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VFBV News (201)

Wednesday, 19 March 2014 00:00

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  • VFBV's third Volunteer Survey - register now

The third VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey will be online in the middle of 2014.  Pre-register to receive the survey via email, by sending your name, district and email address to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The survey is a total of 33 questions chosen by volunteers and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Your answers are confidential.

Last year’s survey was a great success with more than 1,400 participants. VFBV examined the results in detail to guide its own actions and briefed the CFA Board. See the full report here.

The third survey will show trends in volunteer opinions on issues chosen by your fellow volunteers and if you register today you’ll receive the survey automatically as soon as it opens.

  • CFA Training Strategy Survey - deadline extended to 15 April

You can download CFA’s Training Strategy Implementation Survey on Brigades Online or click here to take part. The survey closes on 15 April.

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Thursday, 13 March 2014 15:04

Invitation - Emergency Services Foundation Volunteer Leaders' Forum

Invitation - Emergency Services Foundation Volunteer Leaders' Forum

This year’s Emergency Services Foundation – 3rd Volunteer Leaders Forum, will be held in Melbourne on Saturday and Sunday 3 and 4 May.

Volunteers who wish to attend can be current volunteer leaders or prospective volunteer leaders - download the application form and details below.

The format for this year’s forum will include Day 1 at the Novotel St Kilda and Day 2 with a tour of the new training facility at Craigieburn.

The event offers;

  • „„ New Technology
  • „„ Meet Industry Leaders And Agency Chiefs
  • „„ Leadership Training
  • „„ Key Site Tours
  • „„ Emergency Management Updates
  • „„ Networking

 

CFA has the opportunity to have 40 members attend, funded by the Foundation.

Members who wish to nominate to attend can do so by forwarding their nomination direct to the Emergency Services Foundation as per the contact details on the last page of the attachment.  Applications close on the 31st March 2014.

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Thursday, 06 March 2014 00:00

2014 VFBV Urban Championships

2014 VFBV Urban Championships

Kangaroo Flat has won the title of Champion Brigade, at the 2014 Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) Urban Championships, at Bendigo.

Jamie Hart and Tom Dargaville, of Kangaroo Flat, were named Champion Competitors.

The Championship weekend included a torchlight procession through central Bendigo and featured hundreds of competitors in 67 teams including several from WA.

The event was hosted by the Bendigo & District Fire Brigades Championship Committee, CFA and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

The three days of competition included events based on practical firefighting activities, building fitness, team skills and capabilities with hoses, hydrants and other equipment that make them a useful addition to each Brigade’s regular weekly training regime.

The championships also offer one of same benefits as staging a major fire brigade exercise; giving Brigades and volunteers the chance to build the networks that pay off when they work together on large scale bushfires and other major emergencies.

The firefighters’ championships are one aspect of VFBV’s role as a statewide network of CFA’s 60,000 volunteers.  The events continue a Victorian volunteer fire brigade tradition of more than 140 years.

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

Dry Aggregate

1st        Kangaroo Flat             24 Points

2nd        Drouin/Bunyip            21 Points

3rd        Maryvale                     8 Points

 

Wet Aggregate

1st        Kangaroo Flat             58 Points

2nd        Benalla                        52 Points

3rd        Traralgon                     42 Points        

 

SECTION AGGREGATES:

‘A’ SECTION

1st        Kangaroo Flat             82 Points

2nd        Drouin/Bunyip            42 Points

3rd        Narre Warren              37 Points

 

‘B’ SECTION

1st        Kooweerup                 50 Points

2nd        Traralgon                     47 Points

3rd        Cobden                       40 Points

 

‘C’ SECTION

1st        Benalla                        63 Points

2nd        Patterson River           41 Points

3rd        St Arnaud                   39 Points

 

2014 CHAMPION BRIGADE: KANGAROO FLAT

Coach David Dargaville, and competitors:   Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Glen Scholtes, Jamie Hart, Jacob Cahill, James Murphy, Shane Every, Craig Peters, Andrew Smith, Kate Dargaville, Tyler Harris, Nathan Styles, Adam Melis, Cheri O’Neill & Brett Styles.

