Dear ,
Welcome to our monthly newsletter. You can find a print version of this months articles on Page 2 of the April edition of the 'Fireman' newspaper. You can modify your subscriber details by following the 'Subscriber Options' link at the bottom of
this email.
Editorial: Clear messages in the Volunteer survey By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer |
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I have been reading the newly completed report on the 2014 VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey, and it confirms some strong trends in volunteer opinion that are clear pointers to paths for improvement by
CFA.
This is our third survey, and the results show training is still the biggest issue of concern for volunteers, with the widest gap between its importance and CFA’s actual performance.
The overall impression I take from the different themes in the survey is that the greatest gaps are in the areas of training and cooperation, and the smallest gap – the best result – is in the areas of recruitment and retention, and how volunteers feel about management of issues and the support they receive at local Brigade level.
The report also shows that male and female volunteers have different perceptions as to how women are treated in CFA, and there is a visible difference in the comments coming from integrated Brigades. Newer members also show a clearly more positive opinion than longer serving members.
Overall, the survey is fulfilling the hopes we had for it three years ago. It is run by VFBV, informed by growing numbers of volunteers and being put to work as a productive tool by both VFBV and CFA.
The 2014 survey report is available now – see the VFBV website www.vfbv.com.au or contact the office if you would like a printed copy.
You can sign up for the
next survey by emailing your name and Brigade to [email protected] or call us on (03) 9886 1141 if you’d like a printed survey posted to you instead.
On another front, we have welcomed
the State Government’s recent move to extend Emergency Medical Response (EMR) to all integrated stations as a positive move, but it raises the question as to the plans to take EMR to more volunteer stations.
CFA involvement in EMR won’t be needed in all communities and not all Brigades will have the capacity or
willingness to take it on, but I have written to CFA asking about CFA’s plans, and urging CFA and the State Government to ensure the approach taken to EMR is needs driven and consistent with CFA’s existing service delivery model, delivered by paid staff and volunteers in a fully integrated manner wherever possible.
We
are hearing particular interest in EMR from Brigades in communities where ambulance services are currently stretched or needing support.
Volunteers were pioneers of EMR within CFA, and the Brigades at Berwick, Edithvale, Mornington, South Morang and Whittlesea have been successfully providing EMR response since 2008,
with five Integrated Brigades and staff joining them in late 2011.
Those volunteer Brigades are enthusiastic about EMR and they say the extra skills are not only life saving at EMR jobs but are also useful at road accidents and rescue calls.
As we were preparing to go to print, news came through of the closure of CFA’s Fiskville training facility.
VFBV had already made a submission to the Fiskville Inquiry, stressing that, should it
be downgraded or closed, Fiskville’s essential training capacity must be replaced as a matter of urgency. Our submission is summarised elsewhere on this page.
Volunteers will know that VFBV has been working to represent their interests since safety concerns were first raised in 2012, and since the closure we have
approached the Government, pressing for sufficient replacement facilities and the proper resolution of issues such as the future of the CFA Memorial which is currently at the Fiskville site. |
Good news on Service Awards |
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CFA has moved to drop the service award upgrade kits that have been in use since 2008, and volunteers reaching milestones such as 15, 20 and 25 years’ service will now receive a complete new service medal, ribbon bar and lapel badge to replace their old one.
The upgrade kits required the member to have a new bar sewn onto their existing medal ribbon, and were seen by many members as an inappropriate way to recognize such significant service to CFA and their communities.
VFBV has been working with CFA for some time now, advocating our desire for the awarding of complete medals and not expecting members to sew on their own medal bars. VFBV is grateful to CFA for approving this request, and agreeing to fund it, as we believe this change to be a significant improvement to the way long serving members are recognised.
This change will be automatic for all new medals awarded as of now.
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Applications are open for VESEP grants for trucks, building works and small equipment, and you can find application forms and the VFBV VESEP Application Help Pack at www.vfbv.com.au
We welcome the State Government’s commitment of $12.54 million in VESEP grants for CFA Brigades and other volunteer emergency organisations, providing up to $100,000 on a two-for-one basis, topping up local fundraising.
VFBV is proud of the work we have done with the State Government on the design of the program, helping to ensure the paperwork is simple and the items funded are what each Brigade chooses to meet local needs.
VESEP applications are open until 27 April 2015; talk to your VFBV District Council or see www.vfbv.com.au for advice.
Items likely to be funded this year
include;
- Operational gear; chainsaws, quick fill pumps, generators and rescue/safety equipment
- Vehicles and Appliances; Field Command Vehicles, Lighting and Storm Trailers,
Light/Medium Tankers, Big Fill Trucks and Rescue Trucks
- Minor facility improvements; refurbishments, kitchens and change rooms
VESEP grants are open to Brigades and units from CFA, SES,
Life Saving Victoria (LSV) and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard. If your Brigade is not ready for this year’s VESEP grants, now is the time to begin preparing for future rounds.
