SA Firefighter

Can't believe some Captains still rock up in their private vehicle, so unprofessional. We have a neighbouring Captain that use to do it I don't think he does it now days. I have also told group officers from the same offending group to leave the fire ground and don the proper PPE then they can take command from me!

We would be responded as rescue for an RCR and his brigade would be fire cover only. He would give an arrival sitrep stating no rescue required. Then I would ask if there is an appliance on scene, answer would obviously be no so I would reply "Negative we will keep responding no CFS appliance on scene!"

Just get into them and highlight the risks and how unprofessional it looks!

Maybe this should be in another topic!!!

My brigade use to fundraise heavily and was supported greatly by our local council with funding and access to council facilities that could help our cause.

Once the Emergency Service levy can along less community members were willing to stick their hand in the pocket due to paying the levy and that is fair its like the CFS or should I say goverment is double dipping.

I'm also of the opinion of why should a brigade fundraise when local CFS brigades are providing a service to the community for no wages, we should'nt have to beg, borrow or steal.

The goverment is saving a great deal of their budget each year with the work of volunteer emergency services.

Agree CFS_Firey that some busy CFS urban fringe brigades could have paid day staff but I'm sure that there are some large regional areas that could benefit from it as well.

The way the system is now it's all over the show where there is CFS vol stations doing more calls than MFS retained, that sometimes have the same day time crewing issues as CFS.

I think SAFECOM need to have a better strategic plan in place that aids the tactical response of both services, or maybe South Australia has just one service "South Australian Fire & Emergency Services" Where there is a tiered system once a vounteer brigade becomes to busy it changes to retained to assist its staff remunerate the cost of going to the station all the time and other associated costs. Then once the station is extremely busy it becomes full-time all of this would obviously take time and development of local areas before it changed a stations status due to population density.

Another spin off of this is maybe the government could be able to cut down on Regional officers and District officers where the two overlap in areas (not 100% sure there!). One dedicated training department instead of two and I'm sure other departments may be duplicated in both services.

Just a reflection!

Have to agree with you pump rescue the old statement of "I'm just a volunteer" has never gone down easy with me it is an 'out' to be reckless, complacent and have a lack of ownership of your equipment and station.

That is one of those statements that keep some people thinking that volunteer emergency organisations are not always up to the mark.

My reply to guys that come up with that remark is if you don't want to step up to the line. You volunteer twice, you've done the first one the second is handing back your gear!

"Professionalism is not a pay check it is a state of mind!"

Well it's seems more people are for paid staff holding positions in brigades than not so far.

I have also noticed a lot of you that have replied it's not an issue are paid staff.

Have you had any negative feedback from brigade members or felt like your paid position could or had the potential of a conflict of interest?
:|

Totally disagree with your statement COMP00.

Don't know what game you guys play at your station but once our guys complete their BFF1 they are not fed to the lions! They are always mentored by Senior Fire Fighters or senior members at training and incidents so they are learning the right stuff and safely and only one probie is allowed on each appliance to an incident.

Once the Captain is content with their development then they loose the probationary statue and become Fire Fighters.

See COMP00 if you did join one of those urban fringe brigades you would learn phrases like skills development & skills maintenance.

By the way under the FGP's it's "Turn on" and "Knock off"

I agree totally Nick when we respond into MFS area I make sure I've got 4 BA with those guys trained in RCR and then the 5th guy is a new lad so he can see what goes on and help the driver/pumpy set up.

Fire fighting is a blue collar job the appliance is your tool box and you will only become familiar and competent with those tools if you use them!

I've meet the minister she came out to our station one day she has not got a clue about Emergency Services in this state.

She spent the whole time being told about things by us or one of her advisers.

I don't think CFS has put a proper submission forward to the minister but I could be wrong.

The only 4x4 appliance MFS have are their little 14's (ROSA) and as for the NSW campaign MFS guys were split up onto CFS appliances and only drove if they have been in the CFS with experience in driving the then Hino appliances!

I agree totally with the statement as a few of our older brigade members in my group that have had experience as Captains and DGO's in the past and don't wish to lead the brigades but have done the IMT training and can be available just about anytime and they feel that they are past riding appliances to ever job.

They are the perfect people for that job, year of experience, leadership skills, have a great deal of local knowledge(if fire is close to their area).

Probably more knowledgable than some paid staff, they have been in the CFS longer than some of those paid guys by many years.

Bittenyakka your missing the point I'm saying if you are going to use your BA sets at training instead of just wearing it playing soccer why don't you get you guys to don their PPE correctly and train in procedures that they are going to use when they respond down the street to maximise the time spent at training as it is only once a week.

