Australia Day AFSM recipients
Three NSWFB officers
have received national recognition for their contribution to the
community. As part of the Australia Day Honours, Chief Supt Steve
Pearce, Chief Supt Marcus Baker and retired Captain of 401 Narromine
Robert Hawkins were each awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM).
The AFSM recognises distinguished service by members of Australian
fire services and is the highest decoration a firefighter can receive.
All three are highly respected members of the Brigade and the
community and I would like to warmly congratulate them on their
achievements and on receiving this prestigious award.
50 years of service
Next week a
significant milestone will be celebrated in Head Office. The much
loved Patricia (Pat) Feeney, Supervisor Employee Services Operations,
will be joined by Acting Commissioner Benson and work colleagues to
mark 50 years of service, firstly with the Board of Fire
Commissioners, and then with its successor, the NSW Fire Brigades. Pat
was “headhunted” by the Board in 1960 because she was qualified to
operate accounting machines. When I spoke to her last week she
outlined the huge technological changes she has seen and supervised,
including reel to reel computers that took up a whole room, Stargarden,
and now SAP. If you don’t know Pat, whether you know it or not, she
is very special to you – without her none of us would receive our
pay cheques each fortnight! Thank you and congratulations Pat; your
dedication is legendary.
50 year reunion
The four surviving
members of Class 1 of 1960 from Paddington Training College (the
predecessor of Alexandria) recently met for lunch to recall their
entry into the NSWFB 50 years ago. Last week I spoke to retired
Station Officer Don Wilson (2653), formerly of 8 Station Liverpool,
who talked to me about how much the Brigade has changed since he
entered the gates of the College all those years ago. SO Wilson,
retired SO Peter Johnson from Newcastle, retired Inspector Bruce
Johnston, and retired Superintendent David Williams-McKenzie were able
to share old war stories and renew acquaintances from all those years
ago. It is nice to see members of the NSWFB “family” still keeping
in touch after so many years.
A sad farewell – Retained Firefighter Kevin Hapgood
It was a privilege but
a sad duty yesterday to deliver a NSWFB eulogy at the funeral of
Retained Firefighter “Big Kev” Hapgood from Shellharbour. Big Kev
died suddenly last week at the age of 52. He was well known throughout
the state as he had attended more than 60 Zone and State Firefighter
Championships since his first in 1981. Kev was initially a competitor,
then became a member of the support crew, who proudly call themselves
“slaves”. He was a big, friendly bloke with a ready smile, and was
always there to help when needed. He will be sadly missed,
particularly by his family who include his brother, Retained
Firefighter Victor Hapgood, and brother in law, Retained Firefighter
Michael Daly. Rest in peace Big Kev.
Retirement – Chief Supt Gary Meers AFSM
The head
of our Lessons Learned Centre, Gary Meers, has learned the lesson of
many retired colleagues and decided to hang up his helmet for the last
time. Gary made a huge contribution to the NSWFB in areas including
Bushfire, Rescue, Training, Strategic Projects, Counter Terrorism and
Aviation, and finally, in setting up the Lessons Learned Centre. My
thanks to Gary for his hard work and dedication, and I wish him all
the best for the future.
Workplace Culture Survey
Don’t forget about the Building a Better
Brigade - Workplace Culture Survey closing 26 February. Visit the intranet
to find out more and have your say in helping to build a better
brigade. We need to know what’s good and what’s bad so that we can
preserve the best and work to eliminate what’s bad.
London
conference
In my capacity as Deputy President of the
Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Council (AFAC), I have been
asked to speak at an Interoperability Forum in London next week
organised by the UK’s National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA).
The forum will bring together senior Police, Fire, Ambulance and
military officers from throughout the UK. I will deliver a
presentation giving the “international perspective” on
inter-agency cooperation, command, control and coordination. This
follows a presentation I delivered in July in London at the Royal
United Services’ Institute’s “Joint Operations Conference.”
AFAC is covering all costs.
Bushfire
Information Cards
Pocket and appliance bushfire information cards
have been prepared for firefighters and Incident Controllers to assist
you in staying safe and providing clear and timely communication from
the fireground during the summer fire season. These cards have been
prepared for use during bushfire operations and include information on
NSWFB and RFS joint operations radio channels, as well as information
specifically for fire fighting including LACES,
effective
rehabilitation, Fire
Danger Ratings, bushfire alerts, basic
bushland urban interface bushfire strategies, CFU
operations, first
informative and SitRep messages.
