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A Coast Guard uniform might not be a sight you expect to see in the middle of a major bushfire, but they were a welcome sight indeed to firefighters at the Bunyip fires that devastated parts of Gippsland this fire season.
It isn’t widely recognised that Victorian volunteer Coast Guard units are also considered part of CFA, but they play a valuable role on land and at sea, making a world of difference to the safety of Victorians.
Matt Semmens, Squadron Commodore for Volunteer Coast Guard Victoria, said many people didn’t realise Coast Guard brigades had been officially part of CFA since 2008.
In fact, CFA volunteer Coast Guard units from the Melbourne suburbs of St Kilda, Hastings, Carrum, Frankston, Sandringham and Safety Beach were an integral part of the emergency response effort at the Bunyip fires, providing transport, logistics and catering deliveries to support the thousands of firefighters in active operations.
“In the normal run of events, Victorian Coast Guard units respond to emergencies 24-7. We also go out on the water every weekend to improve the safety of those on the water by providing advice and information, and assistance if needed. We can even go inland, as the recent fires showed,” Mr Semmens said.
Deanne Semmens, Deputy Flotilla Commander for Carrum Coast Guard, said volunteering in the Coast Guard was both challenging and rewarding. Victoria’s 19 Coast Guard units respond to more than 1000 incidents a year.
“We never close down,” she said. “We have boats going out every week. We have the capability to fight fires out on the water, if that’s needed but it’s mainly rescue work.”
Carrum, like other Coast Guard units, works with all types of marine users if they get into trouble or have questions on boating safety. The Coast Guard also runs Boat Licensing qualifications.
Like their more ‘traditional’ CFA counterparts, volunteers train every week, on top of their emergency response and their ‘on duty’ weekend activity. “The amount of training depends on what level you want to achieve – for example coxswain or crew have different training levels, so there’s something that can fit in with most peoples’ availability and capabilities,” Ms Semmens said.
“We’re in the classroom once a week at least, and there’s also speciality training like marine radio licensing and navigation. There’s always something different to do and that’s what makes it so interesting.”
Mr Semmens, who coordinated the participation of coast guard units during this season, said even CFA crews were sometimes surprised to see a coast guard unit so far from the sandy shores.
“We did get asked a few times where our boat was,” Mr Semmens said. “But when we broke out the food that changed their tune!” More than 60 flotilla members put up their buoys and volunteered more than 800 hours of service at the fires between 3 and 12 March.
“It was very surreal for a lot of the members; very different for those who were in the staging area, smelling and seeing the smoke across the skyline and the mass of trucks and firefighters, compared to seeing it on TV. Some flotilla members worked in the Incident Control Centre in Dandenong providing communications and organisational skills to move people, food, equipment, relief crews about, and others helped erect tents at the staging area, escorted milk and cattle trucks and helped ensure firefighters were fed, watered and rested.
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) CEO Adam Barnett said Coast Guard members mobilised during the fire season formed part of CFA’s world-respected surge capability – the ability to mobilise huge numbers of resources in short order and maintain those for days and even weeks if needed.
Learn more about CFA’s world-respected surge capacity on the VFBV website: https://vfbv.com.au/index.php/component/k2/item/568-cfa-s-volunteer-surge-capacity-essential-for-victoria
“There are many different roles that people can perform as a CFA volunteer, and the Coast Guard is a great community service that makes a world of difference to the safety of marine users,” Mr Barnett said.
“In Volunteer Week, I want to encourage Victorians to recognise and thank all emergency services volunteers for their sacrifice and their contribution to the greater good of Victoria and the communities in which they live.”
Research shows that volunteering not only enhances an individual’s sense of satisfaction and wellbeing, but volunteering builds significant public value and social capital, he said.
“Within the emergency management sector, the value of partnering with our communities and sharing responsibility through a collective sense of pride and purpose delivers enormous community benefits to the public such as an increased sense of safety, self-reliance and community confidence. All vital ingredients for strong, safe and resilient communities” he added.
In Victoria, CFA volunteers deliver a highly professional emergency service that is admired and envied around the world, with CFA volunteers making up 95% of Victoria’s firefighting forces.
They are highly trained and respond to urban, rural, residential, industrial and bush fires, motor vehicle accidents, marine incidents, hazardous materials incidents, rescues, floods and storms.
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This article is part of our National Volunteer Week Showcase - celebrating our wonderful CFA Volunteers. |
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About VFBV: VFBV is established under the Country Fire Authority Act and is the peak body for CFA Volunteers in Victoria. VFBV works tirelessly to represent, advocate and support CFA volunteers to the CFA Board and management, governments, ministers, members of parliament, councils, instrumentalities, business and the public. Our vision is for Strong Volunteerism, Embraced to Build Community Resilience for a Safer Victoria. |
This week (20-26 May) marks National Volunteer Week and is a chance to recognise the 55,000 CFA volunteers who, in a range of roles and activities, make a world of difference to the safety and resilience of their own communities and all of Victoria.
People who voluntarily put their own safety on the line for others deserve our respect, thanks and support, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) CEO Adam Barnett said.
“Like anyone involved in emergency services, CFA volunteers are a special breed,” Mr Barnett said. “They willingly make sacrifices to defend their communities in times of need, steadfastly standing with courage and honour protecting Victorians during emergencies. From our annual volunteer welfare and efficiency survey we know that more than 94% of CFA volunteers say that protecting their local community and supporting their community in a meaningful way are in fact the key motivations for joining CFA in the first place.”
