The purpose of the Commendation is to promote and formally recognise excellence in joint fire services operations and/or joint fire services community service by the NSWFB and the NSW RFS.

2. Commendation criteria

Commendations will be awarded for excellence in joint operations and/or the delivery of joint community service and must demonstrate:

· complementary, co-ordinated and unified management

· appropriate recognition of both fire services’ responsibilities and competencies

· integrated risk management

· resource sharing, and

· outcomes that have, or will, significantly enhance the inter-operability of the two fire services to maximise the effectiveness of joint fire service capability within NSW.

3. Award of commendation

The award of a commendation is certified by a framed certificate signed by both Commissioners.

4. Awards Committee

The Joint Fire Service Award Committee comprises the Chairpersons of the NSWFB Honours and Awards Committee and the NSW RFS Awards Committee, or their delegates, and one other senior officer from each service nominated by each Commissioner.

The Executive Officer of the Fire Service Joint Standing Committee will provide executive support to the Awards Committee.

The Awards Committee will meet and consider all nominations for Commendations for Excellence and will forward their recommendations to the Fire Services Joint Standing Committee for approval.

5. Nomination process

5.1 Any member of staff of the NSWFB or NSW RFS may submit a nomination for consideration for a commendation.

5.2 Nominations may be:

· for an individual, or

· for a particular Brigade/Unit, or

· for a particular Command.

5.3 There are two categories of Commendation:

· Joint Emergency Operations, and

· Joint Community Service.

5.4 Nominations must be submitted on the Fire Services Joint Standing Committee Commendation for Excellence Nomination Form. The form is available on the Intranet or by contacting the NSWFB Professional Standards and Conduct Unit.

5.5 Nominations must include the following details:

· the rank/title and names of the people being nominated together with their postal addresses

· the Station/Brigade, units or commands involved in the joint operation or community activity

· the date of the joint project/program/ operation

· the rank/title and names, together with the contact details, of the officers/managers in charge of the joint emergency operation or community activity being nominated

· a nomination statement which details the joint emergency operation or community activity which is being nominated for recognition.

6. Submission of nominations

NSWFB nominations must be submitted through the chain of command to the Professional Standards and Conduct Officer, who will forward them to the Executive Officer, Fire Services Joint Standing Committee, for consideration by the Awards Committee.

The recommendations for the Award of the Commendations will be considered annually at the June meeting of the Fire Services Joint Standing Committee. Nominations must be received by the Executive Officer by the preceding 31 March.

7. Confidentiality

All matters relating to the nomination must be handled confidentially and under no circumstances are the nominees to be made aware of the nomination. The Committee’s decision on any nomination is final and no discussion on any nomination will be entered into by the Committee.

8. Successful nominations

The Executive Officer will advise the recipients of successful nominations. The commendations will also be published in In Orders.

Contact Officer: Superintendent Peter X Stathis, Professional Standards and Conduct Officer, (02) 9265 2826

File Reference: CHO/08728

POLICIES

Travel in bus, tram, transit or truck lanes by NSWFB vehicles

This instruction rescinds In Orders 2000/15, Use of transit and bus lanes.

1. Introduction

The Fire Brigades Act 1989 and the Australian Road Rules grant exemptions, in certain circumstances, to the drivers of NSWFB vehicles from complying with the Australian Road Rules when responding to a call of fire, hazardous materials incident or other emergency.

At all other times, drivers of NSWFB vehicles must comply with the Australian Road Rules.

2. Travel in bus, tram, transit and truck lanes

Drivers of NSWFB vehicles are permitted to travel in a bus, tram, transit or truck lane in the following situations:

a. when responding to a call of fire, hazardous materials incident or other emergency; or

b. when returning to station after proceeding to the scene of a fire call, hazardous materials incident or other emergency.

At all other times, drivers of NSWFB vehicles must comply with the Australian Road Rules.

Drivers of NSWFB vehicles who do not comply with the Australian Road Rules when driving NSWFB vehicles are subject to the penalties applicable to breaches of the Australian Road Rules, including fines, penalty demerit points and loss of licence.

Contact Officer: Superintendent Peter X Stathis, Professional Standards and Conduct Officer, (02) 9265 2826

File Reference: CHO/01725

Privacy and confidentiality of personnel information

This instruction rescinds In Orders 1994/10, Confidentiality and privacy of personnel information, and In Orders 2001/6, Disclosure of personal information to courts and legal representatives.

1. Policy

The NSWFB collects personal information about its employees, volunteers, contractors and temporary staff in order to manage human resources and occupational health and safety functions and for recalling personnel during emergencies.

