returning appliances

[mack]

well looks like a lot of the appliances that went to KI are on there way back or returned...

after two weeks of getting thrashed on KI our 24 returned last night, and apart from some missing equipment.... (people on KI with light fingers??) and a minor re-arrangement to the bullbar its not too bad. filthy but not too bad...\

how did everyone else's fair?

[rescue5271]

Don't you love just how people go for a walk into lockers and take what they like home...CFA had this problem at the fires last year and are now looking at doing bag searches so as to stop this kind of behaviour...

[mengcfs]

Same story. Not much trashed but equipment missing

[pumprescue]

I have never understood why people flog stuff off other brigades trucks, most trucks I have been on in strike teams have fairly ordinary gear on it, nothing that I would want to take home for my brigade anyway. Especially the newer trucks, if brigades have stuck with what the truck came with, then all that stuff is rubbish, we kept nothing from when our new 34 was delivered.

[Zippy]

You would find that in a lot of circumstances, gear was grabbed from other trucks to make another appliance "operational" during the campaign.

Even GRN portables, unfortunately.....(finding the comm's equipment being a logistical task for State Headquarters now)

So a lot of things probably havent been stolen rather mixed around to make things work while on the island.

[bittenyakka]

yeah there was a huge shortage of VFH portables on the island weather this was due to people flogging them or brigades not sending them i am unsure.

[mengcfs]

I'm with Zippy. I don't think (or rather would hope) that stuff was flogged, but rather mixed up. However you have to wonder when 'personal' brigade items such as cameras etc go missing.

[Pipster]

While some has been rearranged to make things work etc, there were stories I heard of a few people from an interstate service, helping themselves to our VHF radios...wrapping them up in their sleeping bags, and taking them home..

Unfortunately, there were also some (including CFS members) who thought it was appropriate to take home the CFS supplied sleeping bag and air mattress....although at least one was made to feel so guilty, that he left it at base camp, where it should have been!!

It is sad when people think it is OK to steal equipment belonging to others

Pip

[mattb]

Ours came back with a dodgy gearbox, sloppy steering and no brakes. Also a big hole in the grill where someone tried to set fire to the truck. It has been at the mechanics yesterday and today making it roadworthy again.

Restowing of the vehicle is happening at the moment but I know at least one VHF has disappeared as well as all the 25mm hose. Will be interesting to see the complete list of missing gear later tonight.

I did hear our truck being used to pull another vehicle out from a bog so that could explain some of the damage. As for the missing gear - I guess it happens, as long as people aren't pinching it for themselves.

[rescue5271]

May be in future we should remove the VHF handhelds when they go on these types of jobs and that once at the job they have to hand out the VHF radio's.from the stag area.Also remove any personel brigade stuff like cameras and so on, I was reading a story about a CFA group whos group own command car/ute was part of the 2006 fires in the snowy country,they where shocked to see photos of that ute going down the side of hill tops and over cliff tops where it should not have gone. It came back with body damage,radios all missing gps gone and when they went to re sell it they lost money.This now opens a can of worms for these groups do we let group own command cars go on large strike teams and we provide a driver who make sure we get it back in good condition.I wounder how many drivers on appliances filled out log books??Was damage report that was done on KI at the time?? and is the region/ state going to keep on replacing missing gear??

May be we should do what CFA now have in place bag searches for missing items before you go home....

[Zippy]

VHF portables are needed sometimes yes, but since you can talk right up to Divisional commander on them...using them for talk between crew members could/should be done by 40 channel UHF's. 

[bittenyakka]

look all we need to do ias make it simple and quick to get new equipment so that brigades will understand that it is a CFS resource and any CFS crews can use it.

then once it gets back the brigade fills out a form of all damage lost equipment etc and it is supplied promptly few questions asked. and then brigades will be much more willing to let trucks go.

I know we once lost a VFH and it was a huge amount of effort to get a new one.

[Darius]

I know we once lost a VFH and it was a huge amount of effort to get a new one.

we lost one too, I filled in a purchase order, rang Tetracom, it was delivered within a week I reckon.

bit different now though, Icom have stopped making that model of portable some time ago and CFS have very few left.  The replacement model has a different battery, hence incompatible with the old ones, different chargers etc etc.

[Zippy]

Should be a matter of Region's asking Brigades to do a Comm's audit (barcodes found on the VHF's would be all thats needed).