Volunteer firefighters enjoy the physical and mental challenges of their roles, and they gain benefits in their own lives as well as making a genuine difference to the wider community, he added.
“Being a CFA volunteer provides invaluable skills that carry over into all aspects of their lives. CFA volunteers develop a strong sense of responsibility, teamwork and the ability to think and make decisions under pressure. These are great qualities for employers and in many other aspects of community and life.”
Mr Barnett encouraged people to consider becoming a CFA volunteer. “There are many different roles that people can perform as a CFA volunteer, from firefighter, community education, prevention and recovery to communications, logistics, and support.“
Research shows that volunteering not only enhances an individual’s sense of satisfaction and wellbeing, but volunteering builds significant public value and social capital. “Within the emergency management sector, the value of partnering with our communities and sharing responsibility through a collective sense of pride and purpose delivers enormous community benefits to the public such as an increased sense of safety, self-reliance and community confidence. All vital ingredients for strong, safe and resilient communities” he added.
In Victoria, CFA volunteers deliver a highly professional emergency service that is admired and envied around the world, with CFA volunteers making up 95% of Victoria’s firefighting forces.
They are highly trained and respond to urban, rural, residential, industrial and bush fires, motor vehicle accidents, hazardous materials incidents, rescues, floods and storms.
Victoria is one of the most fire prone areas in the world, and as Victoria faces longer fire danger periods, with more and larger fires than ever before, there are even more reasons to support and value CFA volunteers. They are the critical component of CFA’s surge capacity (the ability to mobilise huge numbers of highly trained people and resources to multiple, major and long-duration fires while still maintaining capacity at home to deal with any local incidents).
Learn more about CFA’s world-respected surge capacity on the VFBV website: https://vfbv.com.au/index.php/component/k2/item/568-cfa-s-volunteer-surge-capacity-essential-for-victoria
“Every time we save lives or property or help people in need, we know we are making a world of difference to those people. I am incredibly proud of our volunteers.” Mr Barnett said.
“I am asking the Victorian community to join me in thanking CFA volunteers for the wonderful work that they do.”
“I also want to recognise and pay tribute to our fellow emergency management volunteers including those in the SES, Coast Guard, Marine and Rescue Services, Life Saving Victoria, St John Ambulance, Ambulance Victoria, the Victorian Council of Churches Emergency Ministry, Red Cross and the Salvation Army. They join almost 6 million volunteers across Australia who provide invaluable support and services to our communities.”
“It may be volunteer week, but we also need to thank and recognise the families, friends and the employers of CFA volunteers. Their support and cooperation make a world of difference to our firefighters and what they do for our communities.”
About VFBV:
VFBV is established under the Country Fire Authority Act and is the peak body for CFA Volunteers in Victoria. VFBV works tirelessly to represent, advocate and support CFA volunteers to the CFA Board and management, governments, ministers, members of parliament, councils, instrumentalities, business and the public. Our vision is for Strong Volunteerism, Embraced to Build Community Resilience for a Safer Victoria.
CFA has commenced consultation on a number of SOP’s currently under review. Copies of each draft SOP can be found at the bottom of this page. VFBV is now calling for volunteer feedback and discussion on the proposed changes to assist with formal VFBV comment and feedback that will be provided to CFA.
Any comments on suggested improvements or clarifications would be welcome, as would any practical limitations or difficulties members may identify. Feedback via email or post would be most preferred, and feedback is welcome from any individual, brigade or group.
We have nominated a VFBV Support Officer for each – they will be coordinating and collating field feedback, that will then be used by VFBV to provide a formal response to CFA.
Feedback is requested no later than the 15th July 2019 – but much earlier if possible. It would be preferred that members provide feedback ASAP, so that it can be received incrementally, allowing us enough time to consolidate, identify trends and research issues raised by members.
SOP’s being reviewed:
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Main Changes |
VFBV Support Officer |
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SOP 5.04 Service Hose Testing and Coupling Inspection |
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Mark Dryden |
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SOP 9.14 Low Voltage Fuse Removal |
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Glenn Mercer |
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SOP 9.41 Safe Work at Heights |
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Glenn Mercer |
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SOP 10.24 Emergency Medical Response (EMR) |
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Glenn Mercer |
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SOP 10.27 Train Incidents |
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Glenn Mercer |
SOP’s proposed to be revoked:
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Main Changes |
VFBV Support Officer |
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SOP 6.03 Derelict Structures – Burning Of |
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Chris Dent |
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SOP 9.06 Fire Alarms – Monitoring and Logging of Tests |
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Glenn Mercer |
A reminder that CFA commenced consultation on SOP 6.06 Practical and Hot Fire Training last month – and feedback on that SOP is due on 14th June https://vfbv.com.au/index.php/component/k2/item/684-cfa-proposed-changes-to-sop-6-06-practical-and-hot-fire-training
How to Provide Feedback
If feedback could please be directed to the relevant VFBV Support Officer listed above. Contact details are as follows:
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Chris Dent Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 0407 334 685
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Glenn Mercer Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 0409 119 477 |
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Mark Dryden Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Phone: 0428 767 258
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Or feedback can be sent to:
Post: 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East VIC 3151
Fax: (03) 9886 1618
Feedback Due: 15th July 2019
Building Safer Communities
By Adam Barnett, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
As another year’s fire season winds down, it is undeniable that our fire season is consistently starting earlier and running later. With the longer duration comes a larger commitment and I want to formally acknowledge the exceptional work you have done over the season. In a difficult environment and with an air of uncertainty hanging over our sector, you have my utmost admiration for the professionalism and work ethic exhibited by all members who have contributed over the season.