Personnel information includes information such as:

· recruitment, selection and appointment information

· private address and contact details

· payroll information

· attendance and leave information

· conduct and performance information

· training records

· workers compensation information

· health information.

All staff must respect the confidentiality and privacy of information about past and present personnel.

Personnel information must only be used or disclosed by authorised staff for authorised purposes. Any staff member who uses or discloses personnel information without authority will be subject to disciplinary or legal proceedings.

2. Giving personnel information to people outside the NSWFB

You can only give personnel information to people outside the NSWFB:

· with the consent (preferably in writing) of the person concerned, or

· to a Police officer in connection with proceedings for an offence or for law enforcement purposes, or

· in response to a subpoena, search warrant or statutory instrument, or

· in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act 1996, or

· with other lawful authority, or

· to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to life or health.

For advice on responding to subpoenas, see the procedure for Subpoenas below. If you receive a search warrant or other statutory instrument, contact the Legal Services Officer on (02) 9265 2950.

If you are contacted by a bank or other financial institution about an employee’s financial details, refer them to the Payroll Section or to the Employee Services Officer at your Regional Office, in accordance with In Orders 2001/6, Disclosure of information to banks or other financial institutions.

There is a range of lawful reasons for releasing personnel information to courts, law enforcement agencies, WorkCover, social security agencies such as Centrelink, and other organisations. If you are not sure whether a request has lawful authority, seek advice from the contact officers given in section 6 below.

3. Giving information to representatives

A person (for example, a family member, legal representative or union representative) claiming to represent a NSWFB employee, volunteer, contractor or temporary staff member must provide evidence in writing that:

· they represent the person concerned, and

· the person concerned has consented to them accessing their personnel information

before being given access to personnel information.

If there is any doubt about the above, contact the person concerned to verify consent before disclosing the information.

4. Keep a record

Requests for the NSWFB to disclose personnel information should be made in writing. The person requesting the information should state why they want the information and what authority they have to receive it.

Disclosures of personnel information should also be made in writing and a record kept on the appropriate file.

Note: If it is not possible to get the request or make the response in writing, make a note in the Occurrence Book or put a note on the appropriate file giving the above details and detailing what information was disclosed and by whom.

5. Requests for contact information

If a person outside the NSWFB contacts you and asks for the private contact details of a NSWFB past or present employee, volunteer, contractor or temporary staff member:

· ask them to give you their name and contact details, and

· say you will contact the person concerned (if you can) and pass the enquiry on to them.

Pass the enquirer’s contact details on to the person concerned so that they can contact the enquirer if they wish.

Note: You can give out NSWFB contact details in response to legitimate business enquiries. For example, if a Council staff member needed to know the NSWFB contact details for their local Zone Commander in relation to a planning issue. If you are unsure whether it is a legitimate business enquiry, follow the procedure above.

6. Further advice

Policies and guidelines for the management of personnel information are given in:

· In Orders 2005/18, Privacy policy

· In Orders 2001/6, Disclosure of information to banks or other financial institutions.

· the NSW Government’s Personnel Handbook

· the Retained Firefighters’ Recruitment and Personnel Handbook,

· the Corporate Records Management Procedures Manual, and

· the Personnel and Information Management chapters of Standing Orders.

If you are unsure whether you should release personnel information consult:

· your supervisor

· your Human Resources Manager

· the Senior Legal Officer on (02) 9265 2950, or

· the Privacy Contact Officer on (02) 9265 2971

Contact Officer: Anne Pickles, Information Coordinator and Privacy Contact Officer, (02) 9265 2971

File Reference: CHO/00568

________________________

Use and disclosure of personal information in Occurrence Books

1. Policy

Occurrence Books are a record of all occurrences and happenings affecting the station, personnel and appliances. This record is kept to ensure that stations, personnel and appliances are operating effectively and so that, if any question arises about what happened, an accurate answer can be given.

Occurrence Books contain personal information about NSWFB staff and members of the public. Personal information means information that relates to an identifiable individual, for example entries about NSWFB staff at the station, details of visitors or information about people involved in incidents.

Personal information must be managed in accordance with the NSWFB’s Privacy policy, published in In Orders 2005/18. To assist staff with the management of personal information in Occurrence Books, advice on use and disclosure of this information is given below.

2. Internal use of information

Personal information from Occurrence Books can be used in the NSWFB for the purposes for which it was collected, such as:

· the management of staff, stations and appliances, and

· the resolution of disputes or issues about activities at the station.

If you are unsure whether you can use the information, check with your supervisor or the Privacy Contact Officer.

