COMMISSIONER’S BUSINESS
Make this the best Open Day yet!
Saturday 29 April will be the NSWFB Open Day this year. Each
fire station is an integral part of the community, and Open Day is
a great opportunity to interact with local families, showcase that
we are far more than just a fire service, and spread vital fire safety
messages. You may want to tell your visitors about incidents, particularly
home fires, you’ve attended in your area, to highlight the messages
about smoke alarms and escape plans. Please send stories and photos
about your event to your regional Public Affairs Officer for publishing
on the intranet and in Fire News. I would like to wish everyone taking
part a very successful Open Day.
1 May smoke alarm laws
As you know new laws come into effect on 1 May, making smoke
alarms compulsory in all homes. If you haven’t already issued
the 1 May template media release to your local media, now is a good
time to do so. Of course, the need to inform the community about smoke
alarms will not end on 1 May, so watch out for updated materials to
continue to promote this important issue. One of our key messages
will be to go beyond the minimum requirements if possible, and install
hard-wired photo-electric (rather than ionisation) alarms.
Yenda Brigade’s smoke alarm initiative
Congratulations to the members of Yenda Fire Brigade who
have gone that extra mile to ensure the residents of Yenda are protected
by smoke alarms in the lead up to 1 May. On Good Friday the members
donated their time to conduct a door knock to ensure people were aware
of the new laws, provided information about fire safety, and identified
people who may need assistance in purchasing or maintaining smoke
alarms. They will now be working with local service clubs to purchase
and install smoke alarms where they are needed under the SABRE program.
Not wanting to let a good opportunity slip by, they also used the
door knock to promote retained firefighter recruitment information
sessions.
First ever Community Safety Unit Commendation for Tumut firefighters
On my behalf, Assistant Commissioner John Benson presented
the first ever Commissioner’s Unit Commendation for Community
Safety to the 467 Tumut crew on 8 April. The entire Tumut Brigade
works tirelessly to promote community safety in their local area and
is heavily involved in SABRE, FireEd and a host of proactive and creative
initiatives to protect Tumut residents. I chose to award the Unit
Commendation because it adequately reflects the effort and achievements
of the crew over a sustained period of time. My congratulations to
Captain Kerry Willis, Christina Phillips, Jason O’Neill, Darren
Duncombe, Lindsay Jennings, Antony Bottero, Kevin Malone, Michael
Ivill, Michael Crampton, Dion Manning and Brett Day. I understand
the Tumut Firefighter Championships, held on 8-9 April, were extremely
successful thanks to the efforts of the crew who drummed up plenty
of community support and participation. Keep up the good work!
50 years not out!
Congratulations to Retained Firefighter and Engine Keeper
Ron Jarrett of 455 Telarah who recently celebrated 52 years with the
NSWFB, and Captain Keith Willis, of Condobolin Fire Brigade, who chalked
up 50 years. Thank you, Ron and Keith, for your dedication to the
job.
New Fireplace is hot
Hundreds of people have logged into the new Fireplace service
which makes the Intranet available over the Internet. The Fireplace
login page is . I am glad that we have been able to meet this demand
to provide access to the Intranet for staff who are studying, working
from remote locations or just want to know what is going on. Now you
have no excuse for not reading Commish’s Corner!
Fire Risk IDentification Guide (FRIDG) trial project
FIRU and the Risk Management Directorate have developed a
program to assist crews in dealing with risks they encounter at house
fires. The Fire Risk IDentification Guide (FRIDG) is a bright yellow
sticker, placed in meter boxes of new or extended homes, identifying
the types of construction and common features in a building, as well
as the number of bedrooms and where they are located. 500 stickers
are being supplied to 13 council areas throughout the State as part
of a trial to gauge their effectiveness. Builders and developers will
be required to complete the sticker as an approval condition on all
new Class 1a dwellings or additions. FRIDG kits will also be sent
to 56 fire stations in the 13 council areas, containing 20 stickers
and a CD with fact sheets for the station, the builder and resident.
