SACAD programming

[Bagyassfirey]

11-01-13 10:40:00   CFSRES RESPOND GRASS FIRE INMAN VALLEY YANK34 :FROM G.C.C 10:41:49 AM - CFS Yankalilla Info

It's funny how we are all quick to bash SACAD and associated things yet things like this still go on!

I also noticed with the FINNIS job the entire Mundoo Group was responded before the alarm level was raised...on all the info/training I have had with SACAD it is drummed in to us the best way to get more appliances is upgrade of alarm...or alternatively if a special resource is required request through A/F.

That's my bitch for today....stay cool 

[pumprescue]

11-01-13 10:40:00   CFSRES RESPOND GRASS FIRE INMAN VALLEY YANK34 :FROM G.C.C 10:41:49 AM - CFS Yankalilla Info

It's funny how we are all quick to bash SACAD and associated things yet things like this still go on!

I also noticed with the FINNIS job the entire Mundoo Group was responded before the alarm level was raised...on all the info/training I have had with SACAD it is drummed in to us the best way to get more appliances is upgrade of alarm...or alternatively if a special resource is required request through A/F.

That's my bitch for today....stay cool 

You are correct, but no one pays attention and nothing the people at Adelaide Fire can do about it...

[Darius]

11-01-13 10:40:00   CFSRES RESPOND GRASS FIRE INMAN VALLEY YANK34 :FROM G.C.C 10:41:49 AM - CFS Yankalilla Info

It's funny how we are all quick to bash SACAD and associated things yet things like this still go on!

I also noticed with the FINNIS job the entire Mundoo Group was responded before the alarm level was raised...on all the info/training I have had with SACAD it is drummed in to us the best way to get more appliances is upgrade of alarm...or alternatively if a special resource is required request through A/F.

That's my bitch for today....stay cool 

You are correct, but no one pays attention and nothing the people at Adelaide Fire can do about it...

that might be the way it should be done if SACAD worked properly but the way it is now it seems that upgrading the alarm level just gives you another 2 appliances and usually from the same brigades that have already been sent.  So in many groups (in R1 at least) a 3rd alarm response is no more than 3 brigades paged, where as before SACAD a 3rd alarm meant a whole of group response.

[Bagyassfirey]

If your brigades within your group went through your response zones and the data was entered in to SACAD correctly thereshould not be a problem.

A 3rd alarm in fire danger season will give you 6 of the closest appliances....on a fire ban day you will get 12 of the closest...bearing in mind this all hinges on where the AF operator drops the pin and this all comes from info from the person reporting the incident!

If the work was done pre SACAD there is few issues...no input = troubles

Either way the appliances still get paged just takes a little longer to individually do it rather than raise the alarm level...i think!!

[Pipster]

Bagy, if only that was true!

My Group has submitted some updated SACAD data five times, only to have the "confirmation" come back as the original data!

We have been through the correct processes, and it is still not correct - not because we have the submitted the wrong data, but because somewhere in the system, it isn't been put onto SACAD!

The info is stuff between brigades within our own Group, where we all agree with the updates!!

Pip

[pumprescue]

I hate to play devils advocate, but if you can't crew more than 1 appliance, why do you have more than 1 appliance? The issues isn't Adelaide Fire in regards to data, they don't input the CFS data at all. Nothing to do with them. they only input data for SAMFS area.

Speak to the CFS if your data is wrong. I have seen some insane responses lately, the whole keep it in the group is ALIVE and WELL!!

[Darius]

as Pip said, my group has put in an enormous effort to SACAD and still the responses we get are worse than under BOMS more than a year after implementation. Personally I've given up "speaking to CFS" about SACAD (although the group officers continue to try to push fixes to the most glaring cockups), we have put our own measures in place to ensure an adequate response to our community.  (PS. my gripe is not with SACAD per se, more with the way CFS totally ballsed up everything to do with SACAD).

[FlameTrees]

Those with issues with SACAD data not being updated when you have requested. Have you thought about letting the CFSVA know so they can also follow up on your behalf? We have a much more active exec in the VA these days who are willing to take up the fight when it's justified.

Just a thought.

[OMGWTF]

Those with issues with SACAD data not being updated when you have requested. Have you thought about letting the CFSVA know so they can also follow up on your behalf? We have a much more active exec in the VA these days who are willing to take up the fight when it's justified.

Just a thought.

Relatively sure that 95% of the brigades in region 1 & 2 at least would be trying to have data changed.

I believe the CFSVA would be well aware of all the problems.

[misterteddy]

Have you thought about letting the CFSVA know so they can also follow up on your behalf? We have a much more active exec in the VA these days who are willing to take up the fight when it's justified.

Oh Flame.....thats made my night...lol

Now refresh my memory....when again was the last time the CFSVA were in the media complaining about the shitty deal our Volunteers have been getting?....When exactly was that?.....in fact when were they in the media last when they werent being used to support a Gov't initiative?

