private units

[2468]

Hey got a friend who lives in sturt group. wants to know if can register his old cfa truck as farm unit?

who handles that? the group of state?

[6739264]

Yeah, I bet your 'friend' does

[Zippy]

it would be more beneficial if your "friend" joins the local brigade and assists with crewing an already well and capable firefighting appliance.

[rescue5271]

Contact the SAVFBA or check out their website,does the ex CFA appliance have red and blues?? can you get any photos or information on it??

There are a number of EX CFA tankers here in the south east that belong to community fire brigade's or farm units,one has its red and blues on it and still has the brigade name on it makes it very hard on the fire ground when your trying to call them....

[littlejohn]

who handles that? the group of state?

State obviously handles vehicle registration, but they'd only care about it's clasification as a MR/HR vehicle, not whether it's a fire truck.

It would be up to the group as to whether or not they 'register' farm units. Some groups apparently do this before the fire season. Our group doesn't pay too much attention to farm units - farmers just rock up to a fire if they live near the incident.

[uniden]

There are some guidelines for this now. I believe there have been some information sessions held in the past for farmers/private operators, regarding protective clothing, amber lights etc.

[rescue5271]

That is correct these meetings where done in regions where there are farm firefighting units and was run by the SAVFBA,the aim was to inform farmers about what they would have to do before coming onto the fire ground so as to cover them for insurance.The days are gone when you could just rock up with some drums and a low down pump.Now you have to have PPE,be asked onto the fire ground,and you also have to report to the group command car so that you are recorded onto the aiims system.All in all its a safer better system for all and we need the farm units more than ever....

[Bagyassfirey]

a private unit does not have to be ask on to a fire ground. the cfs are going down the path of brigade captains inspecting private units to make sure the tank and pump are up to scratch and they have some sort of PPE. once they are inspected they get a sticker on the window to say they are approved. this comes about because some city coppers on road blocks are not letting private farm units through to fight the fire. ur right that some one needs to know they are there for the logistics of an incident and for insurance and ohs+w.

[KDOO_BTO]

who handles that? the group of state?

State obviously handles vehicle registration, but they'd only care about it's clasification as a MR/HR vehicle, not whether it's a fire truck.

It would be up to the group as to whether or not they 'register' farm units. Some groups apparently do this before the fire season. Our group doesn't pay too much attention to farm units - farmers just rock up to a fire if they live near the incident.

I know of several occasions where private units in the WRG have been first on the scene and had fires not only contained but extingused before the CFS crews arrive. Groups need to recognise private units, as they can be a great help.

[uniden]

No doubt that private units are benficial. The guidelines came into place so that incident controllers etc know who is at the scene and where they are. Pretty important for safety alerts and for when things go pear shape.

[Bagyassfirey]

thats exactly right guys...KDOO-BTO cant agree more me n my old ma are farmers and are also up to our necks in C.F.S so we see it from both sides but i think its working really well up our way anyway.

[littlejohn]

I know of several occasions where private units in the WRG have been first on the scene and had fires not only contained but extingused before the CFS crews arrive. Groups need to recognise private units, as they can be a great help.

No argument here Danny. Unfortunately our GOs aren't all that interested in building relationships with farmers. Fortunately a lot of groups are on good working terms, though it does seem that Pt Mac, Mt Gambier & Wattle Range don't seem to have as many farm units as the likes of Tatiara.

[rescue5271]

Danny,do you mean private forest company units or farm units???

[Robert-Robert34]

I know of several occasions where private units in the WRG have been first on the scene and had fires not only contained but extingused before the CFS crews arrive. Groups need to recognise private units, as they can be a great help.

All the times I've been to grass fires or scrub fires theres normally forestry 14 units from Forestry SA, ITC and on the odd occasion from Timbercorp helping out

 

[SA Firey]

Go to the CFS website and look at Parts 1,2,3 of this

Part 1
http://www.cfs.org.au/about/pdf/Fire%20Awareness%202008%20%20Farm%20Units%20Approved%20Signed.pdf

Part 2
http://www.cfs.org.au/about/pdf/FFU%20Guidelines%202008%20Approved%20-%20VER5%20Signed.pdf

Part 3
http://www.cfs.org.au/about/pdf/Farm%20Fire%20Unit%20Liaison%20Officer%20Role.pdf

[KDOO_BTO]

Danny,do you mean private forest company units or farm units???

Farm units Bill.  I know one little patch on the highway between Millicent and Mt Gambier where there where about 8 of them in about a 5km radius at one stage but due to some properties being brought by pines and others changing hands its down to 3 farm units.But they know they're not trained for forest fires so are glad to stay out in the grass and help hit the fire once it gets there and once the fire is in the grassland work well with the local brigades. Much to the disgust of some officers.

[Alan J]

Hey got a friend who lives in sturt group. wants to know if can register his old cfa truck as farm unit?

who handles that? the group of state?

If your 'friend' lives on acreage & genuinely has the vehicle to fight fire
on his own property & assist his immediate neighbours, then there's no law
stopping him.

If he wants to play hero & turn up at all sorts of odd places in the district,
then he's likely to be made unwelcome real quick. If that's his intent, better
that he join his local brigade & respond with them.

In fact, it would be a good idea to join his local brigade anyway.

[rescue5271]

he would also need to make sure his insurance covers him for what he is doing once he leave's his onw farm/house/property, he would be better to join the CFS but if he did not want to he can still run it as  a farm unit but would need to make contact with the local group.. There are a number of people who i have spoken to and given a quote to who are now looking at buying second hand fire trucks for their hill's hobby farms as they know that there wont be a fire truck at each house when the brown stuff hits the fan...

[Robert-Robert34]

Just to add to what KDOO_BTO has said about a few private units between Millicent and Mount Gambier there is also one on the Mount Burr road just up from the Mount Mc Intyre fire shed... im not sure if this is true or not but according to what i was told it's an ex EFS truck converted into a farm unit   

[2468]

yeah he can't afford to do it anymore... and transport sa said he had to strip red and white striping.

ah well

[rescue5271]

Robert or 2468,do you have any contact details for the person who has this old EFS unit?? if so contact me via email....

[SA Firey]

Transport SA said he had to strip red and white striping.

ah well

Nothing to do with them as it does not alter the vehicles ADR's