Interstate deployments

[Pixie]

Black Dog - now i can see where your point of view is coming from, i can slightly agree with you that yes, operational equipment IS much more important than a fancy dress contest... but i think you are yet to fully understand my point of view.

I am not sure what type of brigade you are from, thus am unsure as to your experiences... but i personally like to be able to turn up at an incident and get to work immediately, not have to explain to residents that WE ARE THE REAL FIRE SERVICE, and that we are actually capable of doing our job. I have had multiple occasions where people have genuinely asked where the "Real" firefighters (MFS) were... and this does not just extend to the public!

I know the CFS has a very limited budget, but i would still quit like to see more PR push that the CFS ARE A REAL FIRE SERVICE... and i think a good start to this is having a common uniform, both operational and dress... even if that is just a work shirt screen printed with cfs logo/star( ) and Fire & Rescue on the back.

As a proudly well-trained fire-fighter, I guess you weren't one of the crews "mopping
up" from the rear deck the other day then. Or blacking out under a burning tree sans
helmet....

....The other thing on which I must take issue with you is the colour.  While blue is
definitely my colour, the pre-occupation with dark shades in our climate leaves me
baffled. They absorb much too much heat from the sun & air.  I strongly commend a sky-
blue shirt (at darkest), or even a light khaki. King Gee do a very cool & comfortable
work shirt that is even presentable at the office.

I try not too... although sometime I just feel the need to belong...

The king gee shirts (the ventilated ones) you speak of are AWESOME, our brigade has done a run of member purchased ones and they are great. even in the dark blue, they are cool enough to wear on a stinking hot day.

enough off topic banter for me.

[mengcfs]

Well done to all the people on my recent deployment to Vic. I had a great time working with some very professional firefighters from CFS and MFS.  The job got done regardless of uniform uniformity!

[firegun]

it is my understanding that the CFS has in place plans for ongoing support for Victoria over the next few weeks, if this eventuates then there should be a chance for more people to go and gain experience (even Robert)
(i hope like we all do not in uncontrolled incidents though)

[Shiner]

You are remembered for what you do, not what you wore when you turned up!

Those I met and spoke to while on the first deployment could not of cared less what we were wearing, just grateful and thankful we were there!

[Robert-Robert34]

it is my understanding that the CFS has in place plans for ongoing support for Victoria over the next few weeks, if this eventuates then there should be a chance for more people to go and gain experience (even Robert)
(i hope like we all do not in uncontrolled incidents though)

I sure hope i get my chance late next week or first week of March 

[mengcfs]

All SA crews are deployed to the Churchill-Jerralang complex

[Zippy]

The current total fire size for the Kilmore East - Murrindindi Complex South Fire is approximately 75,034 hectares. CFA and DSE fire fighters together with crews from the Tasmanian, South Australian and New South Wales Fire Services will be joined by New Zealand fire fighters today.  Crews from the United States will soon arrive.

Crews have constructed 85 kilometres of control lines throughout the complex and will continue to strengthen these in the coming days, including controlled burns.

[6739264]

Just a very quick differing point of veiw on the uniforms:

Blackdog, and others suggest that we would be "wasting" our money if it were put into developing and supplying a non firefighting operational uniform. One simple question though, are their any professional Fire Brigades in the country that still advocate wearing their PPE in and around the station day to day as a matter of course?

Honestly I don't think so. And why? OH&S. Think about it. The amount of harmful contaminants in your PPE, be it wildfire or structural, that you still suck down when you're wearing it or drop off as you walk around you station in it. It's not healthy in the slightest.

Now think about a large group of people wearing that in an aircraft after having worked flat chat for days at a time. I hope that those aircraft are getting decontaminated...

[rescue5271]

I have been given around 140 photos of our crews that went to churchill area i will sort and post soon just have to veto a few... Yes region 5 is going to be sending ongoing help/crews to Victoria for sometime today another 16 have gone over and i would say another 16 will go Saturday. I think there are around 10 guys from my group who have put there hand up and one of them is ME....


Our guys did say that all crews worked well and they had a great time having a MFS guy on the SALE TANKER, I understand there is now a new name for the CFS??? But i cant say on this post....

[Zippy]

BILL...TELL US.

[rescue5271]

photo of strike team 1006/1007,photo from shane smith Naracoorte brigade

[chook]

if you work out how much it would cost to provide another uniform to the 10000 volunteers at abot 150 a throw that is $1.5 million. Now I'm sure at $10 polo shirt would be a cheaper option.
On another matter remember when I was urging caution with the urge to tear over the border to assist? Well it's started from the ABC News site:-
Mr Marshall (UFU)says the employment of firefighters from interstate and overseas has rubbed salt in the wounds for many.
"It's even more moral shattering when these professional people who serve the fire services of Victoria are sitting home not being utilised and they see overseas and interstate troops being brought in," he said.

It's a long article and the comments above need to be seen in context, however it's going to be an ugly couple of years for the CFA & MFB and it is sad that this has got out into the public domain - again.
cheers

[Zippy]

10000 volunteers at abot 150 a throw that is $1.5 million

you only need about 2500 uniforms.....

Thats taking into account the number of active firefighters, and the number of who actually would wear it.

[chook]

But you know as well as I do Zippy once someone has something everyone will want it And of course you are right, but thats the way things are these days!

[misterteddy]

if you work out how much it would cost to provide another uniform to the 10000 volunteers at abot 150 a throw that is $1.5 million. Now I'm sure at $10 polo shirt would be a cheaper option.
On another matter remember when I was urging caution with the urge to tear over the border to assist? Well it's started from the ABC News site:-
Mr Marshall (UFU)says the employment of firefighters from interstate and overseas has rubbed salt in the wounds for many.
"It's even more moral shattering when these professional people who serve the fire services of Victoria are sitting home not being utilised and they see overseas and interstate troops being brought in," he said.

