This
edition of CC is from Acting Commissioner John Benson
CURRENT
NATIONAL SECURITY ALERT LEVEL: MEDIUM
NSW Budget Announcement
The
State Government has committed $589 million of funding to the NSWFB
for 2009/10, which includes:
•
$18 million for 20 new fire engines and specialised vehicles
•
$15 million for firefighting and counter terrorism plant and equipment
•
$5 million for improved station facilities
•
$3.6 million for information technology and station communications
equipment.
Bushfire
CRC extended by three years
The
Australian Government has indicated it will invest a further $15
million to fund the Bushfire CRC over the period 2010-2013 in tackling
specific research questions stemming from the recent bushfires in
Victoria
. With this investment, the Bushfire CRC will be effectively extended
from its official end-date of
30 June 2010
to 2013 and will provide the means for the research task force to
continue. The NSWFB’s Bushfire and Natural Hazards section will
continue to assist and support the research.
Changes
to reporting presence of smoke alarms in AIRS
Since
November 2008, information about smoke alarms recorded in AIRS has
been used to distribute smoke alarm awareness information letters
to occupants of properties that firefighters have attended where a
smoke alarm was not present, or was present and did not operate.
Following feedback from the community that some letters had been
issued to the wrong address or the information about smoke alarms in
the property was incorrect, some minor changes have been made to the
AIRS reporting fields. This will improve the accuracy of information
recorded about smoke alarms. A new version of AIRS is now available to
be downloaded and further information is available on the intranet.
H1N1
Influenza 09 (Human Swine Influenza) – update
On
Wednesday, the Federal Minister for Health announced the creation of a
new category to manage H1N1 Influenza called ‘protect’. This means
that the focus will be on protecting vulnerable groups in the
community (e.g. people with chronic respiratory conditions, pregnant
women etc) and on hygiene
and public education to minimise transmission. Employees who are
unwell are encouraged to stay home until fully recovered to minimise
the spread of illnesses in the workplace.
Firies
rank high on public trust list
Firefighters have
again topped
Australia
’s most trusted professions list according to a recent Reader’s
Digest poll and are regarded as the country’s second most
highly trusted profession. This achievement reflects the
professionalism of firefighters and credibility we have established
with the public over many years.
NSWFB
band awarded top honours in Anzac Day competition
Congratulations
to members of the NSWFB band, led by drum major Peter Ryan,
for achieving second place in the Services Band section in this
year’s Anzac Day competition. First place went to the UNSW
Regimental Band; third place went to the Royal Australian Navy Band.
Communications
improved by new ‘COMICS’ system
The
NSWFB will be able to manage complex firefighting
operations more effectively with a new software application known as
COMICS. The new system will help improve the communication between
firefighting staff from different command positions at any major
incident at any time and has recently been installed on both of the
NSWFB’s Incident Command Vehicles. The new system joins a suite of
new electronic resources developed by firefighters and is part of the
Brigade’s multi-million strategy to use information and
communication technology efficiently to support rapid effective
response and recovery.
‘Seven Viewer’
launched
Firefighters
now have a new spatial mapping resource to assist pre-incident plans
and access specific details about regions following the launch of a
new IT project called the ‘Seven
Viewer.’ The software application will improve the NSWFB’s
‘eye in the sky’ by providing aerial and satellite photos and
maps, similar to Google Earth and updates on live incidents, weather,
fire hot spots and hydrant locations.
New
winter jackets
Delivery of the new
winter jackets to fire stations and administrative support areas
begins on Monday 22 June. Stations and administrative areas located
within the greater
Sydney
area will be first to receive the jackets followed soon after by
Regional locations. The delivery process is expected to be completed
by early July. As previously mentioned the jackets will replace the
Castro and Spicer Jacket and can be worn during routine station duties
with both duty wear and dress uniform. It
is not too late to order a jacket - simply contact Supply Services on
(02) 9742 7442 to provide your size. Further details concerning future
supply, dress policy and exchange process will be published in
upcoming In Orders.
Queanbeyan
firefighters trained in snake removal
Firefighters
at 428 Queanbeyan have completed training for safe snake removal to
assist local
residents. They
demonstrated their new skills to the Minister for Emergency Services,
Steve Whan, on Monday 15 June. Nineteen firefighters at the station
have taken the one-day NSW Wildlife Information Rescue and Education
Service (WIRES) course and gave a demonstration with the help of two
pythons supplied by former Queanbeyan firefighter, Kynan
Gawland. The training highlights the
diverse challenges crews face every day and the story was popular with
the local media, with The
Queanbeyan Age and Win TV attending the event and Station Officer
Jason Murphy giving a number of interviews to local radio stations.