 

Results for the 2014 Champion Competitor:

Equal 1st        Jamie Hart and Tom Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat        19 points

3rd        Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                                      17 points

=4th      Jackson Dargaville & Matt Royal (Maryvale)                    14 points

 

The Victoria / Western Australia Challenge took place after the final event, the Champion Fours, and was won by the Victorian team.  The competitors of the two teams for the Victoria / Western Australia Challenge were:

Western Australia:

Coach Horrie Hubble – South Hedland, and competitors

Andrew Seuren, Cory Goodhill & Catcher Dan Lawson – Mandurah Reece Parton, Tim Egerton-Green & Troy Rake – Harvey, Sam Trott – Brunswick Junction, Marlon Baars & Tim Bruce – South Hedland.

Victoria:

Coach David Dargaville, and competitors - Jackson Dargaville,Tom Dargaville, Jamie Hart

& Jacob Cahill – Kangaroo Flat, Peter Every – Wendouree, Kyle Hargreavs – Maffra, Steven Myers – Drouin/Bunyip, Arthur Churchill – Narre Warren, Matty van Tilburg – Moe

 

RESULTS - EVENT BY EVENT

SATURDAY, 8th MARCH

Event 1, DISCIPLINE CONTEST

 

Section A:     1st        Mornington                                     90.00%

                        2nd        Melton A                                         89.55%

                        3rd        Mildura                                            89.09%

                         4th        Harvey W.A.                                   87.27%

                         5th        Eaglehawk A                                 85.91%

 

Section B:     1st        Kyneton                                          87.27%

                        2nd        Belgrave                                        86.36%

                        3rd        South Hedland W.A.                     83.64%

                        4th        Kooweerup                                    82.73%

                        5th        Horsham                                        81.36%

 

Section C:     1st        Knox Group                           92.73%

                        2nd        Patterson River                    92.27%

                        3rd        Hoppers Crossing              88.64%

                        4th        Benalla                                  86.36%

                        5th        Whittlesea                            85.45%

 

Event No. 2 –  Ladder Race - One Competitor 

1st       Jackson Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat                 6.12 seconds  

2nd        Troy Ranke, Harvey W.A.                                   6.68 seconds

3rd        Andrew Norman, Hampton Park/Hallam       6.69 seconds

4th        Jake Rennie, Tatura                                           6.70 seconds

5th        Cory Goodhill, Mandurah W.A.                          6.83 seconds

 

Event  3 - Hydrant Race - One Competitor 

1st       Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                        11.43 seconds

2nd        Michael Coleman, Maffra                             11.82 seconds

3rd        Josh Pike, Mildura                                         11.86 seconds

4th        Damon Sutton, Wendouree                         12.11 seconds

5th        Jake Rennie, Tatura                                      12.48 seconds

 

Event 4 – B Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Pyramid Hill                                                    15.69 seconds

2nd        Geelong West                                               15.99 seconds

3rd        Traralgon                                                        16.09 seconds

4th        Hampton Park/Hallam                                 16.16 seconds

5th        Horsham                                                         16.43 seconds

 

Event No. 5 - C Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st       Leigh Barclay, Belmont                                 24.97 seconds

2nd        Cameron Whelan, Warracknabeal            27.45 seconds

3rd        Adam Bishop, Warrnambool                       27.62 seconds

4th        Devon Winsall, Belmont                               27.73 seconds

5th        Shaune Winsall, Warracknabeal                 27.89 seconds

 

Event No.  6 - A Section Hose and Ladder Eights

1st       Kangaroo Flat                                                   20.72 seconds

2nd        Wendouree                                                       21.47 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                                             21.74 seconds

