Fast-tracking new ideas to boost CFS recruiting

[SA Firey]

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24788736-5006301,00.html

BUSHFIRE training for volunteers will be fast-tracked as part of a Country Fire Service plan to attract more people.

New recruits also will have the option of becoming only bushfire volunteers and will not have to carry out other traditional CFS tasks such as attending car accidents, structure fires and flood and storm damage incidents.

The state's mining boom and the prolonged drought have lured many people away from country areas, leaving them critically short of fire-fighting volunteers.

CFS deputy chief officer Andrew Lawson said it was important to have as many volunteers ready to fight fires as possible, but some people were put off by the idea they would have to attend other incidents if they joined.

"We are considering bringing in a new classification of rural fire-fighter which would be able to attend bushfires."

Mr Lawson said he expected the new training regime would be in place by the middle of next year.

While volunteer numbers have soared in areas such as the Mount Lofty Ranges which gained an extra 120 members, other areas had lost scores of volunteers.

Three of the 22 volunteers from the Mt Compass CFS – Brandon Ashfield, Leigh Duffield and Darren Leaver – yesterday were preparing for the next fire incident. Volunteer numbers at Mt Compass were "fairly steady" but the area was looking to recruit more.

[Alan (Big Al)]

hmmm just don't think thats the greatest of ideas, what about the brigades out there that rural fires only make up a small percentage of the workload but still need the members.

Will be good for some brigades just not all.

[Darren]

I guess it has its merits out in the sticks, won't help my brigade much. I find it a bit offensive that they say farmers are the one's that can't cope with the paperwork and extra calls, so just because I am not a farmer means I love it....... 

[jaff]

Region 1 ROTCOMs recommendation was to support the proposal for other regions, but still opt for BFF1 for their new members within the 6 month window, I am told!

[Zippy]

the comment written by "Wakeupcfsboss of Adelaide" is a great read.

[Pipster]

This plan is a very good example of one size doesn't fit all.

There are brigades out there who have only attended rural incidents - because that is all that occurs in their response area.

It is people from these brigades who have put the idea of rural only training courses through - not something forced upon volunteers from above.

Undertaking the rural only portion of training will not preclude people from undertaking a full BF-1 Course at a later time, should they wish.

I understand that in Region 1, the rural only training course may not occur, and new volunteers will need to undertake a full BF-1 course, regardless of what they incidents they intend to respond to.

While the concept of rural only training may work very well in parts of the state, it will not work in other areas - and CFS have recognised that, and made some changes as requested by areas of the state.

Pip 

[Darren]

I personally think it should be done brigade by brigade, so for example, if your at say Tumby Bay, you do the full BFF-1 for the incidents your likely to attend, but if your at Far West, the minimum for you to do is the rural portion.

[6739264]

I can see how for brigades that generally only attend Rural incidents, a streamlined BFF 1 + Supress Wildfire course could benefit, BUT, I swear the RCR/Hazmat sections of BFF 1 are merely lectures on awareness of the hazards that can be present and how to best manage them. This is pretty important stuff...

And since when have members HAD to attend incidents other than rural ones? As far as I'm concerned, if you only want to turn out to rural jobs becuase you dont feel confident etc, turning out to other things, then you just don't show up to the other types of jobs?

We have people who don't do MVA's or Hazmat by choice... nothing wrong there.

[Darren]

Didn't say they had to, my brigadeis lucky, we get a couple people a week attend to join, so we don't have room for those people, but thats us, all I am saying is that those more urban type brigade should have to do the full BFF 1 to make them aware of all incidents they MIGHT attend.

[6739264]

Didn't say they had to, my brigadeis lucky, we get a couple people a week attend to join, so we don't have room for those people, but thats us, all I am saying is that those more urban type brigade should have to do the full BFF 1 to make them aware of all incidents they MIGHT attend.

Sorry, no one here was suggesting that people had to go to all calls, it was implied in the article, when it was suggested that opting out of "traditional CFS roles" was a new thing. BFF 1 as its stands it so very basic, I would dred to see what they want to remove from it.

[rescue5271]

Each year we have been hearing this but why is it that we wait till summer to do something about it??? I know when there is a big fire then the public get interested and want to join but its too late by then and its hard to train someone in the middle of the fire season... I agree some of the article has its good points but lets get real,Country town,s all have a declining population and if CFS really wants to hold onto its members then HEAR what they are asking for....

Rural community's want an appliances that is able to be crewed by 3 members and they want a truck that will do the job and also provide comfort,they want a station/shed that has running water and toilets. Is that asking too much???

We all need to fix what is wrong first and then move forward all these BAND AIDS are not going to fix the problems that we have ....

[Firey9119]

it is a great idea just look at salisbury this has been running for some time all fully trained in bff1 and burn-over protect people etc....

ready to roll, mostly made of older crews who have done the full responce  and have "slowed down", because lets face it most of the jobs they would go to would be mop up anyway, some still roll with the rest of the station if needed.

[bajdas]

Each year we have been hearing this but why is it that we wait till summer to do something about it??? I know when there is a big fire then the public get interested and want to join but its too late by then and its hard to train someone in the middle of the fire season...

Is the timing because if the CFS do an announcement in the winter, no media outlets will run with the story because it is not 'wildfire season' ??

[Baxter]

Bill could not agree more about the dirrection that the CFS should be taking by focusing more on the poeple ranther than some of the feel good politics.

After reading the info from Adelaide Now and the draft document looking at the optionsfor rural firefighting. I do feel for both sides of then fence. I don't have a problems personally with the full BF1 and I can see that as good foundation for many of the Brigades in the state. Some Brigade however have only attended bushfire / grassfire and don't have a real need for any other training. then there are Brigades that need a braod training course to cover all the type of incidents that they could attend. On the other hand we have Brigades who don't do grass fire / bushfire that often like the pastoral Brigades where they only goto these fire as part of a deployment to a campaign fire.

As Pip has alluded to the one size does not fit all and maybe we should be more prescriptive in terms of allocating units from a BF1 as a core units for Brigades as the basic training through matching it to the SFEC's and the type of incidents they attend.