Newsletter - December 2015
Dear ,
Welcome to our monthly newsletter. You can find a print version of this months articles on Page 2 of the December edition of the 'Fireman' newspaper. You can modify your subscriber details by following the 'Subscriber Options' link at the bottom of this email.
Editorial: Early Bushfire Season Sends a Message By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer |
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As you have no doubt already told members of your own local community, the summer
fire season has asserted itself, long before the official start of summer came along on the first of December.
Many of the fires have been serious, they have been widespread across the southern states and there are clear messages for the community
about the need to be prepared, and the essential value of CFA’s great volunteer surge capacity that comes from the large numbers of trained firefighters that can be drawn from brigades across the state.
As early as October, Victoria confronted the
4,000 ha Lancefield fire that at one stage required nearly 700 firefighters and over 200 trucks in the field.
The great team of CFA’s paid staff and volunteers has dealt with major industrial incidents including the shipboard fire at Portland that
required crews from as far away as Geelong, CFA volunteers in the south west have been busy with the persistent peat fire near Strathdownie that may burn for months to come, and there has been the tip fire at Somerton that burned for several days.
These incidents and others across the state have relied on agencies right across the emergency management sector working together, responding to the event, activating community networks and assisting the recovery.
In
mid-November, we had already seen the tragic loss of a number of lives including one volunteer firefighter, during fires around Esperance in Western Australia, before CFA volunteers from more than 30 brigades in six Districts were deployed to fight South Australian fires that eventually claimed two lives, spread to 80,000 hectares and destroyed hundreds of buildings.
The damage done, not just in loss of life but in the loss of people’s homes and livelihoods, is particularly notable for the fact that it has happened so early in the year.
Our thoughts go out to the families, the friends and the Brigades of those who have lost their lives.
VFBV and volunteers everywhere need to spread the message of
vigilance and preparedness.
It is important that communities know that CFA Brigades everywhere are ready, and it is equally important that communities are doing their bit.
The deployments already this summer demonstrate the essential value of Victoria’s great resource of thousands of trained, experienced CFA firefighters.
And finally, with what is clearly going to be a long, hot summer still to come, I want to remind every volunteer and Brigade to look after yourselves, have a good break where you can, and pace yourself.
Be aware of your own safety and wellbeing, and look out for those around you.
Have a safe and
happy Christmas.
On another matter: you will note that ‘The Fireman’ Editor, Gordon King, has indicated that there will be a name change for ‘The Fireman’ sometime early in 2016.
This is about growing this publication for tomorrow, and I will be working to help Gordon identify a new name and to continue the strong support of volunteers for this important communication medium.
Brigades call for Cancer Law |
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More CFA volunteers across the state are calling for fairer and simpler cancer compensation arrangements that treat career and volunteer firefighters equally.
Brigades from around the state as well as the three Districts that take in Melbourne’s outer suburbs have taken the issue to Facebook and newspapers, calling for equal cancer laws for all Victorian firefighters, with no excuses, no exclusions and no delays.
This re-energised action from volunteers has arisen because of concerns about whether the details of the legislation being developed will result in the fairer and simpler compensation system Victorian firefighters really need.
While we were very disappointed with the delays when the Coalition was in power, particularly when the Greens brought a suitable Bill into the Upper House of Parliament, the Coalition’s move to now support equal coverage for career and volunteer firefighters has been welcome, as has the Labor Government’s
commitment to introducing presumptive legislation.
The action being taken now is to make sure all MPs are clear about our concerns about the detail of the legislation.
To say ‘the devil is in the detail’ is an understatement; volunteers in SA and Queensland had to put in concerted effort to ensure they were treated fairly and did not fall victim to the fine print.
Before the 2014 Victorian Election, Labor announced that “Victorian legislation for career and volunteer firefighters will reflect the cancers covered and timeframes for duty of service as in the Tasmanian legislation” and explicitly contained no reference to the unequal treatment and extra eligibility requirements for volunteers that are
well-known, unwarranted and unwelcome elements of the Tasmanian legislation and importantly NOT referred to in the Labor election promise.
However the Government’s recent letters to volunteers and media comments since October this year have hinted
the Government is now considering imposing a requirement for an arbitrary number of turnouts before a volunteer becomes eligible for compensation.
For this reason we are asking MPs to sign the pledge that they will vote for non-discriminatory
presumptive legislation for all Victorian firefighters, and it is pleasing to see that more than 20 from different parties have already signed.
Volunteers need to know whether the legislation will treat career and volunteer firefighters equally, and whether firefighters who have already been diagnosed with one of the 12 cancers will be covered.
The Greens, through the strong support of Colleen Hartland, tabled legislation in 2013 that addressed the fundamental detail and equal treatment of volunteers and career staff that is now reflected in the SA and Queensland legislation.
