SA Firefighter

Hey guys,

Lately i have noticed a lot that CFS volunteers from various groups from firefighters to Group officers are forgetting the basics...

Coming into one of the worst fire seasons in many years i just want to raise a few points.

-When responding to a reported grass or scrub fire and smoke showing do not be afraid of responding further resources...you can always stop resources if they are not required.

-If on scene and the fire is clearly not under control upgrade the job and request further resources in the first maybe few minutes on scene instead of waiting 60 minutes and announcing you have now lost the fire and it is spreading and would like some help.

-Don't just use resources from your own group, think outside the square and i hope CAD fixes this and almost abolishes group boundaries leaving it as a purely admin thing.

-I think Lofty group if anyone have the right idea knowing they are short crew during the day respond more to hopefully get a good response and when you do turn a few trucks back if they are not required.

-Give good sitreps and size up of fires and do not woffle on the radio with useless information. simple messages like the fire is not under control respond ... or we have a fire of this size that is controlled. let's everyone know what is happening, jobs lately there has been 30 mins of chit chat with no useful information except how "Fred's crops are doing" or "billy picked up the local paper today near this fire"

Time to think smarter and as a lot of people have said before you are all professional volunteers maybe it is time to take 5 and look back at the basics and acting like one.

I got told when the PBI first came out unless it is a rural incident you can wear PBI gold to anything, so all the people who are still wearing nomew to MVA's and urban type jobs need to step up to the plate and dress like a fireman.

Volunteers should not have their say in the build up of an appliance this is up to the body builders but they should have one page justification for why they need an urban pumper whether it is a medium or heavy, if your just full of hopes and dreams and have not fact to back up this document then deal with it. Once you have justified this appliance you can work through with CFS to what stowage you require on this appliance for you brigade to take in hazmat, rescue and any other specialist equipment.

Evac most cfs brigade would be lucky to do 15 working jobs a year in their primary area.

What i am saying is MFS have the training and already have the resources to maintain aerials appliances. You can't just smack one in the cfs and say best of luck to you. If the government where serious about it they would stick an aerial appliance at all the MFS urban out stations and turn the skyjet out to any confirmed fire or 2nd alarm in the country areas.

I know brigades that have been "burnt " by other cfs volunteers rocking up claiming they are the worlds best firefighter like most of them unfortunately do, they jump the truck and clearly have no idea and with such a poor entrance system into the cfs they could be anyone.

Example Joe blow rocks up to a brigade that is urban and as mack said is from hicks flat brigade doing 20 calls a year, this Joe is turning out on a urban pumper to urban jobs possibly even mfs area and they are way out of their depth but their pride won't let them say anything, no offence this is not pre school you are running a fire brigade. It would be like putting a local cricket player into the Australian cricket team and saying good luck.

If you are going to turn out with another brigade you need to approach their captain or officers and offer your services, possibly attend trainings with them and train with their equipment, area and way the brigade operates.

Mack thankyou for pointing out the obvious, i am well aware of when cfs brigades train and how many calls they do.You also have to look at the locations of the brigades that do the calls. Mount Barker is the brigade doing a lot of calls that is a bit of a drive from Adelaide, as for you morphett vales, seaford, salisbury, dalkeith, happy valley they are all surrounded by MFS specialist appliances.

My comments in regards to MFS retained firefighters getting the skyjets is because they have the support of their service to provide aerial appliance training and due to them already having bronto and skyjet appliance can run courses easier. CFS taking on these rolls would not work, CFS couldn't even take on USAR let alone go into aerial appliances.

As a few have said utilise monitors if you have them and if their is no risk to life utilise ground monitors, 64mm/50mm lines and hose reels and keep yourself safe.

To the post that started this topic, you will not have to worry about being sued if you do your job and don't take shortcuts, always write stuff done and if you think the incident is above your capabilities or you are unsure then hand it to paid staff who are paid to take that responsibility...

It is quite clear there are a handful of groups in some regions whose group officers are afraid of losing power over their little empire...

It is also clear that cfs brigades talk far too much on the radio, they need to adopt a short clear way of operating to save radio time. Jobs can run on local talkgroups chat amongst yourselves but book mobile, on scene, sitrep, returning and in station on one or 2 talkgroups allocated for your reason.

I noticed listening to a bit of Melbourne radio traffic they manage to operate the metropolitan fire district with 2 operators, by linking 2 talkgroups together they can cover southern and central, northern and western easily. CFA do a similar thing and no offence to CFS but they do a few more jobs then SA. When you have volunteers stations doing over 1000 calls a year and having staff stations more then that there is not a lot of radio traffic, they just don't crap on.

Instead of CFS once again trying to reinvent the wheel look elsewhere and maybe get some guidance in systems that are proven and work.

smallflame you need help...