Slow' crews too late to save home

[fire03rescue]

This was in the Advertiser today

FIREFIGHTERS have been accused of a slow response to a blaze that destroyed a house at Woodcroft yesterday.

The Country Fire Service was called to the Mildara Close address just before 4pm, as flames billowed from the roof.

But neighbours told The Advertiser that fire crews did not arrive until 4.30pm.

By then, the house was well alight it was destroyed by the time the fire was contained about 4.50pm.
I don't believe this, I hope that the CFS put the record straight.
Did anyone from this forum go to this job
I hate it when the Advertiser place articles in the paper without finding the facts

[oz fire]

Reporter sensationalism - you've got to love it!

I'm sure our Operations Centre could provide the exact times for the media team, however whether the media accepts this and prints a correction is another subject all together - and I doubt they would - the media making and error...... never

Maybe they should have asked the occupant - extract from the CFS media release About 25 firefighters from the SA Country Fire Service and the Metropolitan Fire Service arrived at the house off Mildara Close around 4pm to find the structure well involved in flames. It took fire crews nearly half an hour to contain the blaze while at the same time protecting neighbouring properties from heat damage. An occupant of the house escaped but was treated at the scene by paramedics for shock and smoke inhalation.[/color]

[oz fire]

More to my last, the Tiser also states "A CFS spokeswoman could not confirm when firefighters had arrived. "The fire was contained within 20 minutes of them arriving," she said, adding that the Metropolitan Fire Service also had attended."

Maybe CFS (staff) is at fault, not the Tiser, how hard is it for a spokeswoman to phone the station or ask the SOC for times and details then phone the tiser back - they don't go the print until late in the evening and the fire was at 4pm.

The problem though - it reflects on our crews who put their lives on the line to save the house and help the occupant and neighbours and did a great job!

[corocfs]

listening to scanner at home
mets mobile at about 1558, happy cfs 1600
first arriving was mets at abour 1605

[strikeathird]

Also heard on the scanner!^^

Lets just say, I hope the Advertiser are going to make a big filtered apology to the Paid and Volunteer Fire Fighters who attended the job yesterday!

From the scanner, First arrival was 8 minutes after time of call (That being an MFS appliance), believe the first arriving CFS Appliance was 11 minutes after time of call.  (Both receiving call at 1557).

SO to the advertiser, how bout you get the facts right - and stop giving the emergency services, who give so much to there communities (both paid and volunteer), a bad name!

[calspec]

I also saw that article in the paper and was quite shocked by its accusations.  Although I did not attend the fireground, I did attend to one of the stations responding, and can confirm they did most certainly NOT arrive at the times suggested by the Advertiser reporter.  The sandbaggers also put paid to that with there scanner reports.

I was quite angry when I read that report for two reasons.

1. It was my first "call" that I had responded to, only just having completed level 1 and

2.  Worst yet...My Employer...The !@#$% Advertiser.  But before you barrage me with hate mail, I am not in a position to have any influence over the accuracy of the printed articles.  My involvement is with printing the damn thing, not writing it.

[strikeathird]

^ understandable, and by no means, should you receive any flak over it.

All they have done is damage there own image.  I for one, will never trust a printed story by them again.  I'm sure there are others out there who feel the same.

[calspec]

I have sent an e-mail to the journalist concerned (would you believe - a cadet journo) and informed him of the facts.  I suggested that he may like to print an apology/retraction once he has put some effort into researching the details.

I wait with baited breath for his response.  I will post it here if I get something.

Cheers,

Calspec

[Mike]

The key word is research. I can understand the neighbours thinking it was so long though.... its an unfortunate syndrome of waiting for someone to arrive!

[CyberCitizen]

I suggested that he may like to print an apology/retraction once he has put some effort into researching the details.

The Problem With Retractions Is They Are Never The Same Size As The Original Article.  I Believe That If They Get It Wrong The Retraction Should Be The Same Size As The Original Article.

Other Wise You Get This Big Article About The Emergency Services Being Slow (Which Lot's Of People See) & Then This Litte Retraction (Which Hardly Anyone Will See).

The key word is research. I can understand the neighbours thinking it was so long though.... its an unfortunate syndrome of waiting for someone to arrive!

Yes Happens All To Often.  Remember Your First Job, Down At The Station All Dressed & Wondering Why Your Standing There Waiting For The Truck To Roll.

Its Because The Adrenaline Is Pumping, When You Have Been To A Few Jobs You Get Used To It A Little & Don't Notice, But Then Imagine A Neighbour Who Is Not Used To Seeing A House Fire. They Are Waiting For The Fire Brigade To Rock Up, The Mind Is Thinking 101 Things, Time Seems To Be Taking Forever.

However This Is Poor For The Advertiser, They Should Have At Least Got The Times Right Before Posting An Article Like This.  However, They Only Have To Attempt To Print The Truth.

[strikeathird]

It wouldnt take 2 seconds to ask a Firery at the scene how long it took to arrive.

They are printing a story, that is what they want, something that will attract readers.  That is what thye have done.

Like I said before, I no longer have any respect for them.  They have done there dash!

[Good times]

So from reading all that, it took the first crew from Happy Valley CFS 3 mins to get on the road, not bad for a CFS brigade during the day, wouldn't complain about that. Its a case of the old syndrome of when you want something so badly it takes ages to arrive.

