Newsletter - November 2015
Dear ,
Welcome to our monthly newsletter. You can find a print version of this months articles on Page 2 of the November edition of the 'Fireman' newspaper. You can modify your subscriber details by following the 'Subscriber Options' link at the bottom of this email.
Editorial: Leadership at all Levels is VFBV's Strength By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer |
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I am pleased to advise that Nev Jones AFSM, a highly respected volunteer leader with extensive experience, has been appointed State President of
VFBV.
Nev is a capable leader who is well versed in the role; a lifelong volunteer and a long serving Brigade Captain, Nev has been a VFBV Board Member since 2009 and most recently held the role of State Vice President.
One of the
first major issues in Nev’s term as President will come in the form of the outcomes and Government response to the Fire Services Review.
I had the opportunity at our Annual General Meeting to thank VFBV’s State President Hans van Hamond AFSM for his great service to the representation of volunteers, and I want to take this opportunity to reinforce my thanks and
appreciation for Hans’ leadership and contribution.
Hans has been VFBV State President since 2010 and has applied his calm, balanced leadership and good humour to deal with many significant issues during this time.
I am proud to
acknowledge Hans’ significant contribution through a time of major change in the Emergency Management sector, important changes to CFA legislation including giving the Volunteer Charter the backing of Victorian law; the important Jones Inquiry; and initiatives including the VFBV Volunteer Leadership Scholarship program, the annual VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey and VFBV’s increase in membership affiliation levels from 60% of CFA Brigades and Groups to
93%.
At the AGM, CFA Chief Officer Euan Ferguson AFSM thanked Hans for his leadership and newly retired CFA Chair Claire Higgins commended Hans for his open and honest engagement with CFA and his sensible advice.
As CEO, I have
always felt I can rely on Hans’ good advice and support during even the most difficult aspects of the job of representing CFA’s 60,000 volunteers.
Many volunteers are asking what is next with the Fire Services Review, but as of the end of October, we have no more information to give. Submissions to the Review closed at the end of August,
and VFBV’s full submission is available to read or download from our website. Unfortunately, other submissions have not been made public yet. The review’s deliberations were originally scheduled to conclude by 30 September, and the Review report and recommendations were provided to the Minister Garrett on 19 October.
I have written to the Minister
reinforcing VFBV’s interest in the Fire Services Review and outlining a number of issues volunteers are particularly concerned about. As soon as I have any further information, an update will be circulated to members via the VFBV website and normal communication channels. In the meantime, our focus is on ensuring CFA volunteers are supported in their
preparation for what is shaping up to be a busy summer period.
On another front, I would like to say well done to all involved in ensuring that digital scanners will be effective, up to date and accessible to Brigades that need them.
The work began in 2010 with VFBV Executive Officer Adam Barnett and our volunteer delegates on the VFBV/CFA Joint Communications Committee conducting the VFBV Scanners and Listening Sets Stocktake to underpin our case to CFA, and continued with the Joint Committee pressing for volunteer involvement in the decision making, and pushing for funding to offset the replacement cost, then with volunteers doing the field testing to ensure the units chosen actually meet the real
needs of Brigades.
Well done to all, this has been an example of the great benefits of involving volunteers in decision making that affects the front line of emergency management. |
We are up to the Challenges By Nev Jones AFSM, VFBV State President |
I feel greatly honoured to have been elected as VFBV’s State President; to take on this considerable responsibility on behalf of Victoria’s CFA volunteers.
Having grown up in a volunteer family, involved in CFA all of my life and seeing my children take up volunteering too, I can say that CFA itself is a fantastic organisation, volunteering at any level is a rewarding experience, and having been chosen for the role I will perform it with
pride. You are great people to represent, and every volunteer who offers their time, their commitment and their capabilities in service of the community is worthy of the best efforts of this association.
As an organisation, CFA has been
learning, evolving and improving since its inception. One of its great virtues, and one of the fundamental characteristics of volunteers, is the ability to meet new challenges. Every time we respond, we take on the unknown and the unexpected, working as a team.
There’s been a number of significant challenges in recent times, there has been a lot of uncertainty and enormous change within CFA, particularly at leadership level, and there are many uncertainties in what lies ahead, particularly with the outcome of the Fire Services Review and the Government’s response to it yet to be revealed.
Through all of this, the important message to all volunteers is that we are up to the challenge. I urge you to be proud of the work you do, to stay close to your communities and to take pride in the confidence the community has in your professionalism and the vital role you perform.
