SA Firefighter

Are they still delivering rural 24's? It's only been 34's and 24P's for a while hasn't it? I'm not sure what the question means? Rural 24's have been changed a little bit each build and there are a few different types out there. Do you mean stop making a rural 2000 litre appliances altogether or pull all the ones currently in service. We have a CFA built (1990) Hino which was one of the first of the standard Hinos in service. It's a special, not a rural, meaning nothing except that it has lockers down both sides as opposed to her "rural" sister delivered to us at the same time (and an extra ladder, I think). The "rural" appliance was relocated to Narrung in 1998 where I believe it still serves the community well after serving us faithfully for 7 long years including journeys to NSW, Flinders Ranges, South East.
Anyway my vote is, yes, we still have a use for rural 24's. There is a LARGE percentage of our 400+ Brigades that do relatively small callout numbers and whose main risk is rural. They are well served by a modern well maintained rural 24 appliance. (in my opinion).  I personally would love a specialised rescue vehicle and a 1000 gpm pumper with a dual tank foam pro (although in my limited experience AFFF is best applied with a foam branch with inductor which needs to be mixed at branch - happy to hear of alternatives). And a few other things , a new station, brass pole, dalmation  

Yes ours arrived last week. Looks like one per Brigade rather than one per appliance. It's usurped it's predecessor in the yellow pocket!

So who else, like me, has typed in safirefighters instead of leaving off the "s" and visited our sister SA service?

LOL

Our exCaptain moved to Murray Bridge and joined the MFS auxiliary there - they seem to have a fair few members currently.

So does a town like Murray Bridge need two services or one? If one, which one Do they have a need for a retained service to do the kinds of things that I firmly believe volunteers should spend minimal time doing (ie: tonnes of fixed alarm activations, private alarms). And could they do without a CFS which a) is good urban backup and b) is a central point for a large Brigade with a big population to draw volunteers from to manage rural risks around the area supported by the smaller rural Brigades). Can a volunteer Brigade in a largish country town really sustain volunteers to do some of the more mundane but totally necessary fire service and associated duties? Particularly when the service is unable to address issues such as volunteer release from employment, loss of income, child care etc, recruitment, retention etc.

And what is the difference between two services (or three) in a country town and the duplication and proximity of resources in the urban interface areas?

And rather than just focus on whether a Brigade needs to full time paid, retained or volunteer based on the number of calls shouldn't we also be looking at the risks, types of incidents attended and proximity of other resources? Does a Brigade doing 350 calls a year (many of them fixed alarm or stop type calls) with another service and three other Brigades within 20 minutes really need to be full time paid? What about a Brigade doing 50 in a small area struggling to find vollies where the incidents are high risk/rescue and the next resource is an hour away?

I am in support of all members from all services who are out there protecting their communities and assets regardless of uniform and motivation. I'm sure the vast majority of us would be happy if we can find a better way to deliver our services. I guess that is the challenge of SAFECOM.  

Chatted to a State Training Officer today who explained that a new process has needed to be developed as the old reacred (and skills maintenance package) was based on the old course. He's been getting around to Brigades (a long process) to deliver some one day update training. Apparently part of this is the Respond to Road Accident module in BFF1 so that's something we can access easily. A new skills maintenance process should be in place soon.

Salt Creek, Tilley Swamp and Kingston I think are chasing fires but it sounds like there is a bit of rain about down there, so that is good.

Sad to read that a firefighter was injured this morning and I hope that she is doing OK. Interesting that the media can't help themselves from describing the firefighter as a female firefighter. Didn't see Camo described as a male firefighter. (Hope he's also doing OK).
Stay safe all.
>>A female firefighter was injured during the blaze and is receiving medical treatment after hurting her shoulder>>
 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1275577.htm

Stay safe guys (both sexes   )

I think there are less problems, in general, with the Mills Tui built 24P's. Our major problem is the airconditioning doesn't work
The CD player does though
A bit different from the Inter and the Bedford when I first joined (and I am only 35, it's not that long ago).

I saw after I posted this message there's an area for equipment discusssion and I probably should have posted this there   The storz we have used for years on our 25mm line are great and banded to the line in the usual manner. I think the couplings would work well on the bigger lines. The wajax seem like a fine quick release coupling but it's a bit of a worry when the coupling (attached to the metal band that pushes into the hose) blows out when charged properly for the first time   I hadn't  noticed what fitting is on the other end of the reel because we always add the extra line at the nozzle end. One of the major joys with the new 24P is the 60m hose reel  

Any other CFS Brigades having trouble with operators out of competency period and no way to reacredit them

So does anybody know if CFS Brigades have had these distributed? We received one per appliance when the last one was released but I haven't seen this update yet.   I've seen plenty of the old old ones in appliances (pre 1997).

We attempted to use the brand spanking new 25mm lay flat on the end of the 60m reel from the new 24P yesterday to get down a cliff at a boat fire.
Sadly the wajax coupling came straight of the end of the line - and it doesn't look like something we can repair. Shame we couldn't use the 25mm lay flat on our other appliance fitted with storz couplings. The storz is banded to the line and easy to repair if necessary (not that we've had to over the 8 years we've been using it). How do other uses find storz vs wajax?