This year we have seen record summer temperatures and have responded to over 3,300 grassfire/bushfire incidents, with 62,590 member responses. Incredibly, and proof of your exceptional skill and work, over 98% of these incidents have been contained to less than five hectares – a significant achievement and a strong endorsement of the effectiveness of our fire service, your training and your expertise. So well done – and thank-you.
While the cooler weather will hopefully bring some respite, we know firsthand from the high fuel loads and ongoing drought conditions present across the state that Victoria will continue to face a heightened risk throughout the year.
The fact that the fire danger period has been extended to mid-May for some areas of Victoria is telling, and brings into sharp focus the essential need to protect and strengthen the role of CFA volunteers and the critical role they play in Victoria’s Emergency Management as our communities face potentially worsening natural disasters, extended periods of drought and the effects of climate change.
I also want to acknowledge and thank Minister Lisa Neville, who personally wrote to all Brigades last month thanking them for their efforts and expressing her thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices made by members. This recognition and respect for the work you do is welcomed and is not only critical to building and sustaining a strong and sustainable volunteer culture within the sector, but is a much needed injection of goodwill and support from Government for the work that you do in protecting your communities 365 days of the year. A very welcome step change and one for which I am grateful.
Annual Memorial
This year’s CFA Memorial Service was held in Healesville on Sunday 5 May. This annual memorial is always held on the Sunday closest to International Firefighters’ Day and St Florian’s Day (4 May) – with St Florian being the patron saint of firefighters.
A number of significant dates from our history were reflected on during this years’ service including; 80 years since the 1939 Black Friday fires which led to the establishment of CFA, the Tarrawingee fires of 1943, 50 years since the 1969 Lara fires, and 10 years since the 2009 Black Saturday fires.
The annual memorial was a time for us to come together either in person or in spirit and remember and honour the 79 CFA firefighters (including 11 from pre-1944) who have selflessly given their lives to protect the lives of other Victorians. While the service is always solemn and reflective, it is also an important opportunity to reflect on our history and pay tribute to those lost – and the importance of the work we do to make our communities safer.
CFA CEO Paul Smith departs
Many were shocked to learn of the recent resignation of CFA CEO Dr Paul Smith, who finished with CFA at the end of April. While Paul was only appointed just over a year ago – I always found Paul to be an honest and driven leader, and someone who genuinely wanted to see CFA succeed and do well. I’m disappointed to see yet another senior leader from the sector depart, and terribly worried about a period of further instability as CFA looks for a yet another CEO on the cusp of what is likely to be major sector reform.
I wish Paul all the best in his new job and hope that he will always keep a special place in his memory for CFA and its people and will continue to be a strong advocate for us in his new job. Similarly – I congratulate the Acting Chief Officer Gavin Freeman AFSM on his appointment as Acting CEO for the next four weeks.
National Volunteer Week
Later in the month, from 20 – 26 May, we will celebrate National Volunteer Week. This is an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of the six million volunteers across Australia, recognising the incredible impact volunteers make in our local communities, society and the world. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this national celebration.
In terms of fire services, there are over 250,000 volunteer firefighters across Australia who both individually and collectively are certainly ‘making a world of difference’, which also happens to be this year’s theme. During these national celebrations, it is important we also recognise the people that stand behind us and support our volunteering. Employers, partners, family, loved ones and friends who also make sacrifices to support us and deserve our thanks and recognition for the important role they play in our lives.
The Year Ahead
And finally, I want to acknowledge the significant contribution of outgoing VFBV CEO Andrew Ford. I have worked with Andrew for close to 12 years and consider him not only a respected work colleague, but also a friend. I have witnessed first hand the professional and personal sacrifices he has made on our behalf, and while I know he does not regret any of them, I have nonetheless seen the toll they have taken and understand his reasons for wanting a change.
We are rightfully very proud of the organisation that Andrew has helped lead and I commend him on the very solid and strong foundations he leaves behind. While Andrew will continue his strong involvement and contribution to the Association in a new important strategic advisory role, I want to take this opportunity on behalf of the VFBV Board, State Council and all Association members to formally thank him most sincerely for his outstanding service and acknowledge the significant contributions he has made over the years building a safer Victoria.
I am feeling excited and privileged to be taking on the role of CEO, but I also acknowledge the gravity of representing CFA volunteers at a time of significant upheaval that has caused many of you great distress. I know there are many challenges ahead as we work to ensure we have the strongest possible CFA in the future. With the ongoing support of the VFBV Board, VFBV representatives, brigades and members, it is my role to ensure that our voice is heard, that volunteer views are known and understood, and that we always put the welfare and efficiency of volunteers along with the safety of the communities we protect first in every interaction. This is my commitment to you.
We are a resilient people, and I frequently reflect on our Association’s proud history of close to 150 years partnering to build safer communities and helping to build a strong, effective and vibrant emergency service for the people of Victoria. Just like our forebears, we will face the future together. I encourage all members to continue to raise any issues with your brigade or District VFBV representative, engage with your local VFBV District Council and as always, feel free to contact myself directly. Your voice is important, now more than ever. VFBV is your organisation, so please stay active and engaged as we continue our work seeking the best possible outcomes for a strong and united CFA – working together to build safer and more resilient communities.
