. I also understand the anger from some of the public.
Lets hope the we all learn from this terrible day.

Unfortunately, too many just expect CFS to learn....there are many that haven't done any preparation...they just have unreal expectations..as I keep telling those who wish to lay blame...everyone did the best they could, we didn't start the fire and we can't control the weather when it wants to play nasty like that...

Unfortunately, it is true and there have been other threats on other people involved...

I won't make too many comments but I do know the full and true story...the police are onto it and yes, he does have some protection at present.

He is doing the best the process will allow...Darius at least knows what it's like in the coronial, he came and saw me on the stand...it's not easy..even for some like Euan..

I agree with Rescue...don't be afraid to show him our support...if some of you can, go and sit in the gallery and show your support that way..it makes a big difference.

I would prefer to have 5 bombers and the state covered than share 1 Elvis between us all...on a bad day, we might start with 2 bombers on EP and then if there's a problem somewhere else and we have a change thru..they can then respond elsewhere..

From my own personal experiences in the last 18mths+..

The VFBA do a lot without many knowing...their efforts during the coronial were above and beyond the call of duty...in particular the efforts of Wendy Shirley.  She was responsible for organising all of our legal representation, provided an open line for communication and concerns with any part of the process and was physically present in court whenever a volunteer was on the stand.

Be careful knocking what they do, just because they aren't showy about their achievements, I have the utmost respect and gratification for their efforts since Black Tuesday.

Perhaps if some of you used them as a channel for your concerns, you may have different results.. 

No did not get a copy,but lets look at this paper....Now if you attend a meeting(group/vfba/etc) and there are paid staff there and say the meeting starts at 2000hrs and ends at 2300 hrs you then drive home say 1.5hrs..as a volunteer you have to get up the next day do your normal job and the paid staff members gets time off and does not have to show up to work till later in the day now where is the logict in that??

over here Bill, we are expected to travel 2.5hrs one way just to attend the meeting...so effectively, you spend 5hrs travelling and then your meeting time...I'm banging a video conferencing drum at present..I don't agree with having an extra 6-7hrs at the end of a working day...and then having to be at work at 8.30am the next day all bright eyed...

Wasn't desperate....!!  Lincoln CFS just know if they need a crew with in 5 min that MFS are pretty quick to RES where other brigades are at least 10 - 15 min from being mobile.

Personally I'd like a second back up crew ASAP not 20 min away.

You need to remember that Rural brigades don't live 5 mins or less from their stations and aren't sitting waiting for the pagers to drop...they have lives and a living to earn...oh and by the way, the two nearest brigades are 15-20kms away...