CFA’s 2015 Wellbeing Research Survey closes at midnight this Sunday, 20 December.

The survey is anonymous, takes about 15 minutes to complete and is designed to help CFA improve its mental health and wellbeing services for all members.

If you have questions about the survey or would like a paper based version of it, please contact CFA’s wellbeing intake line on (03) 9262 8409.

To take the survey online, click on this link

For more information about CFA’s support services, go to

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth

23 to 25 October at Echuca

Meet the teams and our sponsors here

The Australasian Firefighters Championships celebrates more than a decade of competition and celebration of fire ground skills.  The 2015 Australasian Firefighters Championships will be hosted by the Country Fire Authority and held 23 to 25 October at Echuca, with 30 teams from Australian States & Territories, New Zealand & Fiji competing in 10 championship events.

The Australasian Firefighter Championships are a biannual event governed by a Championship Committee, the membership drawn from two representatives of each public fire agency and related associations across Australasia. The next scheduled Australasian Championships would be conducted in the spring of 2017.

In 2003, the inaugural National Firefighters Championship, encompassing teams from each Australian State and Territory as well as New Zealand, was held in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.  The biennial event was subsequently hosted by Queensland on the Gold Coast in 2005 and again in Lakes Entrance, Victoria in 2007.  In 2009, the event was been re-branded as the “Australasian Firefighter Championships” and hosted by New Zealand for the first time in Rotorua.

In 2011 the event returned to New South Wales in Port Macquarie, and in 2013 the Championships was hosted by Tasmania at Launceston.

The embryo for the current Australasian Firefighter Championships had its beginnings with the Centenary of Federation Firefighter Championships held in Corowa, NSW in 2001. Firefighters have competed in interstate and trans-Tasman competitions since 1876. So successful was the Corowa 2001 event that the concept of biannual National Championships gained momentum with the formation of a National Firefighter Championships Committee formed from member fire agencies and related associations. In 2009, the acceptance of teams from the New Zealand Fire Service and their hosting of the event saw the re-branding to the Australasian Firefighter Championships.

Updated July 2015 Calendar available for download below

The Statewide 2015 IMT course application form is now available at Brigades Online - members from emergency service agencies, including CFA, DELWP, MFB, SES and EMV, can access a variety of courses.

The courses are designed to provide technical skills necessary to undertake a number of IMT roles. Following training, there are agency specific requirements that must be met in order to become fully accredited in a particular role.

To nominate for one of the courses in the calendar, you need to complete the course nomination form before the course closing date. Both training and role pre-requisites are outlined. You must have all pre-requisites before nominating for a course.

If you have been identified by your District for a course, you need to complete the IMT training nomination form authorised by your District Operational Manager. If you are a staff member, you will have to speak to your functional manager for approval.

Click here for the course nomination form at Brigades Online

See below to download an updated (July 2015) copy of the course calendar.

Click here to take The 2015 VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey

Click here to learn more about the annual survey

Talk to other volunteers in your Brigade about taking part - More participants means greater influence for the survey results when we take them to CFA, the Emergency Management Commissioner and the State Government.

The survey is open until 31 August 2015.

You can see the 2014 results by clicking here

This year, VICSES volunteers have their own survey, hosted by VFBV on behalf of VESA – VICSES volunteers can click here to take part or find out more here.

Emergency Management Victoria (EMV) is the State Convenor for the awards this year, the awards are open to local emergency projects and applications are open now.

The national awards, now in their 16^th year, recognise and promote initiatives that help make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to manage natural disasters.

Victorian winners last year included the Violet Town CFA Red Bucket and Know Your Neighbours program, the St Andrews 2014 Fire Preparedness Calendar, the ‘Are U Ready – surviving small business disaster’ publication, Emergency Support Team – Emerald Pilot Project and the Hume Region Corrections Victoria – Emergency Response initiative.

Applications are judged at the state and territory level and winners become finalists for the national judging. There is also a photography award for photos that communicate work in disaster resilience.

