SA Firefighter

Anyone looking for a job in SES, this is your chance.

DEPUTY CHIEF OFFICER, SA STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE
(CONTRACT APPOINTMENT) (Advt)  EXA
 Vacancy No. C5739/2012     
  Duties: As an executive member of the State Emergency Service, the position is responsible for leading, managing and developing career and volunteer staff and providing strategic leadership to the emergency management sector as well as providing leadership in the development and implementation of emergency management arrangements at both state and national levels. The position is accountable to the Chief Officer for the operational preparedness and response capabilities of the service and for the development and maintenance of risk specific contingency plans, and ensures the provision of effective support and recovery services for the well being and future readiness of it's members. The position contributes to the development, implementation and maintenance of strategies, policies and plans necessary to ensure effective holistic service delivery by SES, as well as provides leadership to the SES business excellence framework. 
Special Conditions: Please refer to the attached Position Description. 
Location: Adelaide CBD (Adelaide) 
Award: SA Govt Wages Parity (Sal) Enterprise Agree 2010 
Eligibility: Non-Public Sector Employees May Apply 
Department: State Emergency Service (Executive Services) 
Further Information: www.ses.sa.gov.au 
Enquiries to: Mr C Beattie, Chief Officer, SES, SES, telephone 8463 4174, email [email protected] 
Applications to: SAFECOM Vacancies, SAFECOM, GPO Box 2706, Adelaide, 5001, telephone 8463 4081 , email [email protected] 
Note: Appointment to this position will be on a contract basis of up to 5 years. Applications must address the Essential and Desirable Criteria as listed in the Position Description and contain a CV listing 3 current referees. Position Descriptions are available from SAFECOM Human Resource ph. 8463 4081 or via e-mail. 
Closing Date: 31 Aug 2012 
 

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/cfs-volunteers-fall-by-thousands/story-fn6bqvxz-1226397195871

THE state's army of Country Fire Service volunteers is at its lowest level in at least a decade, amid warnings of a hotter, drier summer.

CFS numbers have fallen from 16,419 in 2002 to 13,682. That is a drop of almost 17 per cent as of Tuesday.

In the past year alone, the service has lost 861 volunteers - the biggest annual drop in the past 10 years, according to figures obtained by The Advertiser.

As a result, the CFS is struggling to find adequate crews for day shifts within 100km of Adelaide. The demands of employers, the struggling economy and an ageing population are being blamed for the sharp drop.

Experts have called for financial incentives to entice more people to the service as the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a return to an El Nino weather pattern over spring and summer.

CFS Volunteers Association president Roger Flavell told The Advertiser  that falling volunteer numbers had been a concern for years - but little had been done by the State Government to address the worsening problem.

"We've been concerned for the past few years about the falling numbers and the significant ageing demographic of CFS volunteers," he said.

"If the State Government had to replace CFS volunteers with paid services the cost would be astronomical, yet they are very reluctant to give us a whole lot more support."

When The Advertiser requested an interview with CFS chief officer Greg Nettleton about the issue, it was directed to Emergency Services Minister Jennifer Rankine.

She said the fall in volunteer numbers had not had a noticeable effect on response capability, saying programs were in place to attract and retain volunteers.

"The state's Fire and Emergency Service Volunteer Support Branch has two recruitment and development officers who work with individual brigades to retain volunteers, while assisting with recruitment," she said.

"In the recent State Budget, the Government announced funding of $2.6 million over four years for nationally endorsed training for CFS and SES volunteers."

Mr Flavell said the falling numbers had not placed the CFS at crisis point but said rostering issues for day shifts within 100km of Adelaide were apparent.

"It's definitely a concern (and) because of those falling resources, it seems to be getting harder to get people to travel to other areas on strike teams."

La Trobe University School of Psychological Science Adjunct Professor Jim McLennan, who has studied volunteer retention and attraction in all country fire services in Australia, said it was a difficult issue to address.

"Nobody quite knows what to do, simply because there is not one obvious golden bullet answer," he said.

Prof McLennan said if the trend continued, financial incentives might be needed to attract volunteers.

"There has never been any political will anywhere to do something," he said.

Mr Flavell said there were many issues contributing to falling numbers of volunteers and he couldn't single out one reason why numbers were increasingly falling. "One of the things is the ageing population," he said.

Hahndorf CFS captain Terry Hall, who has volunteered with the service for 26 years, urged people to get involved.

"It's open to all ages providing you are capable of doing the job," he said.

"You can be part of a group of people looking to help others and dedicated to the same outcome of protecting the community."

