Commissioner’s Corner

GENERAL

A sad farewell to Captain Bill Lenthall AFSM

Today I will be in Macksville, together with many colleagues, family and friends, at the funeral for Captain Bill Lenthall AFSM. I will deliver a Brigade Eulogy for someone who has been a great friend to many, including me, and an admired and respected leader. Bill started with the Victorian CFA in 1963 and with the NSWFB in 1978. He became Deputy Captain in 1985, and Captain in 1989. Bill passed away suddenly following a short illness last week, a great shock to all who had the pleasure of knowing him and his wife Marie. Bill’s son Tony carried on the firefighting tradition by firstly becoming a retained firefighter, then joining the permanent ranks. Inspector Lenthall is a Duty Commander based in Port Macquarie. My sincere condolences to Marie, Tony and the extended Lenthall family. Our fire and rescue family has also suffered a great loss.

Help shape our future by joining an Engagement Action Planning Group

One of my major priorities for 2016 is to keep building a more open and inclusive culture in which people at all levels of FRNSW are better supported, feel recognised for their good work, and have no impediments to doing what they do best every day. If you want to help me in preserving what’s good about working as a member of FRNSW and improving or eliminating those aspects that aren’t so good, then sign up for an Engagement Action Planning Group by emailing EmployeeEngagement@fire.nsw.gov.au by 1700 hours on Friday 5 February.

Staff from all parts of FRNSW have already confirmed their interest, so don’t miss out! We will contact all Action Planning Group members shortly after applications close to arrange details. We have also received many comments and ideas describing how we can improve our organisation, including better training, leadership, communication and accountability, to name a few. Please keep the ideas coming by emailing EmployeeEngagement@fire.nsw.gov.au. I hope you are as excited as I am about what 2016 will bring, and working together on ways we can improve FRNSW.

2016 Open Day – the countdown begins

Our 2016 Open Day will be held on Saturday 21 May. This year it will be B Platoon's chance at permanent stations to represent FRNSW to their local communities (or A Platoon for 10/14 crews). If you are at one of our many retained stations, you have probably been involved in at least one of our previous Open Days, and know what to expect already. Open Day is a great opportunity for the public to see what we do by visiting their local fire station to meet firefighters and learn more about fire safety in the home.

Further information and resources will follow shortly but for now, make sure you mark down 21 May in the diary and start making preparations. Permanent crews can have a chat to D Platoon who ran last year's event to get some good ideas. Also, all the information you need including 4-week checklists, questions and answers will soon be available in the Open Day toolkit on the intranet under Community Safety. Station Commanders will shortly receive a request for their station's participation – when you receive this, please complete it ASAP to ensure your station receives handout materials. Any questions, please contact ceu@fire.nsw.gov.au.

Apple TV coming to fire stations in 2016

As part of the program to improve IT at fire stations, we are delivering Apple TV devices to all fire stations between January and June 2016. This will enable you to view FRNSW training and informational videos hosted on Vimeo, a video hosting service like YouTube, via your existing station TV. You will also be able to stream content from Apple Airplay compatible devices to the Apple TV device. A recent pilot program received positive feedback and assisted in streamlining the configuration and deployment process. Installation and support instructions are on the intranet (Toolkits > Organisation Wide > Information Technology > Apple TV). For more information, see the intranet story.

Bulk tanker rollover video release

Crews from 428 Queanbeyan and the Hazmat Advisory Response Team (HART) last year assisted in a bulk fuel tanker rollover exercise. FRNSW’s Operational Capability Directorate and Media and Communications Unit, in partnership with the bulk tanker industry and other emergency services, filmed the exercise and used the footage to produce a 20-minute instructional video. The video presents a multi-agency response to bulk tanker rollover incidents, with Police, FRNSW, Ambulance and NSWRFS working together under emergency conditions in a real-time scenario. The video covers each agency's role and responsibilities at such incidents, from arrival to handover. It highlights the hazards involved and shows how they should be managed. The role of industry emergency responders in recovering fuel from the tanker is particularly emphasised. This video, which can be accessed on FireTube, is a vital training tool for all firefighters, including commanders and their crews. For more information, see the intranet story.