4th        Narre Warren                                                    21.77 seconds

5th        Eaglehawk A                                                     21.82 seconds

 

Event  No. 7 - B Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st       Simon Hanigan, Belgrave                                25.67 seconds

2nd        Andrew Marshall, Cobden                              26.31 seconds

3rd        Brad Atkinson, Belgrave                                  26.88 seconds

4th        Cody Brown, Traralgon                                    27.78 seconds

5th        Wayne Sampson, South Hedland W.A.        28.06 seconds 

 

Event No. 8 - C Section Hose and Reel Fours

1st       Benalla                                                              17.84 seconds

2nd        Whittlesea                                                       18.47 seconds

3rd        Stanhope                                                          19.38 seconds

4th        St Arnaud                                                         19.55 seconds

5th        Warracknabeal                                                20.11 seconds 

 

Event No. 9 - A Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st        Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                          23.81 seconds

2nd        Matthew Royal, Maryvale                                 23.99 seconds

3rd        Mitch Golding, Drouin/Bunyip                         24.41 seconds

4th        Thomas Germon, Wendouree                      25.31 seconds

5th        Damon Sutton, Wendouree                           25.44 seconds

 

Event  No. 10 - B Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       Kooweerup                                                      30.03 seconds

2nd        Werribee                                                         30.51 seconds

3rd        South Hedland, W.A.                                     32.11 seconds

4th        Maldon                                                             33.18 seconds

5th        Cobden                                                            34.27 seconds

 

Torchlight Procession

1st        Maffra                                                    96%

=2nd     Hoppers Crossing & Mildura           93%

4th        Melton                                                   91%

=5th      Kangaroo Flat & Swan Hill               90%

 

SUNDAY, 9th MARCH

 

Event 11– C Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Eaglehawk B                                 17.80 seconds

2nd        Mooroopna                                   18.43 seconds

3rd        Benalla                                          18.46 seconds

4th        Warracknabeal                            18.79 seconds

5th        Seymour                                       20.17 seconds

 

Event 12 - A Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       James Murphy & Shane Every, Kangaroo Flat           14.29 seconds

2nd        Jared Squires & Josh Powell, Melton                         14.72 seconds

3rd        Chris Johnson & David Fromberg, Maryvale             15.11 seconds

4th        Tim Edgerton-Green & Luke Jones, Harvey W.A.     15.37 seconds

5th        Adrian Jones & Dale Hutchinson, Narre Warren      15.49 seconds

 

Event 13 - B Section Hose and Ladder Eights 

1st       Werribee                                                                              23.29 seconds

2nd        Traralgon                                                                            23.63 seconds

3rd        Cobden                                                                               23.82 seconds

4th        Kyneton                                                                              24.43 seconds

5th        Sorrento                                                                            24.61 seconds

 

Event 14 - C Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       Mark & Tim Mullins, Patterson River                             15.36 seconds

2nd        Brenton & Leonard Lawrence, Hoppers Crossing    16.65 seconds

3rd        Adam & Sam Bishop, Warrnambool                             17.67 seconds

4th        Matthew & Cameron Crellin, Mansfield                         18.23 seconds

5th        Nick Bailey & Les Palpratt, Benalla                               18.49 seconds

 

Event 15 - A Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st       Kangaroo Flat                                                                    26.95 seconds

2nd        Narre Warren                                                                   27.69 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                                                                  28.03 seconds

4th        Bendigo                                                                            28.16 seconds

5th        Wendouree                                                                      28.39 seconds

 

Event 16 - B Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       Andrew Marshall & Ben Nelson, Cobden                   15.84 seconds

2nd        Tim & Joshua Harvey, Kooweerup                              16.34 seconds

3rd        Brendan Webbers & John Roberts, Kooweerup       16.95 seconds

4th        Russell Dow & James Templeton, Belgrave               17.38 seconds

5th        Liam Bunn & Brett Magrath, Kyneton                             17.47 seconds 

