This
edition of CC is from Acting Commissioner John Benson
Bushfire
Danger Rating system
Yesterday,
Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan, NSWRFS Commissioner Shane
Fitzsimmons and I announced significant changes to Fire Danger Ratings
and public warnings to be introduced for this bush fire season. One of
the most significant changes is the introduction of a new Fire Danger
Rating system – ‘Catastrophic', which will apply on days when the
Fire Danger Index is above 100. During these conditions, our
advice to the community will be that the safest course of action for
people will be to leave early. Those who choose to stay and defend
their properties should understand and accept the very real risks
involved. These new Fire Danger Ratings will also lead to specific
alerts and advice for the public, based on the time of impact and the
fire’s potential. These alerts are Emergency Warning; Watch and Act;
and Advice - a fire has started, general information to keep up to
date with developments. Clearly, these are significant changes and
will have flow-on effects through our organisation and the community.
I will keep you updated on the implementation of these new systems.
Bushfire
preparedness
On
4 September, the NSWFB’s Bushfire Preparedness Steering Committee
convened to identify a number of strategic and operational plans and
activities which would assist the Fire Brigades enhance its
operational preparedness for the 2009/10 bushfire season. Chaired by
Chief Superintendent John Bedford, the Committee is also considering
the outcomes of the Interim Report of the Royal Commission into the
February 2009 Victorian Bushfires and the revised National Framework
for Bushfire Warning Advice received on
7 September 2009
. We have operational and non operational representation on the
committee and we also include the Rural Fire Service. Further
information will be communicated as these plans develop.
Eighth
anniversary of September 11 terrorism attack
Our
thoughts are with the families and the colleagues of emergency
personnel that lost loved ones in the horrific attack on the World
Trade Centre in
New York
eight years ago. Since that time the threat posed by global terrorism
has been taken very seriously and there has been a significant
investment by authorities around the world to counter the threat
of terrorism. The NSWFB continues to plan for, develop and implement counter-terrorism initiatives
to improve its capability for terrorism consequence management in
consultation with the NSW Police Force and other emergency services
agencies. To maintain operational preparedness and ongoing capability
development, we will continue to host and participate in a variety of
multi-agency counter-terrorism exercises run by the National Counter
Terrorism Committee. Currently the NSWFB is participating in a
series of Counter Terrorism Commanders Courses facilitated by the New
South Wales Police Force Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics
Command. Each course is designed to ensure integrated command and
control at terrorist incidents in support of a whole-of-Government
capability. We remember our fallen
New York
colleagues.
NSWFB
Code of Conduct
All
NSWFB employees will be receiving in the mail at their home address a
copy of the new NSWFB Code of Conduct in the coming week.
Commissioner Mullins has
also posted a video message on Fire Tube on the Intranet
for you highlighting the importance of the Code. As we’ve
communicated previously there are
new policies to provide additional guidance: Conflicts of Interest
Policy, Fraud and Corruption Prevention Policy, and the Gifts,
Benefits and Hospitality Policy. Please take the time to read the Code
of Conduct and view the FireTube message on this important topic.
Executive
coaching pilot program
As
part of its commitment to staff development and the enhancement of
leadership capability, the NSWFB is considering a number of new
initiatives to complement and support existing programs. Some of
you, for example, may recently have provided valuable input to the
Work and Development Planning proposal. The NSWFB is exploring the
value of an Executive Coaching program to assist managers to be more
adaptive to their current situation and the demands of the future.
The program will focus on building leadership capability through a
structured personal coaching approach. I have asked Harris Smith &
Associates, who have recently conducted a similar program for the
Australian Federal Police, to facilitate a pilot program for 12 NSWFB
employees. I will ensure all staff are informed of the progress
and outcomes of the Executive Coaching pilot program.
Spring
clean fire safety
With
the onset of spring, the NSWFB is urging households to remove
household clutter and reduce the risk of fire in the home. Fire
stations can use the spring
clean media release template to remind local
residents that losing property, possessions or worse in a house fire
is often preventable with a good spring cleaning program.
New
Class 3 Primary Rescue for
Blacktown
On
Monday, I was joined by the Member for
Blacktown
, Paul Gibson and senior officers and firefighters at 63
Blacktown
to announce the arrival of a new $578,000 Class 3 vehicle. I am sure
it is being well received by the crew.