Combustible cladding leads to rapid fire spread in Dubai hotel fire

On New Year's Eve, fire engulfed the outside of a 63-storey luxury hotel in the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates . Onlookers saw the fire erupt on the outside of the building around the 20th floor before spreading very rapidly along the whole facade. The cause and circumstances of the fire are being investigated however it is likely that the cladding used on the building’s façade facilitated the rapid fire spread. Lightweight aluminium composite panels, which are widely used not only in Dubai , but also in many other countries including Australia , can be highly combustible. Similar incidents have been reported around the world, including fire in a 23-storey building in Melbourne ’s Docklands area in November 2014. Whilst attending a UN USAR meeting in Abu Dhabi recently I met with former South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service Chief Officer, Grant Lupton, who is working in the UAE as a senior fire and civil defence advisor to the government. He told me then that the cladding issue is of significant concern, and there had already been a number of highrise fires – we agreed to share information on this insidious hazard. 

Please familiarise yourself with Operational Bulletin 2015-02 that deals with non-compliant combustible external cladding which can cause rapid vertical spread of fire on multi-level buildings. More information is available on the intranet (under Toolkits < Operational < Building fire safety < Combustible cladding). For more information, see the intranet story.

FireFit Team Challenge pilot

Do you want to Fuel better, Train better and get a better Mindset? If you’re looking to achieve this both at the station/workplace and at home, with a bit of fun team-based competition thrown into the mix, you’ll want to get involved in the FireFit Team Challenge. This is a team-based competition where you aim to improve your nutrition (Fuel), exercise (Train) and overall lifestyle and mental resilience (Mindset). If you and your station/workplace would be interested in participating in a 4-week pilot of the Challenge, contact Mark Gabriel, Team Leader Health & Fitness, mark.gabriel@fire.nsw.gov.au. For more information, see the intranet story.

Hoverboard fires

You may have seen recent media reports about fires in hoverboards, including a fire in Melbourne on 4 January that destroyed a family’s house. Hoverboards are self-balancing scooters that use an electric motor powered by rechargeable batteries. The batteries are lithium ion with fires typically occurring during charging of the batteries. If batteries are damaged by impact during use, it can make them more prone to failure and causing a fire. FRNSW is working closely with NSW Fair Trading to monitor developments and share relevant information between our two agencies.

To date there have been no reported hoverboard fires in NSW. However any such incident is likely to attract strong media interest so gathering accurate information will be critical. If your crew attends a fire where you suspect that a hoverboard is involved, please ask the Communications Centre to have FIRU contact you at the scene urgently. For more information, see the intranet story.

FRNSW to participate in 2016 Mardi Gras Parade

On Saturday 5 March, FRNSW will again take part in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. This is an opportunity to support diversity within our workforce while promoting key fire safety messages. Our entry will feature a fire appliance, along with a walking group, fire safety and diversity banners. Event rules mean that FRNSW’s numbers will be limited to 100 participants. We encourage all those interested to get involved, particularly firefighters who identify as LGBQTI. The Office of the Commissioner has emailed all staff with information on how you can apply to take part. Expressions of Interest close on the afternoon of Friday 12 February and are already over-subscribed, so by necessity there will have to be limitations and prioritisation of applications. Preference will be given to FRNSW employees and CFU volunteers who identify as LGBQTI, unsuccessful applicants from last year, and participants will be limited to one accompanying guest. See the email for more details. Please direct any enquiries to ceu@fire.nsw.gov.au.

Selling uniform or PPC items on eBay? Think again

There is no issue with former and current FRNSW employees retaining some items of uniform as mementos, for example when they retire. When new helmets were introduced, I gave permission for those who wanted to, to keep their old helmets. Disturbingly, some people think that it is OK to sell current uniform items on eBay. Think again. This is not on and can result in disciplinary action. In the current heightened security environment, no items of uniform are to be sold or given away to people not associated with FRNSW.

INCIDENTS

Overview of Christmas – New Year period

We had a very busy Christmas period and also a busy start to the New Year. Crews across NSW attended a wide variety of incidents from house fires to major factory fires, rescues, bushfires, MVAs, storms, flood rescues and hazmat incidents.

