SA Firefighter

Quote from: Alan (Big Al) on July 24, 2010, 02:24:12 PM
Havent heard anything down this way bill, only members living within Goolwa have personal pagers, otherwise there are 4-5 pagers that stay on station to be used by the rostered crew and 3rds etc.  But Goolwa does operate a little differently i believe to other country vollie stations

From one shift down there back in the day, Strath operate in a fairly similar manner, with the volunteers who are the 'core' group within catchment taking home a pager each, and around 4 still at the station for those who are from outside the catchment (ie for second crews etc) and those who are filling in for the core group.

Quote from: disOrderly on August 24, 2010, 11:37:51 PM
Yeah I know, but they should also be encouraging other professions and not making nurses look like they are the most important profession and that Doctors, Paramedics and allied health are inferior.

Are those pay rates for all classes of Paramedic? Surely an ICP makes more than a P? Or a sottie makes more than an ICP?

Do you get much say in your shifts? I thought everyone did 2 days/2nights/4off?

Not necessarily, there's the normal 4 on 4 off Day night, similar day / afternoon rotations, those which involve leadership and pretty much 9 - 5 and good ol' regional country, where you have 4 days and 4 on call, then 4 days off.

A lot of strong points. Tribalism and a lack of good rapport between neighbouring brigades certainly hamper the communities involved. A couple of the larger hills brigades for example have members who have done little else with their lives than spend time in CFS, and are quite happy to foster this poor attitude, as well as an inability to ask for adequate assistance in newer brigade members. As Darren said, poor example begets poor experience for recruits.

It will be interesting when SACAD comes in. Accountability for stupid decisions, rather than the curtain excuse of 'just a volunteer with poor training' would go a long, long way.

Quote from: bajdas on March 02, 2010, 02:12:53 PM

Quote from: 360Joules on March 02, 2010, 08:19:38 AM
Base salary is $45K so with rolled in rate its about $58K pa..... even pro rate the part time job may still be good coin? :wink:

PS very few people stay part time. Most become FT very quickly assuming your not a knob.

Just curious, what do you mean "rolled in rate" ? I have just called them and the position is late morning start to early evening finish.

Not part of the 2 day, 2 night, 4 off shift = no shift allowances...

Rolled in rate is in place of shift allowances. Using some calculator-thingie they work out the amount of penalty on average you'll be earning, and make it a yearly percentage (lots, lots more figuring goes into it than that apparently. I'm just not really in the know about exactly what). This way, you don't end up going rich week/ Poor week like you do when you're paid your penalties in arrears.

Sorry if  this makes no sense, my explainometer is not necessarily working

The equipment is rated for a reason, and when used correctly, a single-rope system SHOULD be sufficient. However, for those a little less trusting in the equipment, I understand the people who would prefer twin ropes.

I'm comfortable with the equipment, and using a single rope system, as between the two I simply gained more exposure to it, and don't use things that don't pass through safety checks.

People on these forums seem to bash on a lot without necessarily providing reason or justification, just "you should all think the way I do". Funnily enough, it is quite easy to get fired up and respond in kind without taking the anonymity factor with a grain of salt.

Quote from: disOrderly on February 11, 2010, 02:35:57 AM
hahaha, that is priceless.

I've seen a triage nurse ask to put a C-Collar on drunk pt who had been assaulted (and came in with SAPOL) but was moving around fine and trying to get off the barouche (like they all do) even though the Ambo's hadnt put one on and they were probably going to take it off in Resus anyway.

And is the Elite one meant to be about MedSTAR?

Champ, the whole red jumpsuit (complete with toilet paper!) and the "I'm an elite Medstar Doctor"... Whole thing really does scream Medstar, aside from even rhetorically considering that they might not be needed  :lol:

Quote from: boredmatrix on March 26, 2009, 08:59:01 AM
i take exception to this service - and not because of what they do but rather HOW they do it.
...

Less than a week later i was tasked to assist one of their crews who were having trouble with a patient - and were to RV with them on the roadside!  After their vehicle went the other way at the speed of light before stopping a couple of KM down the road....we were met by a 3 foot high and wide woman who would have been not less than 70 and a scrawny lad who's age was less than the diameter of his dinner platter sized eyes!  The patient was sitting quietly in the back of their van wondering what was going on and while the patient wan't seriously unwell - we took her off their hands for her own safety!

