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Messages - littlejohn

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26
SA Fire Fighter Events / Re: ANGASTON GROUP FUNDRAISER
« on: April 08, 2008, 09:54:08 PM »
Would anyone mind if Angaston put a little/some/all funds raised in to social activities??  BBQs, outings etc.

Whenever we (not Angaston, our quite seperate brigade!) try to do something social, it has to come out of our own pockets. I can see the argument not to put donated/Emergency services funding toward a few chops and beers, but volunteers seem to put so much money into volunteering already.

I am of the opinion that the social get togethers, although infrequent, provide a much more valuable opportunity to get to know members of your own or neighbouring brigades, which in turn makes any jobs much more cooperative and fluid, yet it's just one more thing we get to spring for.

Or am I dreaming??!

27
SA Firefighter General / Re: Ammusing pager message.
« on: April 07, 2008, 08:53:16 PM »
1908002 20:19:31 07-04-08 MFS: *CFSRES INC058 07/04/08 20:19,RESPOND Rescue Animal,7 STEPHENSON ST,MT BARKER MAP 172 L 12,GALAH STUCK IN TREE,MTB020 SES Mt Barker Response



You have got to be kidding???!!!!

28
SA Firefighter General / Re: Voice Recorders
« on: April 02, 2008, 12:23:01 PM »
Quote from: Darius on April 02, 2008, 10:59:36 AM
Separate to anything else, all talkgroups are recorded at the network level at the SAGRN NOCC however it takes special circumstances to get hold of those recordings.

Darius, are you saying all talkgroups are always recorded? I have heard otherwise.
I'm not suggesting you're wrong, I'm just seeking clarification.

It is interesting that some people would be unimpressed to learn they've been recorded. I wonder it they would conduct themselves differently if that were the case?!!
Considering the number of people listening in, it's probably best to assume you're being recorded!



29
Emergency Vehicles / Re: Northern Territory newish fire truck
« on: March 21, 2008, 12:08:25 PM »
Quote from: Cameron Yelland on March 21, 2008, 10:58:08 AM
Alot of fires up that way just get left to burn?

Yes, kind of!

Considering that 97% (a guess) of the NT is pastoral or national parks, and sparsely populated. For the most part fires are either left to go, or contained with earthmoving equipment. If there's a fire on the neigbouring station, most people rock up with a dozer or grader!

I'm not sure what goes on around towns though. Not much, by the sound of it!

30
Country Fire Service / Re: CFS Media Release : Gold Coin for Geoff Appeal
« on: March 12, 2008, 07:19:53 AM »
Bill, in response to your challenge at the CFSVA meeting last week for all brigades to match Naracoorte and donate $100, Penola will do the same.

Edit; further to that, if a bbq was organised at Naracoorte, I'd be pretty confident of bringing a few of our crew along. Sounds like a good idea.


31
All Equipment discussion / Re: Roller Doors
« on: March 11, 2008, 03:25:42 PM »
Ours all have a light chain hanging down the side.

Giving the chain a tug disconnects the gears on the electric motor (so I'm told), so you then just have to either give the door a shunt, or use the chains like a manual door.

32
SA Firefighter General / Is it just me . . . . . . .
« on: March 08, 2008, 04:41:06 PM »
Or is there more and more criticism on this forum lately?

People read posts with their 'angry eyes' on - comments are construed as negative or critical, often regardless of how they may be intended. Responses are all too often argumentative or taking a superior tone.

The pager threads seem to have turned in to 'post an odd message, and pick the heck out of it'.

People love to analyse a situation based on what seems to be bugger all information. No one gets the benefit of the doubt anymore.
Anyone appearing to do something slightly odd gets essentially ridiculed as incompetent, stupid, or both. Regardless of whether they're a member of this forum or not.

Has my perspective changed of late, or have we all turned in to a pack of whinging, arrogant twits??


33
Fire Fighter Training / Re: CFS Courses
« on: February 29, 2008, 04:54:51 PM »
Quote from: K55 on February 28, 2008, 08:49:48 PM
Why dont the SES know all's (they know who they are) get there own forum so us Firefighters can discuss real emergency service training and issues...

Why don't you grow up, pull your head in, or clear out.


It's attitudes like that, in any of the services, that gives me the curries.
We're all of varying background, ability & confidence. If you can't afford someone a modicum of respect, when at the least they give time, effort & money to the good of the community, then stay home.

End rant.

34
SA Firefighter General / Project FUSE
« on: February 28, 2008, 04:48:05 PM »
My knowledge of the research is pretty limited - there was an article in the latest Volunteer though, so have a squiz at that if you've still got it floating about.

I beleive they've already done a number of burns in Ngarkat, assessing fire behaviour & heat in that environment. Aus & Kiwi reasearchers. Essentially endeavouring to better understand fire behaviour.