Appliance-based information cards will also assist Incident
Controllers to provide accurate information from the fireground,
including safety information and public
warnings. These cards will be posted to local fire stations in
coming weeks. For further information, contact the Bushland Urban
Interface Section on 02 9742 7346.
Queanbeyan
firie swaps fire for snow
Queanbeyan
Firefighter Bob Stewart is on his way to Canada, via Colorado where he
is competing in the National Firefighters Ski Race, to help at the
2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games. As an official Games
volunteer, Bob will be based in Whistler at the Men’s Alpine Skiing
course, helping to maintain the safety nets and fencing throughout the
five events. He has been invited to the dress rehearsal for the
opening ceremony and is hoping to meet up with colleagues from the
Whistler Fire Department while there. We look forward to seeing the
photos when Bob returns to Australia.
Firies
advise holiday-makers on caravan safety
Firefighters from 452 Tamworth and 508 West
Tamworth visited camping grounds in the local area last week to give
fire safety advice to holiday-makers and visitors to the Country Music
Festival. This followed a second Tamworth campervan fire in a matter
of days. The first campervan was destroyed by fire when a gas powered
fridge malfunctioned, and the second blaze occurred because of a
leaking gas cylinder. Two people were taken to hospital suffering
smoke inhalation and burns.
Delicate
rescue from overhanging car
Firefighters
were faced with a difficult challenge to rescue a woman trapped in her
car which was protruding through the wall of a first level carpark in
George Street Parramatta on Thursday 19 January. The car had been
accidentally driven through the brick wall and half the vehicle was
hanging over the roof of an adjoining school building and threatening
to fall. An ambulance paramedic who had arrived first was in the
process of attaching a winch cable to the rear of the vehicle when 57 Wentworthville
Rescue arrived. A tow truck was seconded to help secure the vehicle
which was also stabilised with wooden blocks. Crews from 27
Parramatta, 57 Wentworthville and 59 Eastwood worked for an hour
to remove the rear hatch and seats and together with Ambulance
Paramedics extricated the woman through the rear of the vehicle. She
sustained only minor injuries but was very grateful to emergency
workers who worked in a difficult situation to rescue her.
15th
Alarm Bush Fire – Kearsley
Hot
weather on Friday 22 January created difficult fire fighting
conditions for Hunter Valley fire crews. Just after 4.00pm Newcastle
Communications received the first of several hundred Triple Zero calls
to a bush fire near Duffy Drive, Aberdare. Due to fire weather
conditions the fire “crowned” and quickly escalated to involve
over 200 hectares around Aberdare and Kearsley. One hundred houses
came under direct threat but to the credit of crews, no property
losses were reported. 344 Station at Kearsley was utilised as the
staging area for the large combined services response including
firefighters from 344 Kearsley, 349 Kurri Kurri, 220 Bellbird, 254
Cessnock, 374 Maitland, 418 Paxton and 255 Charlestown, together with
numerous RFS crews. Water bombing assisted ground crews who maintained
patrols throughout the night. Three families chose to relocate to
safer areas and no injuries were reported.
Shops
and residences destroyed in Inverell
Just after 1.00 am on
Sunday 24 January, Inverell firefighters were called to a fire in a
building known as Spirit Lodge in Otho Street, Inverell. Crews were on
scene within 11 minutes and reported that a fire was well advanced in
a two-level building measuring 20m by 50m. The building contained ten
shops on the ground level and twelve residential units above.
Fortunately all residents escaped safely as the fire quickly spread
through the structure. Firefighters from 331 Inverell, 302 Glen Innes,
487 Warialda, 225 Bingara and four RFS units worked for five hours to
contain the fire which destroyed the building.
