Newsletter - September 2015
Dear ,
Welcome to our monthly newsletter. You can find a print version of this months articles on Page 2 of the September edition of the 'Fireman' newspaper. You can modify your subscriber details by following the 'Subscriber Options' link at the bottom of this email.
Editorial: Fire Services Review By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer |
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There has been a lot of discussion of the State Government’s Fire Services Review among volunteers, both in terms of the points we should raise and the purpose and timeframe of the review
itself.
There has been great response, along with VFBV’s formal submission we have seen quite a few from District Councils, Brigades and individual volunteers.
VFBV has worked hard to involve volunteers, providing Delegates in all Districts with the Review’s Terms of Reference and a table of questions designed to assist volunteers and Brigades who wanted to have their say.
Many volunteers have expressed concern at the short timeframe for submissions and for the Review to report to State Government, as well as questions as to the need for, or purpose of, yet another review or inquiry into the emergency services.
And while those issues were raised from many quarters, VFBV has done its best to engage with the Review in a constructive manner in spite of our concerns.
Two hot issues with volunteers were the possibility of a merger of CFA and MFB, or the expansion of MFB boundaries into territory that is already well protected by CFA with its integrated career and volunteer model. Both were seen as a significant threat to the state’s surge capacity, its ability to field large numbers of trained, experienced firefighters at short notice to deal with large scale
emergencies.
The Minister’s commitment – made in response to VFBV’s questions – was that there would be no merger or change of boundaries. That was reassuring, but still left the Review with a very wide field of possibilities, and volunteers
will watch the outcome of the Review and the Government’s response very closely.
VFBV’s submission drew on volunteers’ comments, as well as the research and work we have put into a number of reviews and inquiries in recent years, including the 2009
Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, the Jones Inquiry, the State Government’s Green Paper on the emergency services, two reports from the Victorian Auditor General and the discussions that led to the formation of Emergency Management Victoria.
Our submission covers familiar issues of training, resourcing, red tape and the under-utilisation of volunteers, especially in
command, IMT and specialist roles. It also addresses the importance of CFA’s integrated model, interoperability between the agencies, and the absolute necessity of encouraging, maintaining and strengthening the volunteer resource that gives CFA its large scale surge capacity.
Volunteers
have responded strongly to the Review, and VFBV has offered to assist the Review in meeting with CFA Brigades/Groups that can inform its deliberations.
It is now up to all of us to be ready to assess and respond to the Review’s recommendations and the State Government’s response. |
Queensland Firefighter Cancer Law Puts Focus on Victoria |
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The Victorian Government is under more pressure for fairer and simpler cancer compensation for CFA volunteers and other firefighters, after the Queensland Parliament passed legislation late last week.
Queensland has now followed the Australian, Tasmanian, West Australian, South Australian and Northern Territory Parliaments in recognising that firefighters are more prone to certain types of cancer, and removing a long standing barrier that blocks sick firefighters from receiving the cancer compensation to which they are
entitled.
Victorian firefighters still face the near impossible barrier that all of the burden of proof is on them. The sick firefighter is expected to come up with the evidence, often more than exists in CFA’s own files, when the cause of
their cancer could be a fire or chemical spill 10 or 15 years ago that they don’t even remember attending.
Queensland’s cancer law is presumptive legislation that does what CFA volunteers have been requesting in Victoria since 2011, it reverses the
onus of proof. The firefighter’s cancer is presumed to be work related, provided it is one of 12 typical firefighter cancers and the firefighter has sufficient years of service.
The Queensland Bill is what Labor promised Victorian firefighters in
the lead up to the last election – it uses the same list of 12 cancers and the same years of service requirements as the current law in Tasmania, but without any additional eligibility hurdles that discriminate against volunteers.
Queensland has
made its move, treating career and volunteer firefighters equally, and we are hopeful that the Victorian Government will be in a position to announce details to support their promise at last year’s election, in the very near future.
Even the now
Deputy Premier, James Merlino, said to volunteers on 15 June last year, ‘there shouldn’t be any reason why we have to wait for presumptive rights legislation here in Victoria’ – so why are we still waiting?
For more details, click here.
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The newly formed District 27 now has its own VFBV District Council.
Pictured with VFBV State President Hans van Hamond AFSM (left) are; District 27 President Lance King, Secretary/Treasurer Di Billingsley, State Councillor David Farmer, Vice President Brendan Jenkins, State Councillor Pat Quinn and (behind) CFA Operations Manager Bill Johnstone.
The District Council was formed on Thursday 20 August at a special meeting chaired by State President Hans van Hamond and VFBV Executive Officer Adam Barnett. The Brigades and Groups represented included; Boolarra, Churchill, Glengarry, Moe South, Morwell, Newborough, Toongabbie, Traralgon, Yallourn North,
Yinnar South, Hyland Group, and Merton Group.
The District Council went straight to work on behalf of volunteers, discussing; CFA F&EM Proposed Structure Consultation, the 2015 VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey, the Fire Services
Review and two new Operations Bulletins from CFA.