3. Giving information to people outside the NSWFB

You can only give personal information from Occurrence Books to people outside the NSWFB:

· with the consent (preferably in writing) of the person concerned, or

· to a Police officer in connection with proceedings for an offence or for law enforcement purposes, or

· in response to a subpoena, search warrant or statutory instrument, or

· in accordance with the Industrial Relations Act 1996, or

· with other lawful authority, or

· to prevent or lessen a serious or imminent threat to life or health.

If you are unsure whether you should release information from an Occurrence Book:

· get the person requesting the information to put their request in writing (if they have not already done so), stating why they want the information and what authority they have to receive it, then

· consult your supervisor, the Senior Legal Officer on (02) 9265 2950 or the Privacy Contact Officer.

Occurrence Books should be kept in a location where they are secure from unsupervised access by members of the public.

4. Further information

For further information or advice about use or disclosure of personal information in Occurrence Books contact:

Anne Pickles

Privacy Contact Officer Ph (02) 9265 2971

NSW Fire Brigades Fx (02) 9265 2882

PO Box A249 Email: anne.pickles@fire.nsw.gov.au

Sydney South NSW 1232

Contact Officer: Anne Pickles, Information Coordinator, (02) 9265 2971

File Reference: CHO/00568

________________________

AIRS policy

This instruction rescinds In Orders 1999/27, AIRS contingency plan, In Orders 2000/6, Entering information on Eforms, In Orders 2000/21, Direct supply of AIRS Eforms, In Orders 2001/13, Australian Incident Reporting System policy, In Orders 2003/11, Change to AIRS reporting, and In Orders 2006/13, Collecting smoke alarm data.

1. Introduction

The NSWFB uses the Australasian Incident Reporting System (AIRS) to collect, record and report information on responses to incidents and emergencies attended to by fire crews. Data collected in AIRS is in accordance with a nationally agreed standard for collecting fire service incident response data. Most other fire services around Australia collect similar incident data.

2. Scope and application

This policy applies to all NSWFB staff who use the AIRS application, including operational staff reporting response details to incidents and support staff who may access data contained in AIRS. It covers:

· purpose for the collection of data

· data collection, reporting and submission of reports

· accuracy of information

· alteration of information

· disclosure of information

· security of information.

The AIRS Reference Manual, or data dictionary, provides a repository of descriptive information about AIRS data. It defines the basic organisation of the AIRS data and includes data element definitions, application and classification and coding schemas.

The AIRS Step by Step Guide Instruction Manual provides data entry instructions. Both manuals are available on the Intranet through Station Portal.

3. Purpose of collecting AIRS information in the NSWFB

Changes to social, economic, environmental and infrastructure landscapes mean that the NSWFB requires information to support evidence-based planning and better decision making, in turn delivering more responsive and cost effective services to businesses and the community.

AIRS data is a key information asset for the NSWFB and is used to support the NSWFB operations as set out in the Fire Brigades Act 1989.

AIRS data is used by the NSWFB to:

· develop policy and risk management strategies

· improve services to meet current and emerging community needs

· improve organisational and business systems and processes

· plan and efficiently allocate resources

· develop programs to reduce the impact of incidents on the community and evaluation criteria to determine their success, and

· provide reporting on NSWFB activities to the Minister and meet accountability reporting requirements.

Statistical information from AIRS is available to NSWFB staff through the SPRINT web application on the Intranet. The public also have access to statistical information sourced from AIRS through the NSWFB’s Internet site.

4. Creation, reporting and submission of AIRS reports

An AIRS report is automatically generated after the last NSWFB appliance leaves the incident. The FireCAD system passes basic information about the incident such as date and time of call, attending stations and Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) codes to the central AIRS server. The AIRS report is usually made available 10 minutes after it is generated by the FireCAD system.

Every station that responds to an incident will receive either an Initial AIRS Report or an Attendance Report. In the case of incidents that are attended by multiple stations, the first arriving station receives the Initial AIRS Report, while every other attending station or unit will receive a copy of an Attendance Report.

4.1 Initial AIRS Reports

The first station arriving at the incident (referred to as the reporting station) will receive the Initial AIRS Report.

The Initial AIRS Report requires the reporting station to collect and record incident details such as incident type, casualties, rescues and evacuations, property information, owner and occupier information, fire cause and behaviour and firefighting details.

The type of incident code entered by the reporting officer in the Call Details 1 Section of the Initial AIRS Report will determine which subsequent sections of the Initial AIRS Report are to be completed.

The information required to complete most fields in the Initial AIRS Report consists of a series of codes which are detailed in the AIRS Reference Manual.

