Author Topic: a bit harsh (Read 30467 times)

oz fire · « **Reply #25 on:** May 17, 2006, 11:37:29 AM »

Maybe Seaford are the only one with the balls to publicly admit that they have a day time crewing problem - mean while many others stick their heads in the sand and think that things will get better, whilst others put systems in place (i.e. automactic dual response) to fix the problems!

It's not a hard solution and congratulations to Seaford for putting it out there - it's time more brigades and units wre honest and up front - Volunteer services Australia wide are having problems and it's something that services and state and fedral governments need to address!

Roger · « **Reply #26 on:** May 17, 2006, 01:07:59 PM »

The sooner the MFS build their stations down there the better. For everyone.

bajdas · « **Reply #27 on:** May 17, 2006, 01:13:15 PM »

Quote from: Roger on May 17, 2006, 01:07:59 PM

The sooner the MFS build their stations down there the better. For everyone.

Or maybe the current project being conducted by SAFECOM Volunteer Management Board will provide a solution to the problem of day-time crewing of volunteer emergency services.

Some interesting ideas being rumoured.

rusty · « **Reply #28 on:** May 17, 2006, 01:16:08 PM »

tell us more, Mr Mac...

bajdas · « **Reply #29 on:** May 17, 2006, 01:39:51 PM »

One idea being rumoured for SES is to place a vehicle closer to volunteer workplace's. For example, in the Adelaide CBD.

Then volunteers from any SES Unit can register response time to that centralised vehicle. Not sure if a roster would be used or how a crew made from multiple units would work or how politics would affect the idea.

The aim (I believe) is to get trained volunteers on a emergency vehicle as quickly as possible.

From myself this would limit volunteer OH&S issues with people driving distances to LHQ, volunteer travelling cost (one Unit reported that members are using a quarter tank of private petrol on a weekend for six callouts), would be a form of volunteer car pooling to incident/LHQ, lights/sirens available to volunteers if required and volunteers who use public transport to get to work can respond (me included & I am currently a slow response to LHQ vehicles).

Historically and currently SES Unit vehicles are stored in multiple locations. For example, Sturt SES have a vehicle at Sturt Police Station and the rest at their LHQ in Coromandle Valley. Historically Mitcham SES had a vehicle at Brighton.

Again this is a RUMOUR and other ideas are being proposed to improve the SES 'Standard of Emergency Response'.

VMB project oficer had SES members fill out a survey form a few months ago. I believe the project is on-going and no firm proposals have been made.

probie_boy · « **Reply #30 on:** May 17, 2006, 02:26:50 PM »

hmmm intruiging

Camo · « **Reply #31 on:** May 17, 2006, 03:58:47 PM »

i dont think there would be many a brigade in the state that hasnt had trouble crewing a truck during the day.

Most brigades in this area respond during the day with two people on board, quite simply because the other vollies cant get away from work (which is more then acceptable, your job should come before cfs duties)

And realistically i dont see a solution because no matter what you say/give to your employer there is no real substitute for losing a worker for an hour or a day.

People have suggested a reimbursement scheme like the army reserve but like i just said that doesnt replace the person and the work that would of got done.

And unfortunately its only a matter of time until the scheiße hits the fan because of it but like i said the realistic view is there is really no solution.

medevac · « **Reply #32 on:** May 17, 2006, 07:30:26 PM »

Quote from: Camo on May 17, 2006, 03:58:47 PM

Most brigades in this area respond during the day with two people on board, quite simply because the other vollies cant get away from work (which is more then acceptable, your job should come before cfs duties)

funny that... i wonder how many brigades actually follow state SOPS for minimum crew...

Camo · « **Reply #33 on:** May 17, 2006, 07:42:01 PM »

im not 100% on what that is...2 or 3 or whateva but when it comes to reality either we respond with that amount or fires will never be put out by us. We will have to default to a brigade probaly 60kms away for someone to respond with a full crew.

Just a matter of respond double the amount of trucks just to get the amount of people we need.

medevac · « **Reply #34 on:** May 17, 2006, 07:44:54 PM »

Camo · « **Reply #35 on:** May 17, 2006, 07:48:52 PM »

as much as i understand the reason for there being a minimum crewing of 4 it really isnt realistic for alot of rural brigades.