A fire is a fire, after all. Regardless of whether it's intended or an emergency!
I heard (though can't vouch for accuracy) that temperatures recorded during the 'cold burns' were higher than they were expecting to encounter during this summer burn.

35
Country Fire Service / Re: Brigade Elections
« on: February 24, 2008, 06:54:29 AM »
Find out what your brigade constitution says!

If, like us, you're unaware of any such document in existance for your specific brigade (ie if it did exist, it disappeared in a training exercise shortly before the dark ages), then use the one in the act.

I'm not entirely up to speed on the legalities of such matters, but it is my understanding that a copy of the constitution needs to be in evidence to operate under it.

So, if an alternate one doesn't exist or can't be found, check through the act but I think all brigades, unless otherwise known, adopt the generic constitution. It would be worth, at the AGM, either formally adopting the generic constitution, or acknowledging that's what your operating under if the act dictates that you must.

And I'm afraid, after all that waffle, I can't be bothered checking through the act to see what it says!

36
SA Firefighter General / Re: elected officers maximum terms
« on: February 12, 2008, 09:25:52 PM »
Quote from: StopCallKing on February 12, 2008, 08:19:52 PM

Could you see such a system working in your brigade or group ?
Why, or why not ?


Unfortunately not. There just aren't the people waiting to come through the ranks.

It may well work in the semi-urban groups where there'd (hopefully??) be oodles of keen & competent people knocking on the door.

Regrettably that's not a reality in our region. Keen & competent rarely occur in the same person 'round here.

37
Incident Operations / Re: House Fire at Kalangadoo
« on: January 31, 2008, 05:27:26 PM »
The 'Doo blew a 1/2" plug out the back of their pump, so I believe it looked more like a fountain for a little while. They had it fixed pretty smartly though.

I'm not entirely sure what happened to the Glencoe truck - initial report said something like their pump wouldn't go, but they seemed to be operational by the time we got there.

It looked like the front lawn had been watered for a good week or so by a small travelling irrigator. Very very soft sand. Nangwarry was a good anchor!

The extra appliances were brought in to cart water (most trucks returned to the 'doo for water, roughly 8km round trip?), and for BA. For a while there, it looked like the whole group might end up crashing the 'doo's cosy bbq. Not enough chops though.

38
SA Fire Fighter Events / Re: 25th Anniversary of Ash Wednesday
« on: January 27, 2008, 08:58:04 AM »
Quote from: COMP00 on January 26, 2008, 03:58:53 PM
Havent heard anything official but heard a whisper of something being held at Tarpeena.  No idea on what time though.

Fireman Fred is on a committee charged with organising something. All a bit hush-hush at present, but that's probably 'cause nothing's been decided.
If I hear anything useful, I'll share it.

39
SA Firefighter General / Re: Volunteer Retention
« on: January 09, 2008, 07:53:48 PM »
Quote from: bittenyakka on January 09, 2008, 04:31:58 PM
yeah, did i miss something standpipe?

Spelling? Grammar??!

(intended with good humour bittenyakka. Sorry mate, but I couldn't really follow your post either.)

40
SA Firefighter General / Re: Helmet Camera
« on: January 09, 2008, 06:56:03 AM »
Quote from: chook on January 09, 2008, 05:56:49 AM
. . . (I get annoyed with all of the "unofficial" photos people take with their mobiles :x)

Why is that Chook? Are you talking about general pics of incidents that brigades keep for training/records, or something else??


41
SA Firefighter General / Re: Interesting Fire and Emergency Related Paging
« on: January 07, 2008, 06:30:24 PM »
Quote from: mack on January 07, 2008, 11:28:23 AM
i think its only a select few brigades being allowed to trial it for a while... sometime soon.

An article in the latest volunteer directed any brigades interested in using online reporting to contact someone-whose-name-I-don't-remember. Didn't give a timeline on when it would be implemented by the masses.

42
Other Government Agencies / Re: Interesting MAS report
« on: January 03, 2008, 07:23:13 PM »
Hmmm  . . . . sounds familiar.

Reasons for dissatisfaction:
- Dysfunctional dispatch system.
- Inflexible rostering.
- Inadequate remuneration.

43
Country Fire Service / Re: Current CFS Operations & cameras
« on: December 21, 2007, 06:14:52 AM »
Quote from: rescue5271 on December 21, 2007, 05:36:36 AM
Deadman zone looks like it will be re written after some new finds that teh CSIRO have done and they are planning a couple of new test fire's in that park north of Keith that I just love in Jan/Feb 2008......

Oh goody . . . . . I was wondering how we'd managed to make it to christmas without a N****** strike team. We'll book one in next month.

