COMMISH’S CORNER

Friday 21 April 2006 Number 386 NSWFB The Rumour Mill No (02) 9265 2627
CURRENT NATIONAL SECURITY ALERT LEVEL : MEDIUM

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

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: Stephen Norris (West) 9265 2613 or John Suter Linton/Tippy Kavalee (South/North) 9265 2802