CFS NEEDING MORE APPLIANCE'S

[YELLOWS_2]

Our station is one of the busiest in our group and yet we have only 1 truck, we have 10 or more members rocking up to the station on all call outs we have to turn most of the members down or tell them to respond in their personal cars and yet other stations in our group only have 50 call outs a year and struggle to get crew members on most call outs and yet they have 2 to 3 units. we have told our region this problem and they say that state do not want to extend their fleet. does any other brigade have this problem?

[Manuel]

can we ask where you are from, so that we get a better understanding of the situation.

[bittenyakka]

No we dont. But check if the other brigades second and third appliances are CFS or Brigade owned.

[RescueHazmat]

It is a little hard to understand the problem without knowing where you are from - Would then be able to understand your response area, risk and call types as well as current appliance and equipment / stowage info, but I understand the decision not to dislocse that..

How far have you taken the discussion? - Obviously you and your brigade want to put forward the fact you believe you would be better equipped with another appliance... How far have you put the request to? Also, was it a formal request? How far did it get? If you are unhappy with a response, by going through the correct chain you can take things further... Just ensure you follow the correct procedures and Chain of command.

[Robert-Robert34]

Yellows_2 dont encourage your brigade volunteers to respond in their own vehicles to an incident as its against the CFS rules & regulations if you want to solve this problem here are couple of ideas

1.Have 2 crews 1 for daytime/afternoon hours and the other for evening & night hours
2.For a big incident say if 10 or more members turn up put them into 2xteams of two for standby or relief crew


   

[Toast]

What other appliances do the other stations have? Are they specialist Hazmat/Rescue appliances? Do they have both a Rural and Urban risk whereas you only have a Rural risk?

There is more to appliance numbers than just how many crew you have.

[Pipster]

No we dont. But check if the other brigades second and third appliances are CFS or Brigade owned.

Do brigade-owned appliances still exist?   

My understanding is that there are no brigade owned vehicles anymore - everything is owned by CFS (even the appliances that were funded by Local councils, are now owned by CFS).

And because CFS owns them, they pay for the maintenance / services / repairs for them as well. (Although depending on what goes wrong etc, how much to fix, the funds come from Region, or Group - but an individual brigade doesn't have to pay...)


Another issue alluded to by a number of people, is your level of risk.

Appliances are not allocated on the basis of how many people you have in your brigade, or even within the district you cover, or necessarily how many calls you get.  Appliances are allocated on the basis of what risks exist within your area.

For example, Roseworthy CFS got two new appliances within less than 2 years.   That wasn't because they had a special deal CFS - it was because a brand new Industrial development went ahead in their response area, a multi million dollar development, that needed an upgraded fire response to it.

There are many other brigades around the state who have had appliances upgraded, or downgraded, depending upon the RISK in their area, not the actual number of calls that the brigade responds to.


And yellow-2, if your brigade is lucky enough to have more people turning up for the call, than you have space on the appliance - first thing is be thankful.  The second thing, is if the same people are getting on the appliance each time, and the same ones always miss out, then introduce a roster, so responses can be shared around.   :-)

Pip

[SA Firey]

ROSTER would definitely be the go for you guys that way everyone gets a go and the level of enthusiasm stays high as well as morale of the brigade :-D

[bittenyakka]

No we dont. But check if the other brigades second and third appliances are CFS or Brigade owned.

Do brigade-owned appliances still exist?   

My understanding is that there are no brigade owned vehicles anymore - everything is owned by CFS (even the appliances that were funded by Local councils, are now owned by CFS).

And because CFS owns them, they pay for the maintenance / services / repairs for them as well. (Although depending on what goes wrong etc, how much to fix, the funds come from Region, or Group - but an individual brigade doesn't have to pay...)

I got told that my brigade had bought both of our trucks with money we had raised. I am not sure if they are Owned bu us or CFS but they don't have Government plates.

[Pipster]

Plain or blue plate makes no difference to who owns it.....

My brigade fundraised for a 14, and along with some council funds, purchased it....twenty years later, it was replaced wiht a new $160,000 14, and the old one left...currently being used by CFS Tech services before being sold off at Government Auction....  :|

Almost all CFS vehicles are owned by the CFS, with the odd exception.....

Pip

[Toast]

Isn't every asset a brigade has now a 'SAFECOM' asset? Including appliances/buildings?

Our two brigade built appliances are treated no differently to the other 'CFS Issue' appliances

[Darius]

charlston tanker being one exception. I also know of a group vehicle not owned by the CFS.

[Toast]

Private vehicles that have a CFS usage arrangement are a little different  :wink:

[SA Firey]

The subject of appliances is talked about in another thread BUT with the amount of appliances offline it would be nice to have a few spares around the state eh :-P

[bittenyakka]

or replace the old ones that keep breaking down and going off line

[SA Firey]

or replace the old ones that keep breaking down and going off line

Definitely second that motion as im sure a thousand others would :-D

[Toast]

or replace the NEW ones that keep breaking down and going off line

FIXED!

[bittenyakka]

I have been in the CFS for about 5 months and twice one of our trucks has needed fixing.

[medevac]

SFECs!!!!!!

[oz fire]

No we dont. But check if the other brigades second and third appliances are CFS or Brigade owned.

Another issue alluded to by a number of people, is your level of risk.

Appliances are not allocated on the basis of how many people you have in your brigade, or even within the district you cover, or necessarily how many calls you get.  Appliances are allocated on the basis of what risks exist within your area.
Pip

And an urban brigade warant a Pumper how - 96% rural risk????

Sorry, but the urban fringe brigade is an easy example, due to their "primary' risk being rural/hills face zone, with little urban risk in THEIR area

The immediate risk is tangible - i.e. should CFS consider the MFS area (an area MFS are funded for) part of the CFS risk. Should CFS consider the SES tasks (an area SES are funded for)
OR
should CFS first and foremost consider the risks, in the brigade PRIMARY response area???

[K99]

More appliances!  Its funny how I see a lot of CFS vehicles parked outside Woolies or picking the kids up at school.
Must be good having your vehicle and fuel etc paid by someone else. :x

[Big Yellow Gongbeater]

More appliances!  Its funny how I see a lot of CFS vehicles parked outside Woolies or picking the kids up at school.
Must be good having your vehicle and fuel etc paid by someone else. :x

Ohhhhhh no K99  :wink:, this just so isn't going to end well for you, haven't you caused enough grief in other posts :lol:

[SA Firey]

More appliances!  Its funny how I see a lot of CFS vehicles parked outside Woolies or picking the kids up at school.
Must be good having your vehicle and fuel etc paid by someone else. :x

Hmmmm....specify CFS vehicles.
I dont think you will see TOO MANY appliances at Woolies and picking up the kids.
Where do you get off :evil:

[Toast]

Oh we take the pumper shopping all time!

Oz, I think you'll find numerous 'Urban Fringe' brigades with significant Urban risks in their primary response area.

[PF_]

Oh we take the pumper shopping all time!

I saw Gawler 359 parked outside Coles yesterday.