News 
Other News (31)
Emergency Management Volunteer Statement - Have Your Say
Note from VFBV CEO Andrew Ford:
The Emergency Management Commissioner, with in-principle support from the Minister and Premier, has released a draft Emergency Management Volunteer Statement for consideration and feedback from VFBV and volunteers.
The VFBV Board and CEO were invited to provide comments on an initial draft and are happy to report that essentially all of our early feedback has been incorporated into this current draft.
CFA volunteers already place a high value on the existing CFA Volunteer Charter and legislative backing that supports it. The draft Emergency Management Volunteer Statement wording and the formal commitment from Craig Lapsley as Emergency Management Commissioner, and on behalf of the Government as Chair of the Minister’s Volunteer Consultative Forum, has confirmed that the intent of the Emergency Management Volunteer Statement is to strengthen and complement the existing CFA Volunteer Charter, which will continue as an enduring commitment between Government, CFA and VFBV on behalf of CFA volunteers.
As VFBV Chief Executive Officer, my broad view is that the draft Emergency Management Volunteer Statement is a positive and reinforcing commitment by the Victorian Government and Emergency Management Sector to consult and engage with volunteers in emergency management on matters that affect them.
VFBV has been requested to provide further feedback and ideally endorsement of the Statement before 17 July 2015. I think this Emergency Management Volunteer Statement is a positive initiative and invite your comment and/or suggestions for refinement, prior to VFBV providing final advice to the EM Commissioner on 17 July.
Andrew Ford
Chief Executive Officer
Click here for the draft Emergency Management Volunteer Statement and the online feedback form.
Emergency Management Commissioner's Tribute to Volunteers
Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley has posted his National Volunteer Week video tribute to emergency volunteers on YouTube – you can see it here.
There are close to 100,000 emergency volunteers in Victoria, including 60,000 CFA volunteers.
Here are some CFA volunteer facts and figures:
- There are nearly 60,000 CFA volunteers in more than 1,200 Brigades statewide
- Emergency volunteering is a professional field, with volunteers trained to nationally recognised standards, and CFA Brigades protecting 60% of suburban Melbourne, regional cities and country Victoria, every day and night of the year
- CFA Brigades deal with all manner of emergencies all year round, including house fires, industrial fires, road accidents, floods, chemical spills and rescues, as well as the bushfires of summer
- There are approximately 10,000 CFA volunteers in the outer suburbs of Melbourne
- The CFA’s volunteer firefighters are emergency services professionals with nationally recognised qualifications, working to the same response standards as paid firefighters
- There are also thousands of non-operational CFA volunteers, performing vital support roles, handling equipment maintenance, fundraising, administration and community education
- CFA volunteers are more than 90% of the state’s fire fighting force and 97% of CFA. The great capacity of the volunteer system allows CFA Brigades to provide thousands of trained, experienced firefighters to combat bushfires and other emergencies such as floods, while still providing round-the-clock protection to their own communities
- CFA Brigades protect 3.3 million Victorians and one million dwellings every day and night of the year.
Volunteers Remember Emergency Services Personnel Who Lost Their Lives
UPDATED 5 May - click here to see the Ballarat Courier's coverage of the CFA Memorial Service on Sunday
Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations
MEDIA STATEMENT
1 May, 2015
VOLUNTEERS REMEMBER EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES
Representatives of Australia’s 250,000 volunteer fire-fighters have taken part in the inaugural National Memorial Service for Fire and Emergency Services Personnel in Canberra.
Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA) Director Hans van Hamond AFSM and CAVFA Secretary, Bruce Corbett laid a wreath on behalf of their 11 volunteer associations.
“This an important opportunity to remember and show respect to all emergency workers who have lost their lives while protecting the community,” Mr van Hamond said.
“Recent decades have brought better technology, growing professional skills and a safety culture among volunteer and career fire-fighters everywhere, but they still face significant hazards in protecting the community,” he said.
“The enduring memory of those who have lost their lives protecting others is an important part of our focus on the welfare of all emergency workers, and as volunteers we welcome the opportunity this memorial service presents to remember those who have been lost.”