State Rural Championships
The State Rural Championships held last month in Bendigo were highly successful with an estimated 2,000 people in attendance, with well above 500 members and juniors competing over the two days of competition. The Championships were conducted at the Tom Flood Sports Centre, where the famous annual Bendigo International Madison cycling race was held in March, which provided an ideal location for competitors and spectators alike.
VFBV congratulates the District 2 Championship Committee led by chair Brendan Dreschler, for its significant work and effort in hosting the Championship, and thanks all Committee members for their contribution. We also pass on our sincere appreciation to the City of Greater Bendigo for its support to the District 2 committee and its contribution to our State Championships. The Bendigo Council have been particularly supportive of the State Championships, with not only the Rural Championships last month, but also the Urban Championships in March, being the third successive Urban Championships held in Bendigo.
Greta repeated its win of last year in being named the Champion Brigade winning the Division 1 Aggregate, with Dunrobin/Nangeela coming first place in Division 2 and Mandurang was first placed in Division 3. Greta won four of the six senior events and ran a new record time in the Tanker Hose Reel & Ladder event.
Springhurst won its second Junior Championship title, being first placed in the 11-15 Years Aggregate and second in the 11-13 Years Aggregate. There were two new record times, one by Springhurst in the 11-13 Years Hydrant & Tanker, and the other by Mandurang in the 11-13 Years Low Down Pump & Ladder.
Full results of the 2019 State Rural Championship can be found on the VFBV website.
SOP 6.06 feedback
As reported in the last edition of Fire Wise, CFA has commenced consultation on proposed changes to SOP 6.06 Practical and Hot Fire Training. CFA is proposing this SOP replace the existing SOP 6.06 called Hot Fire Training -PAD Briefs.
As this proposed SOP includes significant changes from its predecessor, VFBV is requesting that all Brigades, Groups and members discuss and assess the possible implications and potential barriers that these changes may create when conducting training. Members are encouraged to discuss at upcoming District Council meetings with active feedback and involvement from interested Brigades, Groups and members.
VFBV requests that all concerns and feedback be directed to VFBV Support Officer Chris Dent so that VFBV can provide CFA with a consolidated, informed position based directly on your feedback. Feedback is due by Friday 14th June 2019, but earlier if possible. VFBV Support Officer Chris Dent can be reached via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You Could Win!!
Brigades or Groups that pay VFBV affiliations before 30 June 2019 will automatically go into the draw for a chance to win one of four great prizes!
The 2019/20 Affiliation notices for your Brigade/Group’s VFBV affiliation and VFBV Welfare Fund Subscriptions are with your Secretary now with a due date of 30 June 2019. As a gesture of appreciation to Brigades and Groups that pay VFBV affiliation prior to 30th June, VFBV will automatically place your Brigade or Group into a draw for a chance to win one of these great prizes, kindly donated by GAAM Emergency Products and Powdersafe Pty. Ltd.
For further details, checkout the “You Could Win” flyer included with your 2019/20 VFBV Affiliation Notice sent out to your Secretary in March.
Elevated work platform trials
Volunteers have highlighted to CFA the significant safety issue when working at incidents that require the rescuers to operate above ground level. An Elevated Work Platform (EWP) is being trialled by brigades for use during rescues that require stable above-ground access at incidents, such as when rescuing a person trapped in a rolled over large truck cabin.
The trial is the direct result of active requests from rescue brigades which had identified the requirement as a key safety and efficiency measure for rescue operations and pursued it via the Joint VFBV/CFA Equipment & Infrastructure Committee. CFA has provided in-principle support and agreed to trial the equipment to evaluate options. Casterton Fire Brigade first trialled a portable lightweight Elevated Work Platform, with Werribee and Ballarat Brigades now part of a wider trial.
Members are reporting positive results from the trials. Given the limited stowage capacity on appliances, the trial is now assessing the best options that will take up the least amount of room. We will keep you apprised of progress.
IVECO 4.4 Tanker
VFBV has successfully escalated safety concerns raised by members about the Automated Manual Gearbox (semi-automatic transmission) in the IVECO EUROCARGO 4.4C Tankers. Following further reports from volunteers, delegates to the Joint VFBV/CFA Equipment & Infrastructure Committee on behalf of VFBV State Council have sought an urgent review and operational risk assessment be conducted.
The issue stems from how the transmission deals with a drop in engine revs. In a semi-automatic transmission, software engages the clutch automatically during gear changes. However, when the engine revs drop below approximately 700/800 RPM, these transmissions automatically engage the clutch to prevent the vehicle from stalling – leaving the driver effectively controlling a vehicle coasting in ‘neutral’ and therefore without exhaust brakes. This presents a significant issue when moving down a steep decline for example, and relies on the driver to then use the accelerator to increase the engine revs – which is very counter intuitive when the driver is seeking to slow the descent of the vehicle and engage the air brakes.
CFA has previously advised it would address this issue by targeted driver training and vehicle familiarisation. VFBV has expressed concerns that this is inadequate – and even with improved driver training, this still presents a significant safety issue which is then compounded when these vehicles form part of a strike team or are committed to campaign fires and drivers are regularly rotated.
CFA has now agreed to discontinue the use of the semi-automatic gearbox in the current build of tankers and replace it with an Allison automatic transmission for all future builds. Unfortunately, this has led to CFA having to reduce its planned build program of 20 Heavy Tankers scheduled for this financial year to 18 – again highlighting the inadequacy of the CFA base budget for appliances.