It might be alright for brigades in region 1 where the next brigade might only be 10mintues away...

Some rural areas are at least 1 hour from the nearest brigade... and like i said we are probaly 30mins from a brigade that could fully crew a day truck.

Camo

medevac · « **Reply #36 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:04:47 PM »

could argue till were both blue in the face... personally i believe that 4 is a good number... was listening to the scanner the other day and a house fire in the southe east the first arriving appliance had two people on board and the fire was cranking, what use is that? 4 is really a good minimum crew number to be able to work effectively...

but anyway thats not my point, im just stating that i wonder how many (if any) brigades actually astick with the SOP...

Camo · « **Reply #37 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:12:54 PM »

not trying to brawl or repeat my self but just answer this question for me...

Whats more useful. A truck with two crew on it and 3000l water or a truck sitting in a station waiting until close of business so people can attend the station to go sift thru wateva is left of the house?

medevac · « **Reply #38 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:38:55 PM »

personally, im pretty sure my own good health is more important than both, and more useful to me.

Camo · « **Reply #39 on:** May 17, 2006, 08:53:39 PM »

who said anything about going into the house?

or any fire for that matter....

forest fire no trucks from the group respond it burns for weeks wiping out several thousand houses cos they werent allowed to respond but could of been put out in the first hour if they responded.

maybe an exageration but you get my drift surely.

medevac · « **Reply #40 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:03:33 PM »

dropping the issue now

Toast · « **Reply #41 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:14:48 PM »

Minimum crew for an appliance is 4 persons. Both our rescue and our tanker can only seat 3 persons...

rescue5271 · « **Reply #42 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:39:49 PM »

may work in your area medevac but now down here and in other parts of the state... that is why during the day 3 or 4 brigade's are paged and they may have two or three members on the appliances...Funny there is a region 1 group that does the same......................

F.B.R.T · « **Reply #43 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:41:33 PM »

Just to throw the cat among the pigeons!

Obviously the closest brigade isn't always responded in some occasions.
I am aware of structure fires only minutes out of our area when crew numbers and BA wearers are short.

I think it is a bit strange why our crew have not been responded to assist as we would always respond 4 crew all qualified BA wearers to an out of district call.

At the end of the day a person whose home or business is on fire is not going to give a rats bum which crew puts it out the fire, no matter what color truck they turn up in.

Anyway, just a thought.

Regards, Mat

rescue5271 · « **Reply #44 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:43:07 PM »

how true mat,but it works both ways.............

Camo · « **Reply #45 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:45:50 PM »

i totally agree Matt. And my view of the house fire yesterday was you should of been paged instead of Mil lel which is on the other side of town and as far as i know ...no BA operators.

And Blinkey The MFS In MT Gambier happily call us in for backup at the drop of the hat. We have a really good relationship. Apart from the politics of Adelaide and paging which has nothing to do with the local brigade.

medevac · « **Reply #46 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:48:52 PM »

But mat.... CFS doesnt want Mets coming into there area!!! **sarcasm**

blinky, i dont care if it works in my area or your area or wherever, doesnt change the fact that its a state SOP.... does this mean we ignore state SOPs re; driving, equipment operation, etc???

who gives a crap whether its region one? i dont see how that makes a diff.

camo; i guess it depends who is requested as to who is responded... politics in adelaide? adelaide will page whomever they are requested to by the locals.

Quote

Apart from the politics of Adelaide and paging which has nothing to do with the local brigade.

brigade responses have EVERYTHING to do with the local brigade requests

rescue5271 · « **Reply #47 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:51:33 PM »

Dont talk to me about SOPS as each staff and volunteer has there own understanding of it and they all have there own rule's.....

F.B.R.T · « **Reply #48 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:52:26 PM »

Definitely Bill, but things are changing,and I am a supporter of mutual aid both ways and we quite often now will have a CFS appliance on our station and other units with us on scene when we are committed to a larger job.
I think it is starting to work but we need to keep at it.

Regards, Mat

F.B.R.T · « **Reply #49 on:** May 17, 2006, 09:54:22 PM »

Gotta luv politics!!

Author Topic: a bit harsh (Read 30467 times)

probie_boy

Toast

rescue5271

rescue5271

rescue5271