As I write, we are anxiously holding our breath as we monitor flood levels and the prospect of more rain forecast over the coming weeks. Communities right across the State continue to experience major flooding, with more than 950,000 sandbags having been laid across the state in the past seven days alone. The sandbagging response represent an extraordinary shared effort by emergency services, local councils, businesses and community members to prepare for rising flood levels, and the CFA model of sharing responsibility with the community again comes to the fore as we witness community resilience in practice. 

While SES remains the primary agency, CFA has again risen to the occasion to support our friends and colleagues, with at time of writing more than 3000 CFA volunteer deployments over the last seven days alone. These figures only represent incident response, and do not account for the thousands of deployments occurring to assist with community programs. 

Since 12 October, the SES received more than 9500 requests for assistance (RFA), with the key locations of RFAs coming from Shepparton, Rochester, Echuca, Kialla and Mooroopna. While these may have been the hotspots for RFAs, the wider impacts are clear and there are many, many other communities similarly impacted right across the state. 

Current impact assessments indicate close to 700 homes have been deemed uninhabitable, with approximately 12,000+ agricultural properties estimated to be impacted by flooding across Northern Victoria alone. Agriculture Victoria are estimating close to 35,000ha of farm area is affected, including 881km of fencing. 

As per usual, CFA volunteers have selflessly turned their attention and efforts to assisting with the flood response and coming to the aid of their local communities. There are countless stories of rescues and evacuations, not to mention assisting property owners and the vulnerable prepare their properties. 

Those brigades not under direct threat continue to reach across their boundaries and offer support and assistance to those communities that are. Metropolitan districts have also assisted by providing surge to strike teams and IMT rotations, and will play a critical role over the coming weeks and months as we transition to recovery. 

The value of the deep networks and relationships built over many decades in each of our brigade’s communities has resulted in fast and effective response to what is always a dynamic and evolving risk. 

As previous emergencies have taught us, we need to remain vigilant and disciplined in our approach to ensure fatigue and exhaustion don’t overwhelm. As always, this is a marathon not a sprint, and brigades will remain helping these communities long after the initial emergency has passed. 

VFBV has issued a fact sheet to assist members directly impacted access the various local, state and commonwealth support available. We have researched the various resources available in order to provide a simplified pathway to navigate to get support. Grants are available to assist with temporary accommodation, food, clothing and personal items. For example, the Personal Hardship Assistance Program’s Emergency Re-establishment Assistance fund can provide up to $42,250 to help pay for clean-up, repairs and rebuilding to eligible people. 

In our research, it is clear that many of the services available rely on internet access to navigate, but there are a number of hotlines that have been established that can assist people over the phone. The Flood Recovery Hotline is one such example and members can call 1800 560 760 to start to access the various support available. 

For those without phone or internet access, information is also available face-to-face through any of the seven emergency relief centres that are currently active across the state. 

VFBV Support Officers are also available to any brigade that needs assistance linking impacted members with the various support options. 

We’ll keep an eye out for changes in what is being offered and will provide regular updates to try and keep the fact sheet relevant and current. A live version of the Fact Sheet is being maintained on our website.  

While efforts are quite rightly prioritised on response during the next little while, there will come a time when it is appropriate to lean more into the recovery space. I encourage brigades to continue to link up with the various recovery agencies to ensure efforts are joined up and not duplicated at the local level. 

Brigades are doing an incredible job responding to community needs, and CFA volunteers are again demonstrating why CFA is known as the ‘can do’ organisation. No matter the need, we find a way to just get it done, with as little fuss as possible. 

On behalf of the whole VFBV family, can I please express how proud we are of your efforts. 

Please look after yourselves and maintain the focussed discipline that you are trained for in order to keep yourself, your crews and by extension - your communities safe. The provision of your selfless duty to those in need is amongst the highest of virtues and you are a shining example of the very professionalism that CFA volunteers are renowned for. Well done and keep safe. 

VALE 
It was with great sadness that we bode farewell to Bill Watson AFSM who passed away on 11 October after a long battle of complications arising from heart surgery back in June. A beautiful service was held in Wonthaggi on the 21st October to reflect and celebrate Bill’s life and his significant contribution to CFA, VFBV and his community. 

Bill held numerous senior positions across his long volunteer career commencing his service with CFA in 1968 with the Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade. 