[strikeathird]

Its typical tho, media all too quick to bash those risking there lives to save others, for a quick story!  Hope that "Cadet Journo" gets hauled over the coals!

[calspec]

I have a response from the journalist.  He does seem very defensive of his story.  As far as he is concerned he did research it, and even the likes of CFS weren't very helpful.

An extract from his reply:

I rang the CFS media person that day about what time you guys arrived
to confirm/deny the allegations neighbours made and she couldn't tell me. So
after speaking to three or four people who said it took 30 minutes, I put
that in the story. I only report what people tell me and then try to confim
it. The CFS couldn't confirm to me what time you got there. I haven't heard
anything from anyone from the CFS apart from you. Infact, I have heard from
the firefighters association and they did not deny what was written, instead
saying there is "politics" between the CFS and MFS.

---------------------------------------------------------

What can you say, Jounalists!!!

[strikeathird]

Just send him another email, saying he has annoyed off a whole handful of Fire Fighters, both MFS and CFS, and that he has tarnished his image by not re-searching his story very effectively.  Next time Fire Fighters see an article with his name on it, they will most likely laugh, and turn to the next page!


So will the Country Fire and Metropolitan Fire Service's see an apology in the paper?  - I think they deserve one.

[oz fire]

Hang on - reality check for just a second, lets look at what has happened (apart from the fact that we got a roasting).

The jurno (and I'm not defending them) stated he tried to get info and couldn't get it. Now he at least started the process, took the time to make the inquiry - why didn't the person he contacted finish the process and get him the info he was after - it's not that hard!!!!!!!

As for the union saying it was CFS/MFSs politics - thats a totally different story and probally harks back to the age old boundary saga - which has nothing to do with POOR information flow.

PS - Having had many dealings with the media, in a variety of roles, I know what they try to do, sensationalize, however someone who accepts this will stop them from doing it by providing them with the info and if they haven't got it they should get it!

[strikeathird]

So perhaps the media (CFS Media) should have contacted the stations or the ops centre for times.  Fair enough, i understand what you are saying, and that would have solved a whole lot of problems,  but I get sick and tired of the media bashing those who volunteer to risk there lives for others, just so the journo can get therr name in the headlines!!

Nothing like VOLLIE BASHING!!

[Good times]

Anyone read the "letters to the editor" section of the paper today, looks like the UFU have jumped on the story to push their case for more stations in the southern suburbs. It reads in the first part of the letter that people pay the same rate and get two different levels of service depending on what side of the border you live in.

[CyberCitizen]

Anyone read the "letters to the editor" section of the paper today, looks like the UFU have jumped on the story to push their case for more stations in the southern suburbs. It reads in the first part of the letter that people pay the same rate and get two different levels of service depending on what side of the border you live in.

At Least Something Good Might Come From Something Bad.

So perhaps the media (CFS Media) should have contacted the stations or the ops centre for times.

Maybe But It Depends On What Time He Contacted The Department.  Eg If He Was Chasing The Details While The Fire Is Still Ablaze I Can Understand That The CFS & MFS Aren't Going To Take The Time To Disrupt Operations For The Sake Of A Media Report.

As For An Apoligy It Will Never Happen, Sad   But True.

[Good times]

Yeah, more SAMFS stations down south, at the end of the day, I will move over for a paid crew to move into my area, 24/7 protection is what we all want for our famalies, might not like it that our brigade gets closed but hey, the publics best interest is what we are here for, and lets face it, you can't always rely on volunteers, they are just that, volunteers!

[Jammo]

How often are response times released to the media or general public by any of the emergency services in SA?

From my knowledge - hardly ever.

National standards exist as a benchmark and all brigades strive to meet/beat them and do a great job as they did on this occasion.

It'd be a shame to see this turn into tit for tat but having dealt with the media, they are often vague in their questioning. I have it on pretty good authority that the journo actually didn’t ask for specific response times.

The journo just mentioned that there was some talk by the residents about how long it took and asked whether it took brigades longer than normal to get there.

The journo was told that response times couldn’t be confirmed off hand but that there was no issue with the length of time taken for crews to arrive. From what I’ve been told the journo certainly didn’t ask for a call back for times to be clarified.

The media are pretty good at only taking the snippets they want to build a story.

Also interestingly, heard that the Advertiser turned up late. Couldn’t get any decent images of the house on fire and the only image they could get was of the person upset - Makes for a pretty good sensationalised story.

But at the end of the day - the journo was just doing his job, as a cadet it seems

[strikeathird]

So where is the problem with him writing a small 'correciton' of his article...  Mention the time is took was no where near 30 minutes, and that first reports from the mebers of the public at the scene, seem to be incorrect...?

Put his story right.....  At the moment, the state believes that the house burned down because it was crews who were " Slow"  ........ I think he put it!

[Jammo]

It'd be nice to see something but I reckon there's buckleys and no chance no matter how much anyone complains.

[mattb]

Papers rarely print a retraction or corrections unless there is the possibility of legal action, it's not in their best interests to announce they stuffed up to the entire world.

Interestingly the Advertiser chose not to print a letter to the editor from the Chief Officer but were happy to run letters from the UFU and the opposition. Once again the political angle gets a run over a positive vollie story.

I must thank the 'tiser' for doing untold damage to my brigade and causing more problems than you can imagine.

Matt B
Morphett Vale

[fire03rescue]

Sorry to hear that it has caused your brigade problems