 

Event 17 - C Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       St Arnaud                                                                             30.47 seconds

2nd        Whittlesea                                                                          32.06 seconds

3rd        Warracknabeal                                                                   32.17 seconds

4th        Sale                                                                                      33.88 seconds

5th        Mooroopna                                                                          34.44 seconds

 

Event 18 - A Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

1st       Narre Warren                                                                     11.68 seconds

2nd        Melton A                                                                              11.71 seconds

3rd        Dandenong                                                                        12.07 seconds

4th        Drouin/Bunyip                                                                    12.75 seconds

5th        Creswick                                                                             12.94 seconds

 

Event 19 - B Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Traralgon                                                                             33.88 seconds

2nd        Sorrento                                                                             34.58 seconds

3rd        Kooweerup                                                                        35.92 seconds

4th        Werribee                                                                            37.15 seconds

5th        South Hedland, W.A.                                                       37.57 seconds 

 

Event 20 - C Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

1st       Benalla                                    14.65 seconds

2nd        Sale                                         15.49 seconds

3rd        Warracknabeal            15.71 seconds

4th        Warrnambool                          15.80 seconds

5th        Stanhope                                 16.20 seconds

 

Event 21 - A Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Eaglehawk A                          30.37 seconds

2nd        Kangaroo Flat                         30.40 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                 33.03 seconds

4th        Creswick                                 33.16 seconds

5th        Euroa                                       33.18 seconds

 

Event 22 - B Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

1st       Kooweerup                             14.01 seconds

2nd        Traralgon                                 14.69 seconds

3rd        Geelong West                         15.26 seconds

4th        Cobden                                   16.16 seconds

5th        Horsham                                  16.25 seconds

 

Event 23 – C Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Patterson River                       35.40 seconds

2nd        Benalla                                    37.81 seconds

3rd        Eaglehawk B                           39.24 seconds

4th        Whittlesea                               39.62 seconds

5th        Warrnambool                          41.87 seconds

 

Event 24 - A Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       Maffra                                         28.47 seconds

2nd        Moe                                           28.62 seconds

3rd        Narre Warren                          28.72 seconds

4th        Bendigo                                   28.81 seconds

5th        Dandenong                             31.98 seconds 

 

MONDAY, MARCH 10th

Event 25 – A Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Echuca                                    13.65 seconds

2nd        Maryvale                                 13.95 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                       14.18 seconds

4th        Swan Hill                               14.42 seconds

5th        Dandenong                           15.08 seconds

 

Event 26 - B Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors

1st       South Hedland W.A.                 8.50 seconds  

2nd        Werribee                                   8.59 seconds

3rd        Traralgon                                   8.86 seconds

4th        Kooweerup                               8.93 seconds

5th        Cobden                                    8.96 seconds

 

Event 27 - C Section Hose and Ladder Fives 

1st       St Arnaud                                   22.16 seconds

2nd        Patterson River                       23.57 seconds

3rd        Sale                                           23.93 seconds

 

Event 28 - A Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st       Kangaroo Flat                         7.82 seconds  

2nd        Swan Hill                                8.16 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                        8.17 seconds

4th        Mildura                                    8.20 seconds

5th        Wendouree                            8.35 seconds

 

Event 29 - B Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st       Belgrave                                  29.52 seconds

2nd        Maldon                                    31.93 seconds

3rd        South Hedland W.A.              32.26 seconds

4th        Cobden                                   32.31 seconds

5th        Geelong West                         32.39 seconds

 

Event 30 - C Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st       Benalla                                    7.86 seconds  

2nd        Belmont                                 8.26 seconds

3rd        St Arnaud                               8.74 seconds

4th        Patterson River                      8.82 seconds

5th        Sale                                         9.10 seconds

 

Event 31 - Champion Fours 

1st       Kangaroo Flat                         17.19 seconds

2nd        Cobden                                   17.35 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                 17.47 seconds