Mr Flavell said the CFS "desperately needs younger people to be involved".

Region 1 has lost another two staff, the money at Adelaide Fire must be real good to jump ship

Interesting read
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/ego-fuelled-poor-fire-culture-fire-boss-20110930-1l0ud.html

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/fire-service-cuts-put-lives-in-danger/story-e6frea6u-1226097183452


STAFF and fund cuts for emergency services will risk lives and properties in the bushfire season, it has been claimed.

An unexpected $2 million slashed in the State Budget from SAFECOM - the government body supporting the Metropolitan Fire Service, State Emergency Service and Country Fire Service - by Emergency Services Minister Kevin Foley has angered and frustrated volunteers.

Just 58 SAFECOM staff, down from 110 last year, are left to support 14,500 CFS volunteers and the state's 1700 SES volunteers. That will fall to 47 next financial year through attrition and redundancies.

CFS Volunteers Association executive director Wendy Shirley and SES executive officer Susan Caracoussis said the changes would hit volunteer support and training, where help was needed most.

"The cuts are too savage and the decision was not based on an audit or evidence, it's just an arbitrary decision by the minister," Ms Shirley said. "We (CFS) are already way under-staffed, but now the jobs SAFECOM can no longer do, will fall to our volunteers."

The agencies' volunteers share some training and services and Mrs Caracoussis said some "frustrated" SES volunteers had quit recently.

Six country CFS recruitment and support staff were replaced by Adelaide-based officers, who also handle recruiting and training in rural communities on a "fly-in, fly-out basis".

"We need more volunteers, but the capacity to recruit them has been cut," Ms Shirley said.

Asked by Liberal MP Daniel van Holst Pellekaan if cuts were based on "best operation" practices, Mr Foley told a parliamentary committee earlier this month: "I just thought it was a reasonable number" based on his state treasurer experience.

Quizzed if he provided "leadership" by deciding where cuts should occur,

Mr Foley said: "That's government, mate; it's hard decisions."

Mr Foley said staff reductions meant more could be put to "frontline" services and an extra $2.1 million over four years would go to additional resources and accreditation courses for volunteers from both agencies.

He added the State Budget had also allocated $2.5 million over the next four years for improvements at the State Emergency Information Call Centre.

The new IVECO heavy pumper in New Zealand, coming to a brigade near you.....fact or fiction

A Blonde was sent on her way to Heaven. Upon arrival, a concerned St Peter met her at the Pearly Gates. 'I'm sorry, 'St Peter said; 'But Heaven is suffering from an overload of godly souls and we have been forced to put up an Entrance Exam for new arrivals to ease the burden of Heavenly Arrivals.'

'That's cool' said the Blonde, 'What does the Entrance Exam consist of?'
'Just three questions' said St Peter.

'Which are?' asked the Blonde.

'The first,' said St Peter, 'is, which two days of the week start with the letter 'T'? The second is 'How many seconds are there in a year'?
The third is 'What was the name of the swagman in Waltzing Matilda?'
'Now,' said St Peter, 'Go away and think about those questions and when I call upon you, I shall expect you to have those answers for me.'
So the Blonde went away and gave those three questions some considerable thought (I expect you to do the same).

The following morning, St Peter called upon the Blonde and asked if she had considered the questions, to which she replied, 'I have.'
'Well then,' said St Peter, 'Which two days of the week start with the letter T?'
The Blonde said, 'Today and Tomorrow.'
St Peter pondered this answer for some time, and decided that indeed the answer can be applied to the question.
'Well then, could I have your answer to the second of the three questions' St Peter went on, 'how many seconds in a year?'
The Blonde replied, 'Twelve!'
'Only twelve' exclaimed St Peter, 'How did you arrive at that figure?'
'Easy,' said the Blonde, 'there's the second of January, the second of February, right through to the second of December, giving a total of twelve seconds.'
St Peter looked at the Blonde and said, 'I need some time to consider your answer before I can give you a decision.' And he walked away shaking his head.
 
A short time later, St Peter returned to the Blonde. 'I'll allow the answer to stand, but you need to get the third and final question absolutely correct to be allowed into Heaven. Now, can you tell me the answer to the name of the swagman in Waltzing Matilda?'
The blonde replied: 'Of the three questions, I found this the easiest to answer.'
'Really!' exclaimed St Peter, 'And what is the answer?'
'It's Andy.'
'Andy??'
'Yes, Andy,' said the Blonde.
This totally floored St Peter, and he paced this way and that, deliberating the answer. Finally, he could not stand the suspense any longer, and turning to the blonde, asked 'How in God's name did you arrive at THAT answer?'
'Easy' said the Blonde, 'Andy sat, Andy watched, Andy waited till his billy boiled.'

