4 July 2006 - 4:30 PM
Media Release : OUTCOMES OF CFS VOLUNTEER SUMMIT
Media Release
About 120 SA Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers attended the inaugural Volunteer Summit on Saturday and Sunday, 1-2 July, at the Fort Largs Police Academy.
CFS Deputy Chief Officer, Andrew Lawson said the purpose of the Summit was to bring together CFS volunteers to identify, discuss and propose opportunities for improving the way that CFS plans and undertakes its business over the next few years.
“As a community based organisation we rely heavily on the dedication and continuing commitment of our volunteers and we were keen to hear what they had to say on a range of topics,” Andrew said.
“The CFS is committed to continuous improvement and we believe the outcomes of this forum will assist the CFS in improving its already high standards and increase its organisational capacity to meet the needs of the community in the future,” he said.
Aside from several presentations from experts in emergency management and volunteering, a series of workshops were held to develop practical ideas for future development.
Five different workshops were covered the topics of volunteer recruitment and retention, leadership, technology and equipment, organisational systems, community engagement.
A number of central themes emerged from the workshops over the two days including:
· The need to promote to the community that CFS volunteers are true volunteers, and are not paid, but choose to support and protect the communities they live in through being a member of the CFS.
· The need for increased and widespread succession planning and transfer of knowledge to younger people through different forums.
· The need for more exploration in how the organisation can recruit more volunteers, and a review of training and induction processes.
· The need for increased volunteer and employer recognition
· The need for enhanced mutual aid between CFS brigades and private farm firefighting units
· Greater inclusion of CFS volunteers in decision making processes in areas such as policy development
· The potential for increased research, development and standardisation of tools and equipment
· The potential for discussion on the selection process for volunteer leadership positions, with consideration to ranks being awarded based on a merit process rather than through an election process.
· The potential for the introduction of distance education for some elements of training courses to ease pressure on rural volunteers having to spend time away from home.
These recommendations, and about 50 other sub recommendations, have been presented to the CFS Chief Officer, Euan Ferguson for further discussion, development and consultation with CFS volunteers.
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