4th        Drouin/Bunyip                        17.63 seconds

5th        Golden Square                       18.21 seconds

4th        Benalla                                     24.04 seconds

5th        Knox Group                              24.19 seconds

 

 

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Monday, 24 February 2014 08:35

VFBV Junior Urban State Championships

VFBV Junior Urban State Championships

2014 VFBV Junior Urban State Championships at Swan Hill, 22 and 23 February.

FINAL RESULTS

Sunday 23rd February

EVENT 1

UNDER 14 YRS HYDRANT RACE

WANGARATTA                   10.6

MARYVALE A                      10.81

SALE A                                 11.02

EAGLEHAWK                       11.08

HAMPTON PARK                  11.24

EVENT 2

UNDER 17 YRS

Y COUPLING TWO COMPETITORS

BENALLA A                              11.85

TATURA A                                12.52

MELTON A                               12.78

SALE B                                     13.16

PAKENHAM A                          13.45

EVENT 3

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE - STRIKING SECOND DISC- FOUR COMPETITORS

MOE B                                    18.76

DROUIN BUNYIP                    18.89

MELTON A                              19.01

SWAN HILL A                          19.28

SALE A                                     19.41

EVENT 4

UNDER 17 YRS

Y - COUPLING FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                             8.21

 WA KELLERBERRIN A        8.29

BENALLA A                           8.45

MOE A                                    8.52

SALE A                                  8.72

EVENT 5

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING FIRST AND SECOND DISCS

SWAN HILL A                          16.92

TATURA A                               18.38

BENALLA A                              18.39

MAFFRA A                                18.46

SALE A                                     19.01

EVENT 6

UNDER 14 YRS

MARSHALL - ONE COMPETITOR

TATURA A                                   29.67

SALE A                                         31.53

KOOWEERUP A                          31.74

BENALLA A                                   32.14

SEYMOUR                                     33.23

EVENT 7

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING FIRST AND SECOND DISCS

TATURA A                                    18.52

BENALLA A                                  21.01

MORWELL                                   21.06

SALE A                                         21.64

WANGARATTA A                         21.84

EVENT 8

UNDER 17 YRS

MARSHALL ONE COMPETITOR

BENALLA A                                 27.46

ROWVILLE A                               28.89

PYRAMID HILL                            30.60

THE BASIN A                               30.99

DROUIN/BUNYIP                         31.00

EVENT 9

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE - TWO COMPETITORS

TATURA A                                 9.98

BENALLA A                              10.26

 MELTON A                              10.46

EUROA A                                  11.21

WARRACKNABEAL                   11.23

EVENT 10

UNDER 14 YEARS MARSHALL

TWO COMPETITORS

WERRIBEE/HOPPERS CROSSING A     20.41

TATURA A                                                 20.78

ROWVILLE A                                             21.10

KOOWEERUP A                                        21.34

MAFFRA A                                                 21.46

EVENT 11

UNDER 14 YEARS WET HOSE

TWO COMPETITORS

TATURA A                               11.78

MOE B                                     12.10

MORWELL                               12.19

KANGAROO FLAT A               12.57

SWAN  HILL A                         12.58

EVENT 12

UNDER 17 YEARS HYDRANT RACE

ONE COMPETITOR

KOOWEERUP B                      12.46

TATURA A                                12.86

SALE A                                     12.92

SWAN HILL A                           12.97

KOOWEERUP A                       12.98       

EVENT 13

UNDER 14 YEARS  Y COUPLING

TWO COMPETITORS

SALE A                                     12.88

SWAN HILL A                           13.44

BENALLA A                              13.74

TATURA A                                13.90

MOE B                                      14.74

EVENT 14

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING SECOND DISC - FOUR COMPETITIORS