If a local resident hears about the trial through the media and wishes
to participate in the project on a voluntary basis, they can be provided
with a sticker and the relevant fact sheet. If you attend a house
fire and the dwelling has a sticker in place, it would be appreciated
if you could contact FIRU with the details (mark.cavanough@fire.nsw.gov.au)
so the effectiveness of the trial can be assessed.
The FRIDG trial was launched by Minister Tony Kelly and Member for
Penrith, Karyn Paluzzano, on 11 April. NSWFB Director Risk Management,
Assistant Commissioner Ken Thompson, Manager FIRU, Superintendent
Chris Lewis, Regional Commander West, Assistant Commissioner Murray
Kear, and firefighters from 102 Regentville and 86 Penrith attended.
Women in Fire Fighting Conference
Expressions of interest are sought from employees of the
NSWFB who would like to attend the second Australasian Women in Fire
Fighting Conference, being held 7-9 June 2006 at the Sydney Convention
Centre, Darling Harbour. The NSWFB is a sponsor of this conference.
I have decided to support 20 attendees in terms of travel, accommodation
and registration. If you are interested in attending the WIFF2006
Conference, please follow the instructions on the intranet.
ANZAC weekend AFL match
The National Emergency Services (NES) AFL team will play their annual
challenge against the Australian Defence Forces at the SCG at 10.00am
on Saturday 22 April. The match will be played the day before the
traditional Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons ANZAC Day game at the
SCG. The NES team comprises members of the NSW Fire Brigades, NSW
Police, ACT Fire Brigade, Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, Victorian
Police, SA Police, WA Police Tasmania Police, QLD Police and SA Fire
Police.
This year gold coin donations on entry will raise funds for the Burns
Unit at The Children's Hospital, Westmead. Yesterday Swans players,
Luke Ablett and Lewis Roberts-Thomson, and the hospital’s mascot,
Bandage Bear, helped launch the event at the NSW Fire Brigades’
Training College.
All NSWFB staff attending the Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons game
will receive half price entry. Two reserved seats will cost $36 to
the game at 1pm, Sunday 23 April at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Call
Ticketek on 132 849 and quote ‘Emergency Services Ticket Offer’.
Good Samaritan Firefighter
An extremely grateful individual has contacted the NSWFB
after suffering a cardiac arrest and receiving life-saving resuscitation
from an off-duty firefighter. The incident occurred on Darlinghurst
Road in Kings Cross in the early evening of Monday 28 November 2005.
Can the firefighter concerned or anyone who knows him, please contact
my Staff Officer on 02 9265 2811.
The John Boath Training Room
At 10am on Wednesday 3 May 2006, there will be a small ceremony
at Risk Management in the Greenacre complex to dedicate a training
room to retired Inspector John Boath AFSM. John retired as Manager
of the Fire Investigation Unit (now Fire Investigation and Research
Unit) in 1989 after 35 years’ service. During his career John,
the founding manager of the Fire Investigation Unit, was highly respected
for pioneering breakthroughs in the areas of fire investigation, fire
safety and media liaison. Risk Management is now inviting all those
who served with John to join him as a guest at the dedication ceremony.
For more information contact Bill Powell at FIRU at william.powell@fire.nsw.gov.au.
Community Fire Units database
The Community Fire Unit (CFU) database is now accessible
by personnel holding the rank of SO and above, as well as Captains
and Deputy Captains. A link to the database has been placed in the
CFU Folder of the Station Portal. The database contains information
on all CFU personnel, including training records and equipment. It
also has details of the location of each CFU cabinet or trailer throughout
NSW. There is a quick reference user guide for the database provided
in the CFU folder on Station Portal, as well as forms and information
pertaining to the CFU program in the CFU Folder. For any access or
user queries please contact Rachel Scott, CFU Administration Services
Officer, on 9742 7346 or 0419 630 177