Some of the fields on the Initial AIRS Report are prepopulated by the FireCAD system.

4.2 Attendance Reports

Additional reports known as Attendance Reports are created in AIRS for each station attending an incident other than the reporting station.

Each attending station will receive a copy of the Initial AIRS Report including their Attendance Report.

The Attendance Report requires the Reporting Officers from each attending station to provide details about the personnel who attended the call, rescue and/or hazmat details (if applicable) and kilometres travelled. Reporting Officers are also required to confirm the data provided by the FireCAD system are correct.

4.3 General

When both Initial AIRS Report and Attendance Reports are sent back to the central database the details are merged into one report within the AIRS Database.

The platoon of both the reporting and attending station(s) will be determined by the roster as at the time of call. Because these platoons may not match the platoon on duty for a given time, the officer at the reporting and attending stations may need to keep a record of both personnel and incident numbers for calls attended, especially in the case of relieving or recalled firefighters and officers and when crews are mixed as often occurs around change of shifts. The NSWFB-issued incident notebook is the preferred place to record such information.

4.4 Prepopulated data on the AIRS Report

The data fields prepopulated on the AIRS Report are:

· FireCAD number

· call date

· call time

· reporting brigade

· method of notification

· type of action

· address details

· latitude and longitude. When the Latitude and Longitude are visible, the Universal Map Grid Reference is not required.

· AFA provider or transponder ID number

· AFA ID

· call signs of attending resources.

Most of the prepopulated fields can be changed if, in the opinion of the Reporting Officer, they are not correct.

Call date, time, latitude/longitude, incident number and FireCAD details cannot be altered.

In some cases the latitude and longitude may not be transferred from FireCAD to AIRS. When this information has not been transferred, the Reporting Officer will need to complete the Universal Map Grid Reference.

4.5 Attendance of senior officers, operational support personnel and specialist appliances

It is the responsibility of the reporting station to ensure that Particulars of Attendance Details for senior officers of the rank of Inspector and above and any operational support personnel are recorded in the Initial AIRS Report. The Reporting Officer must also provide the kilometres travelled and the names of those who attended the incident in the Personnel section. If a rescue or hazmat incident was attended, the Rescue Equipment Used section or the Hazmat Equipment Used section needs to be completed.

4.6 Submission of AIRS reports

Reports should be lodged as soon as possible after the incident. At permanently staffed stations reports must be lodged before the end of the next shift. For example, if the last incident attended was at 0730 hrs on the last night shift the report must be completed and sent back by the end of the first day shift. If the Reporting Officer is going on annual or long service leave they must complete and send back the reports before commencing leave. This will ensure that the NSWFB is able to respond to enquiries and provide details for insurance settlement claims.

On the completion of the Report, it is necessary for the Reporting Officer to send it back to the AIRS Central Database. The Reporting Officer may elect to do this on an incident by incident basis, or by sending back multiple incidents at once.

5. Transferring reports between stations

There are some circumstances when it will be necessary to transfer the Initial AIRS Report between stations. This may need to occur when:

· the Initial AIRS Report has been sent to an incorrect station, or

· a relieving firefighter or officer is unable to complete a report before the end of their shift at a station and needs to complete the report at a different station.

5.1 Relieving and recalled firefighters

If a relieving firefighter or officer is unable to complete a report before the end of their shift at a station, basic details should be captured to enable them to finalise the report from any NSWFB station.

Prior to leaving the station where the relief is being undertaken, they should download the new incident, open the report and enter their name in Personnel details. The report should then be closed and sent back to the AIRS central server. They will be able to download the Initial AIRS Report from any station by searching for ‘incomplete incidents’ or by using the AIRS incident number.

6. Reporting Officer responsibilities

For both the Initial AIRS Report and the Attendance Report, the most senior officer is responsible for ensuring they are complete. However, the Reporting Officer may be any firefighter or officer who attended the call and has direct knowledge of the incident.

The officer in charge of a specialised appliance such as a rescue unit is responsible for ensuring that details of incidents they attend are included in the AIRS reports.

The Reporting Officer is the owner of the report and its contents and is responsible for ensuring that the data is accurate. The Reporting Officer may be called upon to give evidence in the Coroner’s, criminal or civil courts, and may be requested to provide additional information to insurance companies and loss adjusters.

7. Reporting on ignition factors and dollar loss

The Reporting Officer is expected to apply reasonable judgement in determining the:

· area of fire origin

· type and form of materials first and subsequently ignited

· form of heat of ignition, and

· ignition factor.