MOE A                                      15.68

SWAN HILL A                            15.82

MILDURA                                  16.29

MAFFRA A                                 16.51

TATURA A                                 16.69

EVENT 15

UNDER 14 YRS

Y COUPLING FOUR COMPETITORS

BENALLA A                               10.11

THE BASIN A                             10.34

MOE B                                        10.81

EUROA A                                    10.83

MARYVALE                                 10.89

EVENT 16

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING SECOND DISC TWICE - FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                                 15.55

BENALLA A                               16.15

MAFFRA  A                                17.22

SWAN HILL A                            17.59

BENALLA A                               17.82

EVENT 17

UNDER 17 YEARS MARSHALL

TWO COMPETITORS

MELTON A                      17.36

MILDURA                        17.39

SALE A                           17.55

KANGAROO FLAT A     18.49

MORWELL                      18.55

EVENT 18

UNDER 17 YEARS

WET HOSE STRIKING ONE DISC TWICE

FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                         14.60

SWAN HILL A                    14.86

TATURA B                         14.91

SALE A                              15.21

MAFFRA A                        15.32

 

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

DRY AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                  33 POINTS

2ND      BENALLA A                 32 POINTS

3RD      SALE A                        23 POINTS

WET AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                   46 POINTS

2ND      SWAN HILL A              23 POINTS

3RD      BENALLA A                 18 POINTS

UNDER 14 YEARS AGGREGATE

1ST      TATURA A                    39 POINTS

2ND     BENALLA A                   23 POINTS

3RD     SALE A                          19 POINTS

UNDER 17 YEARS AGGREGATE

1ST      TATURA A                     40 POINTS

2ND      BENALLA A                  27 POINTS

3RD      SWAN HILL A               20 POINTS

GRAND AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                   79 POINTS

2ND       BENALLA A                 50 POINTS

3RD       SWAN HILL A              30 POINTS

2014 - CHAMPION BRIGADE MEMBERS - TATURA A

COACHES: MARTIN RENNI,DARREN RENNIE & DAMIEN BRIESE

COMPETITORS: JOSH BERRY

BILLY BROWNING- BRIESE

HARRY BROWNING BRIESE

GUILZ MEOLA

MATTHEW RENNIE

NATHAN RENNIE

GRADY TYSON

TIM WILSON

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Thursday, 20 February 2014 00:00

Latrobe Valley Open Cut fires

Latrobe Valley Open Cut fires

VFBV NOTE FOR VOLUNTEERS – 20 February 2014

Latrobe Valley Open Cut fires

This note is intended to provide a general update on the operations under way in the Latrobe Valley, in particular in the Hazelwood open cut and the Yallourn open cut.

Large numbers of CFA personnel, both volunteer and career, as well as personnel from MFB and other agencies, and mine contract staff, are currently deployed in rotating shifts to these hazmat/fire incidents.

The predominant deployment is to the Hazelwood brown coal open cut mine.

This is a high risk incident environment and CFA has initiated a number of precautions, along with safety management procedures, to manage the risk to personnel and in particular manage any effects of exposure to an identified carbon monoxide exposure risk.  Being a brown coal fire environment, there is potential for exposure to other gas and substance-specific risks dependent on the location of the firefighter within the open cut, combustion patterns, and resultant gas/substance concentration pockets and conditions impacting at the time.  These exposures are hard to predict or identify, which is no doubt part of the logic underpinning CFA’s decision to treat this incident as a hazmat incident.

At VFBV’s request, the Fire Services Commissioner has engaged an independent monitor to review the safety procedures required and in place, at and around the open cut incident.  VFBV has also requested a transparent process to keep us informed of the results of the audit.

The audit was requested last Friday morning by VFBV, and approved and actioned by the Fire Services Commissioner by late Friday/Saturday morning.  We understand the monitor has been onsite for much of the intervening time and is providing advice to the Fire Service Commissioner.

VFBV representatives have also visited the site both as observers and as operational volunteers, confirming to us the importance of best possible safety procedures and confirming our desire for independent monitoring.

