SA Firefighter

Although in this case, was it actually spotfires, or simply smouldering stumps within the burnt patch, which a passerby called in, and gave the wrong terminology....?

It sounded like there was very little to be seen at this call when crews arrived...


Back to the actual question - of course spot fires are part of our job, as well as smouldering areas & hot spots.

Isn't that why we patrol a fire for some time after it appears extinguished.   

In the case of this burn, overnight temps were low & humidity high, and perhaps no requirement to leave crews on scene overnight - but you go back the next day to check it (which I understand DEH were doing)

Pip

Various areas of the state have FDI's of 100 + on a regular basis during summer - particularly areas of West Coast, Eyre Peninsula, & Pastoral areas.  Nothing new in that.

It makes no sense to have many of those crews sitting in a tin shed in 44 degrees temps, waiting for something that has a low probability of occurring (although a high probability of being a problem if a fire does start!).

Particularly in those areas, every farm has its own farm fire unit.  So if a fire does break out, you have farm units coming from all directions to assist, rather than one crew in a (slow) fire truck, which may have to travel 40 km or more to get to the call (and that's the closest appliance!!)

Asset wise, once the crops have been reaped, there are often not a lot of assets that need protection, in the same way we have say houses in the Mt Lofty Ranges.

I don't think we need to create different rules for different area - we need some common sense applied, taking into account the different circumstances that in exist in different areas!

Pip

Are we talking a red or white truck?

What size is the truck - eg a 6 ish tonne, 12ish tonne or larger?

There are LOTS of appliances at Angle Park, so you might need to provide a few more details to enable us to work out what appliance it might be!!

Pip

So if they don't give us a medal (which was something actually asked for by members), what should be given as a recognition of service?

Pip

No, chainsaws are not standard stowage.

Pip

And if anyone has been to Marysville, to evacuate the town would put people at huge risk of being caught on the roads as the bushfire came through.   

Scrub in all directions, narrow winding hilly roads......

While there may have been some failures, in that no evacuation was ordered, I suspect if it had, then those sitting in the witness box would have been in the firing line for ordering an evacuation.....!

Pip

Quote from: Alan J on September 20, 2009, 08:07:43 PM

19:14:46   20-09-09   STOP CALL 1 ILLEGAL BURN EXTUINGISHED.

Illegal?
At this time of year?
Under what Act?

Probably just under the clean air act, some councils jump on people pretty hard gotta have a permit all year round and have it extinguished by 3pm for a reduction burn-off.

But if the council don't ask us / direct us to extinguish a fire, and it isn't fire danger season, and the fire is not in danger of getting away, what legal power do CFS members have to extinguish the fire ?

Pip

They may be viable for one or two brigades, our brigade got rid or our little pumper for the fact it had shocking acceleration away from intersections and torque for climbing hills, cramped for crew, PTO pump was to small not big enough for a real pumper and I think you'll find the stations that have got these little appliances left like Stirling have a real size pumper in the station as well (I'm not just talking actual cab/chasis size!)

Plus if there are driveways in your area that you can't get an appliance down just do what we do inform the resident and you'll see changes if they're serious about their property's protection. Should we be taking appliances in such tight areas?

This whole small pumper thing if it happens is just a smoke and mirrors deal from CFS corporate as they have not got the balls to ask for whats really needed. So to look good for the government ministers we get a sub standard product. Hence let's buy a second-hand Dennis then jump through hurdles!

Look at how offen they change tenders and the lack of quality on the appliances. If cheap as chips could build them CFS infastructure and logistics would be giving them a contract. Another question when is it that CFS has purchased a fleet of vehicles and there has only been slight teething issues? Not for a long time!

SO we can complain to the local council, and they will them undertake extensive road works to enable us to drive our big 34's, and our large urban pumpers down the narrow and winding roads in the Adelaide Hills.....!  That ain't going to happen!

We can have a word to the local residents, but if the driveway is too narrow, or the hairpin bend halfway down is too tight for the large trucks, it is often unlikely that the resident can do much to change that, even if they wanted to.

And if your old appliance didn't do the job effectively, why does that automatically mean any new appliance / new design going to have the same problem?

And is it really smoke and mirrors - could some brigades have actually asked for a mini pumper, and CFS is responding?

Did you know that the Dennis purchase was an experiment, to see if the vehicle would be suitable for CFS.  The issues that it had showed it wasn't - hence we only have one lemon, rather than a whole fleet!

As has been discussed numerous times on various forums, one size doesn't fit all - and here is an opportunity for CFS to trial something new - and yet they are bagged for it.  

But when they introduce a fleet of appliances, they get bagged for not trialling it!

Let's hope we all get a look at the mini pumper, and you never know, it might turn out to be a useful appliance!!

Pip


PS Of the three remaining 12's in the fleet, only Stirling has a larger Pumper (well, when it is actually at Stirling) - the other two brigades don't.

As far as I understand, there is no age restriction on undertaking BF-1... but depending on the age of the cadets, it may be that BF-1 presented over 1 weekend is too much, and that a BF-1 for younger cadets can be presented over several weeks / months.

However, if a cadet under about 14 and a half ( I think) and completes BF-1, they must complete BF-1 again, before being allowed out on the fireground at 16.   If you a cadet aged over 14.5 completes BF-1, then they don't have to redo BF-1, when they turn 16.

I reckon my area'll do really well out of this... an ability for mobile phone messages to be sent through to people travelling through an area....wow, we might even get mobile phone coverage in the area........!!   

Pip

Several of the CFS stations were already marked on Google earth...... marked right on top of the relevant station....

Pip

The strike teams I've been on have mainly been full tanks (not a good look if you come across a fire on the way to your main incident, and have no water!!!)

Although not a particular issue right now, in terms of rural fires.... !

Pip

We certainly can't assume that SES crews have the training & equipment.  A SES unit attended a call today for a tree down, completely blocking a road (albeit a minor one).

Three SES members attended, none of whom had a chainsaw ticket, so they started cutting up the tree with bow saws.    Some time later, the two nearest CFS brigades were called...who had chainsaws & trained operators....


So who knows who has the right gear / training etc.... isn't that what BOMS, (and eventually SACAD) are supposed to tell you?

But, after 14 months of the interim CRD, we still have inappropriate data in BOMS, countless CRD issues forms submitted (I can just about recite the whole form, I've been filling in so many) and the promise of SACAD to save the world..... and still the wrong resource is sent....

Pip