The information in the report must be accurate based on the reasonable judgement of the Reporting Officer based on the information available at the time the report was prepared. This includes the suspected cause and origin and the estimated property value and dollar loss. This information can be based on available information and the opinion of the Reporting Officer or the officer in charge of the reporting station (if not the same) and does not necessarily have to be supported by irrefutable evidence.

8. Collecting smoke alarm data

8.1 Introduction

This instruction assists firefighters with collecting smoke alarm data that is used to assess the effectiveness of smoke alarm programs and legislation.

Smoke alarm information is recorded in the Structure Fires II section of the AIRS report. To fill this in accurately, you need to check and record the following:

8.2 Was a smoke alarm present?

CODE	Smoke Alarms/Detectors
1	Fire not within designed range of smoke alarm
2	Fire within designed range of smoke alarm
8	No smoke alarm present

Record a smoke alarm as present even if it was melted or destroyed by the fire. Record the damage to the smoke alarm in the Description of Incident Section of the AIRS report.

8.3 Is the smoke alarm hard wired or battery powered?

Smoke alarms in Department of Housing residences are hard wired, but they may look like battery powered models. There is a photograph showing typical Department of Housing hard wired smoke alarms on the Photo Gallery section of the Intranet.

8.4 Did the smoke alarm operate?

CODE	Smoke Alarms/Detectors
1	Fire too small to operate
2	Failed to operate
3	Operated
8	Operation of smoke alarm not applicable

Record your opinion of how the smoke alarm operated in the fire. For example, if the fire was very small and was extinguished by the occupants before the smoke alarm could operate, the correct record is Code 1.

8.5 Was the smoke alarm effective?

CODE	Smoke Alarms/Detectors
1	Alerted occupants
2	Occupants failed to respond
3	There were no occupants
4	Failed to alert occupants
8	Effectiveness of smoke alarm not applicable
9	Other not classified above

Record your opinion of the effectiveness of the smoke alarm.

8.6 If the smoke alarm failed, why did it fail?

Was the smoke alarm disconnected? Was the battery removed? Was the fire outside its range? Record these details in the Description of Incident section of the AIRS report.

8.7 Type of smoke alarm and other unusual or important information

If there is any information about the smoke alarm or its operation that you think should be recorded but there isn’t a code for it, put the additional information in the Description of Incident section of the AIRS report. At present there is no code to record whether a smoke alarm was a photoelectric or ionisation type detector. If it is known what type of detector was at the incident please record this in the Description of Incident section. If it is not known what type of detector it was please record the brand and model type if possible.

Note: Most ionisation detectors can be identified by the radioactive symbol on the unit.

Section 15 of the AIRS Reference Manual gives detailed instructions for entering smoke alarm information in the AIRS report. You can also ring the AIRS Help Desk on (02) 9265 2964 for additional assistance.

9. Alteration and amendment of AIRS reports

The Reporting Officer must ensure that the information in the report is accurate, relevant, up to date, complete and not misleading. The Reporting Officer may alter or amend the report at any time before it is submitted. If the information is incomplete at the time of submission, or if further details are received after the report has been submitted, every endeavour is to be made to amend the report to reflect the up-to-date information for that incident.

If the report is incomplete, the Reporting Officer can download the report for alteration or amendment at any time. If, however, the report has been sent back as complete, then the Reporting Officer is to contact the AIRS Help Desk on (02) 9265 2964 clearly indicating the fields to be updated and the relevant information to be changed. When the report is changed on the database the date, time and name of the person making the changes are automatically logged in the Management Details Section of the AIRS Report.

The Fire Investigation and Research Unit, Rescue Section and Hazmat Response Unit also have access to the AIRS report and can add information on its operations and investigations when necessary.

10. Retention, disposal and security of AIRS information

Reports are stored on a central database in Head Office. Strategic Information Services is the Custodian of AIRS and is responsible for management and security of the database. The information in the database is kept indefinitely.

This database is available to authorised users of AIRS on the NSWFB’s computer network. Anyone who has access to the database is responsible for keeping the database secure by:

· complying with In Orders 2003/10, Password security

· logging off promptly after finishing a session on the AIRS database, and

· ensuring that unauthorised people do not get access to the computer.

11. Business continuity

The data in the AIRS database is backed up on a nightly basis and copies taken off site five days a week. In the event of business disruption data can be restored from these backups.

12. Privacy and AIRS information

As a Government department the NSWFB is bound by the provisions of the NSW Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. Personal information in AIRS must be protected in accordance with In Orders 2005/18, Privacy policy.

