SA Firefighter

"Marriage is based on the theory that when man discovers a brand of beer exactly to his taste he should at once throw up his job and go work in the brewery."

George Jean Nathan

Quote from: Dezza on August 16, 2007, 08:27:55 PM
I would love to see all (or at least just the odd 1) MFS personnel spend time out in RURAL south australia....not Adelaide Hills and outer surrounds....places like Karoonda, Salt Creek, Mambray Creek, Iron Knob....all these places...would be A VERY GOOD EYE OPENER....the volunteers there have a REAL passion to do the job....

now, BACK on topic.

Dezza, I don't question your passion. In rural areas the CFS is an Asset,  I don't pitty those guys who travel +3hrs either way for a hazmat job on the west coast.  The politics is centred around the outer suburbs, MFS and CFS usually work well together at ground level when the jobs on. however aguments begin mostly from people attempting to make it their living.

nothing else to do but pick faults.

In rural areas I fully support the idea of first responders. I would strongly recomend that people visit and join their local SAAS team.   

CFS People are OK. Tust too many are protecting their own interests rather than those of the community. (Red Truck White Truck Who Cares.) But most of the good ones come from the country.  

Disappointment awaits you behind every smiling face.. :-D

 

It's a happening thing... :evil: :-D

 

Quote from: NotRedAdair on August 16, 2007, 04:00:47 PM
Am a bit curious to find a definition of "firie".  :?

BHPESO started a thread about when a FF could call themselves qualified.  I'm like you, find it really amusing the amount of pretend Fire fighters about. They really need to look at the real world and realise the only reason they are there is because the government is using them as free labour,

With all the crap that goes about on here, it's just jealousy. We who get paid are ultimately real.  No need to hide the, on the dole, or trolley collector job.

Quote from: Crank on August 16, 2007, 03:41:42 PM

Quote from: on-shift-firie-SAMFS on August 16, 2007, 11:41:12 AM
Hate to burst your bubble, but volunteers are not considered either full time nor "firies" by professional firefighters.

Thats what i call comedy!

Well said, I can't wait to get those pretenders out of the burbs, Either.  send em back to hicksville where their crying can't be herd,  Bring on Seaford MFS...   I hope the same happens up North......  I think they should look at Dalkeith.  Station of jockeys....  if they can get a truck out the door.....

Quote from: jasec on August 14, 2007, 03:47:08 PM
How little you know, 90% of our job is Medical and thats what i like about it, but when I'm getting paid $50,000 a year more than a MFS firefighter, ill happily put pretend anywhere, i know which job i want. I'll have the cash anyday.  :wink:

Hey if your rekon your on 50k more than MFS, we really know your full of scheiße. Simon Q agreed that you get nothing like that, rather your blowing your own trumpet. Ask Adam Mckee,  he has stated the same, ie your still complaining about your pay,  just as well Alison is on the way out and Towler has been given the Sack internally. (quality management there) 

Lets be realistic Jase C 90% of your job is playing with piss and the the other 10% is unlocking doors for management,  Your called an ESO  remember that means an Extra Security Officer..) 

If it's so good why is everybody leaving or left like Joff, and most others looking for a way out.

Roumor has it that your new boss is going to have you dressed in orange and cutting sandwiches...  SES station in the making....

50K my donkey. 

Quote from: jasec on August 13, 2007, 08:27:26 PM
You could do one to see how many MFS egos you could cram in to one room as they all fight to tell you how good they are. :-o

Sounds like BHP ESO's just add the word Pretend in there..  :lol:

I Agree,  SES should be Super Excelent Sandwich makers.....

I question the need for them at all!!  Well not quiet some units are very good but RCR should remain with one agency,  Or next we will have the NSW Version..  Ambulance rescue, police rescue, volunterr rescue, NSWFB, SES, just depends on where you are.... 

Least if you keep it with one style of ageny.  such as fire,  we all know who to call.   

Or one for the CFS,  Pager watching, scanner listening, dress ups, (Fire men)  and lighting fires,,  (OK that was a bit harsh)  Sorry guys.. 

Hmm  Now where is my Blue Book.....  Anybody got a quick reference to it?

With an incident of that size!  You wouldn't have time to scratch you donkey, net alone complete your sceene assessment, and SA has a capable USAR Team with member in SAAS, SES and MFS,  the state usar training is expanding with more and more involved,  another three week course is planned later this year!!  they simulate just that senario so they are well prepared!!