Click here for full details on the Emergency Management Victoria website.

The 2015 Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Surveyis now open until 31 August - to complete the survey now click here.

The Victorian Emergency Service Association (VESA) invites all VICSES volunteers to take part in a volunteer-run survey that will better equip your association to advise VICSES and Government on what’s most important to volunteers.

The survey as designed and road tested with emergency management volunteers, so it gets straight to the point on issues that matter to the people on the front line.  The survey includes 33 questions on those issues, and takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete.  Each question asks how important the issue is to you, and how well you feel it is being handled by VICSES. 

Why a volunteer survey?

This annual survey began with the CFA volunteers’ association, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) three years ago, and VFBV is how hosting the VICSES volunteers’ version on behalf of VESA.

The results will be compared year to year, to show trends in how volunteers feel on each of the issues.  It is a co-operative process; VFBV and the CFA Board both study the CFA volunteers’ version to highlight aspects of volunteer support that need attention.  VESA will put our survey to the same use, providing reliable facts and figures to support the association’s representation of all VICSES volunteers.

Your individual answers will be confidential, but the overall results will go straight to the decision makers.

The survey is designed to identify the factors that volunteers feel have a key impact on their welfare and efficiency, to establish ways of measuring whether things are getting better or worse, and to develop a process that uses these measures to ensure better support for VICSES volunteers and Units. 

Open to all VICSES volunteers

This survey is making our representation more effective and making sure every volunteer’s voice has the chance to be heard, whether you and your Unit are actively involved with VESA or not.

Last year’s survey drew more than 1,600 responses.

The survey will give VESA facts and figures we can use in working for the benefit of volunteers, Units and the communities they protect, so we urge all VICSES volunteers to take part. 

To complete the survey now, click here.

If you would prefer a paper survey sent by post, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or email the VESA Secretary at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  The survey will remain open until 31 August 2015.

The survey is now open until 31 August - to take part now, click here.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) invites all CFA volunteers to take part in a volunteer-run survey that will better equip your association to advise the CFA Board and State Government on what’s most important to volunteers.

We designed and road tested the VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey with volunteers, so it gets straight to the point on issues that matter to the people on the front line.  The survey includes 33 questions and takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete.  Each question asks how important the issue is to you, and how well you feel it is being handled by CFA. 

Why a fourth survey?

This year’s survey results will be compared with the first three years' figures, to show trends in how volunteers feel on each of the issues.  It is a co-operative process; VFBV and the CFA Board both studied the first three years' results and will continue to use the survey to highlight aspects of volunteer support that need attention.  Your individual answers will be confidential, but the overall results will go straight to the decision makers.

The survey is an important step forward in volunteer representation.  VFBV is established under the CFA Act to represent volunteers on all matters that affect their welfare and efficiency, and the VFBV Board commissioned this project to identify the factors that volunteers feel have a key impact on their welfare and efficiency, to establish ways of measuring whether things are getting better or worse, and to develop a process that uses these measures to ensure better support for volunteers and Brigades.  By repeating the survey periodically, VFBV can track trends in volunteers’ opinions.

Open to all CFA volunteers

Most Brigades are affiliated with VFBV, its officials are CFA volunteers and VFBV represents volunteers in dealings with CFA, the State Government and Opposition, and official inquiries, on everything from routine equipment and procedures to the future of the emergency services as a whole.  This survey is making our representation more effective and making sure every volunteer’s voice has the chance to be heard, whether you and your Brigade are directly involved with VFBV or not.

Last year’s survey drew more than 1,600 responses.

The survey will give VFBV facts and figures we can use in working for the benefit of volunteers, Brigades and the communities they protect, so we urge all CFA volunteers to take part. 

To take part in the survey, click here.

Torquay A achieved the highest points overall at the 2015 VFBV State Rural Championships, which brought 600 competitors from 46 Brigades to St Arnaud for the weekend’s competition.