I hear what your saying but there is plenty they could do instead of just kicking around a ball i.e search and rescue procedures, door entries, hose work, using ladders and the list goes on.

I've been in the CFS for 15 years and are in my early 30's. Last year I was made up to a Lieutenant and before that a Senior F/F for a long time.

To be honest with you Nick don't be in a rush it's good that you're keen but you will miss wearing BA, using the tools at an RCR and being on the end of the hose at a rural incident. (All the fun stuff!)

Lieutenant's also do a lot of behind the scene stuff at brigades as well and some of it is not fun.

As for your other statement most of the young guys in my brigade are excellent keen, willing to learn but know their place and also know not to argue with me when I tell them to do something unless they've seen something dangerous that I have not!

I see no drama with paid CFS stations why hand over it to the MFS when we should be striving to push our service to a higher level. That way you would have paid CFS staff that know how CFS operates at rural fires plus the ability to respond to incidents requiring BA and RCR.

If you said let MFS take over those busy CFS stations and return CFS to just rural fire fighting your retention of volunteers would go down hill due to the less number of incidents they would attend loosing interest. Plus you would have to train MFS how to fight rural fires and drive 4x4 appliances.

I'm currently at a CFS station that has had a mix of paid CFS, paid MFS, paid industrial fire fighters and everybody gets along well.

Does not matter if a service has a mix of paid, retained or full-time as you are all there to put the wet stuff on the red stuff!

Just seems a waste of time why don't you try actual fire related tasks in breathing apparatus, plenty you can do!

Here's another idea why don't you train you guys how to don their PPE correctly as you have one guy with a flash hood on wrong and another in level 1 gear.

Does not look real profesional, how about you do a proper B.A. exercise instead that will get your hearts pumping!

I'm all for fun nights but lose the B.A. sets!

Can just imagine what other services would say!

MFS: INC # 9 - 20/01/08 06:06,RESPOND BUILD IMPACT,59 JETTY ST,GRANGE, MAP 115 L 2 ,,CAR INTO HOUSE. HAS LOOSENED BRICKS. FROM SAPOL.,WAD020 WDV249 NOA029*CFSRES: SES Central Region

Well what a suprise a car that smashed into a house has loosened the bricks!

I've heard a bit of banter around the place in regards to CFS paid staff being Lieutenants and Seniors in Brigades and some Regional Commanders not being keen on the idea, to the point they wish to stop it!

The negatives I've heard are some people are not keen on the idea as they believe that they hinder the progress of the brigade as they are tied up with the political red tape of being paid staff.

The positives are most of them use to be a volunteer and still are, the operational experience and knowledge plus the management skills they have gained from being paid staff.

What's everybody else's thoughts?

Good to see a female firie like Pip saying whats the big deal let the girls like the guy's get on with the job.

I have no drama's with girls in the job as long as they can do what the guy's do and in saying that I've had a few girls in my station that left quite a few lad's in the dust!

Yeah I guess you're right I guess my brigade got good and use to them due to using them frequently being a high responding brigade and always having a folder in from of the OIC which had all the codes if he needed it.

I do agree I like the incident numbers on pagers real easy "Whatever 34P responding to incident no. three two"

Especially when your woken up in the middle of the night and it's your turn to have the brigade duty officers phone and it's the second or third job that night :-o

I could be wrong but I think our brigades in our group kicked up a storm so we could have 3 radio's per appliance Pip!

I belong to one of those urban fringe brigades we use to use K-codes a long time ago no drama's till CFS HQ said not to so now we don't.

I agree anything that makes the system quicker and easy to use must be a good thing. SAPOL use their codes no drama's.

Plus if it makes it easier for those poor guys and girls in Adelaide Fire Comm's I say good as they must be under the pump on a regular basis.

You guys are crazy!!!!

I did not do it for the community. I had a few old fire fighting mates that use to tell me a few stories.

I do it for the adrenalin and the rush and challenge of a good going job. No warm and fluffy tales here!

But who knows for how long each year gets busier and the CFS expect more from you all for nothing.

About time the service starting putting some coin in my pocket!

They don't need to teach you how to use VHF radio's, if you're attending a B.A. course you should already be proficient in the use of a radio. I think they don't use them so you concentrate on your other skills such as communications with your buddy, other crews and effective infomation hand over to the ECO.

As for responding to jobs down the street my brigade has 3 VHF's on every appliance. One for your OIC, one for your driver/pump operator and one for your BA crew that all you need. Otherwise you look like a bunch of CFS gong beaters all carrying radios!

Are you guy's already on the New Years Eve jungle juice a sky crane bombing a structural or industrial incident, It wolud cause my damage than good now I've heard it all.

Yeah cheers SA Firey I know all that.