A

Quote from: BHPESO on August 05, 2007, 08:04:19 PM


Is it just me, or does it seem that it is written as a, "I WISH I WAS"!!!!

Another crank wannabe if you ask me!!

Hi SA Firey,
Ok get your blinkers off you have looked at recently built MFS Stations, MFS have been smart in that they are building stations for the future (Room to move). have you been down to their training centre at angle park? quiet impressive. Don't fool yourself and attempt to compare them with current CFS Stations, they are build different because they are used differently.  Thats the like putting 14's or 24's in all mfs stations and only pumpers and skyjets in cfs stations.

Many MFS stations are now outdated and in need of repair - extentions. I have no doubt that in the future more new stations will be built, like a new Northen and Sothern HQ, that would have say ten trucks in them.  Maybe this is closer than we think. Why did Station 33 get rebuilt and not station 32? could that be planned as the new nthrn HQ?  and similary down sth with the strategic placement of a station at seaford. The current HQ would look after east and west. 

All to often on this forum, people think that CFS is the same as MFS. Well you're NOT.

RTW

Hi 24 Pumper,  Firstly lets compare apples with apples.  The cfs is by my experience the best Vol service in Australia. correct me if i'm wrong but we swapped training pakages to our advantage with other services in australia. Promote and Assess nationaly recogniosed qualifications,  Just look at the BFF1

CFS Equipment is exceptional and state of the art. just have a look at the NSWRFS, CFS strategicly have had good management conversley I question wether management is currently focused in the correct direction as i have previously stated in another thread, becomming too urbanised. 

The statement made was intended to be a positive one, that suggests we are in a great position but like with anything you can make improvements.

RTW

This thread shows that while people may be unhappy with their stations etc they should also think about some of those brigades less fortunate.  Is it Kiki, down the Sth East  just a tin shed,  with a rain water tank O/S.  I have driven past it a few time and thought how fortunate i really am.

The CFS is well ahead of most other services in Australia.  Ok CFA gets a mention by many people but let me assure you they have alot of station also in a poor state.  as for NSW, I've been there as well, there the segrigation is east or West of the blue mountains.  After being involved in a rural NSW sation, i was glad to join the CFS.  Training, upto date appliances oh yeah and anybody who went to NSW would remember those garden hoses they use.  As for QLD, Well thats another story.

If your in the CFS your in a better situation than you think. SAMFS on the other hand are behind both NSW QLD and Vic, although things are changing on that front esp if you look at the USAR equipment and new CABA stuff. It's just a pitty they still need to use Oten for a lot of the Qualifications......

RTW

what is the policy on PBI without the liner?

I thought that Lion would not accept responsibility for injury etc..?

May be wrong but i'm sure someone could correct me.  after all it's designed to have the liner in,  and removed when being washed....


Is this a common practice amounst some brigades to wear PBI minus the liner?????

RTW

I had the oportunity to spend some time in hamely bridge CFS,  In my opinon they are doing it hard.  They need to move things around to squeeze in the trucks. Toilet  i feel they should have a new station.

Does anybody else think they deserve a new station additions??? 

I feel this could be a positive way to support some of our poorer cousins. 

anybody think of any others???

Maybe I should apply for a job at BHP Roxby.

So what are your thoughts then jase? Does the problem relate to current brigade management, cause it would have been better in your day i'm sure.


Just my opinion.

RTW. 

Well said stefan,
all too often on this forum, it seems that some people have nothiing better to do with their life except, tune in to the scanner, eye the paging system and create rumors. 
I'd also like to add that unless the pager/response error directly concerns you or your brigade, keep you fingers off the keyboard and shut the (hmm cant write that word) up.  sure ask a question about it.
Don't try to put a puzzle together unless you have all the peices.

No matter what is said, a person will only ever make the correct decision at the time.  cause if they knew it was wrong they wouldn't make it.. although in hindsight they may have been able to make a better one.   These guys in com cens do a great job,
Even with the old ERS7 system we had, trucks were sent the wrong way due to communication breakdowns.  To be professional you don't need to be paid.

Please remember they work only with the information avaliable.

lets be positive and not bash the messengers.

This is the 2nd posting for this messsage but think it was worth it.