This is the model we are still pursuing, and have been pursuing since 2011.
Right now it is fair to say, as is reported in the media, that the State Government is working on presumptive legislation for career and volunteer firefighters.
What is not clear is whether volunteers and paid firefighters
who attend the same fires, face the same risks and absorb the same toxins will be treated equally.
We have been seeking dialogue with the Government about this concern since July, but are not getting any answers to allay our
fears.
Here are three things volunteers can do:
• Download the pledge from www.vfbv.com.au and ask your local MPs from
all parties to sign it as a show of support for firefighters with cancer •Get your Brigade’s support, post a photo on Facebook and offer the story to your local newspaper • Send a letter or email to your local MPs, calling for their
support
VFBV Leadership Graduation |
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Another 55 volunteers have graduated from the VFBV Volunteer Leadership Scholarship Program.
The volunteers from CFA, Ambulance Victoria, Lifesaving Victoria, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, St John Ambulance and VICSES have achieved the nationally recognised Certificate IV in Frontline Management, delivered for VFBV by Chisholm TAFE.
The qualification will help them in their work as emergency volunteers, their day to day careers and their contributions to the community for years to come.
The VFBV Leadership course has been designed for volunteers, and includes units on; leadership, decision making, planning, safety and risk management, team effectiveness, making presentations, managing projects, and engaging the community.
The program is funded by VFBV, with assistance over the years from generous donors such as international racehorse breeding organisation Darley, the Herald Sun and the Victoria Racing Club.
In recent years, the program has received top up funding and support from the Victorian Government through the Valuing Volunteers Program.
More than 230 volunteers have graduated since the VFBV Volunteer Leadership Program
began in 2010.
Pictured are: VFBV CEO Andrew Ford and Darley Australia Managing Director Henry Plumptre with some of this year’s VFBV Leadership graduates.
Affiliation and Welfare Fund |
A reminder for Brigades and Groups – you have until 31 December to pay your affiliation and subscribe to
the VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund.
Affiliation brings your Brigade or Group additional benefits, including eligibility to subscribe to the welfare fund.
The Fund’s costs are paid by VFBV, so every dollar of your subscription goes to helping volunteers in need.
By affiliating, your Brigade or Group is also showing its support for VFBV’s work on behalf of volunteers – 94% of Brigades are affiliated.
The first of the new digital scanners are now in volunteers’ hands and Brigades have given the subsidised scanner program an overwhelming vote of approval.
By
last week, orders had been placed for nearly 4,500 scanners and more than 1,500 had been delivered.
Brigades and Groups have until 15 January to place orders.
Each Brigade is entitled to a minimum of eight scanners at $150 each, with an opportunity to apply for any leftover subsidised units, and an unlimited number available at cost price, which is still well below retail.
VFBV has mailed order forms and information to
Brigades, and they are available at www.vfbv.com.au Call us on (03) 9886 1141 if you have any difficulties.
The VESEP/CFA funded subsidy program is the result of cooperative efforts by VFBV and CFA, and the end result of a process
that began with VFBV’s Scanner and Listening Set Stocktake that revealed in 2010 that brigades and volunteers were using thousands of analogue machines that would be put out of date by the move to digital dispatch radio.
Volunteers have been involved at every stage, making it a good example of how to bring in new technology, with volunteer input on what’s needed and volunteers involved in testing the units in actual field conditions before any decision is
made.
Recognising Junior Service |
CFA is running an
online survey, looking at the proposal to officially recognise service as a junior as part of a member’s CFA service record.
The survey will ask members whether junior members’ service should be included for CFA service awards, whether it should be
granted retrospectively, whether members believe juniors provide a service, and the benefits of recognising their service as juniors.
Junior service is not currently recognised for purposes of CFA Service Awards.
VFBV will launch its Youth Panel Network in the new year, with
young CFA volunteers from each District driving VFBV’s engagement with young people.
The panel will establish a VFBV youth connection in each CFA District, encouraging young volunteers to get involved and contribute to a VFBV State Youth Advisory
Committee that will inform the VFBV Board and State Council.
Last weekend’s meeting of State Council workshopped the plan to pilot the project in two Districts, with identified local champions to prepare the
ground.
We will be recruiting champions in March, and inviting potential youth representatives in mid-year.
As we go to press, the State Government’s Fire Services Review has still not been made public.
VFBV put a lot of work into our submission (see www.vfbv.com.au), with a large number of Brigades providing input and submissions direct to the Inquiry.
It is important that volunteers are ready to examine the Review’s report and the State Government’s response
when they become public, and be ready to respond to the outcomes.
We have no further information about the reasons for the delay and along with CFA will pass on any information as soon as we can. |
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