Heathcote
Rd
MVA
At
0755 hours this morning, firefighters from 33 Engadine, 46 Sutherland,
90 Menai and 8 Liverpool responded to an MVA involving a school bus
and a car on
Heathcote Rd
,
Lucas
Heights
. A very challenging and chaotic scene greeted the arriving
firefighters, as up to 40 school children were on the bus at the time
of the accident. Two people were also trapped in the car. Tragically
the driver of the car died in the accident. A large scale casualty
triage was embarked on by the Ambulance Service, as firefighters
worked on extricating the passenger of the car. The combined effort
from all services needs to be praised in this difficult and demanding
incident.
Service
station fire
Canley
Heights
At
1634 hours on Friday 4 September, firefighters from 49 Cabramatta, 73
Fairfield
and 41
Smithfield
responded to a car alight in a service station on
Canley Vale Rd
,
Canley
Heights
. On arrival firefighters found a car fire which had also spread to
three 250 kg LPG cylinders in the service station. Additional
firefighters were brought in from 31 Busby and 85
Chester
Hill, while the Duty Commander Parramatta attended to take charge of
the firefighting operations. Faced with a potentially very dangerous
situation the firefighters quickly evacuated the occupants of the
service station and set up a 200 metre restricted access zone around
the burning cylinders. Using water sprays, the firefighters commenced
cooling the cylinders to minimise the risk of an explosion.
Firefighters quickly brought the car fire under control. With the gas
isolation valves shut, the firefighters extinguished the cylinder
fires and safely brought this fire to an end.
Fatal
house fire Jesmond
At
2131 hours on Monday 7 September, firefighters from 357 Lambton, 484
Wallsend and 462 Mayfield West responded to a house alight in
Henry St
, Jesmond. On arrival crews found the top storey of a two-storey house
well alight. Firefighters from 260
Newcastle
and 404 New Lambton were called to assist. Duty Commander Newcastle
arrived to take over control of the incident. Tragically during
firefighting operations the body of a female was found in the house.
FIRU were called to the scene to work in conjunction with police
investigators to determine the cause.
Unit
fire Marsfield
At
0233 hours on Tuesday 8 September, firefighters from 59 Eastwood and
58 Beecroft were called to a unit fire in
Waterloo Rd
, Marsfield. A decision was made by Sydney Comms to increase the
response to a 2nd Alarm because of the number of Triple Zero calls
they received. Firefighters from 42 Ryde, 37 Gordon, 27
Parramatta
and 66
Rhodes
were also asked to assist. On arrival firefighters found the top
storey of a three-storey residential unit block well alight. Occupants
from the unit block and neighbouring blocks were evacuated, as
firefighters gained access to extinguish the blaze. Quick action by
the firefighters was able to contain the fire to the unit of origin.
Public
thanks for the Burwood crew
An
elderly woman called 2GB radio last week to thank the firefighters
from 15 Burwood who came to her home after burnt toast activated her
smoke alarm. The woman was very appreciative of the help from
firefighters on the day and also a surprise delivery the following
day. The woman said her doorbell rang and when she
answered there was a fresh loaf of bread sitting on her
doorstep, courtesy of the firefighters. Well done to the crew
at Burwood for this thoughtful gesture.
Running
across the
USA
for September 11
Station
Officers Wayne Gregory, Sydney Comms, and Nick Beattie, Rescue
Section, will be representing the NSWFB next year in a run across the
US
, finishing at Ground Zero
New York
on
September 11, 2010
. The run will involve 15 firefighters representing each state of
Australia
running 7435 km in relay from
Los Angeles
to
New York
via
New Orleans
and
Chicago
. As part of the Tour of Duty, Assistant Commissioner Mark Whybro and
SO Nicholas Beattie will be attending Parliament House in
Melbourne
and the official launch at the Grand Hyatt in
Melbourne
today. Notable attendees at today’s launch include former Australian
Prime Minister The Honourable John Howard who is the run patron, and
Jay Jonas who is the Battalion Chief of the New York Fire Department
and a survivor of the World Trade Centre collapse. Other events
planned for the weekend include running around the Melbourne Cricket
Ground before the Saturday night AFL final (with 90,000 spectators)
and visiting the US Consulate as guests of the
US
Consul General. SO Wayne Gregory is not in
Melbourne
at the event as he is involved in a quick 180 km run in
Queensland
as a pre-event warm up!
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 to the intranet, please contact Public
Affairs Officers: (West) 9265 2613, (South) 9265 2802 or
(North) 9265 2631