Big Yellowgongbeater - mate totally agree, been looking for a response from your association and you know the answer already!
It is a pity that the politicians, the UFU, the associations(yes both of them)& the public either don't understand or choose not to understand that:-
a) we live in a large state.
b) we have a small population.
c) we are geographically dispersed but with the majority living in the south/ southeastern corner.
d) emergency response costs money (lots of it!) whether using payed staff or free labour
e) the current situation is not sustainable into the future!
f) And finally the vollies are getting tired of all of this crap!
The community is far more reliant on a strong Emergency Service sector, than it has in the past (don't see too many civilians out there with wet wetbags beating fires back or building levees).
And the risks are increasing not decreasing - so instead of people worrying about there own little world, start looking at the big picture!
And you can't provide an effective Emergency response across the entire state with payed staff alone, so by continually attacking the volunteers, making their lives harder, putting more hurdles in the way is just driving potential vollies away. So for those who read this & are not the men & woman out on the ground doing the actual response work (I include the front line troops from CFS, SAMFS & SES)you have to stop this rubbish & start looking after your front line troops or one day you won't have any left! And one day UFU that little statement on the weekend will come back to bite you
Here is a final thought, why not transfer ESO's including ambulance to the Feds?
Only joking
cheers
