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Messages - Pipster

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1226
All Equipment discussion / Re: DEH toys
« on: August 03, 2006, 05:42:15 PM »
i believe the balls are filled with napalm

How well do you know your basic chemistry?    :?

1227
All Equipment discussion / Re: DEH toys
« on: August 03, 2006, 02:33:28 PM »
I think each CFS Region has an incendiary gun, as well as few DEH brigades....

Load the gun with a thing that looks like a ping pong ball (but filled with pot permanganate, I think) once loaded, the ball is injected with glycol (or was it the other way round, glycol in the ball..injected with pot permanganate..?)  anyway, once the two chemicals start to mix, the gun is fired...appears it can go 30-40 metres...the reaction progresses, gives out heat, and (hopefully) you get a fire.....

It is easier than trying to get through the blackberrys & broome with a fire lighter in hand....

1228
Country Fire Service / Re: election time
« on: August 03, 2006, 11:09:01 AM »
Nope - 2nd female DGO.

Congrats by the way..) :-D

I have a friend in CFS, who started a new job, and found out that his boss had been in CFS in a rural area for a number of years.  They got chatting (as you do) and my friend mentioned that his brigade had just elected a female as Captain.  The boss was amazed, and commented about how progressive the brigade must be to have a female as Captain.  My friend, didn't see it as progressive, but as the brigade electing the most suitable person for the job - who just happened to be female.

It is interesting to see the differences in attitude around the place.

Pipster

1229
SA Firefighter General / Re: Ammusing pager message.
« on: August 02, 2006, 05:24:14 PM »

you should ask for a gig with the promo unit

Anyone can get a gig with the Promo unit, by taking usebale pictures.

By taking those pics, you even get double time on weekends & after hours!!!   :evil:

1230
SA Firefighter General / Re: people taking photo's at jobs
« on: August 02, 2006, 04:07:50 PM »
This is a question to those who don't think we should be taking photos at an incident:

Have you seen the BFF-1 training manual, BA training manual, or suppress wildfire training manual, and a few other recent publications?

Have you seen the photos in those manuals?

The bulk of the photos have been taken by CFS photographers at a wide range of incidents, attended by CFS. 

Have you seen the Volunteer Magazine?  Do you like the photos in it?  The bulk of those photos were also taken by CFS members at incidents.

Without those people taking photos, we could end up with a Volunteer Magazine with only a handful of photos, and Training manuals with a handful of staged photos of training centre staff (no offence to the staff, or the training centre).

So, the huge number of photos taken by CFS members at incidents (and other activities) has resulted in huge library of photos, which have been used for training purposes, as well as for promoting the work of volunteers - not the corporate line that the Government insists that Government agencies adopt.

To attract new volunteers to the service, and to educate the public, and other services about what CFS volunteers actually do, CFS as a whole needs to promote itself.    What better way to promote itself than show *** suitable *** good quality, exciting photos..... :-D

Pipster



1231
Country Fire Service / Re: CFS Star
« on: August 01, 2006, 01:35:25 AM »
The logo was introduced in 1999 after a short competition as the service thought we needed a corporate logo.  At that time the then chief officer stated that the introduction of the corporate logo into brigades will be at the discretion of brigades and no brigade will be compelled to adopt the logo.  The logo was designed by Aldgate member Gary Macrae. (Volunteer 87 feb 1999)

Quote

I am coming into this discussion abit late...but you are correct Greg..although there is a little bit more to the story...

The CFS conducted some market research, to see if the public recognised the CFS star.  Many of them didn't, so it was decided to change the logo!

There was a competition held, and invited anyone to submit an idea for a new logo.  As I understand it, the "winning" entry was submitted by Gary Macrae.  But, that design was then taken to a design company, and they did up the current "taxi logo", based loosely on the "winning" design.

I recall at the time, it was said that the taxi logo was to be used on pretty much everything (much to the disgust of many members).  Over time, the CFS star is appearing on more things, and still, it would seem the bulk of the members still prefer the Star to the taxi logo.....

Be nice to phase out the taxi logo all together, and bring back the star!    :-)

Pip

1232
Country Fire Service / Re: Training Probelms
« on: July 31, 2006, 01:09:01 AM »
The problem comes when CFS use a brigades minimum as their maximum. As long as you've got your minimum and another brigade doesn't, then they won't bother to train up anymore of your brigade. It sucks. A lot.


So how then, does CFS, with finite resources (the Government will only give CFS a certain amount of money in their budget each year) ensure that ALL brigades have access to specialist training - not just those who happen to be nearby the Training centre, and hence can get there easily, or brigades with a very efficient training officer, who nominates members on a first in, first served basis?

