CFS uniforms worth $700 each tossed in bin

[SA Firey]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/cfs-uniforms-worth-700-each-tossed-in-bin-over-missing-stripe/story-e6frea6u-1226337460922

THOUSANDS of dollars of Country Fire Service uniforms are being discarded, Opposition emergency services spokesman Duncan McFetridge says.

And the reason they are being put in the bin is because they are missing one reflective stripe.

Dr McFetridge said he was outraged by the wastage as new uniforms cost about $700 each.

"The CFS have been collecting uniforms with two stripes, including some brand new uniforms still in their plastic wrap, which they understand are being thrown out," Dr McFetridge said.

"I have been told by CFS volunteers that the new Australian standards require three reflective stripes on the jackets and pants of CFS volunteer uniforms."

Emergency Services Minister Jennifer Rankine said the CFS was progressively replacing uniforms for its volunteers as older garments experienced general wear and tear.

[Numpty2012]

Duh .... Cost of modifying with local company sewing 1 additional reflective 3M strip $50. Nah.. Let's  chuck it in the bin and spend $700 and order new whole new suit.

Approx 15,000 volunteer suits = $10.5m versus strip at $50 per suit ($750k). That's a lot of dosh that could be spent on new appliances.

Instead of turfing in the bin.. Why not send them over to Cambodia where fire crews have limited PPE (they can even keep the logo CFS Cambodian Fire Service

Or sell them to (or hand out free) to local farmers (sans logo) for use when protecting properties.

More waste!!!!! It makes me so happy to see my emergency services levies spent so wisely.

[gilfire99]

Please excuse my ignorance but was this Opposition Emergency Services spokesperson Duncan McFetridge previously a veterinary surgeon at Happy Valley and a Captain at Happy Valley brigade? Probably some 15 years ago

Somewhere in the depths of my mind I remember said vet instructing in structural firefighting and recommending a 38mm line as an effective deterrent to aggressive dogs. Info that came in very handy recently!!

[pumprescue]

Indeed he was.

[BundyBear]

Christ,if that's true. The Advertiser is like reading Women's weekly, only buy the Sunday mail so I've got paper for the bottom of my bird cage!

I'm sure CFS would be phasing out any old gear that does not meet Australian Standards with new and any new gear laying around not issued would be re-striped.

I know CFS is run by a bunch of public servants but really???

[gilfire99]

I suspect that "tossed in the bin" is a bit of editorial license. A number of Australian fire services have arrangements where superseded or slightly used PPE is sent to South Pacific nations or in the case of the NSWRFS, Botswana, along with older equipment/appliances.

[bajdas]

From a personal viewpoint, why was such a stock of uniforms in storage anyway ?

[misterteddy]

if you've ever had to outfit a group of people you'd know that its almost impossible to get any company to keep stock of, what is essentially, a unique product. Therefore to buy at a price that makes it just slightly less outrageous, you have to buy in quantity. Additionally, it would be easy if all u bludgers were the same size, but of course there are greyhounds, and then there are greyhound busses...and everything in between. With uniform lead times of somewhere between 6-10 weeks, unless u want people attending jobs in their jocks and socks, someone has to have some number of most uniform sizes on a shelf. No supplier will these days.....so guess who does it? The User....

And that bajdie is Logistics 101. For further information, please enter your credit card number and pin after the beep