Commissioner’s Corner

GENERAL

Expressions of Interest invited for the Multi-Agency Leadership Program

The Multi-Agency Leadership Program has been developed and delivered jointly by FRNSW, Ambulance Service of NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW State Emergency Service. It is aimed at first line supervisors/leaders, Station Officers, senior firefighters, business support and other staff who influence and lead groups or teams. The format is highly interactive and practical, and the feedback is consistently very high. By training with people from other agencies, the program develops personal awareness and leadership skills, builds understanding of the leadership challenges across agencies, and increases inter-agency operability to better serve the public.

Weekend and mid-week options are being introduced and dates for 2016/17 are now available. Discuss with your manager or email Leadership@fire.nsw.gov.au if you are interested or have questions. Five members from FRNSW are selected for each program. Go to the intranet for more information (Training > Organisation wide > Leadership and management > External leadership programs), including dates and locations, and an application form. Applications usually close two months before each event and applicants will be contacted three to four weeks before the program to confirm their selection.

Humanitarian Leadership Program partnership with Deakin University

On 18 February after delivering a presentation to 38 people from 26 countries about operational management and leadership, I joined SO Brendan Hurley at Deakin University in Melbourne to sign a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FRNSW, Deakin University, and the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership. The MoU, which is largely the result of SO Hurley’s personal commitment to developing humanitarian leadership, will see three positions in each of the university’s unique 8-month Humanitarian Leadership Programs allocated to FRNSW operational staff. The program aims to transform the leadership capability of humanitarians and their organisations with participants selected from around the world. For FRNSW, the program will develop leadership capability for both local level and multi-agency responses, develop knowledge of the humanitarian sector, and expand the capability of first responders in the Asia-Pacific.

After being deployed to Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011, SO Hurley was inspired to learn more about humanitarian response and subsequently completed the Humanitarian Leadership Program in 2014 – the first emergency management person to do so. After completing the program, SO Hurley was deployed to Uganda as a Humanitarian Operations Manager with Save the Children International (read more about his experiences in the Oct 2014 intranet story). Seeing the parallels between the work FRNSW does – which is essentially humanitarian response whether on a local level or during overseas deployments – and the outcomes of the program, SO Hurley has spent almost two years working to bring Deakin University’s Centre for Humanitarian Leadership and FRNSW together.

Windsor Fire Station Opening and Centenary

Monday 22 February saw the official opening of the new $3.1 million Windsor Fire Station. The Minister for Emergency Services David Elliott, Hawkesbury MP and Minister for Finance Dominic Perrottet, Hawkesbury Mayor Kim Ford and Windsor firefighters, past and present, attended the event. Historic memorabilia attached to the former Windsor Fire Station, which turned 100 last year, featured at the new station celebrations. This included a bike presented to former Captain Leo Armstrong in 1915 so that he could ride to the station, and the original phone exchange he had installed in his home during that period. The station’s original brass bell and a wartime-issue Auxiliary Reserve helmet were also featured. The Museum of Fire also arranged for a number of vintage fire appliances to be on display, much to the delight of all who attended including the pupils from South Windsor Public School who sang the National Anthem. It was a wonderful celebration for Windsor firefighters’ past and future and the local community. For more information, see the intranet story.

Introducing the Diversity Unit

It’s easy to talk about diversity within FRNSW and the need to build a more diverse workforce, but to truly advocate for and promote diversity, tangible actions are required. The appointment of Lieutenant General David Morrison as Australian of the Year has sharpened the focus on gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and urban fire services are one of the last industries that haven’t taken proactive steps to embrace the proven benefits of having more diverse workforces that better reflect the communities we serve and protect. But that is all changing with ACT Fire & Rescue, NT Fire & Rescue, Queensland Fire & Emergency Service, Aviation Rescue & Firefighting, and Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade all leading out with proactive diversity strategies. This is the year where we will also set the scene for the future success and viability of the service and there can be no ifs or buts – this is the direction we will and must pursue. To be successful however this must be accompanied by inclusion and communication strategies that explain why we need to change, how we will change, and address questions such as how we will ensure that recruitment standards are never reduced or compromised. This last factor has proven to be a crucial question in some people’s minds, and has to be addressed up front.

