VFBV

VFBV’s Volunteer Leadership Program scholarships

Applications for 2017 have now closed, but volunteers considering applying for future courses are invited to download the information packs below.

The 2017 courses will be based in the Euroa (District 22) and Ararat (District 16) areas, starting in late March.  Successful participants will achieve the nationally recognised Certificate IV in Leadership & Management. The locations have been chosen based on an effort to rotate the courses across the State, and their location on major highways to make travel to and from those areas as easy as possible for members from neighbouring Districts.

The VFBV Volunteer Leadership Program has already produced over 250 graduates and many are in leadership positions with their agencies, volunteer representative organisations or local communities.  Graduates will achieve a nationally recognised Cert IV in Leadership & Management (BSB42015).

You can download the 2017 application pack for CFA volunteers here.  Scholarships are also open to volunteers from Ambulance Victoria, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Life Saving Victoria, VICSES and St John.  You can download a 2017 multi-agency application pack here.

The VFBV Leadership Scholarship course has been designed for volunteers, with a mix of lectures and interactive activities designed to suit the needs of adult students, as well as ample support using distance learning methods.  The course involves 12 units, eight face to face days (six Saturdays and two Sundays) throughout the year, with course work and assignments spread throughout the year.

The course includes units on;

• leadership
• decision making
• planning
• safety and risk management
• team effectiveness
• making presentations
• managing projects, and
• engaging the community.

Any questions or queries can be directed to any of VFBV’s Support Officers.  You can download the 2017 flyer here and a copy was posted to all Brigades as part of VFBV’s regular mail-out.

This is an exciting program and is well respected in the sector.  Applications always exceed places available, so please encourage your members and keep in mind that your Brigade Captain’s endorsement is very powerful when assessing potential students.

Update: 29th January 2018

CFA is still accepting Tier 3 orders from Brigades, Groups and individual members, for digital scanners at cost price.

We have recently updated the Order Forms for Tier 3 orders to assist Brigades who wish to place orders;

Download the Brigade order form here

Download the Group order form here

Original Article: 20 December 2016

VFBV ADVOCATED PROGRAM - 10,000 SCANNERS DELIVERED – $3 MILLION IN SAVINGS TO BRIGADES –

CFA is still accepting Tier 3 orders from Brigades, Groups and individual members, for digital scanners at cost price.

The cost to volunteers has been significantly reduced due to the bulk orders placed during the Tier 1 and 2 subsidisation program. 

Members can order units for $446.75 plus postage and handling, while stocks last.  

The Digital Scanner subsidisation program advocated by VFBV and run in partnership with CFA has been an overwhelming success since it began in October 2015.

So far, 10,478 digital scanners have been ordered and shipped to Brigades and Groups across the state.  The subsidy budget, and the savings to members, represents over $3 million.

More than 970 Brigades and 80 Groups have placed and received their Tier 1 & 2 orders, and Tier 3 is still under way.

Under the Tier 1 program, every Brigade was entitled to a minimum of eight units at the subsidised price.  On average, Brigades ordered 3.5 units under Tier 1, and Groups took up one of their guaranteed minimum of two units.  Under Tiers 1 and 2 members paid $150 for a scanner, with the subsidy budget paying the other $296.75

Nominations are open for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) to be awarded on Australia Day in 2017, so it’s time to think about the long serving volunteers around you, the ones you most admire for their distinguished service.

See below to download the nomination form, nomination guidelines and nominator’s guide.

Nominations must be received by no later than 1 May, 2016.

The Australian Fire Service Medal recognises distinguished service by members of Australian fire services. It is awarded to paid and volunteer members.

All nominations are strictly confidential and the information provided will be used only to assist in considering the merits of the nomination. The person being nominated should not be approached for information or advised of his or her nomination at any stage.

Should you have any questions please contact CFA Awards Secretariat via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone to 1800 232 636.

Think about the volunteers you look up to; the volunteers you admire the most. The ones who have given distinguished service to CFA, volunteers and the community.

The Australian Fire Services Medal is worthy recognition for those special volunteers, and reflects well on their Brigade and all CFA volunteers.

CFA is now gathering nominations for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2016.

Nominations must be in by 1 November 2015.

All volunteers, auxiliary members and full-time staff of CFA are eligible for the medal. The Australian Fire Service Medal is not reserved for senior officers – it is open to all levels of CFA.

The sole criterion for the award of the Australian Fire Service Medal is distinguished service.

“Distinguished service” includes service that is above and beyond the normal zealous and faithful discharge of normal or ordinary service, whether short term or prolonged. It could be a special achievement or success in the performance of duty in difficult or unusual circumstances, or sustained high-level performance with outcomes and recognisable benefits to CFA, the fire service in general or the community. The service must be exceptional. Long service should not be used as a basis for making nominations.

See below to download the AFSM Nomination Form, the Nominator’s Guide and the Nomination Guidelines.

The Australian Fire Service Medal recognises distinguished service by members of Australian fire services. It is awarded to paid and volunteer members. The AFSM is awarded by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the responsible minister. For CFA and the other Victorian fire services, the responsible minister is the Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

The awards are announced on Australia Day (26 January) and the Queen’s Birthday (June) of each year.  Recipients of the Australian Fire Service Medal are entitled to use the letters “AFSM” after their names to show that their outstanding service has been formally recognised.

All volunteers, auxiliary members and full-time staff of CFA are eligible for the medal.

The sole criterion for the award of the Australian Fire Service Medal is distinguished service.

Visit http://cfaonline.cfa.vic.gov.au/mycfa/Show?pageId=aboutAwards for the CFA Honours & Awards Manual and the Nomination Form.

If you need assistance, contact the CFA Awards Secretariat at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 1800 232 636.

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

The CFA Chief Officer has written to all OM’s and OO’s requesting they advise Brigades to revert to the old “Member Registration” forms until further notice.

VFBV raised its concerns with the new membership application forms that have been sent to Brigades over the last four weeks, and in particular the implied process new members were instructed to follow with regards to the completion of mandatory medical forms, which not only applied to new members – but also all transferring members, including junior members.

On the forms, members are requested to choose from a tick list of 20 medical conditions which are so broad, that it potentially meant most new members would have to pay for a medical professional to complete the two page form and sign a detailed declaration before CFA would accept lodgement of the new application forms. In an environment that is supposedly seeking to remove red tape, the new process was a major setback to volunteerism, and placed an unreasonable delay and cost back to community members wanting to join their local Brigade.

The Chief Officer has committed to engaging with VFBV over its concerns, and to conduct a review to address those concerns. Brigades are advised to revert to the existing member registration forms and process until further notice.