During the Christmas/New Year period there were three fatalities resulting from house fires. Two elderly people died in a house fire in the early hours of 28 December 2015 at Penshurst, believed to be the result of unattended cooking. A man also died in a granny flat fire at Berkeley on 29/12 when a fire broke out in his bedroom, likely caused by an unattended candle.

Firefighters from Denman and other Hunter stations attended a fire in the early hours of 28/12 that saw the local community hall destroyed. Later that morning, crews from Bondi and Woollahra responded to a running fuel fire when a car was deliberately set alight in Bellevue Hill. Burning fuel ran down the gutter and engulfed another four cars. Later that same day, firefighters from Nowra attended an explosion and fire in a house caused by a leak from an LPG cylinder used for cooking. A man was treated at the scene for major burns and later taken to hospital while firefighters cooled LPG and acetylene cylinders found inside the house.

Queanbeyan firefighters attended a large shed alight at the local golf course on 29/12 while crews from Penrith attended an explosion at Llandilo where a man was lucky to escape serious injury after he drilled a hole in an LPG cylinder, assuming it was empty. The ensuing explosion and fire severely damaged his home and he was taken to hospital with burns. The same day, a number of crews tackled a 6th Alarm factory fire at Mascot. The factory was heavily stocked with office furniture made of metal, plastic and foam rubber. Two bulk CAFS tankers were used to help control the fire, and the TAF20 remote control firefighting robot was also used to good effect.

The next day, Port Macquarie firefighters responded to a 700-litre diesel spillage at Port Central Shopping Centre. The fuel had leaked from a truck and firefighters worked hard to stop it entering the Hastings River . Just before midnight, crews from The Rocks, Pyrmont and City of Sydney attended an electrical fire in a switchboard on the 16th level of the Shangri-La Hotel in the CBD. 100 people were evacuated during the fire and 16 people had to be relocated as a result of the damage.

Just after 1400 hrs on 31/12, crews from Katoomba and Leura were called to a building fire in Scenic World, a major tourist attraction in Katoomba. Crews isolated power to the air-conditioning unit and 1,000 tourists were evacuated while firefighters inspected the area with a thermal imaging camera. The area was rendered safe allowing the attraction to carry on trading.

In the early hours of 1 January 2016, crews from Finley, Berrigan, Tocumwal and Deniliquin attended a fire in a stock feed manufacturing plant at Finley. The fire occurred in a building containing straw; later on, a number of hot spots were also found in hoppers at the facility. A silo was monitored for heat transfer and after a long day in the field, the area was declared safe at 0925 hrs the following day. Crews from Richmond , Windsor , Riverstone, Huntingwood, Kellyville and Schofields attended a fire in a retirement village at around 0800 hrs which started in the kitchen of a unit. Nine elderly people were evacuated from their units during the fire and three had to be transported with smoke inhalation. A further two elderly women were later treated for shock. The unit was damaged during the fire but thankfully no one was seriously injured. The fires continued at 1206 hrs with Albury crews turning out to a unit above a butcher shop alight; one person was taken to hospital with serious burns as crews from the three stations in Albury quickly brought the fire under control.

Crews from Narellan, Camden and Campbelltown were called to a car alight inside a shop in the early hours of 2/1. The car had been the subject of an attempted robbery and crews were quickly on scene and limited the damage to Mount Annan Central shops before handing over to Police.

During the following wet weather FRNSW rescue crews turn out to numerous MVAs due to poor road conditions. From 25 December 2015 to 14 January 2016, we attended a total of 137 MVAs, 37 of which involved persons trapped.

On 5/1 the NSWSES asked FRNSW for flood assistance due to heavy rain in the Newcastle , Raymond Terrace and Central Coast areas. Swiftwater rescue crews from Hurstville and Eastwood were deployed and assisted with flood operations for over 24 hours, conducting a number of rescues. Crews from Warrawong, Unanderra and Albion Park Rail also attended a suspicious fire later that day which destroyed a house in Berkeley .