While this fix addresses the problem for the future, this still leaves approximately 80 appliances fitted with the older semiautomatic transmission. Delegates have expressed concern about the potential to now have two identical looking vehicles, one with a semi-automatic transmission and the other with a fully automated one – and how this may manifest during campaign fires for example where drivers are frequently rotated. Delegates have requested a funding bid be developed for Government to cover a retro fit program, and in the interim for CFA to develop measures to make the transmission type easily identifiable.
Loss of GPS tracking
Millions of GPS devices worldwide, including the Tait radios on CFA appliances, experienced a Y2K-style glitch on April 6 when the GPS internal date counter resets itself. Volunteer Delegates on the Joint VFBV/CFA Communications & Technology Committee have expressed disappointment that neither CFA or Tait had put in place planning for a known fault that occurs every 20 years and which impacted on CFA during the fire season.
As outlined in CFA Operations Bulletin 006-2019 released on 12 April 2019, all vehicles will still have full use of their radio for communication purposes. However, the glitch means the radio GPS loses satellite lock and cannot re-establish. As a result, appliance locations will not be visible using the resource tracking system, eMap or EM-COP, and when the “L” button on the handset is pressed, the last stored coordinates is displayed. When the duress button is pressed the correct co-ordinates are not sent. EMV are removing all symbols from EMCOP and eMap so there is no confusion as to whether the signal is working or not for those users of the mapping product.
TAIT is working on providing CFA a firmware patch that requires reprogramming of the GPS antenna, however installation will require a visit from a technician to each vehicle fitted with a mobile radio. CFA expects the patch will be completed as quickly as possible and planning is currently underway. Due to the use of external aerials, CFA Bag radios are likely to be updated by a different process that is yet to be determined by CFA’s Comms Department. This will be communicated to the Districts when finalised.
VFBV has requested that the update program be developed to ensure there is minimal impact on Brigades, and delegates have requested that CFA give Brigades plenty of notice of when these visits will occur to limit the inconvenience and ensure minimal appliance off line time. CFA has supported these requests and has committed to provide regular updates as soon as details have been finalised.
Dress Uniform Supplies
VFBV continues to advocate for the speedy resolution of the CFA dress uniform contract.
All orders for dress uniform tunics and trousers were put on hold while contractual arrangements with a new tailor are being negotiated.
While slower than hoped, CFA has provided an update indicating positive progress is being made. Due to probity constraints around commercial negotiations, details regarding the commercial arrangements are unable to be released publicly, but VFBV will update members as soon as possible.
VFBV also continues to lobby for changes to the cut of the female dress uniform based on feedback received from female members, who are looking for more diverse options in the cut and fit of the dress uniform shirts in particular.
Nominations for Trust Fund
The VFBV Board is calling for nominations to the CFA and Brigades Donations Trust Fund.
Following nominations, five new or reappointed members will be appointed by the VFBV Board to serve as VFBV trustees on the Trust Fund for a 12 month term. The Trust Fund committee meets quarterly, either via teleconference or at CFA HQ.
Nominations close Friday 21st June 2019 and can be mailed to VFBV office 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East 3151 or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Hino Sponsorship Appreciated
Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria is pleased to have Hino Australia as its major sponsor of the State Rural championships since 2013.
It is hoped this mutually beneficial partnership continues well into the future.
At the 2019 State championships VFBV President Nev Jones AFSM and VFBV CEO Andrew Ford thanked Hino Australia for its ongoing support and presented a plaque in appreciation of its annual ongoing support of this event.
The plaque was accepted by Corporate Business Manager – Government Tom Aryton, who said Hino Australia was pleased to support CFA volunteers in this manner and proud to be associated with CFA.
Position Vacant - Executive Officer
VFBV is seeking a talented and motivated person for the position of Executive Officer to work fulltime based at our Burwood East office.
Reporting to the CEO, this senior position involves working in a team environment to address issues impacting on all volunteers and representing VFBV on committees and working parties. You will work actively with VFBV State Council and District Councils with an aim to ensure volunteers’ views are understood and that issues of concern can either be resolved locally or escalated through appropriate channels.
The role has responsibility for the provision of expert technical, practical and strategic advice on matters affecting CFA volunteers. The role provides important leadership support to VFBV’s network of consultative forums, committees and working parties, as well as providing senior level support to the CEO in developing and managing relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders.
We need a person who can effectively represent volunteers within CFA, to Government, to other organisations and the general public. The role involves considerable liaison with CFA at Executive and senior management levels; working closely with brigades and District Councils; and influencing external decision makers. Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills is essential.
Applicants need to have an understanding and appreciation of issues relevant to CFA brigades and volunteerism in general. You need to be able to demonstrate an ability to establish productive relationships within our own membership base and also with people who influence decisions about matters affecting volunteers. It is important that you are a self starter and can demonstrate success while managing multiple concurrent issues and challenging work demands. You need to be a good communicator and someone who understands how to lead and influence others to achieve outcomes.
This is a permanent position, based at our Burwood office. Recognising that the position supports brigades across Victoria, the position involves considerable travel including weekend and evening work required to support our volunteer membership base.
All applications must include current resume and cover letter addressing key result areas and selection criteria outlined in the Position Description found on our website.
Please contact Cathie Smith for any queries by phone on 03 9886 1141 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Applications close Friday 24th May 2019.