Whats the rubbish mate? - If you could just clarify your statement.

Who was the agency notified first of the call? .. Do you know.have the times for when each agency received notification in comparison to the time the call was received? .. Do you know what details were given upon receipt of the call? .. - If you could answer those for me in clarification of your statement of the dispatch being rubbish, then I may be able to comment on the matter. - But at the moment I can't, because I don't know the facts, and im not just going to go off the pager website.   :-)
[/quote]

Well said, all too often on this forum, it seems that some people have nothiing better to do with their life except, tune in to the scanner, eye the paging system and create rumeors. 
I'd also like to add that unless the pager/response error directly concerns you or your brigade, keep you fingers off the keyboard and shut the (hmm cant write that word) up.  sure ask a question about it.
Don't try to put a puzzle together unless you have all the peices.

No matter what is said, a person will only ever make the correct decision at the time.  cause if they new it was wrong they wouldn't make it.. although in hindsight you may have been able to make a better one.   These guys in com cens do a great job, even with the ERS7 system we had trucks go the wrong way due to communication breakdowns. 

Please remember they work only with the information avaliable.

lets be positive and not bash the messengers.

will be soon!  (just outside seafords.... lol)

Will enhance and give great life skills,  (Positive one hopes)

According to the statitics of Salisbury their total incidents attended were,
Total Incidents for 2005-06     365 
Total Incidents for 2004-05     421     
and as for TTG they only show 5 stop calls in 05-6 fy. Furthermore both brigades show a dramatic decrease in actual man hours.  (http://www.fire-brigade.asn.au) 



And no i'm not joking,,,, i'm not telling you how to live your life but am however suggesting to take into account the risks of such behaviour. There is more to CFS and some volunteers really need to ask themselves the question.  Work during the day, attend fire calls at night work the day back again for more calls, does this sound like you? maybe you're a bigger OH&S risk than you're willing to admit. It doesn't matter weather your volunteering or being paid you are still working.  Does your station, Mr Hicksflat have a policy ensuring a balance, i know ours does. (Sleep Deprivation = a massive risk in a dynamic emergency situation.)

Finally your statement about greater cost and duplication of resouces,  The ESL can only buy so much equipment,  the CFS is in my opinion the best in Australia for Vol Services, both equipment and training, however is in a poor state when recruitment, retention and support of volunteers are concerned.  The current ecomomic climate will only mean things will get worse for the CFS and maybe a devistating fire like Ash wednsday is needed to re awaken both the government and residents to the importance of the CFS. 
:-)

I feel that CFS has become to urbanised in its future directions and policies, I would like to hear from other people if they feel the same way or not! especially with many people in state HQ comming from the urban fringe, are they missing the true rural point of view?



My personal Stance:

Give MFS areas such as Morphet Vale, Salisbury, Mt Barker, and turn these Stations into Support Brigades, Like Burnside and Athelstone. Reducing the workload on the Volunteers (More MFS stations mean more jobs for those volunteers who are capable) A similar thing happened in the Para group, TTG CFS gave away Golden Grove and Salisbury gave away the levels, They now do less calls but the calls are more action. correct me if i'm wrong.

Allow those who get paid to do most of the work load and allow the Volunteers to provide that support function. ( I know of stations both rural and Urban fringe who couldn't turn out a truck through the day,  think of your own group,  how many times have third fourth and fith pages been required, (Yes it has happened to MFS Retained stations as well.)


Give a greater focus back to rural brigades who need more support. (Being involved with both SAAS and CFS in a rural enviroment the support from CFS paid staff is Poor in comparison.)

Limit the amount of hours volunteers may donate in a given time frame allowing for family and work time. (I don't know how many devorces i have seen caused by obsession with the cfs pager and call outs) any thoughts on how this can be acheived 

CFS produces a In Service Education Plan like SAAS, that ensures people who have gained skills are maintaining them in accordance with the evolving climate.  Ie, it gives them a year to prove skills during training or emergency incidents. with a focus on a specific area each year. (The time required for continuance training is now ridculas)

Do people in the country also feel that there is basicly two CFS's  a Rural volunteer out of necessity and an urban fringe who are obsessed with high call rates who wish their truck was painted red?

This is not meant to offend rather raise a topic for discussion that i have been hearing down the station more and more of late.

PS, how can you stop station politics?  does it only happen in my station....

RTW