In the meantime VFBV has also requested that significant improvements be made to CFA’s communications with members, to ensure that anybody considering deployment to the incident is aware of; the incident situation, the potential exposure, particularly to high carbon monoxide levels, and the precautions that should be taken.

At the minimum, our advice to members is that those with any respiratory vulnerability should consider whether it is appropriate that they deploy to this incident.  CFA has also advised that there is heightened risk of impact to unborn children and therefore that women who either are, or could possibly be, pregnant should not attend the incident.

There should be specific advice and instruction about these matters in CFA’s incident action planning and deployment arrangements, and members should refer to this or seek this advice formally from CFA before being deployed.

CFA has implemented procedures at the open cut site to monitor carbon monoxide exposure levels amongst crews, and carbon monoxide gas detection units are being deployed with each crew.  VFBV has raised a concern about the adequacy of this arrangement, requesting consideration of individual allocation of gas detection for all personnel entering the open cut.  We will continue to pursue this issue.

Work arrangements are in place based on a risk assessment of the various zones being worked within the open cut, and where a particular zone is considered to be of a certain risk level, then CFA advises that BA equipment is on immediate standby for each person working in these particular areas (on a one-for-one basis).

CFA has instigated work rotation cycles for personnel being deployed into the open cut and we expect these are going to be continually reviewed and refined in light of the ongoing carbon monoxide monitoring trend results.  Once again, any person being deployed to the open cut should ensure they are made aware of these procedures and follow them.

We have asked CFA to provide more specific and reliable regular updates of communication to members about the incident, the risk exposure and the safety precautions in place.

There are also potential impacts on the general public near the open cut and in areas impacted by smoke from the fires, and VFBV has expressed concern and asked CFA to ensure that the public messaging about the situation and potential exposures is reviewed to ensure it is adequate.

For more information, see www.cfa.vic.gov.au - Should you have any concerns to report, contact VFBV at (03) 9886 1141 or on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ends…

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Friday, 14 February 2014 12:36

Grants and Government Assistance after Bushfires

VFBV is actively supporting volunteers experiencing difficulty after the 2013/14 bushfires.

In response to enquiries about assistance for volunteers affected by these fires, we have compiled information about the support currently available from the State Government and other agencies.

See below to download a list of useful contacts and information on the assistance available from the State Government and other sources.

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Thursday, 13 February 2014 16:09

BRIAN POTTER QFSM NM

BRIAN POTTER QFSM NM

It is with great sadness that Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria has heard of the passing of former CFA Chief Officer and long serving CFA volunteer Brian Potter.

Brian was a gentleman, a friend to the volunteers, a respected front line firefighter and a significant reformer of Victoria’s CFA. 

He was a long serving volunteer with the Upper Ferntree Gully, Ferntree Gully and Langwarrin Fire Brigades.  As volunteers, we are proud to have counted him among our number.

As Chief Officer of the CFA, Brian Potter left a legacy of a better fire service for Victoria; he was instrumental in the introduction of the AIIMS system that is the basis of modern Incident Management Teams, and many other fundamental improvements.

He retired from his career employment with CFA in 1991, but was held in such esteem that he was brought in as an expert advisor following the major fires of 2006-07 and 2009.

Having volunteered since 1958, Brian maintained an active involvement in CFA throughout his life and was still an active volunteer with the Langwarrin Fire Brigade in recent years.

In his later years, in defiance of his own illness, Brian Potter was a valuable spokesman for the campaign run by VFBV and the UFU for better access to cancer compensation for CFA volunteers and career staff who suffer cancer as a result of their front line service to the community. 

VFBV extends the condolences of all CFA volunteers to Brian’s family and friends.

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Thursday, 06 February 2014 00:00

AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT - CFA AND SES MANAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS

AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT - CFA AND SES MANAGEMENT OF VOLUNTEERS

The Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) has just released its report Managing Emergency Services Volunteers, the result of an audit that set out to assess whether CFA and SES effectively and efficiently manage emergency services volunteers.