Inviting Applicants for CFA Board
The CFA legislation recognises that it is important that the CFA Board has strong volunteer expertise, knowledge and an understanding of CFA volunteers. To support this, CFA legislation provides for four of the CFA Board's Members to be appointed from a panel of names submitted by Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, two being representatives from brigades predominantly service urban communities and two being representatives from brigades predominantly serving rural communities.
The terms of CFA Board Members Hazel Clothier, Lynda Hamilton, Peter Shaw and Tim Young expire 19th July 2019, triggering the need for VFBV to seek applications for a panel of names to be nominated for the next term commencing 20th July 2019.
VFBV is seeking applications for volunteers interested in filling one of the four VFBV nominated positions on the CFA Board.
CFA volunteers who believe they have the skills, experience and capacity to make a contribution to the Board of the CFA, are invited to apply for nomination to the CFA Board. In addition to volunteer experience and knowledge, selection will have regard to any of the following: knowledge of, or experience in, commercial, technical, operational, legal or financial matters; or expertise in fire or emergency management, land management or any other field relevant to the performance of the functions of the CFA.
From applications received and following interviews, VFBV will submit a panel of names to the Minister for Police & Emergency Services.
The CFA Board meets on a monthly basis and also operates a committee system which could require commitment of one half day per month. Attendance at official functions is also expected.
CFA Board Members current annual remuneration is $58,598 (including Superannuation).
The CFA Board Charter is available from the VFBV office. For other relevant information, interested volunteers should contact VFBV - contact details below.
Applications including a current resume must be emailed or faxed to VFBV by COB on Friday 24th May 2019 to: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax: 03 9886 1618.
Inviting to Apply: Board Members of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV)
INVITATION OPEN TO ALL VOLUNTEERS TO APPLY
Closing date for written applications is 31st July 2019
VFBV advances the interests of all Victorian fire brigade volunteers and advocates on their behalf to CFA and other key stakeholders. The VFBV Board drives policy development based on volunteer input and is involved in management of issues of central importance to all CFA volunteers.
Vacancies for Four Board Members will arise when the terms of Samantha Rothman, Kate Boschetti, Jan Cleary and Libby Hay expire on 1st October 2019; all members are eligible for reappointment.
The term of appointment will be to 1st October 2021 (two years) and applications are invited from interested volunteers to be considered for these vacancies.
The role of a VFBV Board Member involves contributing to VFBV direction, policy determination and monitoring the performance and governance of the Association. Also actively contributing to policy discussion at Board Meetings, networking with others about policies and issues management, and not only making decisions but being prepared to actively advocate for the benefit of all CFA volunteers and ultimately the Victorian community.
A Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria is available from the VFBV office or from the VFBV website.
This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.
If you are motivated by the prospect of making a difference for CFA volunteers, then send your written application addressing the key selection criteria in the role statement, plus an outline of your CFA activity including the names of two referees.
Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Wednesday 31st July 2019 to:
VFBV, 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East 3151
Tel: 9886 1141; Fax: 9886 1618
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The annual CFA Memorial Service is being held in Healesville this year on Sunday 5 May.
The event honours firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of service and is held on the closest Sunday to 4 May, which is St Florians Day (the patron saint of firefighters) and International Firefighters Day.
This year the service will particularly reflect on the 1939 fires, 80 years ago, that led to the establishment of CFA. Other events that will be part of reflections are the 1943 Tarrawingee fire, at which 10 firefighters lost their lives; the devastating fires of 1969 where two firefighters perished; and the 2009 Victorian bushfires that led to the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.
Fifty years ago on 8 January 1969 there were 230 fires burning across Victoria, of which 21 were serious including fires in Lara, Darraweit Guim, Daylesford, Bulgana, Yea, Kangaroo Flat and Korongvale. During that fire more than 250,000 hectares, 230 houses and 12,000 livestock were destroyed. Tragically 21 people died, including two CFA volunteers, and hundreds were injured.
The annual memorial is a time for us to come together either in person or in spirit and remember and honour the 79 CFA firefighters (including 11 pre- 1944 Country Fire Brigades Board firefighters) who have selflessly given their lives to protect the lives of other Victorians.
VFBV will join CFA to show our respect to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the course of protecting their community. For those not attending the service, you can watch a live stream of the event on the day from here: https://livestream.com/cfavic/memorial2019
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International Fire Fighters’ Day - The IFFD ribbons are linked to colours symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water. These colours also are internationally recognised as representing emergency service. |
The 2019 Emergency Management Conference will be held on the 28th and 29th May 2019, at the Pullman Albert Park Hotel.
Thee theme of the 2019 conference is Placing people at the heart of all we do, the conference is presented by the Emergency Services Foundation.
The conference will cover areas such as: mental health and wellbeing, future emergency management, leadership, volunteers and diversity.
Featured speakers at the conference include:
- Kelly McKinney
- Phil Shepherd
- Prof Susan Pascoe AM
- Patrick Cairns
A conference brochure is available for download at the bottom of this page.
For more information about the conference, schedule and registration forms can be found on the conference website https://www.hpe.com.au/upcoming-events/emc
My long last word and a big thank you
By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
This will be my last Fire Wise editorial as I will be stepping down as VFBV CEO at the end of this month. Wow, it starts to set in when I write it down that plainly. What a journey it has been! And because it’s my last I am taking the liberty for it to be a long one. Apologies to anyone too busy to read it.
