COMMISSIONER'S BUSINESS
Recruit graduation
Yesterday I attended the graduation of 19 firefighters from Class 3/2005 at the State Training College, Alexandria. I was pleased to see several retained firefighters graduate to the permanent ranks. Congratulations to the class on raising over $3,000 for the Burns Unit at the Children's Hospital at Westmead and to FF Melissa Thurlow on receiving the Recruit Merit Award. The firefighters will start at Sydney fire stations shortly.
Successful Region North CFU training day
On Sunday I joined more than 500 CFU members and their families at Region North's last training day for the year at St Ives Showground. It was great to see so many volunteers taking part in the hose, hydrant and portable pump drills delivered by 17 Drummoyne, 30 Lidcombe, 58 Beecroft, 60 Avalon, 61 Lane Cove, 75 Berowra and the ladder/platform from 50 Hornsby. Volunteers also observed presentations by ComSafe, the Police, RFS, St John Ambulance, and Hazmat Alpha displayed their equipment. Congratulations to the organisers and participants on a successful event. Read more about the training day on the intranet.
OPERATIONAL UPDATE
Relieving Area Commanders
Following expressions of interest, A/Chief Superintendent Garry McBain is relieving as Area Commander North 3 (Newcastle) and A/Chief Superintendent David Gray is acting Area Commander South 3 (Wollongong) for up to six months.
Safety Bulletin 2005/4
The latest Safety Bulletin has been posted to the intranet and highlights the safe use of LPG gas fuelled outdoor heaters in restaurants and cafes. Station Commanders should bring the information contained in the bulletin to the attention of all staff under their command. This topic should be covered in the Station Training Program and recorded in the Training Logbook of all firefighters.
Wentworthville 6 th Alarm factory fire
I attended a 6 th Alarm factory fire at a building supplies factory at Wentworthville last Sunday. Over 80 firefighters from 16 stations did an outstanding job preventing the fire from destroying neighbouring factories. Read more about the fire on the intranet.
Kyogle factory fire
North coast firefighters were still on scene as CC went to press at a major factory fire near Kyogle. Brigades from Kyogle, Goonellabah, Lismore, Casino, Tweed Heads, Ballina and Brunswick Heads, together with numerous RFS tankers battled the fire overnight and contained it to a large factory building in a timber yard. Superintendent Geoff Barnes and Inspector Chris Fabri advised that water had to be draughted from static supplies and relayed by tankers.
RUMOUR MILL
Rumour: Is it true that the FB are currently short 57 inspectors and that the last IPP exam only took 16 candidates with four post-course attendees? If there is a chronic shortage why not take more candidates from the current list to make up the numbers rather than incur the recurrent cost of examinations?
Response: There is no truth in the rumour that the NSWFB is presently 57 Inspectors short. In the last few years the demand for Inspectors to be promoted has been in excess of numbers available. The NSWFB has now scheduled an additional IPP for the first half of 2006. This additional allocation of Inspectors is expected to resolve any current shortage or future short-term shortage. The PDU will be running two programs in 2006 with 16 participants in each course. Both the PDU and the University of Western Sydney find this the ideal number for each program.
By having an additional pre entry test for the 2006 IPP, an additional 60 Station Officers will have an opportunity to participate due to their promotion dates. If more candidates were taken only from the group who contested the 2005 pre-entry test, future eligible candidates would be unable to contest the pre-entry test in 2006.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Reduced fire risk cigarettes
I am happy to report that there have been some positive steps towards the development of a national standard for a reduced fire risk cigarette, which is being led by the NSWFB. On Wednesday, the NSWFB, represented by A/D Community and Corporate Risk, Chief Superintendent Jim Smith, attended a meeting with Standards Australia, CSIRO and industry and other stakeholders to discuss the standard. Assistant Commissioner Ken Thompson represented the Australasian Fire Authorities Council. The meeting agreed to a number of recommendations, including forming a committee to investigate the use of a current US standard, establishing a technical working group to look at the standard and how it was developed, developing a test for hazards associated with the ignition of cigarettes, considering various standards already in place around the world, and having a draft standard for public comment by 31 March 2006.
At the end of this month, Chief Superintendent Smith and Strategic Information Services Manager, Nick Nicolopoulos, will travel to the US and Canada to talk to key figures involved in developing and applying the US standard for a reduced fire risk cigarette and preparing and introducing the relevant legislation. This will enable us to determine whether the standard is relevant for Australian conditions or if a new standard is to be developed.
Firefighters from West 1 support Blood Donor Week
On Monday Assistant Commissioner Murray Kear joined twelve firefighters from Zone West 1 to donate blood at the Parramatta Donor Centre as part of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service's (ARCBS) Blood Donor Week.
The visit to the Donor Centre was arranged by SO Neal Jones after he read about Blood Donor Week in Commish's Corner. There's another 20 zones in the NSWFB and plenty of Donor Centres around NSW, so with 20,000 blood donations required each week, now's as good a time as ever to give blood.
For more information on giving blood or to register please visit the ARCBS website: www.donateblood.com.au or call 13 14 95.
SES skidoo
Thank you to the officers at 426 Perisher Valley providing a location for our Minister, Tony Kelly to hand over the keys for a new skidoo to Perisher Valley SES.
Another Graduate Diploma
My apologies for omitting from last week's story that Inspector Mark Cavanough of FIRU has also just completed his Graduate Diploma in Fire Investigation through Charles Sturt University. Mark also showed great commitment by combining this with study for the IPP. Well done Mark. The people at FIRU seem to have caught the ‘study bug', which is great for them and great for the NSWFB.
Bluey Day update
Current estimates of the amount raised for Bluey Day by NSWFB participants and staff put the total at around $51,660, and that may still grow.
UPCOMING EVENTS
NSWFB Ball reminder
Next Friday is the NSWFB Ball at Doltone House, Jones Bay Wharf, Pyrmont Point. I'll be joining 430 people at what is promising to be a glittering and lively occasion. People attending are reminded that the event will start at 6.30pm sharp , and drinks will stop being served at 11.30pm when a courtesy bus will ferry attendees to Star City Casino to catch taxis or continue to party. Due to licensing restrictions we must leave Doltone House by midnight. For further enquiries contact NSWFB Events Coordinator Maree James on (02) 9265 2905.
Frontline Tourers
The Frontline Tourers, Australia's Emergency Services Motorcycle Club, is having a 3-day weekend in the Mudgee wine area from 14 to 16 October 2005. The route will be via Lithgow and Rylstone. The weekend includes two nights cabin accommodation, BBQ lunch at Poet's Corner Winery and bus tour. The price is $150 per person. For more information, contact Dave Ryan 19B on 0403 099 082, Rex Meredith 32A on 0414 395 458, or Matt Paynter 42C on 0411 060 759.
Clean Up the World Weekend
On 16 to 18 September 2005, communities around the world will help to make their local environment a cleaner, healthier place to live during the Clean Up the World Weekend. People living in urban areas are being invited to come up with practical ways to create greener cities and communities, such as open spaces, waste reduction and energy and water conservation. Visit www.cleanup.com.au for more information.
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