If you are reading this you probably
already know that last month, CFA withdrew funding support for FIRE WISE without any consultation and without any regard for what it means for volunteers. And you will also know how important this publication is as an opportunity for CFA the Government, VFBV and others to communicate with volunteers, and how important it is for volunteer views to be shared and expressed respectfully and constructively without censorship or fear of payback.
By way of background, since 1970 CFA has paid a small annual funding grant to support this volunteer focussed publication in recognition of the important role it plays in volunteer communication and consultation. And in the 25 plus years that I have been involved with CFA, this
publication has always been used by CFA as one of the most important means of communicating with volunteers - if anything the small annual grant might have been too little, but it was never too much.
The small funding grant from CFA to FIREWISE has
helped keep the cost of volunteer subscriptions down and helped ensure broadest possible circulation to CFA brigades, volunteers and friends of CFA across Victoria. And when I say small annual grant, I mean small – the CFA annual grant last year equated to about $4 per brigade per month.
The FIRE WISE newspaper and The Fireman newspaper before it, have been an integral part of CFA’s ability to communicate with and hear from volunteers on the ground since the creation of CFA.
Everyone talks of the CFA family, the big family spread across Victoria. And most of us know that ongoing two-way communication, sharing stories and conversation, feeling included, celebrating successes and heartache, staying in touch with news, feeling connected even when we are far apart, and feeling that our views have been heard and listened to are really important elements of keeping that sense of belonging, pride and commitment
going.
So to say I am disappointed to hear that CFA has decided to withdraw funding to FIRE WISE is an understatement.
CFA’s withdrawal of funding is a big and sudden departure from the history of a close partnership type relationship between CFA and the FIRE WISE publication, and The Fireman before it since the formation of CFA. Until last month CFA was listed as an ‘Official Supporter’ of FIRE WISE and for many decades this monthly publication, issued to CFA
brigades throughout Victoria, was regarded by CFA as an ‘Official Publication of CFA’. Gordon King, editor of FIRE WISE has proudly reminded us that this close relationship has never reduced the editorial independence of this important volunteer focussed publication and at the same time there has never been an instance when the newspaper’s editorial staff censored or restricted any messaging from CFA or the government regarding their various organisational, policy or change
announcements.
CFA’s decision to suddenly cancel its small funding support to this valuable volunteer communications tool, with no explanation of the logic, no consultation with volunteers and no regard for what it means for volunteers demonstrates
a growing attempt to block and prevent volunteer’s views being heard. This is just one more step in the gagging of volunteers right and ability to have a voice.
The cost of CFA’s support to FIRE WISE is a tiny fraction of the CFA’s budget and an
even tinier fraction of the volunteer connection, motivation, goodwill and sense of belonging it helps create.
This is another sad step in sapping the spirit from CFA volunteers and a disregard for fundamental things that help keep volunteers
motivated. CFA’s annual financial contribution to FIRE WISE was approximately $5000 per month. This small contribution helped keep the cost down for volunteers and brigade subscriptions and was a recognition that for many decades CFA has recognised and used the FIRE WISE newspaper as a key volunteer communications vehicle.
Many volunteers have said to me that volunteers should demand CFA provide adequate funding to support an independent communications medium for volunteers as part of the bargain for volunteers contributing their time. The critics that suggest CFA shouldn’t pay anything and that volunteers should have to pay forget that it is volunteers who make CFA what it is and that the value of services provided by volunteers
is more than $ONE BILLION every year. Yes, CFA’s own estimates calculate that CFA volunteers contribute service to Victoria worth more than $1,000,000,000 (one billion) every year and yet claim they can’t see the cost benefit of a measly $60,000 funding that helps volunteers across Victoria share news, ideas, innovations and views.
This is an appalling disregard for volunteers and the contribution volunteers give to making CFA the wonderful organisation it is today. Many volunteers have already expressed their frustration that this is just another way of CFA shifting cost back to volunteers – CFA’s financial contribution helped keep the cost of this publication low for volunteers who currently pay for their monthly
subscription.
All supporters of FIRE WISE and the principle of volunteers having the ability to speak freely, to share ideas and have a voice are encouraged to voice your concern regarding the CFA’s withdrawal of support for FIRE WISE and join
VFBV’s campaign to ensure FIRE WISE survives.
If you are talking to people outside CFA, explain to them how CFA works, explain the value of services provided by volunteers and explain that the cost of CFA’s annual financial support to FIRE WISE is
about 2 cents a year from the average household Fire Service Levy.
I have given FIRE WISE editor Gordon King my commitment that VFBV will work with FIRE WISE to find a way forward whatever this requires. Our immediate priority will be to ensure this
vital communication and consultation mechanism survives, our next step will be to achieve a more sustainable financial footing into the future and safe from the threat of someone simply cutting the funding supply because they don’t like what volunteers have to say. I can assure volunteers that we will not let this issue go away without satisfactory resolution.
Volunteers deserve a voice and FIRE WISE is part of that voice – it is a publication for volunteers by volunteers, it should be applauded, supported and encouraged by CFA and Government not kicked in the financial guts.
WHAT CAN VOLUNTEERS DO
1. Communicate your concerns via emails and letters to CFA, your local MP and via broad public messaging through your local networks and
friends.
2. Maintain your subscriptions to FIRE WISE and take up the offer of free electronic access.
3. Be ready to join future campaign effort to raise the awareness of the importance of volunteers having strong, volunteer driven, communications and consultations opportunities because I know the funding cut to FIRE WISE is not going to be the only challenge our volunteer voice will be confronted with.
4. Help use this disappointing action by CFA to make the volunteer voice and FIRE WISE publication even stronger - send in your letters of support now and make a future habit of sending in articles of interest and issues for open conversation to FIRE
WISE.
5. Stay tuned for further developments and be ready to join further action to ensure the voice of volunteers is heard, respected and supported.