VFBV submission on Fiskville |
While VFBV’s submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Fiskville was lodged before the announcement that the facility would be closed, the main points we made in that document are still
relevant to volunteers and the protection of the community.
VFBV told the Inquiry that;
- Any training ground used for hot fire or other training must be safe to use
- Should Fiskville be closed or its use scaled back, investment to replace its significant state training capability would be required, as the rest of the fire services training network would not cope with the
overall training load
- Firefighters who have relied on Fiskville as their local training facility must continue to have locally available access to state of the art training
VFBV also stressed that support for any members who have been exposed to health hazards at Fiskville must continue; the closure of the facility does not mean their needs are at an end.
You can download VFBV’s detailed submission to the
Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry from the VFBV website www.vfbv.com.au
VFBV’s major concern through the Fiskville saga has been the safety of all CFA members, but now that the facility is closed, there must be serious and immediate attention paid to meeting the training needs of CFA’s tens of thousands of firefighters.
Leadership course in demand |
Places in this year’s VFBV Leadership Program course have been in demand, with 92 applicants for 50 positions.
The program is funded by VFBV, with additional funding from the Department of Justice to assist
with our multi-agency approach, but with such strong demand we were able to make a successful application to Emergency Management Victoria for top up funding sufficient for an extra 10 participants for this year’s course, taking the total to 60.
This is the sixth course, and includes volunteers from CFA, VICSES, Lifesaving Victoria, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Ambulance Victoria CERT and St John Ambulance.
The successful applicants have been advised and the
Lilydale group has had its first session, with the Werribee group to begin on the weekend of 11/12 April.
The VFBV Leadership Program has produced more than 200 successful participants who graduated with Certificate IV in Frontline Management, a nationally recognised qualification provided under the auspices of Chisholm Institute of TAFE.
Torquay, Napoleons/Enfield and Dunrobin/Nangeela were winners at the 2015 VFBV State Rural Championships.
Torquay A achieved the highest points overall, winning Division B with 42.
Napoleons/Enfield A won Division A, Dunrobin/Nangeela D won Division C. St Arnaud, Strathdownie and Hurstbridge were all among the placings, District 22 won the Discipline Award, and Greta runners Sarah Hooper and Nathan Hooper won the sprints.
At the 2015 VFBV State Rural Junior Championships, Willaura A won the Champion Team title and the 11-15 Years Aggregate. Springhurst A won the 11-13 Aggregate, Erin Munro of Dunrobin/Nangeela and Lachlan
Peck of Miners Rest won the 11-13 Years sprints, and Tiffany Bussem-Jorgensen of Beazleys Bridge and Cooper Nelson of Irrewarre won the 11-15 Years sprints.
At the VFBV Urban Senior Championships, Kangaroo Flat won their third championship in a row, winning the Dry and A Section Aggregates, while Jackson Dargaville won the title of Champion Competitor.
Corio won the Wet and B Section Aggregates and Warracknabeal won the C Section
Aggregate.
Have your say on uniforms |
The CFA Chief Officer has released his Uniform Discussion Paper, with feedback and comment due no later than Friday, 17 April.
This issue has been going on for some time and VFBV has been pressing
for a result, so we urge Brigades and individual volunteers to make comment direct to CFA as soon as possible (see below).
VFBV has supported the Chief Officer’s decision to release his initial thoughts and position before making a final decision, with a reasonable period for comment by members. We feel this is an open and transparent process that enables informed decision making, and gives all members the opportunity to advocate their position, and influence the
final decision. VFBV respects the final decision being that of the CFA Chief Officer.
VFBV has for some time pressed for one uniform design for all CFA members (paid and unpaid) that supports the ‘One CFA’ principle. VFBV has also pressed for volunteers who meet the service requirement for a uniform and wish to have one, to be supplied with a uniform funded by CFA.
VFBV at the state level will likely be providing a submission on the
discussion paper. The submission is likely to stick to general principles regarding fairness and equity, so we urge Brigades and individual volunteers to have their say on the details.
Now
is the time to speak up on uniforms, so discuss this with your Brigade and fellow volunteers, and you are encouraged to send a copy of any submission to [email protected]
Four vacancies on the VFBV Board will arise on 1 October 2015. Potential new Board Members must be active contributors and bring useful skills to the role - you can download the Role Statement from the VFBV Board page at
www.vfbv.com.au or request a copy on (03) 9886 1141. All members and families are invited to the Annual Memorial Service for Firefighters on Sunday, 3 May 2015, at 2.00 pm. The service will be held at
St Patrick’s Cathedral, 3 Lyons Street, Ballarat, VicRoads Map 566 Ref C8. The dress code is CFA uniform or smart casual, and anyone wishing to attend should RSVP by Thursday, 16 April 2015, via email to [email protected] or call 1800 232 636. |
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