COMMISSIONER'S BUSINESS
New Corporate Plan
The NSWFB Corporate Executive Group (CEG) has conducted a number of planning workshops and additional workshops with a cross-section of staff over several months to develop the NSWFB Corporate Plan 2005-2008. The plan sets our direction for the next three years and identifies our vision and purpose.
Three programs or themes of community safety, operational preparedness and emergency management are featured in the Plan along with a number of priority areas including:
• Operational capability and excellence
• Community risk management
• Working together
• Supporting the front line
• Communication and marketing, and
• Better use of resources.
The Plan is available on the intranet and copies are currently being distributed to all NSWFB locations. A Powerpoint presentation will also be available on the intranet shortly for use in presentations to councils and community groups. I encourage all staff to read and become familiar with the new Corporate Plan.
Wyoming medal presentation
On Monday night, together with Acting Zone Commander N7, Brett Davies, I visited 509 Wyoming. I had the honour of presenting a National Medal and four Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, followed by an open forum and barbecue with Captain Phil Elms and crew.
Tingira Heights Fire Station
Today I attended the opening of Tingira Heights Fire Station by Milton Orkopoulos MP, Member for Swansea. The $1.96 million fire station in Violet Town Road replaces the station at Windale and provides better response coverage to the area, particularly Eleebana and Warners Bay. Thank you to everyone involved in the project, including the Operations Research and Properties sections, Newcastle Area Command and Region North management. As mentioned in a recent Union circular, the design of the station is the culmination of years of consultation and improvements on previous designs.
Station Visits
After a quick visit to 75 Berowra this morning, and following the opening of Tingira Heights, I visited 222 Belmont, 251 Cardiff and 255 Charlestown to talk to staff about current issues in the Newcastle/Lake Macquarie area.
Renewed smoke alarm warning
On Monday I attended a serious house fire not far from where I live on the Northern Beaches. Firefighters, who arrived to find the house well alight, told me the four family members living in the house were lucky to get out alive. Three had to be taken to hospital. Unfortunately, despite our constant warnings in the media about the risk associated with not having working smoke alarms, this particular house did not have them. I issued a media release, which is on the intranet , urging residents to install smoke alarms.
If you attend incidents where it is evident there are no working smoke alarms, especially if you notice a series of such incidents, please urge local residents to install them. Download the updated smoke alarms template media release from the intranet and issue it to the local media. There will be a concerted push to increase smoke alarm awareness between now and 1 May 2006 when smoke alarms will be compulsory for all homes, and I ask all stations to raise this issue in their communities at every available opportunity.
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
RTAS update
As detailed in previous issues of Commish's Corner, the Retained Firefighter Telephone Alerting System (RTAS) has been in operation since April 2005. As a result of feedback provided by firefighters to the project team, a number of enhancements have been made to improve the effectiveness and usability of the system. Details of these changes and improvements can be found in the intranet story . If you have any problems with the RTAS system, or any feedback on the operation of the system, call the FireCAD Help Desk on 02 9318 4888 .
Fire Station Equipment system
The FireCAD Support Group and Operational Communications have started to roll out the new Fire Station Equipment (FSE) system.
Existing hardware and software is being upgraded in 176 fire stations in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong. The hardware will alert fire stations and firefighters, and will be controlled by FireCAD. Various enhancements have been made, such as flat screen LCD monitors with easy-to-read call details, voice announcement of incident types and appliances, and improved remote management features.
There will be some changes to the way paper is changed on fire station printers. Please contact SO Graham Tait for further information on (02) 9318 4350.
Station handout resources
There have been some fantastic efforts by fire stations to promote the need for smoke alarms and general fire safety in their communities. Thanks for all your efforts. To help meet your requirements, Community Risk Management has produced a kit of materials for all fire stations which is currently being distributed.
All fire stations, Zone Commanders, CRMOs and training centres will receive:
- Brigade Kids CDs
- Be Prepared Brochures
- Home Escape Plans
- Fire Safety Calendars, and
- CD of fact sheets in English and 22 other languages.
Keep up the good work promoting fire safety, particularly with the changes to smoke alarm legislation from May 1 next year.
RUMOUR MILL
Rumour: Why was the EOI to relieve in the position of Training Facility Manager Albion Park restricted to firefighters based in the Illawarra? It appears that clause 28.6.1.1 is being incorrectly applied as relieving opportunities in operational support positions should be open to everyone above QF rank. Why is this rule only being applied in one geographic area? Are we not all entitled to equal opportunities regarding relieving?
