Yesterday afternoon several media outlets around South Australia received a package containing a red USB stick.
The stick contained a file which outlayed 310 pages of Budget cuts that were to be announced tomorrow in the Treasurer's release.
The document outlines how the Government may hope to achieve its billion dollars of cuts to expenditure, in a bid to trim the costs of the state and have the Government remain profitable.
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Recommendations that involve the fire services include:
Introduce Fees for CFS Services in line with MFSIntroduction of fees for CFS alarm monitoring, false alarms and fire safety advice. The fees would be set at the
same rates as MFS so that consistent fees are charged regardless of location.
Own CFS Light Fleet Rather than LeaseCFS maintains a light fleet of over 150 4WD vehicles, such as Nissan Navaras, that are used by volunteer
officers as operational Command and Logistics vehicles in a response role and are driven on the fireground.
CFS currently leases these vehicles whereas it would be cheaper to own these vehicles as they travel relatively
low kilometres compared to the average lease vehicle and require extensive fit-out including lights, sirens,
badging, radios, bull bars, custom shelving etc. which are inefficient to change-over on relatively short leasing
periods.
CFS FTE ReductionsCFS could achieve savings by reducing its staffing levels. Savings are based on reducing its Regional staff by
3, Training by 4, Infrastructure & Logistics by 2, Operations by 2, Administration by 1 and Executive by 1.
Reverse IT connectivity for CFS volunteersIn February 2010, the Government announced $9.4m over five years to provide IT connectivity, additional
pagers and the acceleration of building and maintenance works for emergency services volunteers. This
initiative would reverse the IT component providing computers and broadband access to CFS Brigades and
Groups.
Aerial Firefighting Phase 1 - Discontinue Medium Volume HelicoptersReduce South Australia's aerial firefighting fleet by discontinuing the two medium volume helicopters and a
surveillance helicopter. Helicopters are more expensive than fixed wing aircraft.
Discontinue Annual Bushfire Awareness CampaignCFS has funding for an ongoing bushfire awareness campaign involving limited television, radio and print
advertising. The campaign seeks to remind the general public of the threat of bushfires and encourages them
to seek additional information on being prepared. Savings could be achieved by discontinuing this campaign.
Discontinue CFS Community Education ProgramsCFS has a base Community Education team of five part-time Community Education Officers that work with
local communities to provide practical advice on preparing for bushfires. Savings could be achieved by
discontinuing these programs.
Reduce CFS Regions from 6 to 3CFS currently operates 6 Regions, in order to produce savings, CFS could reduce to 3 larger Regions. Savings
would result from ceasing to lease facilities at Willaston, Murray Bridge and Port Augusta, a reduction of 6
FTEs and associated on-costs.
Surrender the space leased on Level 4 of 60 Waymouth Street AdelaideLevel 4 provides a conference and meeting room areas for the co-ordination of operations and meetings during
emergency situations including CFS press conferences. The lease ends August 2014 and there may be costs
associated with breaking the lease agreement.
Reduction in Records Management System resourcingThe emergency services sector is introducing an electronic Records Management System as currently no
formal system exists for the management and tracking of documents. This saving reduces the resources to
administer the system, train users and provide leadership in strategic records management to 1 FTE.
Discontinue the library service provided at Angle ParkThis proposal will discontinue the library service that is provided at the Angle Park Training Centre. The
reduction in 1 FTE will mean that the library will eventually close as it will not be able to function.
Reduce Assets and Procurement function (Phase 1)A reduction in 2 FTEs through a staff reduction in sector wide procurement systems located at the MFS Store
(1 FTE) and within the centralised procurement team (1 FTE).
Provision of SES Business Management service by SAFECOMThis proposal seeks to remove the SES business manager (an FTE within SAFECOM) and undertake this role
using existing SAFECOM Finance staff.
Reduce Emergency Management function (Phase 1)This saving will cease the provision of support for statewide water safety initiatives with a reduction of 0.5
FTEs. The Emergency Management function currently consists of 4 FTEs.
This position provides policy and training direction for water safety across the state and is part of a national
system which is aimed at reducing the rapidly increasing number of deaths in water areas.
Reduce staff in Public Affairs function (Phase 1)This saving seeks to rationalise and consolidate the communications and media function within SAFECOM by
reducing staff by 1 FTE. This function currently consists of 7 FTEs.
Reduce Volunteer Strategy and Support (Phase 1)This saving reduces administrative and youth support staff within the volunteer strategy and support branch
by 1 FTE. Volunteer Strategy and Support currently has a total of 11 FTEs.
...Plus many more, including closing 4 regional MFS stations, closing 20 CFS brigades, removing 3 MFS Station crews and closing 10 SES units. Many of these recommendations are listed as "lower priority", and I would hope the government doesn't cut any resourcing of the emergency services.
Read the document on the ABC news article for more info...
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