A number of fires were reported on 6/1 with the first call coming in at 0015 hrs when Kariong and Gosford responded into RFS area where a large industrial shed at Somersby was alight. Two people were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation as a result of this fire. Then just before 0600 hrs, crews were called to a large number of cars alight at Pickles Auctions in Milperra. When they arrived at the scene they found numerous cars stored in above ground racks well alight. The response was upgraded to a 4th Alarm and crews experienced difficulty gaining access to the site due to the heavy security. Large plumes of thick black smoke rose into the air and at one point threatened to close nearby Bankstown Airport . Once crews gained entry, they managed to gain the upper hand, but not before 120 cars had been destroyed and another 100 damaged by heat and flames. Torrential rain did nothing to help firefighters as they battled for two hours to contain the fire. Once again the CAFS pumpers and tankers proved their worth by applying foam. The stop message was transmitted at 0912 hrs.

Another major fire occurred just after 1400 hrs when 000 calls were received to a factory fire in Coreen Avenue , Penrith. An automotive parts warehouse and mechanics workshop was well alight when crews from Penrith and Cranebrook arrived. A 5th Alarm was requested which later escalated to a 6th Alarm. Crews managed to protect exposures and cut the fire off before it engulfed the entire building. Although a third of the building and its contents, including a large ski boat, were destroyed, the owners were grateful that the firefighters managed to save a $100,000 Corvette Stingray which was on a hoist in the mechanical workshop. CAFS tankers and aerial appliances were used to help control the fire and the occupants of the building all managed to escape unharmed. The fire is believed to have been caused by faulty electrical equipment in an upstairs office.

Strike teams from Metro North and Metro West were also deployed to Raymond Terrace and Newcastle to assist with flood recovery operations during the day as the area was drenched with some of the heaviest rain experienced in 25 years.

On 7/1 Ballina crews were called to a fire in a waste transfer station near Ballina airport. Due to the size of the fire, airport fire crews assisted FRNSW with foam to extinguish a 20m x 80m pile of rubbish. An excavator was also brought in to break up the rubbish pile and an external water supply was tapped into and relayed to the incident. Later on that evening, crews from Campbelltown and St Andrews responded to a fire in a furniture store in Campbelltown. Store owners evacuated their customers and directed crews to a fire in the ceiling of the shop. Crews managed to quickly extinguish the fire and checked for fire spread using a thermal imaging camera.

On 9/1 at 0410 hrs, crews were called to a major molten glass spillage and fire at Andrews Road , Penrith. Firefighters from Penrith arrived and liaised with the workers on site. The retention pit designed to hold the spilled glass had overflowed which resulted in molten glass setting fire to machinery and spreading through the factory. It was also threatening to destabilise the infrastructure which supported a number of large glass furnaces which were still operating. Duty Commander West upgraded the response to a 4th Alarm as a precaution while crews with handlines cooled the molten glass. It is estimated that around 200 tonnes of molten glass escaped, however due to great work by crews on the ground a major disaster was averted. The incident was downgraded at 1145 hrs after the glass had been cooled to an acceptable temperature.

At 1608 hrs the same day, crews from Tarro and Mayfield West were the first arriving appliances at a fire in an aluminium plant at Tomago. The initial Incident Commander upgraded the response when a fire involving a large conveyer belt at was seen to be threatening a silo. A 4th Alarm was responded and the incident was soon brought under control. The burning substance was emitting ammonia gas and at one point the temperature of the silo reached critical levels. SCBA crews were replaced by ground monitors for safety reasons, and after a protracted incident, the silo was declared safe. Crews remained at the scene until 0200 hrs the next morning before the official stop message was sent.

At 1808 hrs on 10/1, crews from Harden, Young, Yass, Goulburn, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga, Gundagai and Boorowa along with NSWRFS crews attended a fire in a shed in Harden. On arrival the rescue pumper from Harden sent a Red Message requesting further resources as they had a 15m x 15m shed fully involved in fire with gas cylinders involved and a house nearby. Around 50 people were evacuated and an 800m exclusion zone was set up while a 400-litre gas cylinder vented and the shed was extinguished by attending crews. Two hours after the call came in, crews had the blaze under control, however building collapse remained a threat to firefighters. The stop was transmitted just after midnight and one person was taken to hospital with minor smoke inhalation.