The most important thing I want to say is THANK YOU. Thank you to everyone I have worked with throughout my 27 years with CFA and VFBV. You are incredible people doing an outstanding and sometimes undervalued job. CFA volunteers aren’t just something that this state is lucky to have, you are fundamentally and absolutely vital to Victoria’s fire and emergency management arrangements. Value what you do, be proud of what you do and keep up the good work.
I have said this to many people outside CFA but perhaps not enough to those of you who are CFA – CFA volunteers, along with volunteers from other organisations, are the epitome of selflessness and a glue in society that we cannot do without. CFA volunteering is a legacy that we inherited from wise people who came before us and being a part of sustaining that legacy has been an honor and a privilege. Many of the most outstanding people, leaders, exemplars of true decency and humble professionals, are people I have met through my work with CFA and VFBV.
Deciding to step down as VFBV CEO has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make for a long time. Having made the decision I must say I am extremely happy with it but it was hard all the same. I am leaving as VFBV CEO but I leave with many friendships that I know will be lifetime friendships, many fond memories and proud achievements plus a bond to CFA volunteering that will transcend whatever I do next in life. Like many others CFA has become family to me and I’m not going far. I hope I haven’t seen the last of the best of CFA and I hope CFA remains a strong and proud organisation for years to come.
Stepping down as VFBV CEO on 30 April will bring an end to a significant chapter in my working life and the 27 years with CFA, including 15 years as an employee of CFA in senior management roles at both corporate HQ and CFA regional management and the last 12 as CEO Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria. It is a hard decision and one that I sadly see many valuable, experienced and dedicated CFA people grappling with.
Count back 27 years and you will see that my time with CFA started in 1992. CFA of today is a vastly different, more modern and more capable organisation than it was then. Don’t believe the rubbish our current State Government spins when it says CFA is still operating as it did back then.
Back in 1992 I remember the future planning discussions talking about big challenges and opportunities. There was great energy and constant drive, proud drive, to improve and modernise. Back then and I expect well prior there was constant effort to evolve, adapt and innovate to ensure CFA could cope with urban service growth, changing demographics, increasing community expectations. And apart from where government funding hasn’t allowed for this CFA has risen to the challenge.
I remember during my role as CFA’s Manager Corporate Planning people mocking when we forecast wild future ideas such as the possibility that people would one day have ‘PEDs’ (Personal Electronic Devices) with computing power similar to desk top computers and how these would transform the way people worked and lived. The iPhone we all rely on today are way beyond what we dreamed of. And wanting a pager that would let volunteers tell their brigade whether they were responding or not, crazy space cadet stuff supposedly. Sadly, even today when such technology readily exists, brigades have had to buy such a system without the endorsement of the government policy makers!!
Back then the CFA budget was about $80M per year, there were about 300 paid firefighters supporting volunteers in 26 integrated brigades, about 70,000 volunteers and a few hundred paid staff in management, administration, specialist and technical roles. CFA scratched to fund fire truck replacement and upgrades or issue Personal Protective Clothing, training was nothing like it is today and inter agency cooperation was patchy. There were perpetual discussions about challenges such as the need for radically better funding of CFA to resource modern training, truck replacement, personal issue PPC, communications systems, upgraded facilities and equipment to cope with urban population growth and the need for flexible local brigade support options to sustain and strengthen CFA brigade capacity in Melbourne’s urban growth corridors.
Right back in 1992 and in the decades that followed, the strategic discussions about the future direction and modernising the fire services included the need for fire service resourcing priorities to move beyond a preoccupation with response and suppression to a greater focus on community awareness and communities sharing responsibility for their own safety. There was active discussion, albeit sometimes unpopular, about the logic and need to reform the paid-only MFB fire service model to introduce volunteers and an integrated service model like the CFA fully integrated model (paid firefighters and volunteers working together as one team) throughout the MFB area. For my whole time with CFA there has been deep recognition of the need for fire services to work together and the notion of more joined up fire and emergency services. Sadly now the current Victorian State government wants to split it further apart and institutionalise a more fragmented fire service.
Throughout my time in CFA there has been a concern across all sides of politics, successive Governments and officials in agency command roles (both CFA and MFB) about the impact and future risk of escalating industrial restrictions on how the fire services are able to manage and deploy their scarce and expensive paid resources; a view that industrial interference was crippling fire service efficiency and driving an unaffordable increase in the cost of fire services and dragging resource allocation away from areas that would actually have a bigger impact on community safety outcomes. Even as recently as 2015 I recall the current Victorian Premier supporting a view that the EBA demands (now supported by this Government) were unaffordable, unrealistic and unworkable.
As far back as I can recall review after review, including the Productivity Commission and Victoria’s own Auditor General’s Office have been saying that fire services should be focussing on community safety outcomes not just fire truck response times. And all of the progressive talk, not just in Victoria but the world over, has been that any future planning and modernisation of the fire services must be driven by a paradigm shift in focus away from a simple fire suppression focus to a more wholistic approach that also includes a better focus on prevention, preparedness and recovery underpinned by building local community awareness, capability and resilience and ideally underpinned by local community embedded emergency management capability. Alas, a community embedded, volunteer- based service delivery model with the flexibility to be supplemented by paid staff support in a fully integrated manner when and where risk or service demand requires it. Pretty much like the world class CFA model. Who woulda thought!!