[mengcfs]

look all we need to do ias make it simple and quick to get new equipment so that brigades will understand that it is a CFS resource and any CFS crews can use it.

then once it gets back the brigade fills out a form of all damage lost equipment etc and it is supplied promptly few questions asked. and then brigades will be much more willing to let trucks go.

I know we once lost a VFH and it was a huge amount of effort to get a new one.

It is little inconvenience to get equipment replaced. Do an audit with the approved standard stowage kit for your appliance, fill in the post deployment equipment form, send it to your region who will allocate it to the State budget line for large incidents and hey presto! Although this doesn't help get photos etc back from missing cameras etc it isn't much hassle. It also doesn't help the Brigades who have had non standard equipment go missing - bit hard to get it replaced

[bajdas]

Many SES vehicles now have snaplock ties on roller doors and equipment bags/boxes. Especially with climbing ropes and other more expensive equipment.

If crew require use of the equipment, then they just break the snaplock with their fingers and away they go.

When a vehicle returns, then the person checks for snaplock fittings. If the snaplock is still in place, then the equipment as not used. Makes for faster stocktake.

Not sure if this would assist or not on CFS trucks...

[6739264]

Many SES vehicles now have snaplock ties on roller doors and equipment bags/boxes. Especially with climbing ropes and other more expensive equipment.

If crew require use of the equipment, then they just break the snaplock with their fingers and away they go.

When a vehicle returns, then the person checks for snaplock fittings. If the snaplock is still in place, then the equipment as not used. Makes for faster stocktake.

Not sure if this would assist or not on CFS trucks...

Its a great idea as it also assists with equipment checks and working out when things have/haven't been used.

[Shiner]

Would only really work if everyone knows exactly what is in each locker to begin with.  No good for the occasional attender who has to open every locker to find the fire-lighter fuel etc....

[6739264]

I wouldn't use it on lockers as they get opened all the time, but gear bags/boxes etc etc.

[alphaone]

VHF portables are needed sometimes yes, but since you can talk right up to Divisional commander on them...using them for talk between crew members could/should be done by 40 channel UHF's. 

But not all brigades use UHF Zippy. My Brigade, and others that i have worked with in my group do not use UHF, we only use GRN or VHF.

[Zippy]

only a theoretical idea mate,  we dont use it either..

[bajdas]

Would only really work if everyone knows exactly what is in each locker to begin with.  No good for the occasional attender who has to open every locker to find the fire-lighter fuel etc....

Surely someone has a stock list of what is in each vehicle and where it is located. The LHQ copy is with the quartermaster/stores-person/maintenance-person.

Most SES vehicles have a copy of this list (with check boxes beside each entry) in the glovebox or near the vehicle log book.

This is the same list that is used for vehicle checks before each training meeting. Thus the driver (if they are nominated as vehicle quarter-master) use the same list they are use to for vehicle equipment check after a major tasking.

This tally's with the form the building owner signs for equipment left on site (eg acrow props, tarps, etc).

Embarrassing when you have left ropes & other equipment on a rescue tasking.

** just a private opinion **

[Pipster]

But that doesn't help when the it is not a local crew on the appliance.....different brigades store things in different places...not to mention that on KI, there were several different builds of appliances to be utilised on the island....

My own brigade has a checklist for each appliance, and can tell you what is in each locker....but foreign crews are a different story....

I suppose when the appliance get back to brigade, they can tell fairly quickly what equipment has gone missing...

Pip

[kat]

Yep, well our girl was filthy, missing some VHFs but gained some others (bearing out the theory that this wasn't a mailicious theft).

One 25mm storz fitted lay flat missing (no use to you if you are using CFS standard wajax fittings) and very sadly our GPS unit. Which possibly eventually will be replaced but they won't even look at it for a while in case it shows up! And whether we will get something comparable to our Brigade purchased non standard unit with additional software I couldn't say.

Couldn't get rid of the dead skull wired to the front grille quick enough.

Dunno why people have to treat things so roughly - the throttle is bent, a switch is damaged, the recirc and inlet valves are bent, rear entry step is bent, some trim is missing, a basket from the fridge is trashed, coffin locker lid damaged.

Four tyres snaked (expected I guess), pump required service - air filter choked to the max (also unavoidable).

But we've only had it back since Wednesday and everytime I look at her I seem to notice something else trashed or missing.

A shame that people can't respect the equipment their lives could depend upon.

[rescue5271]

So who picks up the " BILL" for appliances that will need to be serviced again after their trip to KI??? Keeping in mind that appliances would have just had their pre fire season service done and group's would have paid for that. I guess look on EBAY you never know what you wll find