The SFEC (the Standards of Fire & Emergency Cover) sets down the minimum & maximum training levels for brigades.

While the SFEC document needs updating, it exists to allow ALL brigades to come up to a standard training level, rather than having some brigades with everyone trained, and others with none at all.

The need for a review of the SFEC was one of the discussion topics at the recent Volunteer Summit

1233
Country Fire Service / Re: Sub Brigades (Stations)
« on: July 26, 2006, 01:23:32 PM »
Kilkerren/ Balgowan, is based at Balgowan.  And it can't split the appliances, as they only have one......!    The station used to be at South Kilkerren, and moved to Balgowan, and the name eventually changed to Balgowan.

Western Districts, on KI, have appliances based in three separate locations.  Western Districts was formed as a merger of South West and Duncan Gosse.   Often, the stationing of appliances in different locations is done in areas where there are small populations to crew the appliance, and a large area to cover - so at least one appliance can be close to an incident, no matter where in their response area it occurs.   

As for forming a new brigade - there is a new one on the Eyre Peninsula - a brigade called Tuckey.

To form a new brigade, I would expect that the community needs to support it, show they have enough people who are interested / able and willing to join, and there needs to be a demonstrated need for a brigade to be there.    Then it is a matter of negotiations with CFS as to setting it up.  I understand that Tuckey should have an appliance before the start of this fire season (well, at least that is the plan...)

Pip

1234
Incident Operations / Re: a tough day for stirling
« on: July 26, 2006, 12:39:40 AM »
No fog / rain, but I reckon more likely to be attributed to it being a nice day, after many cold days / miserable weather, and people are too busy looking around and enjoying the weather, than watching where they are going....

Pip

1235
All Equipment discussion / Re: Petrol Engine Pumps?
« on: July 23, 2006, 09:54:13 PM »
Petrol pumps on the last batch of 14 Canters....some of the comments are half right......

Originally, the batch of around 8 Mitsubishi Canters were to be fitted with petrol pumps.  There were some complaints from some people, about having a petrol pump on their appliance, - the basis of their complaints was that petrol powered engines can vaporise in hot weather, and CFS then investigated replacing them with Diesel pumps.

My old appliance (just retired in December) had a petrol pump motor - and in 20 years did not have a problem with it due to the petrol engine.   I suspect many of those who had experience with vaporising petrol engines, did so with old technology - eg Petrol-driven appliances from the 1970's / early 1980's (and probably before!) often had mechanical fuel pumps, and when stuck on the side of a steep hill for a while, in 40 degree temperatures, the mechanical fuel pumps couldn't cope....

So CFS then investigated fitting the appliances with a diesel powered pump.  Part of the problem was extra weight of the diesels vs the petrol pumps.

Once a pump motor had been selected (a Kubota - 3 cylinder I think) there were a few issues with the motor being very noisy (the noise being emitted was over 100 decibels).  So there was a delay in sorting that problem out.

Eventually, the problem was rectified, and a number of the appliances fitted out with the diesel pumps. 

As I understand it, weight was more of a consideration, than cost of the pumps.

Pip

1236
SA Firefighter General / Re: Exposure to dead bodies?
« on: July 09, 2006, 07:04:43 PM »
Geez, that musta been an odd experience, looking for a guy who commited suicide who left a note.  :|

At least half of the suicides I deal with leave notes of some sort.....


What is your non CFS job if you dont mind me asking?

Crime Scene Investigator

1237
SA Firefighter General / Re: Exposure to dead bodies?
« on: July 08, 2006, 09:43:01 PM »
Simply exposing people to bodies (and not the way Toast's posting read either!) is not really a good way to "get people used to" bodies.

I had a fair bit of training about handling bodies (both psychological and actual manual handling of bodies) before I had actual exposure to them (that was in the mortuary, with about 15 bodies in it at the time) as well as watching a post mortem (fascinating stuff!) before being dumped with my first "in situ" body.

Since then, I have dealt with many bodies as part of my (non) CFS job...but I was prepared as  could be for dealing with the body, and also dealing with the relatives.......

Particularly if a brigade does not have to deal much with bodies, it is perhaps useful for members to know they can stand back, and no have to deal with a body if they aren't ready for it.

Last year, several SES members were involved in a search for a man who left a suicide note in his car in the Horsnells Gully Conservation Park - and then killed himself within the park, in a very well hidden spot.

SES members searched for a few days, before finally locating the body.  Police attended, and handled the removal of the body from where the man had killed himself - and it was very awkward to get the body out.  The bulk of the SES members moved a distance away, and turned in the opposite direction, to avoid seeing the body, while Police got the body into a body bag.  Once the bag was all zipped up, the SES members were happy to strap it into the stretcher and lug it some distance to a waiting coroners van.