First part quoted for similar experience, and the fact that they not only seem to carry substandard equipment, but to fairly universally have little idea on what MIGHT be wrong with their patient, and furthermore, what to do about it, without being too specific, there is a significant level of difference in service and indeed, quality of staff.

Second part quoted due to Bordey making another night shift. Thankyou  :mrgreen:

I know everyone's probably hit up adelaidenow to bash on this bad boy already, but for those who hadn't seen it yet...

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/binge-drinkers-put-pressure-on-stretched-ambos/story-e6frea83-1225825689099

What do you guys think ?

HAHAHA, Best demonstration ever.

"If you were anything more than the doctor's ...."

I want to buy you a pony for sharing that, thankyou for making my night shift!

Quote from: jason on January 21, 2010, 07:32:51 AM

Quote from: Mike on January 21, 2010, 07:08:47 AM
Am interested about where that list came from as well.

Vertical Resue within SES is its own hot topic at the moment anyway. Apparently there was a serious accident (all details seem to have been banned from public/volunteer knowledge), which in turn prompted a major review of operations.

A lot of the units have vertical gear, but accreditaion of members is an ongoing issue.

Because a Lawsuit is pending.... Yeh lets just say that SES f**ked a rescue up, then tried to cover it up, didn't call for backup until it was way too late. Now a young girl will never walk again. Leave it to the professionals STAR group/ SOT rescue paramedic's.

Same training champ. Incompetence and mistakes can happen anywhere, don't be too quick to shove anyone on a pedestal.. There's unfortunately "One man bands" in every organisation. Whilst no longer a part of the SES, I found the rescue courses for Vertical were informative and comprehensive, and they were quite happy to mark anyone as not yet competent if there was any question about their capability.

Look at how many fires need significantly more resources because bogan officers think it's more important to blow their horn and beat their gong than remember to ask for backup and extra resources early.

Quote from: 2468 on January 30, 2010, 08:56:51 AM


Btw Single rope all the Way :mrgreen:

Good Man! :)

Which is where i hailed from originally, and I do understand this problem, however it's not generally much of a country problem as people have the sense to at least keep someone in touch in some way. Its surprisingly more of a "just outside of the main City area" issue.

People from the hills generally have enough sense to tell you at least if someone is trapped :P

Stay on scene, or as pip has raised, close as you can manage with some reception...

Agree with you bittenyakka. There is not enough good ol' debate, and a lot of statements made without sufficient evidence. A rating system removing posts that aren't agreed on would probably cause more of the unclassy type of argument.

Cotton brigade shirt and shorts. There's a spare pair with my gear, and it takes about 20 seconds to change one's gear, and a hell of a lot longer than that to recover if you end up with shrink-wrapping...

Well, until someone comes and threatens me with a paycut, I will continue wearing the best protection afforded to me for the particular incident type. I agree that the PPE shouldn't be mixed, as not only does it compromise the safety (the garments are only rated as such a high level of protection if worn together as intended) but DAMNED if it doesn't look stupid.

If you want to pull the old argument, MFS wear it and are safe, it's good enough for my country behind  :lol:

Quote from: Bagyassfirey on January 22, 2010, 09:50:22 AM
11:13:02 22-01-10 FOR INFO FDI NOW 105 AND DRY LIGHTNING FORECAST.HOPING IT STAYS QUIET FROM JASON 22/01/10 11:13:35 CFS Mount Pleasant Response

11:15:28 22-01-10 MFS: *CFSRES INC034 22/01/10 11:13,RESPOND Smoke in Area,TUNGKILLO ,TUNGKILLO MAP 0 0 0 TG096,SMOKE FROM WITHIN BURNT AREA OF PREVIOUS, FIRE,SAIR55 MPLT19 CFS Barossa Group Officers Response

Haha, "Hope it stays quiet" seems to work the same way as polishing one's boots : surefire way to ensure the pager goes off...

Quote from: SA Firey on November 29, 2009, 08:58:27 AM
Macclesfield CFS celebrates its 70th anniversary on 6th December and is holding an open day.

Celebrations get under way at 12pm and there is a parade of historic vehicles down the main street, and other activities and presentations throughout the day.

Address: Parin Street Macclesfield just off Main Street.

Congratulations to Macclesfield and its members!

How did the open day go??

There are a lot of members in those units who are trained for Vertical, in varying stages.