44
SA Firefighter General / How long from call to page?
« on: December 17, 2007, 07:33:48 PM »
Do any of the learned folk who populate this joint know how long it takes Adelaide Fire to get a page out? ie from the moment someone calls 000, to the pager dropping?
(I'm not interested in comparing it to the old SOC, or knocking Adelaide Fire, just a time frame please!)

A local industrial joint wants to do an exercise and time how long it takes to get a crew to their facility. Their idea was to call 000, hit to stop watch and wait for us to rock up.

Nice though it is to inject a bit of reality to training, I'm pretty sure that'd be unappreciated by a whole lot of people. Mainly me.

So, if someone could kindly tell me how long it could take from them calling, to my pager dancing across the desk, I'd be grateful.

45
SA Firefighter General / Re: Interesting Fire and Emergency Related Paging
« on: December 17, 2007, 07:19:31 PM »
Quote from: RescueHazmat on December 17, 2007, 07:02:04 PM
My opinion still stands. - Treat vollies like that, and you won't have them for long.

Maybe not, but odds on that the thoughts of the vollies when they saw the response message were "ah, we always get a crew, someone else will get this one." and back to sleep they go.

Sometimes it pays to remind members that 'someone else' won't always get there.




46
SASES / Re: Kangaroo Fires Deployment
« on: December 11, 2007, 06:58:27 AM »
Quote from: bittenyakka on December 10, 2007, 03:36:04 PM
remember in a job like this where there are over 400 people on the island if they where there for 1 or 2 days the job of getting relief crews to the island and the old ones from the island the job would be horrendous.

True bittenyakka, I'm sure it would be great from a management perspective to be rotating people through a four days on, four days off or something simple. If all the firefighters were paid staff it would be much easier - they'd go and do pretty much what (and when) asked.

But I don't think volunteers want to be treated as employees. I must admit I don't have much enthusiasm for strike teams out of the region anymore. I neither can, nor want to, take that much time from work. Time away from work is one thing. Time wasted while away is another.

How long has it taken those vic teams to get to the fire ground? At a guess they'd have left home yesterday first thing, and may start on scene this avo, or tonight??

I wonder if the use of strike teams will grow, or diminish. The idea is sound, the management is something of a challenge.


47
All Equipment discussion / Re: T-Shirts Warning
« on: November 28, 2007, 09:04:26 PM »
Quote from: Smallflame on November 28, 2007, 05:06:38 PM
The term, my good friend, is "Commando!"

*Do not go dressed this way to major road crashes. Chance is you will end up featured on newspaper with no bra/jocks/support areas supported... NOT a good look.

Try not to get involved in an accident (un)dressed this way either!

Every time I see the ambos cutting off a pair of pants, it makes me think the effort might be worth it after all.

48
SA Firefighter General / SAAS Comms and paging delays
« on: November 23, 2007, 05:39:12 AM »
Quote from: boredmatrix on November 22, 2007, 10:19:38 PM
I'm thinking that it could be a fair assumption on my part to think that the average firey considers SAAS comms a bit of a joke?

please be honest - it's always interesting to know what other services think!

I consider myself pretty average (!!), and I wouldn't call the SAAS comms a joke - they no doubt have specific info to get, but christ it can sometimes take a long time from a call coming in to other agencies being paged.

For instance, with yesterday's job at the 'doo, it is my understanding (all second hand from SAPOL) is that it took 6 mins from receipt of a call saying a car was on fire to respond anything. Interestingly CFS was paged before SAAS, but 6 mins is a hell of a long time when a vehicle's on fire.

It's not fair to have a go at SAAS comms as I don't know what goes on there, but it's pretty evident that communications with other agencies often leaves something to be desired.

49
Country Fire Service / Re: New Dispatch Vs old SOC
« on: November 17, 2007, 10:01:51 PM »
Quote from: mack on November 17, 2007, 06:43:23 PM
why would you bother doing it without involving adelaide fire?

If you could get a page out of your own group base immediately, versus potentially having to call repeatedly to Adelaide fire.
I imagine you'd go with the option which was most likely to get the page out first.

50
Country Fire Service / Re: New Dispatch Vs old SOC
« on: November 17, 2007, 06:11:25 PM »
Quote from: 6793264 on November 17, 2007, 05:55:03 PM
Quote from: bittenyakka on November 17, 2007, 05:49:02 PM
how do i respond  more   trucks  without involving Adelaide fire?

You can't and you should never ever try to.

That's the sort of answer I'd expect to 'How do I drive that concorde?'

All R5 GroupCC have airsource (all the ones I know do anyway), plus whatever you call the magic box (press a button = a 'respond to station' page for relevant brigade, covering each individual brigade in our group).

R5 office is able to page anyone in the region also.



Why post a false answer 6793264?

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