The inaugural memorial service was run by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), and attended by Members of Parliament, CAVFA representatives and the Chief Officers and CEOs of fire and emergency services from around Australia.
Additional information:
The Council of Australian Volunteer Fire Associations (CAVFA) is an alliance of 11 volunteer fire brigade associations within Australia. The Council was established to give volunteer fire-fighters a united voice in representations with government and key stakeholders.
The inaugural National Memorial Service for Fire and Emergency Services Personnel took place at the National Emergency Services Memorial, by Lake Burleigh Griffin in Canberra, at 8.45 am on Friday, 1 May 2015.
Last Call for ESF Volunteer Leaders Forum
The Application deadline for this year’s Emergency Services Foundation’s Volunteer Leaders Forum is this Friday, 10th April.
There are a few spots still available, and it’s all free. All you have to do is get yourself there.
Again, it will be based at the St Kilda Novotel on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd May 2015.
Delegates will meet top people in emergency services, from the Victorian Minister for Emergency Services to the Director-General of Emergency Management Australia. And they’ll also hear from some pretty amazing people, volunteers who’ve achieved great things in their sector.
They will also visit the State Police Operations Centre, Airservices Australia’s training centre at Tullamarine and the Department of Environment’s special Equipment Development Unit.
The full program is contained in the flyer, which you can download at http://www.hpe.com.au/esf/esfvols.html
Delegates will receive free accommodation at the hotel (generally twinshare) on the Friday and Saturday nights. All meals are provided on Saturday and Sunday, including the BBQ and USAR display on Saturday evening.
If you have ‘leadership potential’, complete the Application Form in the flyer, and get it back to the secretariat immediately. We expect more applicants than places, so make sure you get in quickly.
Successful applicants will be advised by Friday 17th April.
SA Volunteer Fire Fighters Museum Reunion
The SA Volunteer Fire Fighters Museum is arranging a Reunion for all past and present (staff and volunteer) members, including families of the SA Country Fire Service.
It will take place on the long weekend of October 3rd -5th, at Naracoorte Showground.
The event will include; dinner on the Saturday evening, family breakfast on Sunday, trade displays, competition display and mini events, BBQ dinner on the Sunday night, entertainment and plenty of time to relax, reminisce and enjoy a great weekend
You can contact the Museum Chairman Rex Hall AFSM on (08) 8762 1424 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ESF Volunteer Leaders' Forum
The Emergency Service Foundation has announced that applications are now being accepted for this year’s Emergency Services Foundation’s Volunteer Leaders' Forum.
The event will be based at the St Kilda Novotel on Saturday and Sunday, 2/3 May 2015.
The program includes leadership talks and workshops, bus tours to some major emergency management sites around Melbourne and the always popular Chief Officers’ panel.
Click here for the full program
Delegates will receive free accommodation at the hotel (generally twin share) on the Friday and Saturday nights.
All meals are provided on Saturday and Sunday, including the BBQ and USAR display on Saturday evening.
Numbers will be tight this year, so you are urged to complete the application form in the flyer and get it back to the secretariat as soon as possible.
Successful applicants will be advised by Friday, 17 April 2015.
Incident Management Training - Calendar and Application Form Online
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
Emergency Services Foundation Scholarship 2015
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.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING SOUTH AUSTRALIA
CFA has just received a letter from Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley, expressing his thanks to all involved in supporting South Australia's efforts to fight major fires in the Adelaide Hills.
Commissioner Lapsley also commended the Victorian Emergency Services personnel who at the same time have been fighting major fires in central and western parts of Victoria, and everyone providing support to those on the front line.
See below for the full text of the letter:
State Government Assistance to People Affedted by Victoria's 2015 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).
More...
Victorian Young Achiever Awards
Victorian Young Achiever Awards
Do you know an outstanding young person making a difference in the community?