Napoleons/Enfield A won Division A with 38 points and Dunrobbin/Nangeela D won Division C with 42 points. St Arnaud, Strathdownie and Hurstbridge all appeared among the placings, District 22 won the Discipline Award, and Greta runners Sarah Hooper and Nathan Hooper won the sprints.

At the 2015 VFBV State Rural Junior Championships, Willaura A won the Champion Team title and the 11-15 Years Aggregate.

Springhurst A won the 11-13 Aggregate, Slaty Creek won the VFBV State President Encouragement Award, Willaura won the Stan Ross Conduct Trophy, Erin Munro of Dunrobbin/Nangeela and Lachlan Peck of Miners Rest won the 11-13 Years sprints, and Tiffany Bussem-Jorgensen of Beazleys Bridge and: Cooper Nelson or Irrewarre won the 11-15 Years sprints.

There will be a full report in the April edition of the Fireman, there are more pictures on the VFBV Facebook page www.facebook.com/cfavol and you can download the full results from both Championships by clicking here.

EVENT RESULTS - FINAL

SATURDAY, 7^th MARCH

Click here to download Aggregate Spreadsheet and Champion Competitor event scores

Event 1, DISCIPLINE CONTEST

Section A:      

Section B:      

Section C:      

Event No. 2 – Ladder Race - One Competitor 

Event  3 - Hydrant Race - One Competitor 

Event 4 – B Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

Event No. 5 - C Section Marshall - One Competitor 

Event No. 6 - A Section Hose and Ladder Eights

Event  No. 7 - B Section Marshall - One Competitor 

Event No. 8 - C Section Hose and Reel Fours

Event No. 9 - A Section Marshall - One Competitor 

Event  No. 10 - B Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

Torchlight Procession

SUNDAY, 8^th MARCH

Event 11– C Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

Event 12 - A Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

Event 13 - B Section Hose and Ladder Eights 

Event 14 - C Section Marshall - Two Competitors

Event 15 - A Section Hose and Reel Eights

Event 16 - B Section Marshall - Two Competitors

Event 17 - C Section Hose and Reel Sixes

Event 18 - A Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

Event 19 - B Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

Event 20 - C Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

Event 21 - A Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

Event 22 - B Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

Event 23 – C Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

Event 24 - A Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

MONDAY, MARCH 9^th  

Event 25 – A Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

Event 26 - B Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors

Event 27 - C Section Hose and Ladder Fives 

Event 28 - A Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

Event 29 - B Section Hose and Reel Eights

Event 30 - C Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

Event 31 - Champion Fours 

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

Dry Aggregate

Wet Aggregate

SECTION AGGREGATES:

‘A’ SECTION

‘B’ SECTION

‘C’ SECTION

2015 CHAMPION BRIGADE: Kangaroo Flat

The team members of Kangaroo Flat are Coach David Dargaville, and competitors:

Jackson Dargaville

Tomas Dargaville

Shane Every

Shane Harris

Tyler Harris

Jamie Hart

Jack Mactier

Adam Mellis

James Murphy

Craig Peters

Andrew Smith

Results for the 2015 Champion Competitor:

The Victoria / Western Australia Challenge took place after the final event, the Champion Fours, and was won by the Western Australian team in a time of 29.15 seconds with the Victorian team 29.96 seconds. The competitors of the two teams for the Victoria / Western Australia Challenge were:

Western Australian:

            Tim Egerton-Green     Harvey

            Cory Goodhill             Mandurah

            Scott Hendon              Mandurah

            Phil Johnson                Mandurah

            Luke Jones                  Harvey

            Levi Pope                    Harvey

            Steve Rees                  Harvey

            Jarrod White               Mandurah

            Catcher Vaea Peterson, Carterton N.Z.

            & Coach - Richard Epplett, Carterton N.Z.  