At the end of 2015, a new Diversity Unit was created with two new positions, a Diversity Coordinator and an Aboriginal Diversity Officer, to support, facilitate, develop and promote diversity and inclusion at FRNSW. These positions have been filled by Sonja Braidner and Craige Aldridge respectively, both of whom bring a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field. Sonja and Craige are committed to bringing the principles and outcomes of diversity to the forefront by first getting to know the organisation and our people. I know that you will join me in welcoming them, and throwing your full support behind becoming a more diverse and inclusive workforce. For more information, see the intranet story.

Celebrating International Women's Day

International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year's theme calling on everyone to ‘Step up for gender parity' marks a call to action for accelerating gender equity. In the lead-up to the next FRNSW permanent recruitment campaign, we are rethinking the ways in which we recruit to ensure greater diversity of in our workplaces. It is very important to me to ensure that as a service we more closely reflect the makeup of the communities we serve and protect, and that we build on the continued success of the first women who joined our ranks over 30 years ago.

This year we celebrate International Women's Day with a presentation by Catherine Burn APM, Deputy Commissioner NSW Police Force. Deputy Commissioner Burn is Australia’s highest-ranked female Police Officer having joined the NSW Police Force in 1984. She now manages a multibillion dollar budget and ensures more than 16,000 police officers and 3,800 support staff have the resources and capabilities to do their jobs. In 2011 she was named the Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year. I have worked beside Catherine at several major emergencies and have enormous respect for her as a leader. If you are able, please join me in attending this event at 9:30am on Friday 11 March in the Sweatman Room at City of Sydney Fire Station.

Medal presentation at Goulburn

Today I have been in Goulburn at the RS2 medal presentation. The Zone team decided to try something a bit different from the traditional station-based presentations, and received an outstanding response. Apart from FRNSW personnel and senior officers, the Hon Pru Goward MP, the Hon Katrina Hodgkinson MP, and the Hon Darryl Maguire MP attended to show their support for retained firefighters from their electorates.

New Firefighter Awards commenced 19 February 2016

FRNSW and the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union have jointly agreed on new Awards for Permanent and Retained Firefighters. Both Awards provide for a 2.5% increase that applies from 19 February, with the increased rates being paid to firefighters in their 3 March pay. These new Awards have been ratified by the Industrial Relations Commission and will remain in force for 12 months.

The Permanent Firefighter Award contains some new clauses and refinements to changes from the 2014 Award while clarifying some existing conditions. As the 2014 Retained Firefighter Award was the subject of major reforms, FRNSW and the FBEU agreed that further reform would not occur in this round. For more information, see details online (Intranet > Toolkits > About you > Permanent firefighters or Retained firefighters > Awards and agreements) and the intranet story.

EPA investigates possible issues arising from legacy use of AFFF foam

FRNSW, the NSWRFS and other agencies are assisting the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) which is investigating the historical legacy of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) across NSW. Due to emerging health concerns, FRNSW finally withdrew the last stocks of Class B aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), which contains PFCs, from service in 2007 and destroyed it in high temperature incinerators. PFCs are widely found in the environment in low concentrations, due to their wide use in many products and in many industries.

The EPA is working with occupiers and owners of commercial and government sites where AFFF was used to collect soil and water samples for analysis. Preliminary results have been received from some FRNSW training sites and the EPA is investigating further, with initial investigations expected to take around six months.