MVA
in Cammeray
At
1839 hrs on Wednesday 10 June, firefighters from 53 Neutral Bay and 36
Crows Nest responded to an MVA on Warringah Freeway, Cammeray (north
bound) and were on scene within seven minutes. On arrival,
firefighters discovered a car fire and one person trapped. Due to the
intensity of the fire and limited water supply, crews from 3 The
Rocks and 40
Willoughby
were responded to assist
with extinguishing the blaze. Despite the best efforts of firefighters,
sadly the driver could not be saved.
2nd
Alarm unit fire in
Elizabeth
Bay
In
the early hours of Thursday 11 June, crews from 4 Darlinghurst and 1
City of
Sydney
responded to an AFA in
Elizabeth
Bay
in
Sydney
’s east. Crews arrived on scene within six minutes to discover smoke
and heavy flames issuing from the top floor of an eight storey
residential building. Firefighters battled extreme conditions,
ascending eight storeys to access the internal hydrant system, which
was boosted by 4 Darlinghurst. During the incident crews were
assisted by 3 The Rocks, 11 Woollahra and DCC Craig Wright. Three
people were rescued and later transported to a nearby hospital for
further treatment and more than 80 people were safely evacuated from
the premises. FIRU investigations revealed the fire was caused by a
two bar heater. This incident serves as a timely reminder of home fire
dangers this winter and I encourage you to communicate the importance
of switching off heaters and other winter fire safety messages to
residents via your local media outlets.
Worker
trapped in machinery
At
1239 hrs on Thursday 11 June, firefighters at 57 Wentworthville
responded to an incident of a worker trapped in machinery at a
recycling business at Camelia in
Sydney
’s West. After ambulance paramedics stabilised the victim, crews
commenced the extremely difficult task of safely extricating the
worker. During the incident,
27
Parramatta
and 59 Eastwood Heavy Rescue assisted with the rescue effort and the
worker is recovering in the hospital from serious injuries.
Katoomba
house fire
On
Saturday 13 June at 0642 hrs, 343 Katoomba, 361 Leura, 226 Blackheath
and DCBM were called to reports of a house alight in
Katoomba Street
in the
Blue Mountains
. On arrival, crews found the single storey weatherboard cottage well
alight with flames coming through the roof. Firefighters commenced an
aggressive fire attack using hand lines and carried out search and
rescue to confirm no persons trapped inside. The quick actions of
firefighters ensured the blaze was brought under control and fully
extinguished within 45 minutes. Scene preservation was maintained for
FIRU investigations.
Fatal
fire in Argenton
At
0657 on Sunday 6 June, crews from 231 Boolaroo, 251
Cardiff
and 458 Teralba responded to a house fire in Argenton and arrived on
the scene within nine minutes. On arrival, crews found smoke issuing
from the premises and contained the fire to the room of origin by
extinguishing a small smouldering fire. Despite the efforts of
firefighters, one person was found deceased.
A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of the
blaze.
RUMOURS
Rumour:
Is it true that we are moving 503
Wollongong
's ladder platform to 422 Warrawong?
Response:
Metro South 1 is in the process of compiling an emergency response
procedure for the entire Zone and Operational Capability will be
addressed. A number of factors will be considered when compiling the
Emergency Response procedures and at this stage no decisions have been
made about reallocating any resources.
Rumour:
Is it true that gyms at stations are going to be cut if the
workers' compensation claims continue to rise?
Response:
A significant amount of time
and money is being spent on health promotion and gym training to
minimise the likelihood and occurrence of exercise related injuries.
However in accordance with OHS legislation, any activity/equipment
that causes injury must be assessed and all steps to minimise the
reoccurrence of injury must be undertaken. It is anticipated that
continued efforts by all employees in these areas will reduce exercise
related injuries and therefore reviewing the need for station gyms
should not be required.
Rumour:
With the transfer of Burwood's heavy rescue to 102 Regentville, is it
true that there are no plans to replace the inner west’s Heavy
rescue unit and to keep operating two rescue pumps at Burwood and
Bankstown
with depleted rescue and salvage capability?
Response:
After the withdrawal of the ASNSW from Rescue in the Metropolitan area
in 2008 a Rescue Working Group (RWG) was established to provide
additional stations to cover these gaps in rescue coverage. At the
same time the RWG determined there was a need to strategically
reposition three Heavy Rescue Salvages (HRS).
The move of the HRS from Burwood to Regentville was one of these
determinations. The relocation of HRS's
was on a trial basis and all staff at the affected stations have
been briefed about this important aspect. There will be a review of
the trial in September 2009.
Rumour:
Is it true that firefighters from
Orange
can not relieve at Kelso as it is more than 60kms away, yet
firefighters from Katoomba can relieve in
Windsor
which is 63kms away?
Response:
Please refer to In
Order 2008/22. There are no distance restrictions for relieving.
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