The second District Council meeting for District 27 was held Thursday, 10 September. VFBV would like to express our thanks to CFA Chair Claire Higgins, who resigned from her post a few days ago.
Claire has been on the CFA Board since 2007 and Chair since 2012. In that time, she has been supportive of VFBV and volunteers, and always available to talk with us about volunteer issues.
We thank Claire for her support, her hard work and her commitment to the volunteer based CFA.
Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP) grants totalling $7.1 million have gone to 202 CFA Brigades, funding new emergency vehicles, equipment and fire
station improvements.
In addition, there was $1.9 million for other initiatives including cold climate gear for volunteers attending callouts like road accidents and searches in inclement weather.
VESEP continues to be popular with Brigades; VFBV helped the State Government to design it, so it is low on paperwork and lets Brigades pick equipment or projects that suit their fundraising capabilities and community needs.
VESEP grants top up locally raised funds on a $2 for $1 basis, to fund a wide range of items from chainsaws and pumps, to emergency vehicles and improvements to fire stations.
VFBV acknowledges and thanks the State Government for their continued support of the $12 million VESEP program, which is also open to volunteers from the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (AVCG), Life Saving Victoria (LSV) and Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES).
Think about the volunteers you admire the most for their distinguished service.
The Australian Fire Services Medal is worthy recognition for those special volunteers, and reflects well on their Brigade and all CFA volunteers.
Nominations close on 1 November 2015 for the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours. See the VFBV website for the nomination form.
Compensation for Over 65s |
VFBV has successfully supported a volunteer over the age of 65 who was denied loss of income compensation after a fireground accident.
The volunteer’s claim was initially rejected under an interpretation of CFA regulations because he was deemed to be of retirement age.
VFBV District 23 Council and the VFBV Executive took up the volunteer’s case and CFA reversed its decision, providing full compensation.
CFA has recognised that this matter is very important to volunteers and has agreed to VFBV’s request to work on legislative changes that ensure the situation is not repeated; a reassuring move for volunteers who work past 65. VFBV has requested that the legislation changes be based on Western Australia’s recent changes, which removed all reference to retirement ages from their workers’ and volunteer compensation
legislation.
The Prototype Heavy Tanker has finished its roadshow, visiting every District across the State and viewed by over 1,200 members. The tour follows the successful format advocated by VFBV initially
for the Medium Tanker, and further refined and improved for the Medium Pumper, giving volunteers the chance to try out the new vehicle and provide practical frontline suggestions and requests.
Based on evaluation surveys from the roadshow, the
VFBV/CFA Joint Equipment Committee reports volunteers are pleased with the cabin and cab chassis, but show poor satisfaction with the equipment/stowage layout, including the rear deck. In order to ensure quick resolution of the issues raised by members during the roadshow, the Committee called an urgent meeting involving Operational, Fleet and Engineering representatives, and is pleased to report agreement on all issues raised, with considerable changes made to the equipment, stowage and
rear deck, in line with member feedback. Prototypes are an opportunity to test new ground and seek feedback on radical suggestions, and this one was no different. Whilst not all new ideas were supported, the Committee thanked the team for continuing to test the boundaries, but still be brave enough to accept member feedback when an idea does not work out.
With CFA reporting they will be testing a semi-automatic version on the first production run of the new Heavy Tanker, the Committee has highlighted the need for in-depth driver training to support members transitioning from older vehicles.
Committee Questions EMR
Plans |
The VFBV/CFA Joint Operations Committee
has welcomed the State Government’s $5 million dollar plan to expand EMR to more Brigades, but is disappointed it only includes the 33 integrated Brigades.
Ambulance Victoria has nominated 32 priority locations for EMR in the first year, 12 of those
in communities served by fully volunteer Brigades, and the Committee has asked that CFA continue to advocate for EMR’s expansion to more volunteer brigades.
The Committee has expressed alarm that the funding appears significantly less than CFA’s
cost estimate, and has asked CFA whether there is a shortfall and from where any extra money will be diverted to finish the rollout.
Committee Delegates have sought CFA’s assurance that any expansion to integrated locations will include volunteers,
consistent with CFA’s existing service delivery model with services being delivered in a fully integrated manner.
Record Numbers for Survey |
More than 2,500 volunteers have taken the 2015 VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey and the new VICSES version of the survey this year.
Volunteers’ responses are being studied for
the survey report, which will go to VFBV and CFA Boards, CFA’s senior management, VICSES, the Emergency Management Commissioner and the Minister for Emergency Services. You can see the 2014 report here.
Each year’s results are compared with previous years' figures to show trends in how volunteers feel on each issue. It is a co-operative process; VFBV and the CFA Board
studied the first three years' results and continue to use the survey to highlight aspects of volunteer support that need attention.
The annual survey is making your association’s representation more effective and giving every volunteer
the chance to be heard.
You can sign up for the 2016 survey by sending your name, Brigade/Unit and District or Region to vfbv@vfbv.com.au or request a posted survey on paper by calling (03) 9886 1141. |
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