hmm...enough to warrant coming out of retirement for
Firstly, the article was a disappointment. Poorly written and lacking any justification for the public to engage in the debate, no compelling proof, no warranted examples - what happen to your argument about no $$$ for computers Rainer, and yet we're expected to complete fire reports, use them to page out to members, have to provide business and financial reports for Region and many use them for gaining real time weather info?....lost opportunities everywhere. I'm sorry if Kickatinalong Brigade cant sort out their door issue on their own....then i dont really want them on my fireground inside 5 minutes....let them cart water and sandwiches.
There wasnt a clear statement on what it was that the Gang of Four wanted....other than a couple of Brigade vehicles replaced, a door on a station, and some pagers....if thats the limit of the deficencies in the CFS....then we are in a great state.....and we al know thats not the case. Emotive argument never wins....facts, facts, facts......
Lost opportunities to present facts...% building growth in the Groups mentioned since the last review of SFEC, %percent of $$ spent per area covered, a $$$ value on the service provided against the cost of what they were wanting.
The argument here from the people concerned read as being against the CFS, and thats not a) fair, and b) correct. The material state of the Fleet statewide is far better than it was pre ESL. OVERALL the service is in a far better state than it was before.....BUT, that doesnt negate the issues that are being felt in the urban interface Groups that have real and compelling reasons for being concerned.
SFEC is a crap document, full of flaws, full of assumptions and questionable methodology. The resulting standards are certainly budget driven (ie its been engineered to fit within a certain budget). Predictably, CFS have rolled out the "we will only fund to SFEC position".....and this is what has to be addressed - reflect the flaws in this thinking, and compell and shame the Government into extra funding, but dont hammer the CFS they only play in the sandpit they are given....and as Alan mentions...they are affected more than most in the lack of $$$, but cant ever say it publiclly (until someone is approaching retirement and happy to hang their Kahunas out).
Overall....sadly, a missed opportunity that really smacks of whining a little....and lacks some hard unassailable facts to compel the public to think about it. Of course, some of this is due to the writer and the poor structure of the article (geez it wouldnt have passed my Yr 12 English teachers standard let alone supposedly coming fom someone supposedly with a Degree in Journalism)
A timely (??) media release on Friday regarding an increase in spending for the CFS..... lolol...oh sooo cynical, coincidence?...i think not..lol. Pity it took a Coroners Inquest to get $60,000 worth of radios (even the CFS Media attribute it to this...amazing
)....what will it take to replce 180 sub standard Stations?
Finally....despite all my comments above, well done to the GOs concerned, it takes a great deal of gumption to put yourself in the firing line like you have, and at least 2 of you will be targetted personally as a result of the SLG push on holding dual rank. Make sure when u get the push...or at least any heat, that you make that public too......the Whistleblower Act is a good place to start and then the media - just get an editor on the case next time ...not a student journo