VFBV is examining the report in detail and is calling for volunteer feedback. 

Click here for the Auditor General’s report.

Click here for VFBV’s media release

Our observations after an initial examination of the Auditor General’s findings are;

The report confirms volunteers are vital to Emergency Management in Victoria.  It states that volunteers save Victoria in the order of $12.6 Billion per year, and we know CFA volunteers are worth in the order of $1 to $2 billion. CFA volunteers are a billion dollar resource.

The report recognises volunteers are unpaid professionals and provide essential services that could not be economically provided by a paid workforce.

There is a need to ensure there is excellent support, intelligence, and efforts and systems in place to encourage strengthen and maintain volunteer capability.  This is not a small issue; volunteers are 97% of the CFA workforce and CFA protects 60% of suburban Melbourne and all of country Victoria - not to mention the power, water and communications systems that serve the entire state.

There are large parts of Victoria where CFA’s emergency response is volunteer run and managed, so it is critical that CFA and the Government understand what attracts and keeps volunteers and what they need in the way of training, equipment and support to do the job.

Investing in CFA’s support to volunteers is not a cost - it is a wise investment, and the report brings into question the wisdom of recent budget cuts to CFA.

The report recognises volunteers have the capacity, the expertise and the interest to do what needs to be done, but the management of, and support to get the very best from this huge and vital resource could be improved.

This isn’t a surprise to us, we want CFA and Government to invest in the best possible support to recruiting, training and equipping volunteers.  And we want the volunteer capability to be utilised – put to work in the roles they train for – that’s the key to keeping them.

As demand grows in growing communities, we must grow the support to recruit, train and equip a volunteer capability.  As community decline impacts on volunteer availability – we must find flexible solutions to ensure you get the best possible use of the volunteer capability that is there.

Investing in volunteer capability is the only viable option for the continued provision of many essential services.  Contemplating that volunteers can be replaced by paid workforce is not economically viable.

VFBV encourages volunteers to read the Auditor General’s report and send comments, questions and suggestions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Thursday, 06 February 2014 15:15

Have your say on . . .

  • Uniforms

A new VFBV Uniform Working Party will progress the Station Wear/Field Wear issues raised by the Chief Officer.

District Councils have been asked to choose delegates to a reference group, coordinating grass roots input to decisions and VFBV’s official position.

Contact your District Council to take part.

  • CFA Training Strategy Survey

You can download CFA’s Training Strategy Implementation Survey on Brigades Online or click here to take part. The survey closes on 31 March.

  • CFA Section 29 Brigade Feedback trial

Brigades are invited to participate in the trial, either along with their Section 29 or stand-alone.

Click here to take part.

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Thursday, 06 February 2014 14:50

Australia Day Honours 2014

Australia Day Honours 2014

VFBV extends its congratulations to all CFA members who were honoured with the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) or the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

David Gerrard AFSM - Beaufort CFA volunteer, Captain of 22 years, Deputy Group Officer and former District 16 VFBV President.

Peter Schmidt AFSM - CFA’s Southern Regional Director is also an ex Captain, former Deputy Group Officer and volunteer of 30 years. He currently volunteers with the Sorrento Fire Brigade.

Andrew O'Connell AFSM - an Operations Commander with the MFB, Andrew is also a long serving volunteer with Hurstbridge Fire Brigade.

Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) are;

Leon Williams OAM (Mooroopna CFA)

Ian Bodinnar OAM (Nyah Nyah West CFA)

Norm Bodinnar OAM (Nyah Nyah West CFA)

John McEvoy OAM (Dederang CFA)

Alan George Eley OAM (Echuca CFA)

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Page 11 of 15
CFA Volunteers are the unpaid professionals of our Emergency Services. VFBV is their united voice, and speaks on behalf of Victoria's 60,000 CFA Volunteers.

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