Before anyone starts paying out the SES members, the bulk of them appeared ill equipped to deal with the body, until it was covered, and then it wasn't a problem for them.  I would hope that CFS brigades would do a similar thing - not make people feel bad because they felt they couldn't handle looking at a body.....

Pip

1238
Incident Operations / Re: First Fire
« on: July 05, 2006, 11:24:47 AM »
We also had a horse in a septic tank....but it couldn't get out by itself...ended up using old canvas hoses and a backhoe to get it out....

As for first fire - waaayyy too long ago to remember!

1239
SACFS Vintage Appliances / Re: 12's
« on: June 29, 2006, 02:17:31 PM »
There were a number of 12's in the CFS (and 22's as well!).   However,as you say, only three left currently in service across the state.

CFS seems to have gone down the track of having 4 x 4's, or larger urban type 4x2's, and hence the 12's (and 22's ) are being phased out of service...

Pip

1240
Country Fire Service / Re: FUNDS CUT
« on: June 23, 2006, 11:58:00 PM »
I am coming into this discussion a little late.....

However, re funding...as of a few weeks ago, different CFS staff were giving differing views...one said there had been no cut to the CFS budget, the other said that the whole of Government had been told they had to cut their budget, and CFS was not immune to the cuts.  BUT what wasn't clarified in this scenario, was if it was a budget cut in real terms (eg you get less money than last year) or if it just stays the same as last year, but with rising costs, it means less money.....?

As a separate issue to this, there will be a new funding model adopted across the whole State, in relation to funding Groups / brigades receive.  I don't know the specifics of how it is going to work, other than it aims to allocate funds on a more equitable basis - so some Groups will loose money, while others will get a significant increase in their budget.  A few will be about the same as now.  After 5 years, there looks to finally be some attempts to re address the funding issues, still hanging over brigades / Groups, from when they were funded by Councils.  (Eg Richer councils could afford to spend more money on CFS, than poorer councils, and those funding levels generally moved across to the ESAU model of the time).

As yet, I haven't seen any firm info as to CFS, as an organisation, will be getting a budget cut....

Pip

1241
Introductions / Re: Forestry
« on: March 03, 2006, 06:58:24 PM »
They were around $1.5 million each, I believe....the State Government provided funding of around $15m to Forestry SA specifically for the purchase

1242
Industrial & Private Fire Services / Re: private fire appliances
« on: March 03, 2006, 06:51:49 PM »
Hey Robert, if drivers are such a problem in your brigade then why not get your truck license and help solve the problem.

I know many brigades will contribute $$$$ to the process, some will pay for the last lesson and the test. It's a win win, you get your license and the brigade gets a driver.


I have come in a little late to this discussion, but for brigades having trouble with getting drivers, CFS will pay to train up to four drivers per truck, excluding officers.  So if you don't have four truck drivers, who are not Officers, get in touch with your Regional Training officer, and get the info.....CFS will fund those places, if you don't have enough!!   :-D

1243
A few things out of this discussion so far:

CFS isn't just covered by a "good Samaritan clause" - there is actually a part of the legislation which protects members from being sued, as long as they were acting in good faith (eg not negligent).   So it covers the money side of things - eg volunteers won't lose their possessions if the case goes against them - but not the emotional side.

Another comment one of the correspondents to this list said - at least if this class action is happening, there will be a thorough investigation.....I am a little intrigued - is this meant to be tongue in cheek, or an actual belief?

There are a wide range of investigations occurring into the fires - some internal, others completely external (and independent) to the CFS.   Project Phoenix was done internally by the CFS, the police investigation, investigation by the CSIRO (I think) into the actual bushfire behavior, as well as a few other independent investigators.     I would expect ALL of those investigators to be thourough in their own area investigation.   Is an investigation by a law firm, looking for someone to blame / hold responsible going to mean it is the only thorough investigation?

While I respect the right of people to take legal action, I am still perplexed on exactly what the basis of the claim actually is - as of two days ago (6th July) the action had not yet been filed with the courts......


Pip

1244
Country Fire Service / Re: Elect or Appoint
« on: June 23, 2005, 10:30:43 PM »
I suppose one of the very first things CFS needs to do, before deciding to go election / appointment, is to actually have a PID for each postion (That is a position information document).     Across different regions, it would appear that the various Officer positions are done differently - even thought they are meant to be the same position!

Having a very clear PID makes it easier for new members to know what their officers / office holders are meant to be doing, and it also allows the people who are standing for those roles to know exactly what is expected.

Pipster

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