At 0309 hrs on 11/1, James Ruse Drive was closed to traffic while crews from Parramatta , Rydalmere, Silverwater, Eastwood and Merrylands battled a fire in a large unoccupied house. It was thought that the owners may be inside but after a thorough search by firefighters in SCBA, the house was declared all clear. The fire was difficult to extinguish as it had penetrated the ceiling. An aerial appliance from Parramatta was required to gain external access to complete extinguishment. With the house up for sale, the fire was considered suspicious and Police declared a crime scene pending investigation.

Later that day just after 2000 hrs, a major fire occurred in Goulburn. Crews from Goulburn, Crookwell and Bundanoon in the Southern Highlands initially responded to a building alight in Clifford Street . There were reports of explosions coming from the rear of the premises and the first messages stated that the structure was well alight. The premise was a grocery store, and due to the nature of the fire, the aerial from St Andrews and the CAFS pump from Busby were also responded. Crews from Bowral and Harden also attended along with CAFS backup from Narellan and the Zone Commander from Goulburn. The stop message was sent at 2328 hrs and the site was handed to Police pending an investigation.

A major 6th Alarm bushfire was attended by numerous FRNSW and NSWRFS crews in Aviation Drive in Coffs Harbour near the airport. The fire began around 1500 hrs on 13/1 and burned through about 85 hectares of bush before crews gained the upper hand. Two fire-bombing helicopters were deployed to the scene, and at one point, the Southern Cross University was threatened by smoke and ember attack. A lot of the fire was inaccessible by road so crews used backburning to gain control. An aerial attack was used the following morning while FRNSW crews provided property protection with the assistance of NSWRFS bulk water tankers. The stop message was finally sent at 1102 hrs on 15/1.

At 2338 hrs on 13/1, crews from City of Sydney , Mascot and Alexandria were called to fire in a unit in Potter Street , Waterloo . Arriving crews found a unit alight after an explosion on the 8th floor of a large unit complex. Upon closer inspection, firefighters discovered a drug lab in the upper roof space above the unit so they immediately called in hazmat crews. A number of police officers were decontaminated at the scene by firefighters and taken to hospital as a precaution. Air monitoring was set up and the scene was preserved for police investigators. Hazmat crews remained at the scene to assist Police with their operations and to dismantle the lab. Fire crews remained on scene as a precaution until 1500 hrs the next day when Police finalised their investigations and hazmat crews had declared the scene safe.

Destructive winds, large hail and heavy rain caused significant damage in the Greater Sydney area on 14/1 with FRNSW responding to multiple calls to powerlines and trees down. Between 1300 and 1700 hrs, FRNSW took 1,716 Triple Zero calls and FRNSW crews responded to 238 storm-related incidents. On 15 January three FRNSW Strike Teams were deployed to Prospect, Bass Hill and Wyong to assist NSWSES with storm cleanup operation.

ASK THE COMISSIONER

Q: With the introduction of the CAFS pumpers, can you advise if the risk to the environment has been addressed? Does the foam in CAFS break down and does it affect ecological wellbeing of the ground and waterways after a fire has been extinguished? Will CAFS pumpers eventually replace the standard pumper carrying foam?

A: It is necessary to take a whole-of-environment approach when determining the effect that CAFS foam (Fourexpan S) may have on the environment. CAFS foam is used at a much lower foam concentration than previous foams, and CAFS will generally result in a much quicker knockdown and extinguishment. This reduces smoke emissions and the environmental impact of an ongoing incident. The use of CAFS will also reduce fire water runoff, resulting in a reduction in potential contamination of adjacent properties and water courses.

All firefighting foams can cause environmental harm, especially in waterways (as can firewater runoff). If foam is observed in waterways post-fire, it should be contained and skimmed off (as recently occurred at a salmon farm after a fire in Tasmania ), or allowed to degrade if in an area such as a detention pond. CAFS foam contained to land can be allowed to degrade safely. From an environmental management perspective, studies have shown the environment is able to recover naturally in a relatively short time, from a large foam incident.