For our 60,000 volunteers, whether you are an operational firefighter or among the huge number of volunteers who perform support and specialist roles, summer has already shown its face this year, we have already begun to meet its challenges, and we can already say with confidence that we
are ready, we are in good shape, we are well equipped and organised, and we will do what needs to be done.
Cancer Law - Visit MPs Now |
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Get your local MPs to sign the pledge – volunteers need every Victorian MP to stand up for CFA volunteers with cancer by pledging to campaign and vote for non-discriminatory cancer compensation legislation for all Victorian
firefighters.
The State Government promised Victorian firefighters cancer legislation for 2016, but many volunteers are very concerned that there now appears to be a backdown on this promise with new restrictions being suggested by the Minister and
Government officials that even further limit their access to the important presumptive legislation.
There are significant unanswered questions, including whether CFA volunteers and their career colleagues will be treated equally, and whether the
legislation will be retrospective – backdated so a CFA volunteer who already has cancer will still be covered.
Volunteers need certainty about the promised legislation, so we need MPs from both sides of the house to sign the
pledge.
What you can do;
There’s a copy of the pledge and plenty of information on the issue at www.vfbv.com.au
Download and print the pledge, then ask your local MPs to sign it in support of CFA volunteers with cancer.
Ask your MPs to sign copies for display in their office and your fire station, and send us a picture of the MP with their signed pledge, for VFBV’s website and Facebook page.
Join the many Brigades that have posted pictures supporting the campaign on Facebook (like the District 13 Brigades below) and provided them to their local newspapers. The first consignment of 3,500 digital scanners has arrived, orders from Brigades are flowing in to the VFBV office, and the first of the new units have been delivered to Brigades.
VFBV and CFA have arranged a VESEP and
CFA funded subsidy program, so each CFA Brigade is entitled to a minimum of eight digital scanners at $150 each, with an opportunity to access any leftover subsidised units as part of Tier 2, and an unlimited number available at cost price as part of Tier 3.
VFBV has sent your Brigade full information and an order form by mail, or you can download the forms and read specifications and Frequently Asked Questions at the VFBV
website. Call us on (03) 9886 1141 if you have any difficulties.
The 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.
The new digital scanners have been tested by front line
volunteers who gave the unit the thumbs up.
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.
The Chief Office is asking DPCs for advice on the impact on Brigades of the proposed zero
blood alcohol policy for Code 1 driving. The VFBV/CFA Joint Operations Committee have asked that he prepare a volunteer impact assessment to identify the policy's impacts on what is effectively a 24/7 on call workforce.
VicPol
have arrangements, flexibility and exemptions to cater for members who are off duty and recalled, and the Joint Committee has asked for CFA to investigate similar options. Brigades should discuss the issue and provide your DPC representatives with your Brigade’s views and/or impacts.
The Chief Officer has supported the re-introduction of Low Voltage Fuse Removal (LVFR) as a core CFA activity supported by adequate funding and training programs.
The VFBV/CFA Joint Operations
Committee has been pressing this as a safety issue and the Chief Officer has proposed an extension to members who currently hold Low Voltage Fuse Removal competencies to ensure members remain current whilst an updated LVFR training package is being finalised, and refresher training is rolled out.
The Chief Officer has advised he will be writing to all Ops Managers and Ops Officers with details of the program and his approval of an extension for current competencies.
Materials for improved structural firefighting training have now
been released, with the title of “Structural Firefighting”, as part of the PUAFIR203B Respond to Urban Fire competency.
The VFBV/CFA Joint Training Committee advises that the new program consists of 11 sessions and a total delivery time of 7½ days
which includes 4½ days of training, 2 days of practical and one day of assessment.
It can be delivered all in one block or in modularised/block delivery as seven separate sections which can be done
separately.
The courses have been set-up on TRAIN to support both of these delivery options, and Brigades and Groups should discuss with MTD’s which of these two options would best suit your members.
On another front, the Joint Committee has raised concerns at the lack of computer aided simulation training offered to volunteers, with only two programs being delivered to volunteers so far this year. VFBV has requested CFA develop a proactive delivery plan and budget to provide
brigades with greater access to this popular and flexible training option.
Australasian Championships |
Congratulations and well done to all involved in hosting the Australasian Championships at Echuca.
Host Brigade Echuca had a great day out, they won the title of 2015 Champion Team, after a weekend of competition involving 30 teams from Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
There were eight more Victorian teams competing; Euroa, Geelong West, Melton, MFB, Ocean Grove, Pyramid Hill, Swan Hill and Werribee.
New Zealand Brigade New
Norfolk were runners, and the next Championship will be in New Zealand. |
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