And the Blonde entered Heaven...!

... you're singing it now, aren't you…??

For those that have not seen it before the episode of "Inside The Firestorm" will be showing on ABC2 at 21:30 hrs tonight.

The First Christmas Joke - and it's Scottish..........

A man in Scotland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says,
"I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough".

"Dad, what are you talking about?'" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer", the father says.   "We're sick of each other and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her".

Frantically, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone, "Like hell they're getting divorced", she shouts, "I'll take care of this".   

She calls Scotland immediately and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing,  DO YOU HEAR ME?"and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife.
"Done! They're coming for Christmas - and they're paying their own way."

The Harley-Davidson Facts

The inventor of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle, Arthur Davidson , died and went to heaven.

At the gates, St. Peter told Arthur. 'Since you've been such a good man and your motorcycles have changed the world, your reward is, you can hang out with anyone you want to in heaven.'

Arthur thought about it for a minute and then said, ' I want to hang out with God.'

St. Peter took Arthur to the Throne Room, and introduced him to God.

God recognized Arthur and commented, 'Okay, so you were the one who invented the Harley-Davidson motorcycle? '
Arthur said, 'Yeah, that's me...'

God commented: 'Well, what's the big deal in inventing something that's pretty unstable, makes noise and pollution and can't run without a road?'

Arthur was a bit embarrassed, but finally spoke, 'Excuse me, but aren't you the inventor of woman?'

God said, 'Ah, yes .'

'Well,' said Arthur, 'professional to professional, you have some major design flaws in your invention !

1.There's too much inconsistency in the front-end suspension
 
2.It chatters constantly at high speeds

3. Most rear ends are too soft and wobble about too much

4. The intake is placed way too close to the exhaust
5. The maintenance costs are outrageous!!!!

'Hmmmmm, you may have some good points there,' replied God, 'hold on.'

God went to his Celestial supercomputer, typed in a few words and waited for the results.

The computer printed out a slip of paper and God read it.

'Well, it may be true that my invention is flawed,' God said to Arthur, 'but according to these numbers, more men are riding my invention than yours'.


 

SACFS & SACFS crews have responded to a reported school fire a short time ago.

On crews being dispatched they were advised that Adelaide Fire had received multiple 000 calls for the incident.

Additional appliances were requested by Salisbury 34P enroute to the job.

MFS: *CFSRES INC064 05/01/10 21:35,RESPOND SCHOOL FIRE,KENSINGTON WAY,BURTON MAP 60 C 12 TG102,MULTIPLE CALLS,SLSB19 SAL321 SAL329 CFS Salisbury Response

MFS: *CFSRES INC064 05/01/10 21:39,RESPOND SCHOOL FIRE,KENSINGTON WAY,BURTON MAP 60 C 12 TG102,MULTIPLE CALLS TG155,ELZ331 ADL205 CAR031 DALK19 VIRG19 JAMSON ADL206 MFS Stn 20

21:50:29 05-01-10 INC 64 Burton Primary School, Kensington Way Burton. CFS area, 1st Alarm B Risk from the MFS, D/O Uren Attending, Multiple 000 Calls. MFS Car 31

Appliances in attendance

Adelaide Car 22
Adelaide Car 31
Adelaide 205
Adelaide 206
Dalkeith 34P
Elizabeth 331 released enroute
Salisbury 321
Salisbury 329
Salisbury 34P
Salisbury 24P
Virginia 34P

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26449023-5006301,00.html

VOLUNTEER firefighter numbers across the state have fallen over the past year despite expectation of a surge in the wake of this year's Victorian Bushfires.

The SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission report, tabled in Parliament, reveals the total number of CFS volunteers dropped by 296 to 15,415 in the financial year ending June.

The number of SES members fell by 205 to 1623. Emergency Services Minister Michael Wright, above, said the state was "fortunate" to have as many volunteers as it did.

"Volunteering, by its very nature, is cyclical, with membership highs and lows largely dependent on operational activity and public profile of the organisation," he said.

"Other factors contributing to fluctuations include people who volunteer for one off events such as a major natural disaster.

Despite an overall fall in numbers over the year, Mr Wright said there was noticable increase in SA volunteers following the Victorian fires.

"Individuals may also opt to volunteer for shorter periods of time and are more likely to volunteer for several different organisations in their lifetime.

"All of our volunteers do a fantastic job in helping to protect our community. Their efforts, often in extreme and life-threatening situations, should never be taken for granted.