Some years ago FRNSW ceased using and disposed of foams containing “PFOS” which have led to controversy at some RAAF facilities. Its use was limited to actual incidents, and some very limited training exercises, as much cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) training foam was used.

In summary, CAFS is considered to be a good option for environmental protection. Ten Class 3 CAFS pumpers are being delivered and will be stationed in Sydney (seven), the Central Coast , Newcastle and the Illawarra. There will be a total of six bulk CAFS tankers, and seven other CAFS tankers strategically placed around the State. Standard pumpers, Classes 2 and 3, will continue to have normal foam capabilities.

Q: The issue of multiple stations creating their own Facebook pages and uploading photos and videos that have been recorded on private property is becoming more prevalent. Without the owner’s permission, this content has been placed on social media for anyone to access. This potentially could put the Brigade in a position to be sued by the owners. When will the Brigade deliver some form of policy to deal with this? 

A: A new policy on social media is almost complete and will give firm guidance, and instructions, on what can and cannot be posted.

While the State Government encourages agencies to use social media to communicate with the public through the NSW Government Social Media Policy, there are potential privacy and legal issues associated with posting images of private property and people, particularly where permission has not been obtained.

Where images of people or other identifying aspects are to be posted on social media, permission of the individuals captured by the images must be obtained before posting (or from their parents or guardians if they are children). If permission cannot be obtained discretion must be used as to what is posted. Anything that could potentially cause hurt or offence should never be posted.

You may also be unaware that if you take images at an emergency incident while on duty, you are duty bound by the State Records Act to record it in a FRNSW system. It can then be subpoenaed by anyone who may be taking legal action – for example following a liability dispute.

Even though individual social media sites are not regularly monitored or regulated by FRNSW, all content posted on the sites is considered in a legal sense to be ‘official information’, so individuals making postings should ensure that what they are saying is correct, and consistent with official policy. All comments and postings made by staff whether on duty or not are subject to the FRNSW Code of Conduct.

The State Rescue Policy also deals with taking images at rescue incidents, and these become the property of NSW Police.

So, it is not as simple as just throwing some images on the web and forgetting about it – be careful, and be mindful of other people’s rights and sensibilities.

If you need any further information on your obligations please email the Privacy Officer graham.last@fire.nsw.gov.au

Q: The use of cervical collars during first aid/basic life support incidents is now being questioned throughout the job. Added trauma to the casualty through hyper-extension of the neck, movement of the neck while fitting the collars, and patient comfort once fitted are the prime concerns. Basic Life Support first aid training states to use them, while Advanced Resuscitation Training does not endorse the use of the collars for all occasions, preferring to state that their use needs to be assessed on a needs basis at each individual incident.

As the collars are part of first aid training and an issued item of the Trauma Kits with supporting SIMS and Recommended Practices, in the event of added spinal injury through not using the collars, will it not leave operational firefighters at risk of civil legal action if they choose not to use the collars?

The medical treatment of patients is an evolving process of best practice. FRNSW first aid training is delivered in line with the Australian Resuscitation Council guidelines and Nationally Recognised Competencies. 

A: First aid trained personnel have a duty of care to exercise reasonable care according to their level of skill when rendering first aid treatment. Any firefighter acting in good faith in accordance with their role as a firefighter is protected from legal liability by Section 79 of the Fire Brigades Act.

FRNSW first aid training is based on each casualty being assessed and treated according to the signs and symptoms they present. Assessing the history of the incident and the mechanism of injury benefits the first aider before applying active treatment. 

A cervical collar is one method of immobilising the neck where a cervical injury is suspected. Do not rely on a collar alone to adequately immobilise the cervical spine or be the only technique considered. Maintaining or initiating manual neck immobilisation techniques may be the preferred option. This information is addressed within the session plans for Basic Life Support and Advanced Resuscitation Techniques, EMT recommended practices and online First Aid manual.

CONTACT

Commissioner's email: Commissioner@fire.nsw.gov.au

Sandra Garcia, EA to Commissioner: 9265 2930

Ask the Commissioner: OfficeOfTheCommissioner@fire.nsw.gov.au

To contribute a story, please contact the Media and Communications Unit: 9265 2907.