After consulting with the EPA, Department of Health and FBEU, I have directed that further work take place to:

•               clearly identify any areas of elevated levels of PFCs through comprehensive expert testing

•               develop comprehensive strategies about future actions to further identify and contain potentially affected soil and water

•               provide all staff with the best possible information about health issues and offer support to anybody with health questions/concerns

•               continue to work closely with the EPA, Health, other agencies and the FBEU to understand and disseminate facts and evidence of PFOS/PFOA as they arise.

We will keep you updated about the work being done within FRNSW. If you have concerns, you can contact the Employee Assistance program on 1300 360 364 and complete a NIIENM. For more information, see my email to all staff on 19 February; also see the intranet story.

Expressions of Interest invited for the FRNSW Support Network

In July last year, a new Support Network was established to help recruit firefighters transition to their new roles as operational firefighters. The network relies on the commitment of experienced firefighters who volunteer as Support Officers to provide insight, advice and support to new and existing employees. As the network expands, so does the need for Support Officers, and I encourage all experienced permanent and retained firefighters to consider becoming involved.

Expressions of Interest are now being sought for enthusiastic and motivated permanent and retained firefighters of a minimum rank of Senior Firefighter or Retained Firefighter with 10 years service. Successful Support Officers have a range of experience at incidents, a working knowledge of the broader role of firefighters within the community, healthy peer relationships and strong communication skills. In return for volunteering to share their wealth of experience, Support Officers benefit from personal and professional development, including improved leadership and communication skills, and may have opportunities to undertake registered training provided by FRNSW. To apply, email a one page application outlining why you are interested in the role to FWSO@fire.nsw.gov.au by close of business on Friday 18 March. For more information, see the intranet story.

Connecting young professionals across the cluster

The Justice Cluster’s successful Young Professionals Network (YPN) has now been expanded to include FRNSW employees. If you’re aged 34 or under, I encourage you to consider joining the YPN to tap into a motivated, diverse network of more than 150 people. Through a series of events, projects and initiatives, the YPN offers a host of professional development opportunities to help you reach your full potential. The first event for 2016, ‘HR in Focus’, will be held on Friday 18 March with the aim of helping members take control of their careers. It includes an overview of key HR reforms and a workshop on employment capabilities and career planning. Attendance is subject to your supervisor's approval and places are limited. To find out more, email ypn@justice.nsw.gov.au.

Daniel ‘Howie’ Howard Memorial Rugby Game – players wanted

On Saturday 19 March, FRNSW will take on the Cobar Camels in a special memorial to the late Retained Firefighter Daniel ‘Howie’ Howard who was tragically killed in the line of duty at a major structure fire in August 2014. This inaugural memorial day, which will see two FRNSW rugby union teams battle it out against Howie’s former team, the Cobar Camels, will be a very special occasion for Howie’s family and the people of Cobar. Players are now being sought for the men’s opens and men’s over 35s teams with all permanent, retained, admin and trades staff welcome to get involved on the field or as spectators. For more information, contact SF John McGirr or Insp Mick Wren or see the intranet story.

Emergency Services Mega Bash raises money for bowel cancer

On Sunday 21 February, the 5th annual Emergency Services Mega Bash was held at Gwawley Oval, Taren Point. This inter-agency sporting event raised funds for bowel cancer in order to raise awareness, promote early diagnosis, and assist with further research to develop strategies that will save lives. Bowel cancer affects 1 in 12 Australians and is responsible for around 77 deaths per year.

The day itself was a round robin cricket tournament between teams from police, emergency services and ambulance. Ambulance and Forensic Imaging (NSW Police) battled it out in the final with Forensic Imaging the eventual tournament winners after a determined effort. FRNSW played well, securing third spot after beating the NSWRFS following some friendly rivalry. Special guest sportspeople in attendance included former Australian cricketers Michael Bevan and Simon Katich, NSW Waratahs players, Cronulla Sharks NRL players and former NRL stars. More than $6,500 was raised on the day with proceeds donated to Bowel Cancer Australia.