Victoria:

Jackson Dargaville,    

Tom Dargaville &

Jamie Hart                  Kangaroo Flat

Evan Bramley             Drouin/Bunyip

Michael Coleman        Maffra

Dale Hutchinson         Narre Warren

Nathan Rennie                        Tatura

Matt Royal                  Maryvale

Catcher Peter Fiddes, Tatura

& Coach David Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat

The Statewide 2015 IMT calendar is now available at Brigades Online - members from emergency service agencies, including CFA, DELWP, MFB, SES and EMV, can access a variety of courses.

The courses are designed to provide technical skills necessary to undertake a number of IMT roles. Following training, there are agency specific requirements that must be met in order to become fully accredited in a particular role.

To nominate for one of the courses in the calendar, you need to complete the course nomination form before the course closing date. Both training and role pre-requisites are outlined. You must have all pre-requisites before nominating for a course.

If you have been identified by your district for a course, you need to complete the IMT training nomination form authorised by your District Operational Manager. If you are a staff number, you will have to speak to your functional manager for approval.

Click here for the calendar at Brigades Online

Click here for the course nomination form at Brigades Online

Tatura's juniors have dominated the 2015 VFBV Urban Junior Championships at Horsham, with a strong win from Benalla and Drouin/Bunyip.

Click here for full results.

More than 700 junior CFA volunteers from Victoria and WA took part, in events involving fitness, skill and speed with hoses and equipment, and putting water onto a target.

One thousand spectators and supporters were there to see 75 teams from 46 Brigades competing, in events hosted by Horsham Fire Brigade and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

Aggregate results are;

WET AGGREGATE

1^st TATURA A 37 points

2^nd SWAN HILL A 16 points

=3^rd EUROA A & MOE A 13 points

UNDER 14 YEARS AGGREGATE

1^st TATURA A 43 points

2^nd DROUIN/BUNYIP 26 points

3^rd BENALLA 18 points

UNDER 17 YEARS AGGREGATE

1^st TATURA A 29 points

2^nd SWAN HILL A 24 points

3^rd MOE A 22 points

GRAND AGGREGATE

1^st TATURA A 72 points

2^nd BENALLA 28 points

3^rd DROUIN/BUNYIP 26 points

2015 -Champion Brigade Members – TATURA A

Coaches Martin Rennie, Darren Rennie & Damian Briese, and competitors:

Leigh Dann

Guilz Meola

Hayley Rennie

Matthew Rennie

Nathan Rennie

Grady Tyson

Floyd Vincitorio

Jeremey Withal

Click here for the events program, list of competing Brigades, championship rules and media contact detaills.

Programs and teams for the 2015 VFBV Urban Championships and Junior Urban Championships are now available for download.

Click here for the Urban Championships page

Applications closing soon.

The Emergency Services Scholarship Foundation awards fellowships and grants under the ESF Scholarship Scheme to members of the Victorian emergency services that provide assistance to the Victorian community, to aid them to undertake advanced studies in Australia and overseas.

Scholarship proposals can focus on a range of areas containing a primary interest in pre-hospital emergency health or emergency services including but not limited to:

           - Pre-hospital emergency patient treatment

           - Emergency prevention

           - Preparedness, response, recovery and risk management elements of their agency’s roles

           - Lessening hazards experience by emergency service workers

           - Pre-hospital care.

Although relevance across a range of agencies is an advantage, it is not mandatory.

For more information, see the Emergency Services Foundation website;  http://www.esf.com.au/scholarships.htm and see the ESF Application Information Pack.

INTERESTED VOLUNTEERS should contact Jenny Davis (Executive Officer Emergency Services Foundation) on 0406 003 765 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Applicants should avoid submissions that duplicate research undertaken by previous scholarship winners.

Congratulations to CFA members Ivan Smith, Jamie McKenzie and Gary Harker on being awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) on Australia Day.

Ivan and Jamie are both volunteers, as are several of the members who have been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

There’s a story on each recipient on the CFA website at http://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/top-honours-for-cfa-members.html

The State and Federal Governments have announced additional assistance to local councils in areas affected by bushfires in December 2014 and January 2015.

The councils include; Ararat, Benalla, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Mildura, Moira, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Wangaratta, West Wimmera and Wodonga.

