What you suggest is again more duplication, I know you want to be the "person of the minute" but really when you said in another post " a bowline is ok to lower someone short distances" really makes me wonder whether you guys are best placed to undertake high risk RESCUE activities. The Portuguese Bowline is the only suitable knot for the lowering of people - check your manuals!
Firstly, I should clarify the Bowline comment, I was referring to the fact that as it is a strong, loop forming knot, that had a variety of uses. This included lowering things, which, in a (very tight) pinch could be used to lower a person from say a roof or first floor. The same way a BA set can be used for forced entry or a Halligan can be used as an anchor for rope work. They are not *meant* to be used like that but if the situation deems it necessary, then with a calculated risk it can be done. (never seen the Portuguese Bowline either...)
If we are talking high-risk rescue situations, with time on your hands, then of course you are going to have full cordage rigging and nothing is going to be left to chance. It goes without saying the person being rescued would be secured with a sling harness at the very minimum.
However don't you think these competencies are better served by the SES Rescue branch of SAFECOM? - Sorry mate have to stir the pot grin
Chook, I know what is better served by the SES Rescue part of SAFECOM, and that is BBQ'd foods, such as sausages and onions
Also it was your service who didn't want USAR
As much as it may have been 'my service' that didn't want USAR, it doesn't mean that I have to tow the line laid by my service. I am quite happy to have my own opinion on how things can be worked. God forbid I show it occasionally. Now what would happen to this place if we all towed the line?
Instead why not focus on what you guys are good at - fighting filtered fires?
As much as we are not stuck in the 70's and 80's where the fire service's idea of RCR was sledgehammers, hacksaws, crowbars and that new fangeld 'Air chisler' I can understand where you are coming from in your opinions of Rescue providers. You come from a reasonably rural areas where the SES do (and do it well) Rescue of all kinds, and the Fire Services both really only fight fires (as shown by your local SAMFS's Rescue Stowage). From this I can easily understand your horror when someone suggests that the fire service would be adequate for some rescue work.
What you don't seem to understand is that most people who have a poor opinion of the SES or think that the Fire Service should take on a larger rescue capacity are those from the urban fringe where the SES couldn't rescue a sausage off a BBQ and would happily set up a L3 IMT for a Tree Down job. For the urban fringe dwellers its not a huge jump to take on a few bits and pieces of rescue more than what is already done by the CFS, seeing as though most of the 'rescue' training and equipment can be crossed over into firefighting and operations undertaken at fires. This goes without mentioning at all that the local SES are, as suggested above, worse than useless.
For this simple reason, I know that we will never ever agree on much rescue-wise but hey. It makes for some fun.
As far as sticking to what we do best goes, we will happily stick to Fires and Rescue
You want heavy pumpers, aerial platforms etc
When is it going to end?
Sorry for all of the discussion about Heavy Pumpers and Aerials. Its not like this is a Firefighting Forums or anything...
Try to imagine SES units not getting gear to appropriatly cover their risks, yet be told by SES HQ that all is well, and please just be quiet. Thats the Pumper debate in a nutshell. Aerials, well, that was me trying to get some stimulating, non SAAS bashing discussion around here.
As I said in the post on BBF1 check the RFS training web site
The Way the RFS website is laid out for its listing of training courses is great, its a pity that the service is self is a good decade, atleast, behind the CFS.. And they don't even do rescue OR Hazmat. They can't even get their single specialisation right
"Village Firefighter" sounds more like Village People to me...
If you want to be a rescuer do yourself a favour and join SES
I've done myself a favour, I'm happily a Rescuer wearing Yellow, but thanks all the same
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...
You are an idiot.