The Victorian Young Achiever Awards acknowledge, encourage and promote the positive achievements of young Victorians. The Awards recognise the achievements of Victoria's youth (up to 28 years of age) in six categories, with one of the category winners being named the Victorian Premier's Young Achiever of the Year. (Nominate a young achiever)
The Community Service and Volunteering Award
The candidates for this award will be reviewed in several areas including:
- Length of service and commitment
- Who and how many people benefit from their dedication
- How the candidate has overcome barriers and difficulties
- Their contribution to lasting solutions and sustainability
- The winner, if not all the candidates, will be an extraordinary young person.
The other categories include:
- Leadership and innovation
- Science and technology
- Sport
- Regional achiever
- Small business achievement
Nominations close early December 2013 (nominate a young achiever) with the winners announced and recognised at a gala dinner on Friday 2 May 2014.
To learn more click here to visit the Awards Australia website
New awards for Victorian Volunteers
State Government media release - Sunday 27 October 2013
The incredible contribution of Victoria's volunteers will be recognised by a new state award, the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award, Premier Denis Napthine announced at a garden picnic event at Cruden Farm near Langwarrin, today.
Dr Napthine said the Victorian Premier’s Volunteer Awards recognise the outstanding contribution volunteers make to the community, with the top award named in honour of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch, who was one of Victoria's great philanthropists.
“Dame Elisabeth Murdoch was a generous, humble and loving benefactor. Her life was about improving other people’s circumstances,” Dr Napthine said.
A volunteer from Moe, Mr Darell Benjamin OAM, who has raised almost $1 million for the Royal Children's Hospital, was named as the state's first Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award winner at today's event.
“Mr Benjamin is a terrific winner of the first Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award. He represents the genuine grass roots community volunteer who are the heart of the soul of many local communities across the state,” Dr Napthine said.
Mr Benjamin, 85, has been raising money for the Royal Children’s Good Friday Appeal since 1978. In 2004 he was awarded the Latrobe City Citizen of the Year award and in 2008 he received an Order of Australia Medal for his year-round fundraising efforts.
Mr Benjamin’s significant contribution to the community includes his involvement with the Moe Lions Club and as a group leader for intellectually, physically and mentally handicapped Boy Scouts.
As part of the award, Mr Benjamin received $10,000 for his chosen charity.
Dr Napthine also announced the members of the Awards Committee, who would provide advice on nominations for the awards, which from 2014 will include the following categories:
· Victorian Volunteer of the Year - The Dame Elisabeth Murdoch
Award - $10,000 to chosen charity.
· Senior Volunteer of the Year - $2,000 to their chosen charity.
· Youth Volunteer of the Year - $2,000 to their chosen charity.
· Regional Volunteer of the Year - $2,000 to their chosen charity.
· Metropolitan Volunteer of the Year - $2,000 to their chosen
charity.
· New Resident of the Year - $2,000 to their chosen charity.
The Awards Committee includes Mr Craig Lapsley, Fire Services Commissioner Victoria and Board Member Volunteering Victoria, Mrs Janet Calvert-Jones, Murdoch family member and Ms Julie Pettett, CEO of Wimmera Volunteers.
The Committee will be chaired by The Hon Jeff Kennett AC, the Chairman of beyondblue, which has successfully worked to improve services and change attitudes to depression and anxiety since 2000.
“There are about 1.5 million volunteers in Victoria who give their time and effort to improve the lives of people in hardship. Volunteer work is not just about helping others, it’s also about making our society a better place for everyone,” Dr Napthine said.
More than 100 volunteers from charity organisations across Victoria attended the event at the beautiful garden setting of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch’s home.
Friday 25 October - Federation Square rally in support of NSW
'We Are Thinking Of You'
Melburnians Rally for New South Wales
Federation Square
Centre Stage
12.00 noon Friday 25 October 2013
Representatives of charities gearing up to help in the wake of the disaster, members of the emergency services and the community will gather at Fed Square at 12.00 noon Friday 25 October for the launch of the Big Screen campaign and to collectively show their support for New South Wales at its time of need.
Federation Square invites volunteers to attend, in uniform if possible, and advises that there will be a contingent of people from Marysville there to show their support for people affected by the NSW fires.
FSC Forum
VFBV hosted Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley at its September State Council/AGM weekend to provide an opportunity for volunteers to give feedback on the State’s First Bushfire Plan.