“Treasured
Ashes” saved from Hungry Jack Restaurant fire - Albury
Just after 5.00pm on Friday 23 January, fire took
hold of the cooking area of the Hungry Jacks Family Restaurant on the
Old Hume Highway in Albury. Albury Central crew arrived within just
seven minutes, with Albury Civic arriving one minute later but the
fire had already spread into the roof area and was rapidly involving
the whole building. The tanker from North Albury also responded to the
scene. The fire started in the beef patty cooking vat and quickly
spread through ducting into the roof void and there were concerns that
several gas cylinders at the rear of the restaurant could become
involved. Fortunately all 90 staff and customers including two bus
loads of tourists evacuated safely, however, one staff member advised
firefighters that her handbag inside the restaurant contained a locket
of her father’s ashes who had died when she was only eight years
old. Albury Central firefighters entered wearing BA, and to the relief
of the woman, were able to locate and save the locket. By 6.30pm the
roof of the restaurant collapsed making final extinguishment
difficult. The building measured 15 x 15 metres and was totally
destroyed with the Stop message transmitted at 9.15pm.
Two houses
destroyed at Beechwood
At 6.22pm on Friday 23 January, Wauchope, Port
Macquarie and Laurieton firefighters, together with four RFS units
were called to a house fire in Beechwood Rd, Beechwood in RFS area,
eight kilometres out of Wauchope. Wauchope were first on scene and
Captain Brian Smith reported that one house was already totally
involved and fire had spread to a second house with a third house also
under threat. The fire had originally started in a rear shed due to
the incorrect use of an LPG cooking device, and quickly spread to the
shed, a car and the houses. Operations were hampered when it was
discovered that the shed contained asbestos, however crews were
successful in saving a third house under threat. Two women suffering
shock and one firefighter from Wauchope suffering from heat exhaustion
were transported to Wauchope Base Hospital and I am pleased to report
have all recovered fully. This fire once again highlights the need for
the community to be alerted to the dangers associated with incorrect
use of LPG appliances.
RUMOURS
Rumour:
Is it true that there have been cases of Ambulance crews carrying out
incidents that would be categorised as rescue jobs within areas
covered by NSWFB Rescue? Is it also true that the Ambulance crews have
performed these jobs without informing the Rescue Coordinator? Is it
also true that the Ambulance Service has approached the State Rescue
Committee to gain permission to self respond themselves to larger
rescue incidents outside 'Ambulance Rescue' Rescue Areas?
Response:
The broad answer, after investigation, is no. There have been several
rumoured incidents but at least two that I am aware of were simply
misunderstandings. Breaches of rescue response protocols are dealt
with collectively by the managing rescue authorities. Complaints or
breaches of the response protocols are reported through the NSW Police
Rescue Coordinator from the relevant rescue agencies or from the
public. Such breaches are dealt with in a multi-agency forum. NSWFB
Officers should raise matters of concern via their chain of command to
local Rescue Management Committee meetings, which have the
responsibility of forwarding any unresolved issues to the State Rescue
Board for consideration.
Rumour:
Is it true that the NSWFB is going to be changing to the new
12-monthly recertification process for CPR for the first aid course,
now that this is the State Standard through WorkCover? If they're not,
how is this going to affect rescue stations, as a current CPR and
first aid certificate are required to be a registered rescue operator?
Response:
No, this is not the State Standard. The current NSW workplace
legislation in regards to first aid training is detailed by WorkCover
NSW. It stipulates that the Health Training Package
competency HLTFA301B Apply
First Aid is the minimum standard for work place first aid
training to meet clause 20 of the OHS regulation. To remain
current the course must have been completed in the last three years.
There is no legislative requirement to recertify CPR every 12 months,
however, some industries have chosen to do this voluntarily (rail,
electrical and fitness are examples). The minimum training
standards for rescue operators is a current first aid qualification
and the PSTP competencies already delivered to personnel through the
Basic Life Support program.
Rumour:
Is it true that as at 1 July 2010 the Newcastle, Central Coast,
Illawarra and other Regional transfer lists are being dissolved due to
discrimination against members who live in the GSA and other areas of
the State?
Response:
No. The Regional Transfer Lists are part of the Crown Employees
(NSW Fire Brigades Permanent Firefighting Staff) Award 2008 and
are therefore legally binding.
Rumour:
Is it true
that with Springwood being taken up to primary rescue, Lawson and
Blackheath will complete their secondary rescue training, and become
secondary rescue in the Blue Mountains, given that they did do
three-quarters of their secondary rescue training?
Response: No. There is no intention to
upgrade Lawson and Blackheath to Secondary Rescue units. Springwood
shares Primary Rescue accreditation with the Police, as does Katoomba.
There has been no suggestion that there is a deficiency in rescue unit
coverage on the Blue Mountains.
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