It's a long article and the comments above need to be seen in context, however it's going to be an ugly couple of years for the CFA & MFB and it is sad that this has got out into the public domain - again.
cheers

chook this article is really interesting as it also infers that the career CFA guys are similarly involved. I wonder if it isnt more about the internal macinations of the CFA vs the UFU than anything else. Certainly I would say there would be a little grandstanding from the UF regards their members, but it wouldnt be practical to reduce the coverage of other parts of Melb to support the other fires....but in the same breath, I understand those firefighters not involved being frustrated....very difficult. Hopefully this doesnt become a poisoned argument between management and the union with the public, and firefighters (career and vol) in the middle

[jaff]

if you work out how much it would cost to provide another uniform to the 10000 volunteers at abot 150 a throw that is $1.5 million. Now I'm sure at $10 polo shirt would be a cheaper option.
On another matter remember when I was urging caution with the urge to tear over the border to assist? Well it's started from the ABC News site:-
Mr Marshall (UFU)says the employment of firefighters from interstate and overseas has rubbed salt in the wounds for many.
"It's even more moral shattering when these professional people who serve the fire services of Victoria are sitting home not being utilised and they see overseas and interstate troops being brought in," he said.

It's a long article and the comments above need to be seen in context, however it's going to be an ugly couple of years for the CFA & MFB and it is sad that this has got out into the public domain - again.
cheers

Agreed Chook, there will be numerous CFA firies that feel that way, but do you "truly" believe that it was an option for interstate firies not to be deployed to assist. The Victorian government and CFA would be mauled by the media and opposition if after the worst fires since European settlement they closed the border to firefighting assistance, but then appealed to the Australian public for $$$$$$$, as they have!
The contingent of interstate and overseas firies is realistically not that great, more of a goodwill gesture I would have thought.

[chook]

Yep, agree but regardless of the reasons, this little article now raises it's head (some would say again) some of the comments on the ABC make the situation clearer(i.e. payed fire fighters both MFB & CFA) & unless you are somehow attached to the payed firefighters the general public would see this a just more c**p. From a payed fire fighter point of view(not that I am one) however you can see the argument. And as an ex union member there is another argument all together
Its just going to get very messy in the next few months & no body will be winners. As an aside the NSW ambulance crews were ordered not to stike re: loosing their rescue crews! It is the big difference between doing some thing for payment & doing something for other reasons. At what point do you stop protecting your employment for the greater good?

[Sarge]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

[Zippy]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

Mmm but in other parts of the state, the number of dual cabs is slowly increasing. 

my brigade could spare 1 of ours for interstate duties, but yeah would it come back in the same condition as it left?

[Bagyassfirey]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

Mmm but in other parts of the state, the number of dual cabs is slowly increasing. 

my brigade could spare 1 of ours for interstate duties, but yeah would it come back in the same condition as it left?

fair chance that would be a no zippy...

[Sarge]

but i personally like to be able to turn up at an incident and get to work immediately, not have to explain to residents that WE ARE THE REAL FIRE SERVICE, and that we are actually capable of doing our job. I have had multiple occasions where people have genuinely asked where the "Real" firefighters (MFS) were... and this does not just extend to the public!

Come out to the country we (CFS) are the real & only fires service  (no mets for miles) course the worst we country bumpkins have to deal with is tourists (city slickers) who don't know what a white fire truck looks like (even with the lights & siren going)

[Sarge]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

Mmm but in other parts of the state, the number of dual cabs is slowly increasing. 

my brigade could spare 1 of ours for interstate duties, but yeah would it come back in the same condition as it left?

Depends on what part of the state your in, But that's another subject altogether (Truck Replacement)

[Darren]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

Soooooo you will have lots of new trucks in the next few years....18 years ago you would have had one of the most modern fleets....

[Sarge]

And when we send units on deployments, lets send our best, ie duel cabs with the "bells and whistles" not the 10+ year old units with crews having to spend many hours on the back while they are there.
I am sure there is by now enough in the state to send without depleting our responce to incidents within SA 

Don't bet on it my group has 11 vehicles 2 of which are crew cabs a Landrover QAV & a 24P, the other 2 24Ps are at least 7-8 yrs old the 2 14s are 10-15 yrs old and the remaining 5 24s 1 is about 10 yrs old and 4 are 18yrs or older.

Soooooo you will have lots of new trucks in the next few years....18 years ago you would have had one of the most modern fleets....

Ahh how times change

[chook]

Does it really matter how modern the fleet is?
Except for the urban interface brigades that are doing lots of tasks a year, what is wrong with a 10+ year old vehicle for brigades that do less than 100 tasks a year? Yes the modern fleet has better crew protection, more comfortable etc.
Why not go down the path of another organisation who has a very large fleet - rebuilds! Half the price of new & you get the good ideas from the original with modern improvements.
The emergency services will find it harder to justify more equipment, when the insurance council quite rightly points out that they are contributing lots of dollars to the emergency services (NSW,VIC,QLD,TAS) without improved outcomes.
Sorry guys but for the majority of our work, we don't need to have the latest in every station, shed or unit.
Maybe a total re-think of how the natural disasters are dealt with going forward is required. From all accounts mother nature is going to get angrier & wilder, so having the latest dual cab isn't the go!
And as far as the color of your current fleet, I'm sure the specially marked fleets have the same problems - society generally just doesn't give a stuff for rules anymore. Sad but true!
And before everyone starts throwing electronic stones at me, take your firefighters helmet off for a minute & put yourself into the position of a normal member of the public that has to pay for all of this new stuff.
cheers