AIRS Reports include personal information such as the names and addresses of owners, occupants, and witnesses, and the names of attending and reporting firefighters and members of other attending services. They may also contain health information, such as data on injuries and fatalities.

When firefighters gather this information for the AIRS Report they are to take reasonable steps to inform the people involved that the details will be included in the report of the incident and used to help the NSWFB improve services to the community and may be disclosed, within strict guidelines, to third parties to assist in the recovery from the incident.

13. Disclosure of AIRS information

The NSWFB has long had a commitment to working with the insurance industry and the community to assist people and organisations to recover from the effects of emergency incidents. One of the ways the NSWFB does this is by providing incident information to the community from the AIRS incident records database.

Information from AIRS may not be disclosed to any person or organisation outside the NSWFB except where:

· the purpose of the disclosure has been established,

· the legal authority has been clarified or evidence of consent by the person concerned has been provided, and

· the bona fides of the person and organisation requesting the information have been established.

The process for the provision of incident information from AIRS to people or organisations outside the NSWFB is as follows:

13.1 Requests for incident information from AIRS must be addressed to the Commissioner of the NSWFB and must be sent on NSWFB Request for Incident Information form. A copy of the form is available on the NSWFB’s website at http://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/partners/insurers/incident_information_form.pdf or through Station Portal.

13.2 The NSWFB will only be able to process the request if the inquirer indicates on the form that they have obtained the consent of the individual concerned to release information about the incident.

13.3 The NSWFB will send the inquirer a response containing the following information about the incident:

· time

· date

· address

· description of incident

· area of origin (if applicable)

· probable ignition factor (if applicable)

· attending brigades, and specialist units.

Experience has shown that this information satisfies most inquiries.

13.4 If the inquirer requires clarification of this information, they must send another request form indicating their requirements for further information. The NSWFB will endeavour to satisfy the inquirer’s needs, within the bounds of the organisation’s responsibilities.

Information from AIRS should not be provided verbally either in person or over the telephone. Interviews with firefighters in relation to incident information from people outside the NSWFB are no longer available. This restriction has been imposed to ensure better quality control of information and compliance with legal requirements.

Information about employees contained in AIRS reports may only be provided to courts or legal representatives, whether by written request or subpoena, in accordance with the policy on Privacy and confidentiality of personnel information above.

14. Further information

Enquiries about the AIRS database or suggestions for improvements to the AIRS system should be sent to the Manager, Strategic Information Services, at Head Office.

Contact Officer: Nick Nicolopolous, Manager Strategic Information Services,
(02) 9265 2962

File Reference: CHO/00097 and CHO/02598

PROCEDURE

Subpoenas

This instruction rescinds Section 3, Subpoenas, of In Orders 2001/6, Disclosure of personal information to courts and legal representatives.

1. What is a subpoena?

A subpoena is a court order requiring the person to whom it is directed to attend a court at a certain place and time to give evidence, or to produce documents, or both. The subpoena is served on the person concerned by a Police officer, solicitor or court officer.

If you fail to obey a subpoena, you may be found in contempt of court and be subject to a penalty.

2. Service of subpoenas

Subpoenas requiring the personal attendance of an employee may be served on the employee personally, or on the Commissioner at Head Office.

Subpoenas requiring the production of NSWFB documents only are not served on individual employees but must be sent to the Commissioner at Head Office.

The address for the service of subpoenas on the Commissioner is:

The Proper Officer

NSW Fire Brigades

Level 10

227 Elizabeth Street

SYDNEY NSW 2000

If subpoenas for documents are received anywhere else, they must be sent, with the attached cheque, to the Records Manager/Archivist at Head Office immediately.

3. Check the subpoena

When you receive a subpoena, read it carefully to determine whether it calls for:

· personal attendance to give evidence, or

· production of records or documents, in which case send it to the Records Manager/Archivist at Head Office.

4. Attendance at court

In Orders 1999/22, Attendance at court, gives the procedures to follow if the subpoena requires you to attend a court.

A subpoena will list the trial commencement date as the day to attend court. However, this is not always the day on which you will be required to give evidence. Before attending court, you should check with the Police officer, solicitor or court officer handling the case, to check:

· the exact date on which you are required to attend, and

· any doubts or inquiries you have about the subpoena.

Note: for information about entitlements for leave and expenses, see In Orders 1999/22, Attendance at court.

5. Production of documents

The Records Manager/Archivist coordinates the collection of documents for the court.