If you call any emergency service, ESPECIALLY if you are on a mobile, please stay where you are!!! It makes it much easier for you to be found and for those in communications, if callbacks are required, you're able to give useful information, updates and in some cases render some actual help.

Don't be that crap heel that rings and says "I'm somewhere between Renmark and Swan Reach, I dont know what road I'm on, but i drove past a bad vehicle accident 15 minutes ago." Not cool for SO many reasons. We dont always rely on CLI, Telstra can be quite 'special ' / out of date. Further, CLI will provide information on billing addresses for Mobiles, not a GPS co ordinate of where you are.

So, please, please stay on scene.

The problem more than likely lies between the funding the CFS obviously dont have (or there'd be more courses/ training / gear/ appliances you name it...) and legislation. More than that, we already have retained MFS stations, who do perform a very similar function to a paid CFS brigade style of response.

Perhaps extention, or MFS taking over some of the busier CFS stations and retaining current members if possible would take some of the pressure off the volunteer organisation, as well as removing some of the burden of costs for those brigades which do become retained MFS  from the CFS.

Blegh. Day shift brain, apologies if this looks like it's written, transcribed through Babelfish into German and back. :mrgreen:

Quote from: Army_emergency_responder on June 10, 2009, 10:42:44 PM
Just a ? if seaford mabe getting rid of there Heavy pumper because of MFS then what about burnside there more urban than seafood just a question people dont get your nickers in a knot over it btw

*Knickers perhaps??

Perhaps post over a keyboard and a computer, works better than a 16 year old girl's Nokia.

Quote from: BundyBear on September 25, 2009, 07:34:16 AM
Alan and Matt B's comments make for a very good argument as well why have RIV gear so close to rescue brigades? Plus having over confidence in the ability of RIV gear can be a dangerous path to follow, imagine that not calling a 2nd rescue appliance to 2 confirmed entrapments, if it went wrong I'd hate to think of the consequences!

RIV gear is well and good enough for non - complex type entrapments, and is well worthwhile in intermittent brigades where the surrounding areas still have a full RCR kit.

Being CFS, there is no certainty EVER that a brigade will necessarily have a crew together, and not default. It is better to at least have someone with the tools to begin procedures without having to wait for a rescue resource from further away. Bridgewater for one is in a very useful space, as Stirling certainly default often enough, and after waiting for the default, it is another 5 - 7 minutes before Mount Barker or Burnside / Glen Osmond get a run. Then the travel time, not something you'd be fairly concerned about if you were the poor bugger in the car just wanting someone to get you out.


Pixie, I tend to disagree about the MFS and more experience. Like all services, there are a hell of a lot of nuffers out there, and yes, they work every day in a firefighting capacity, but unless they're a country fringe brigade, there is probably little opportunity for them to practice extrication, due to the lack of areas where such high mechanisms required for entrapment can occur in the metropolitan setting. SES were looking into new stabilization measures such as STABFAST before many in MFS knew what they were, agreeing with Darren. Horses for Courses.

Quote from: crashndash on November 27, 2009, 10:09:38 AM
and you're surprised?...why?

Hahaha, yeah, not exactly the pinnacle area for responsibility, Good as using Woodchester 14 in a fire inside a furniture shop...

Quote from: Mike on November 24, 2009, 07:06:21 AM
Im disappointed.
A simple post wishing people a quick recovery and reminding all to stay safe turns into a slinging match.
It is quite obvious that something did not go according to plan... at this stage it doesnt need to be analysed any further.

Dont let the thread go down the same path again.  :x

? Where's the slinging match?

Anyhow, it's a great thing no one was hurt more seriously. There was certainly a lot of panic when the incident occured.

It is a wake up call about driving in low visibility, and making certain that if one cannot be scene, they can at least be heard... Also agree with 6739264 in that it will provide an excellent learning experience.

Quote from: SA Firey on August 14, 2009, 05:17:41 PM
MFS: *CFSRES INC050 14/08/09 17:11,RESPOND Assist Resident,SOUTH TCE,ADELAIDE MAP 3 H 16 TG182,S. E. CRN OF STH TCE IN VICTORIA PARK,MODEL PLANE STUCK IN TREE OWNER ON SITE,PRIORITY 2,AD2015 MFS Station 20 Response

People who call in s**t like this to any of the services need to be kicked in the crotch.