Retained MetFS

[PF_]

How do they decide where to put in a retained MFS station?  Some places hardly need an MFS station as they get less than 50 calls a year.  Wouldnt it be cheaper to have a CFS brigade there...
This isnt a CFS vs MFS thread, a genuine question.

[medevac]

can be to do with assets in the community
eg;
one steel - whyalla
smelters in pt pirie (hence the full time crew as well)
large amounts of industrial stuff in pt augusta and mt gambier

[PF_]

yeah but what about places like Tanunda, Burra, Wallaroo etc.  Surprised pt Augusta and Gambier arent full time.

[Alan (Big Al)]

MFS was put in to places like Burra, Peterborough sp??, etc etc as a publicity thing many years ago i can't recall the exact reason but believe thats why theres mets in towns that do very few calls.

[rescue5271]

I think you will find some of these small MFS country stations will close under safecom as the CFS in these towns is large .

[medevac]

yeah but what about places like Tanunda, Burra, Wallaroo etc.  Surprised pt Augusta and Gambier arent full time.

personally im suprised pt pirie IS full time...

as for tanunda, kapunda, moonta etc... all seems a bit strange

[PF_]

I think you will find some of these small MFS country stations will close under safecom as the CFS in these towns is large .

I wonder if all those stations have PBI and new BA cylinders etc like the city and main MetFS retianed.

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Speaking of new cylinders, are CFS getting carbon cylinders anytime soon and what exactly are the new MFS BA stff theyre getting?

[medevac]

of course they have PBI and good BA - they have equality through the service (pretty much... :wink: not completely....


rel CFS BA cylinders, i dont think carbon fibre cylinders are high n the list of things to do from what ive heard... everything ive heard has been - too expensive, shorter shelf life etc... would ber nice though

[medevac]

im not 100% but believe the new MFS BA gear, is an upgrade that has a backplate that has a bit of give in it, special strap system that lets the set rotate and extend with the operators movement...

[PF_]

CFS: I heard the current cylinders are being phased out and carbon coming in.

[Scania_1]

The sets also send a signal back to the ECO board (laptop) with the cylinder contents of each set during operations.

[Scania_1]

Mt Gambier will be day staffing as of early January 2007 (officially).
ps Retained MFS regional stations (country) do have carbon fibre cylinders on their sets but have to use FRP as spare cylinders. Think this is changing when the new BA sets arrive though.

[medevac]

CFS: I heard the current cylinders are being phased out and carbon coming in.

smells like BS... reminds me of plenty of rumors over the years.

[medevac]

Mt Gambier will be day staffing as of early January 2007 (officially).
ps Retained MFS regional stations (country) do have carbon fibre cylinders on their sets but have to use FRP as spare cylinders. Think this is changing when the new BA sets arrive though.

personally ive always found that strange...

not only would you want a lighter cylinder for your second cylinder... rather than the first, but also; youd think for the small amount of stations they have, could splurge a little bit of cash to go full carbon fibre....

[Toast]

CFS: I heard the current cylinders are being phased out and carbon coming in.

They are still producing the FRP cylinders, so you'll be waiting 15 years to get your Carbon fibres.

[PF_]

fair enough, getting back on the railroad track, with retained MFS, do they have crew rosters or is it a free for all like CFS when there is a cal out?

[Scania_1]

Depends on the station .Some like Renmark seem to have a roster by looking at their pager messages. Others like Mt Gambier dont. We have a book for people to book off if they are not available, the ones that arent booked off are expected to turn up for jobs. Basically the first ones through the door are the ones that ride the appliances.

[PF_]

Okay cool.

Also, can one be a member of the retained MFS and CFS?

[Scania_1]

Well yes it is possible. But in a busy station like Mt Gambier it would be very difficult. We did 524 calls for the financial year just ended and you are expected to attend at least 50% of these. So to do both you would have to split yourself in two. Especially with training, station duties and all the other stuff you have to do. If you go out to a call with CFS and then get a call from MFS you are stuck.

[PF_]

Yeah but with Mt Gambier you can be just MFS because you do have 500+ calls, thats more than 1 a day, plenty of calls to satisfy you :-P 

With the 50% do you have to just come to the station or get on the truck cause it can be difficult if someone keeps coming abd you live the furthest and miss the truck etc.

[Scania_1]

You are expected to then ride for half of the calls you attend. This includes riding the appliance or doing radio in the station, so thats not to hard to achieve. The rule is too that you must live within 10 minutes of the station (travelling time).

[rescue5271]

PF,evan going to fire alarms gets boring...........until they became a real working job..............

[PF_]

Im not bothered by alarms, only had 1.  IM happy to go to them because they could be a real fire.  Be spewin if you decided not to go "cause its just a silly alarm" then find out it was a fire.  :-o

[medevac]

dont be one of these idiots that pick there calls... IMO if your home or available and the pager goes, attend the station regardless of the incident type, or get out of the service.

[PF_]

How did this come up,
I dont pick my calls, if you read what I wrote you'd see that I dont.

(unless youre not referring to me in which you can carry on)