For information on …	The Records Manager/Archivist will contact the…
pay and salaries	Payroll Office
employment details or information from personal files	Personnel Section, Head Office Administrative Services Officers, Regions
medical records	Health and Safety Branch
workers compensation	Workers Compensation Unit
AIRS reports	Strategic Information Services, Head Office
fires and other incidents	Fire Investigation and Research Unit
photocopies of relevant pages in Occurrence Books	Station Commander
Triple Zero calls and ComCen logs	Assistant Director Operational Communications

Details of the documents provided are recorded in the records management system. To alert courts to the sensitivity of personal information, a note is attached to the cover of documents sent to court requesting the judge, coroner or magistrate to only disclose personal information to the court when it is relevant to the proceedings.

Contact Officers: Peter Hearne, Senior Legal Officer, (02) 9265 2950, or Maureen Swords, Records Manager/Archivist, (02) 9265 2842

File Reference: CHO/00003 and CHO/00568

GENERAL

Whistling While They Work Project

The NSWFB has been asked to participate in a national research project looking at how public sector agencies across Australia manage the reporting of wrongdoing and the issues and individuals involved.

The NSWFB is participating in the project because it will provide valuable insights into a complex management issue and will assist us to better meet the needs of our employees who come forward with allegations of wrongdoing, and to respond quickly and effectively to the matters reported.

A random cross section of all NSWFB employees will be chosen and asked to complete a confidential questionnaire. Participation in the survey is purely voluntary. Respondents will remain anonymous and the information provided by staff will be kept confidential.

Those staff who are randomly selected to complete the questionnaire will be asked to send it directly to Griffith University, where the information will be coded.

The identity of respondents and the survey responses will not be available to the NSWFB. However, a general summary of results from all the surveys will be provided to us.

All staff who receive a survey form are encouraged to participate in this important project.

The project is funded by the Australian Research Council and involves many public sector industry partners across six jurisdictions and five Universities. The NSW industry partners are the NSW Ombudsman and the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Contact Officer: Superintendent Peter X Stathis, Professional Standards and Conduct Officer, (02) 9265 2826

File Reference: CHO/01519

SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE

Vacancy

Director Regional Operations

Position No: 961000. Director Regional Operations, Sydney. SES Level 3,

Term appointment (SES). Salary: A remuneration package will be negotiated within the range of $166,451 to $189,100 per annum, with a contract of up to five years.

Duties: Lead the Regional Operations Division’s operations, resources, planning and policy.

Selection criteria: Executive management skills, including the ability to lead and manage a diverse team, identify needs and priorities and manage performance of staff. Experience in managing large and complex emergencies. Demonstrated capability to develop and maintain partnerships and to work cooperatively with diverse stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to apply financial skills to meet fiscal responsibilities and ensure the effective use of resources. Highly developed strategic planning, analytical and problem solving skills with expertise in all aspects of fire and emergency service operations. High level communication and negotiation skills in dealing with local regional communities, the media, including those relating to sensitive political and industrial relations issues. Tertiary qualifications in a relevant technical and/or management field, preferably at post-graduate level or equivalent experience. Accountable for embedding the principles of EEO, OHS, EAPS and ethical practice in strategy and policies.

Inquiries: Deputy Commissioner John Benson AFSM, (02) 9265 2927

Information packages: Brian White, (02) 9265 2871, brian.white@fire.nsw.gov.au

Applications to: Senior Human Resources Officer, NSW Fire Brigades, PO Box A249, Sydney South NSW 1232, or online at www.jobs.nsw.gov.au. Electronic applications must be MS Word compatible.

Closing date: 25 August 2006

ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF NOTICES

Vacancy

Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Senior Officer 1, Strategy and Planning Division

Position No 826001. Head Office, Sydney. Permanent full-time. Total remuneration package valued up to $135,505 pa including salary ($113,961 - $122,796), employer’s contribution to superannuation and leave loading.

Duties: Develop/implement corporate communications policies, strategies, training and standards. Manage corporate communications including public information on safety and emergencies. Provide expert advice and professional services in corporate communications.

Selection criteria: Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills and high level ability to negotiate, influence and deal with a broad range of people under the pressure of tight deadlines. Demonstrated well developed managerial skills and extensive experience in managing people and resources in a high pressure environment. Extensive experience in managing sensitive high priority issues and demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion in complex decision-making under pressure. Proven ability to critically analyse corporate, community and industry information, and develop and implement appropriate policies, business plans, strategies and initiatives. Excellent ability to manage multiple large projects, implement effective team processes, set priorities and meet deadlines. Extensive knowledge, competence and experience in journalism, public affairs, corporate communications, media relations, social marketing and issues/crisis management. Broad understanding of emergency or critical services management and protocol procedures across Government and willingness to work extended hours in response to critical emergency incidents. Demonstrated competence in a range of contemporary communication tools and methods. Tertiary qualifications in an appropriate discipline or equivalent experience. Common selection criteria also apply.