For details, see the State Government’s media release at http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/additional-disaster-assistance-for-victorian-bushfires

UPDATED 29 January 2015 - Now includes Concessional Loans for Primary Producers

The Victorian Government lists financial assistance, health and safety advice, and local recovery support for residents affected by the 2015 Victorian Bushfires at its Emergency Relief and Recovery Victoria website:

http://www.recovery.vic.gov.au/2015-victorian-bushfires

The site also includes phone numbers for Lifeline (13 11 14) and Nurse On Call (1300 60 60 24).

Expressions of interest are now open for Victorian Brigades wishing to compete in the 20 15 Australasian Firefighter Championships.

The Championships will be held at Echuca on 24/25 October 20 15, and the closing date for EOIs is 1 March 2015.

The Australasian Championships comprise 10 events with 30 teams from Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and New Zealand.

It’s set to be a great weekend with top level competition and will be good value for competitors and spectators alike. To enquire about lodging an Expression of Interest, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call VFBV on (03) 9886 1141.

COMPETE IN THE 2015 AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Expressions of interest are sought from interested Victorian Brigades to compete in the 2015 Australasian Firefighter Championships to be held at Echuca on 24 & 25 October 2015.

Closing date to the VFBV office is 1 March 2015.

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (03) 9886 1141.

2025 State Urban Junior Championship

The 2025 State Urban Junior Championship will be held at Mooroopna on the weekend of 22 and 23 March 2023, the weekend prior to the State Urban Senior and Rural State Championships.

2025 State Urban Senior Championship, Mooroopna

The 2025 State Urban Senior Championship will be held at Mooroopna on the weekend of 29 and 30 March 2025, in conjunction with the 2025 State Rural Junior and Senior Championships. 

Urban Competition Conditions & Rules

A copy of the Urban Competition Conditions & Rules book is available as a PDF document from the link below. The rule book was last updated in September 2024. If you require a printed copy, please reach out to the VFBV office via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone (03) 9886 1141.

Information for Competing Brigades 

A memo from the Urban Competition and Rules Committee was forwarded to competing brigades in August, October and December 2024, a copy of this can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. 

2024-25 Urban Competition Season

The schedule for local urban competitions for the 2024-25 Competition Season are available for download at the bottom of this page. 

2025 State Rural Championships

The 2025 State Rural Championships will be held in conjunction with the Urban Senior Championships again in 2025.

For further information please contact your local District Competition Committee or the VFBV office on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

2024 State Rural Championships - Mooroopna Recreation Reserve:

Rural Championships Rule Book

A copy of the Rule Book is available at the bottom of this page, under Attachments. The Rule book was updated in November 2024. 

2025 Local Competitions 

A schedule of local competitions to be held in 2025 can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.  

Rural Championships Events 

A video is located on YouTube for the current events, there are some slight changes however this gives Brigades a good idea of what is involved in the Rural Championships. The trailers used for the events are a replica of CFA tankers. The video can be accessed here.

2024 State Championships Sponsors

Major Sponsor 

Silver Sponsors 

2020 State Rural Championships 

VFBV and CFA, in a ground breaking move, will be conducting a combined Championship event, combining the Rural Senior & Junior Championships and the Urban Seniors, to all be held at Mooroopna on the weekend of 28th & 29th March 2020 – with the Rural and Urban Championship events to be conducted separately on their own competition tracks, but alongside each other – at the same location on the same weekend.

This will be an exciting move and VFBV hope that all current competing Brigades will fully support the concept and enter to compete at the 2020 combined Championship event.  VFBV also hope to build participation numbers and strongly encourage non-competing Brigades to the competitions, to make this a showcase of our urban & rural events, and of the CFA to the community.

2020 State Rural Championships - John Gray Oval, Ferrari Park, Mooroopna

- Saturday 28th March 2020:  64th State Senior Championship 

- Sunday 29th March 2020:     42nd State Junior Championship

A copy of the Rule Book is available for download at the bottom of this page.