Following his national service and relocation to Wonthaggi in 1975, Bill joined the Wonthaggi Brigade, where he would later become Captain in 1983. He moved back to Ferntree Gully in ’93, where he again stepped up to Captain with the Ferntree Gully Fire Brigade in 1999, before moving back to Wonthaggi in early 2016. 

Bill would have been the first person arranging task forces to assist with the current flood recovery operations, having established the concept following the 2012 North East floods, where he was the VFBV District 13 Council President at the time. This concept was later adapted by Bill to support drought, fire, flood and further extended to support farmers and dairy farmers during bouts of hard times. 

Bill’s service to the association was long and varied, having served in multiple positions, including as President of the VFBV District 13 Council 2011-2014, and much earlier as the President of the Urban Association District 8 Council in the late 80s, with him again serving as State Councillor for District 8 up until his illness. Bill was a mentor to many and was a key driver of the VFBV Youth Network. 

We have lost a great friend and advocate, and Bill will be sorely missed. His passion and advocacy for firefighter safety was second to none, with Bill most recently founding the ‘Healthy Fire Stations’ initiative. 

We send our thoughts, prayers and sympathy to Gay, Lisa, family, friends and loved ones and thank them most sincerely for sharing Bill with us. We also extend our thoughts to fellow members of the Wonthaggi and Ferntree Gully fire brigades. 

ELECTION 
On Saturday 26th November, Victorians will head to the polls for the 2022 State election. 
The needs and desires of CFA volunteers has been well ventilated over the years, and VFBV has undertaken extensive work over the years to educate members of Parliament from all sides of the political divide on how the contribution of volunteers can be appropriately recognised, respected and supported. 

Equitable and sustainable funding and resourcing to ensure brigades are equipped to serve their communities; respecting the Volunteer Charter and the commitments made under it; protecting volunteers from inappropriate political and industrial interference; and a commitment to building and strengthening the capacity and capability of volunteers to protect their communities have all been identified by volunteers as critical measures to support the vital role that CFA volunteers play across the Victorian emergency management sector. 

Members should reach out to candidates and ask how their policies address the above priorities, before deciding on your vote. 

Brigades are also urged to reflect on the support they have received from each of their local MPs over the past years, both individually and as a collective. Many brigades have written to MP’s over various issues across the last term and are best placed to reflect on whether the responses they received met the brigade’s expectations or not. 

Volunteers will always support those that support them, and we urge all members of parliament to reflect on their own contribution over the proceeding four years in supporting and respecting the vital and valued individuals who make up CFA, and whether or not their deeds and actions have honoured the words and commitments they have made in Parliament and through legislation. 

To all members of parliament who have stood up for CFA volunteers on various issues over the years, whether that be through funding, support, legislation, presumptive rights or any other measures taken that have sought to respect and support volunteer firefighters, we thank-you most sincerely and appreciate your support and wish all candidates well in the upcoming elections. 

SURVEY NOW OPEN 
As advised last month, by the time you read this, the annual VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey will be open and accepting your feedback. You can use the QR code below to open the survey on your smart device or visit the VFBV website to undertake the survey online. For those who would prefer to complete a paper-based survey, please call (03) 9886 1141 and we’ll happily post you one. 

The survey is a critical and important tool that gives CFA, Government and other decision makers clear feedback, directly from volunteers about the issues affecting them. It is a critical tool in monitoring short-and-long-term trends, and the effectiveness of initiatives aimed at improving CFA volunteer welfare, engagement and wellbeing. 

The results are used to prioritise funding bids, inform the allocation of resources and help direct energy to initiatives that seek to address the area’s most in need. 

Please contribute and share your voice, and please don’t just leave it for others. 

As I said last month, your voice matters and will have an impact on decisions affecting the future. So - if you have not participated in the survey before, make yourself a promise that you won’t let this opportunity pass you by for another year. If you’re not contributing to the feedback, it’s a bit hard to criticise the decisions being made. 

Visit www.vfbv.com.au/cfa or scan the QR code below with your phone or tablet to complete the survey now.   

Last week the Minister for Emergency Services the Hon Jaclyn Symes announced the outcomes of the Volunteer Emergency Service Equipment Program (VESEP) for 2022/23.

VFBV congratulates the 145 CFA Brigades and Groups who were successful in their VESEP applications for grants across all categories in all districts across the State.

You can read more about the outcomes of the 2022/23 program on our website.