Response: EOIs were called for from employees within the Wollongong area in order to ensure suitably trained people are available to fill vacancies that may arise at very short notice. Clause 28.6.1 relates to transfer arrangements. When known vacancies arise in this position, then EOIs would be called under Clause 7 of the award.
Rumour: Is it true that FFs at non-rescue stations are going to get trained up in rescue before FFs at rescue stations?
Response: No. Current primary rescue courses target permanent firefighters attached to primary rescue stations, or in the case of Newcastle, Wollongong and City of Sydney, secondary rescue stations which have a primary capability.
NEWS IN BRIEF
IPP Graduates
Congratulations to Alan Johnston, Michael Morris, Glen Moran and Michael Wren on graduating from the IPP and being promoted to the rank of Inspector. A formal ceremony will be held later in the year when the rest of the class completes the program. I had the pleasure of presenting the new Inspectors with their white helmets and rank insignia yesterday.
Welcome back to the Western Plains
It's welcome back to Zone West 4 for Superintendent Neil Harris after stints in Sydney looking after Zone West 6 and Zone North 2 as well as a secondment to the NSW Police Counter-Terrorism Unit. Welcome back Neil. If you're passing through Dubbo, look out for Neil riding his ski-paddle down the Macquarie River.
New fire scene investigation diploma and Graduate Diploma
Congratulations to Station Officer Phil Etienne, our K9 handler, and Inspector Paul Bailey, both of FIRU, on completing the inaugural Diploma in Fire Scene Investigation conducted by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service. Station Officer Etienne and Inspector Bailey have spent the past eight months in intensive training with members of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and the Queensland Police Service, gaining the necessary skills and experience to effectively manage a fire scene examination. This nationally-recognised and AFAC-endorsed qualification is the first to gain national support from all fire services, and is expected to become the benchmark for fire investigation training throughout the country.
My congratulations also to FIRU Station Officer Val Ansett who recently graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Graduate Diploma in Fire Investigation. This was an amazing achievement given that he completed his post-graduate studies while completing the SOPP. Well done to all.
Preparing for Bushfire campaign
The start of spring is the ideal time to remind people living in bushland areas to prepare their homes for a possible bushfire as part of their general spring cleaning. To help stations spread messages associated with the Preparing for Bushfire campaign, a template media release, fact sheets and media relations tips have been placed on the intranet . Please help spread the word!
Shire SABRE
Bunnings Stores at Caringbah and Rockdale have continued to demonstrate their support of SABRE with a donation of $600 worth of smoke alarms to Sutherland Shire Meals on Wheels.
Firefighters from 54 Cronulla were joined by staff from Bunnings and Meal on Wheels at the station this week for the smoke alarms handover. This donation will help supply smoke alarms to all new Meals on Wheels clients in the Shire for several years.
Sutherland Shire Meals on Wheels has been working with the NSWFB on the SABRE program since 2003 with outstanding success. Initially Bunnings donated 80 alarms in 2003 and have offered ongoing support to the NSWFB SABRE program in the Shire.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Region North CFU training day
Region North will run a large-scale training session for CFU members in northern Sydney this Sunday. Around 500 CFU volunteers from the northern suburbs will gather at the St Ives Showground for the four-hour session, the third to be held in Region North this year. A small number of volunteers from Newcastle and the Central Coast are also expected to attend. As well as presentations by the NSW Rural Fire Service, St John Ambulance, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Police, there will be a demonstration by ComSafe on the proper use of fire extinguishers and a display of a hazmat response vehicle.
Golden Oldies Competition
The NSWFB Rugby Union Club is entering an over 35s team in the Golden Oldies Competition on Sunday 18 September. All members of the Rugby Club interested in playing contact Greg Hopcroft at 90 D gregory.hopcfoft@fire.nsw.gov.au . Interested non-members contact Insp Mark Reilly on S6 D mark.reilly@fire.nsw.gov.au
Triple 0 Cup
The Central Coast Triple 0 Cup will again be held at Woy Woy Oval No. 2 on 23 September 2005. Contact Billy Mac on 4344 6293 for details.
COMMISH'S CORNER
Commissioner's e-mail: Commissioner@fire.nsw.gov.au
Cora Sarmiento, Commish's PA: 9265 2930
PACSU: fax 9265 2882
Commish's Corner Rumour Mill: 9265 2627
To contribute a story, please contact Public Affairs Officers: (West) 9265 2613, (South) 9265 2802 or (North) 9265 2631
Cut off for submissions is 10:00am Thursday