Enquiries: Carolyn Soddy, (02) 9006 3468

Information packages: Helen Johnson, (02) 9006 3412

Applications: to apply confidentially, please register at the website www.futurestep.com.au by responding to Opportunity Code GS53236

Closing date: 25 August 2006

Notes: Applicants should request an information package. Applications should not be submitted through the jobs.nsw website.

PERMANENT FIREFIGHTERS NOTICES

Appointments

The following appointment is subject to the provisions of the Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980. In some cases the maximum salary of the position may exceed the limit under which an appeal may be made to GREAT. The 21 day period for appeal commences on the date of this In Order.

Position

No.

Name

Date of Decision

Fire Safety Officer, OS2

7848

G Symonds

19 July 2006

Promotions

Firefighter Level 3 to Qualified Firefighter

8362 J Smith 19 July 2006

8423 M McDonald 20 July 2006

8432 M Lawson 20 July 2006

8433 J Anthony 16 July 2006

8437 J Tout 8 July 2006

8440 J Allan 16 July 2006

8443 M Fugle 25 July 2006

8447 P Wann 22 July 2006

8451 M Wasley 27 July 2006

8454 J Latta 13 July 2006

8459 M England 3 July 2006

8497 D Wildemann 14 July 2006

8521 J Barr 30 June 2006

8522 J Reid 26 July 2006

8543 R Keane 25 July 2006

8547 D Scifleet 4 July 2006

8551 M Nairn 13 July 2006

8552 D Gibson 16 July 2006

8554 J Stewart 12 July 2006

8559 G Fleming 25 July 2006

Firefighter Level 1 to Firefighter Level 2

8694 D Lollback 16 April 2006

8723 T Cherry 9 July 2006

8724 S Simmonds 9 July 2006

Correction

The promotion of 8698 A Balding in In Orders 2006/16 should have read:

8698 A Balding 16 April 2006

Senior Firefighters Promotional Program results

Correction

The Senior Firefighters Promotional Program result for 7471 M Cook in In Orders 2004/4 should have read:

7471 M Cook 23 October 2003

Resignation

9086 Recruit D McPherson 26 July 2006

Retirements

4207 Station Officer G Gillen 28 July 2006

4631 Station Officer J Taylor 28 July 2006

4881 Senior Firefighter P Fallon 3 August 2006

6230 Qualified Firefighter A Wheeler 3 August 2006

RETAINED FIREFIGHTERS NOTICES

New members appointed to Brigades

S B Ball Gilgandra 1 July 2006

G Crossman Orange 1 July 2006

A W Neil Leura 1 July 2006

J A Treganowan Broken Hill 1 July 2006

K Kingwill Gundagai 1 July 2006

J Beckerleg Moss Vale 1 July 2006

D Young Harden 15 July 2006

R J Baker Coolah 15 July 2006

C R Hayes Walcha 15 July 2006

R G Hepple Lithgow West 15 July 2006

S J Lang Orange 15 July 2006

J L Poulson Narromine 15 July 2006

C Thomas Bega 1 August 2006

S Way Berrigan 1 August 2006

T Burton Jindabyne 1 August 2006

D Langan Rhodes 1 August 2006

Relinquishment of ranks

RETF K Murray Shellharbour Deputy Captain 1 August 2006

Appointed to Ranks

DEPTC P Dawson Unanderra Captain 27 June 2006

RETF D Farmer Jindabyne Captain 1 July 2006

These appointments are subject to the provisions of the Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980. The 21 day period for appeal commences from the date of this In Order.

Appointed as Engine Keeper

RETF R C Wighton Inverell 1 August 2006

These appointments are subject to the provisions of the Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal Act 1980. The 21 day period for appeal commences from the date of this In Order.

Transfers

RETF P J Hooper Armidale to Uralla 1 July 2006

RETF C M Wallace Quirindi West Tamworth 1 July 2006

RETF E Vinecombe Bega Deniliquin 1 July 2006

RETF R Webster Mittagong Bundanoon 1 August 2006

Resignations

RETF G Kendrick Goulburn 30 May 2006

RETF T Haseley Menai 8 June 2006

RETF W Swan Moruya 9 June 2006

RETF G Willmott Thredbo 24 June 2006

Retirements

CAPT F Parker Jindabyne 30 June 2006

Transferred to Honorary List

CAPT F Parker Jindabyne 1 July 2006

Greg Mullins AFSM

Commissioner

4 August 2006