An active Exec is great....but it has to active on OUR behalf, not in kotowing to the Minister/Gov't and playing happy families

[FlameTrees]

I **KNOW** first hand just what is happening with the exec. Just because they arent in the media doesnt mean they are not fighting for the volunteer cause.

[Add a length]

Wouldn't SACAD issues be considered "operational"? If so CFSVA won't get involved, because they apparently don't want to get involved in operation issues! Same thing goes for training! 

[misterteddy]

I **KNOW** first hand just what is happening with the exec. Just because they arent in the media doesnt mean they are not fighting for the volunteer cause.

pray enlighten us then Flame....here's your Forum....communicate with us about the real issues that hamstring us daily.....tell us what changes you have made....tell us what you have achieved...or is it "confidential" or "privleged", and we cant know until the spin has been applied. For like the doosra.....it seems real news isnt complete until the hand action is applied

[misterteddy]

Wouldn't SACAD issues be considered "operational"? If so CFSVA won't get involved, because they apparently don't want to get involved in operation issues! Same thing goes for training! 

have you got this in writing Adda??.......Flame is this true??

[misterteddy]

Flame from the CFSVA website.....from the document titled "CFSVA Meeting Outcomes and Current Issues August 2012" ....Aug 2012 being almost 6 months ago mind you....but hey, lets not quibble about currency

The Issues and Outcomes that keep the CFSVA awake at night are.....

CFSVA Executive Director Moving On - Wendy is going....
A New Face in the Office - someone to sell bears and merchandise
CFSVA Annual General Meeting - notice of AGM and nomination process
Branch AGMs - list of meeting dates
E - Connect Project - notice that the Projects newsletter is on the website
Royal Adelaide Show - no CFS at the Show.....please Gov't can we go again next year, we've been good (my interpretation)
25kph past emergencies - passed Lower House
National Parks Passes - this year's tokenism returns - havent they worked out we don't care - thats why so many remain uncollected (my addition again..)
Government Announces new Directorate of Community Safety - The Gov't did something without asking us....we arent sure what it means for us

you're right Flame....CFSVA, tackling the big issues for unpaid firefighters in SA.....said no-one ever

[Add a length]

[have you got this in writing Adda??.......Flame is this true??]

I have seen it somewhere recently, but cannot recall where. However, I was present at a meeting with the current CFSVA president when the he made that exact statement as an excuse to why the CFSVA wouldn't become involved in a certain "operational" issue involving our brigade.

[Darius]

Wouldn't SACAD issues be considered "operational"? If so CFSVA won't get involved, because they apparently don't want to get involved in operation issues! Same thing goes for training! 

have you got this in writing Adda??.......Flame is this true??

yes it's true but a bit of a grey area. Eg. SACAD problems would be something for the CFSVA but which brigades are listed in which ESZs would not be.  That's my understanding from a group meeting I attending with the CFSVA president and vice president but I'm not part of the CFSVA exec so don't take my word for it.  It would perhaps be useful for the CFSVA exec to put out to all brigades exactly what they are/will get involved in and what they are currently fighting for on behalf of volunteers.  They probably think they already do this via branch and group/brigade reps but I think they are relying on the same flawed process CFS staff do (with the exception of Arthur/Infralog) to disseminate information when they could just publish it on their website for all to see.

[FlameTrees]

teddy - why dont you go speak to your CFSVA rep, thats what they are there for. I KNOW they have fought hard for the 25kph limit (which has been approved and is going through the legislation process), are currently taking on the massive fight to have CFS volunteers recognised with the new legislation protecting paid firefighters with certain cancers. Fighting for a better slice of the funding pie, and are currently preparing a very large submission to the current Parliamentary review of the CFS that is about to kick into gear.

I found all that out, plus a few other tid bits, by speaking to my rep. The CFSVA is here to represent us, but if people dont engage with them, who is to blame?

[misterteddy]

Group and Brigade meetings and rep reports and all that kind of stuff mean that anything you get from CFSVA is at least a month old and sometimes several months old. The current CFSVA website uypdates I posted above are an example.....August!!!....really?? (everything in the Volunteer newsletter is another example)......theres a new invention on the market called the Internet - it means that things that are happening can be typed in and other people can read it in their own homes or their offices- if people have questions or want to know thing, they can read it on the Internet, when they need to!! You can even type new stuff in every day - who would have thought it possible??

If the CFSVA Admin person could stop making coffee and selling Trauma Teddies long enough to upload position and briefing papers to inform the membership of what is happening THEN real time understanding might occur, and they might get more support. But of course, to upload documents.....they have to be produced don't they.....which brings us back to doh! (and i'm not talking about the doe, a deer.... a female deer kind)

[pumprescue]

Getting back to the original topic, saw it again a couple days ago, this time not following the alarm levels got the WRONG response. The old keep it in the group was brought into play again, where as alarm levels would have got the correct response, but its ok, the GO has an AFSM now, so he must be right.