INCIDENTS

Crane collapse at Hornsby

At 0722 hours on Saturday 27 February, 50 Hornsby was responded to a building site in Sherbrook Road, Hornsby. A 40-metre crane on the site had attempted to lift an overweight skip bin causing the 50-metre jib to buckle and come crashing down onto the sixth level of a large building under construction.

The crew’s biggest concern on arrival was that a number of workers were on the site at the time of the collapse. Having ensured that all power to the crane was isolated, firefighters made a rapid assessment and fortunately found that there were no injuries. The Ladder Platform was requested to attend to provide an elevated observation platform for further assessments. The building and construction formwork together with large areas of scaffolding were damaged by the collapse and firefighters ensured that the entire construction site was evacuated.

The 40-metre vertical column supporting the crane appeared to have a slight buckle about halfway up and there were major concerns that the entire crane structure could come crashing down in any direction. Four very large concrete counter weights weighing several tonnes were hanging precariously directly above an adjoining residential unit block.

Numerous residential units in sectors B and C around the site were evacuated and Police assisted in relocating about 100 residents to safety. Electrical and gas authorities were called in on standby in case a collapse impacted on local supplies in the area and Sherbrook Road was closed to all traffic throughout the day. 37 Gordon Rescue Pumper and USAR 1 Heavy Rescue were also responded to the site to provide additional resources for the recovery operation. A theodolite was aimed at the top of the tower to warn emergency workers of any sudden movements of the crane structure.

Firefighters worked closely with Police, building site managers, crane engineers and Safe Work Australia inspectors to determine the best course of action for bringing down the damaged structure. Four mobile cranes were called in to break down sections of the damaged crane and bring them down safely with the operation finally completed around 1820 hours. Safe Work Australia is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crane collapse.

3rd Alarm house fire at Thornleigh

The first of many 000 calls were received at 1250 hours on Wednesday 24 February to a house alight in Oakleigh Avenue, Thornleigh. 50 Hornsby and 58 Beecroft were initially responded but as more calls were received, 71 Castle Hill was also responded. Just eight minutes later, 58 Beecroft sent a red message for a 3rd Alarm response. They were confronted with a large 3-level brick veneer, timber-framed house with a slate roof that was well alight and threatening adjoining properties.

Additional crews responded from 37 Gordon, 59 Eastwood, 67 Northmead, 75 Berowra, 77 St Marys and 85 Chester Hill. Due to an early roof collapse and a rapidly developing fire, firefighters adopted a defensive strategy. Lines of 38mm hose were used to protect exposures in Sectors B and D which were experiencing direct flame impingement due to their close proximity. LP50 together and a line of 70mm attack hose were also deployed, and within about an hour, the fire was brought under control and resources were able to be scaled back.

The weather conditions on the day in Sydney were very warm and one firefighter suffered heat stress; however after treatment by attending ambulance paramedics, the firefighter fortunately didn’t require any further assistance. Five residents from surrounding properties were safely evacuated during the operation. Fortunately neighbours advised that they believed no one was inside the house at the time of the fire.

The house is well known in the community for its vast array of Christmas lights on display every year and sadly was totally destroyed by the fire. Investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing. Well done to all attending firefighters, especially given the weather conditions on the day.

ASK THE COMISSIONER

Q: The ADASHI First Responder is a great tool and we found it to be very user-friendly. We have an SEV appliance this week, therefore we have no MDT – this made us realise, even more so, how helpful the unit and its systems are. Are there plans to fit MDTs into SEV vehicles?

A: When the project was initiated, there were limited funds available. Following the rollout, our analysis showed the system was working well but went offline when stations have an SEV while their normal appliance is being serviced or repaired. The IT and Fleet teams have identified 14 SEV appliances that will be in service for a long period and have now fitted MDT mounting kits in these vehicles. This means that the MDTs can be transferred from one appliance to the SEV when a station does a restow. For more information about using MDTs, see the factsheet series in the toolkit (Operational > Operational Communications > ADASHI First Responder).

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.