http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26578958-5006301,00.htmlCOUNTRY Fire Service volunteers have revealed that most brigades are inadequately prepared to cover the growing number of emergencies they face.
The CFS Volunteers Association has revealed in a questionnaire sent to all MPs that just 61 of 423 brigades met the minimum standards of training last year and more government funding and support of the service is needed to back the goodwill of volunteers.
The volunteers association says:
THE SERVICE has the lowest staff-to-volunteer ratio of any volunteer fire service in Australia.
A WIDESPREAD shortage of pagers and computers in fire stations hampers firefighting efforts.
PRESENT funding arrangements are not sufficient to cover the cost of replacing 189 CFS buildings, which will become necessary during the next 15 years.
There is no money to maintain CFS stations and this work is done with money raised by volunteers.
FUNDING of education and communication campaigns is insufficient, does not allow the program to go beyond June and the message remains confusing for the public.
VOLUNTEERS and other emergency workers are at risk on our roads where the speed limit when passing emergency vehicles is 40km/h and not 25km/h as is required for roadworks.
Association leaders say CFS volunteers are vital to the protection of South Australians in bushfire-prone areas and their duties are growing as regional towns and the urban fringe expands into their districts.
They also respond to structure fires, road crashes, hazardous material spills and storm and flood damage.
The CFS Volunteers Association says they are "underfunded both against their needs, the MFS and the other states"."For too long the Government has relied on the goodwill of CFS volunteers and staff to do more with too little," CFS Volunteers Association executive director Wendy Shirley said.
"We need volunteers who feel appreciated, motivated, well trained and adequately equipped.
"We need a better staffed CFS, improved technology and maintained fit-for-purpose stations."
CFS=Cheap Fire Service
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