Throughout my career, all of the experts and all of the evidence-based reviews, including the pivotal 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, called for the sector to be more joined up, to move toward working as one, to work more seamlessly across jurisdiction borders. And look where we are now, looking down the barrel of the current Victorian Government’s plan to further fragment the fire service and institutionalise division, inflexibility and a narrow focussed service paradigm.
Since I joined in 1992 and every year since, there has been strong awareness amongst agency experts of the opportunity to invest more in and pay much greater respect to the experience, professionalism and capacity of volunteers. Volunteers after all are not just a handy, ‘cheap’, resource they are a core ingredient of communities sharing responsibility for their own safety and unmistakably the only economically viable emergency management capability model for a place such as Victoria being one of the most fire prone areas in the world.
Throughout my years there has also much talk about the need for local community needs, operational priorities, capability planning for major catastrophes, fire prevention, active community involvement and community safety outcomes to be the driver of fire service policy, funding and resource allocation. And above all there has been strong recognition of the importance of the CFA Chief Officer and CFA Board’s statutory role and powers to ensure these things drove fire service direction not politics, bureaucrats or bean counters.
The message in all of this? CFA is a vastly more modern and better equipped organisation now than it was in 1992. CFA and the CFA volunteer-based model delivers incredible and vital capability. The model and CFA volunteers have demonstrated a continual capacity to innovate, adapt and modernise.
Even though there are significant holes in CFA’s budget, often creating a feeling of a ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ and a concern that still too much of CFA’s budget is chewed up on low priority ‘waste’, CFA today is a highly professional and predominantly well-equipped service. Volunteers undertake nationally accredited training, get to utilise modern firefighting equipment capable of responding to any risk from complex industrial to urban to remote rural, and have sophisticated operational systems.
Today’s existing CFA arrangements deliver a world regarded and flexible resource model that, if applied and funded properly, allows CFA brigades to be allocated with whatever additional support (equipment, paid firefighters, systems, training) might be required to cope with urban expansion. Today CFA’s budget is more than a 300% increase in real $ terms than it was in 1992, there are more than 2600 paid staff working with and in support of volunteers and whilst volunteer numbers have declined to their lowest levels since 1992, there are still 55,000 CFA volunteers.
To say today’s CFA is not a modern firefighting agency is irresponsible community scare mongering bull dust.
But sadly, despite the significant improvements there are some elements of 1992 that still exist today; some of the hairy problems and constraints still holding the fire service back from being as good as it could be; funding shortfalls that mean volunteer brigades still don’t have the infrastructure and equipment required for them to perform at their best and; way more political and industrial interference today than anyone could have dreamed of back in 1992.
On my darker days my answer to some people when they ask why am I leaving is a glib, I’m dizzy. Dizzy from going around the same circle on some of these issues and tired of arguing with people who will ultimately not face any accountability for their flawed interference in the statutory role of CFA and CFA decision making or their own failure to fund CFA properly.
On my brighter days I would rather say I am leaving because I have stayed a long time and it is simply time to have a break and try a few other things.
It’s probably a combination of both.
And rather than talk about leaving CFA I would prefer to focus on why I have loved my CFA experience so much, how much I respect and appreciate CFA volunteers and the people who support them to do their great work and how proud I am to be able to say I am part of CFA. I would rather talk about why I have stayed so long and why I will continue on in a support role for VFBV.
I have stayed because of the incredible dedication and contribution of CFA volunteers; because of the amazing work CFA does and the importance of the CFA model remaining as strong as it can possibly be for the future; and because of my deep commitment to encouraging and strengthening CFA volunteerism for the benefit of future Victorians. I am staying on in an advisory and project capacity part time because I am deeply concerned about the difficult times ahead for CFA given that the Government has said that it still intends to proceed with the dismantling of CFA.
So I guess it is good bye, but at the same time, I’ll see you around. Thanks again.
Workwear
VFBV had a very productive meeting between CFA representatives and the VFBV Uniform Working Party on 9 March 2019. More than 3,300 volunteers participated in the Volunteer Workwear Survey conducted by CFA late last year, and the results were shared and discussed.
Volunteer feedback to the survey was comprehensive and detailed, if at times blunt, and provided CFA with a clear picture of volunteer expectations and aspirations for workwear. VFBV delegates have reported the discussion was refreshingly open and constructive, and they had a renewed optimism that CFA has heard volunteer feedback and is responding constructively.
The turnaround is welcomed after significant historical controversy and disappointment about consultation and listening to volunteer feedback, and is a positive indicator that significant progress is being made. VFBV gained a number of commitments from CFA on how it will incorporate the volunteer feedback into a revised design.
VFBV is pleased CFA committed to publicly releasing the results of the survey shortly, and will provide more information, including next steps after the survey results have been released.
SOP 6.06 consultation
CFA is currently consulting on proposed changes to SOP 6.06: Practical and Hot Fire Training. CFA is proposing significant changes to this SOP, and members are asked to review these and provide feedback to VFBV as soon as possible. Information on how to access the proposed SOP can be found on the VFBV website.
Brigades and Groups are urged to assess the changes and discuss the potential for any of the proposed changes to impede or create barriers to operational training conducted by Brigades and Groups. Members are encouraged to also discuss feedback at upcoming District Council meetings to ensure VFBV is informed of any concerns or difficulties.
beyondBlue fundraiser
The State Urban Championship concluded with the hotly contested “W.A./Victoria Challenge event”, a Hose & Reel 8s event between Western Australia and Victoria with both states making up a team from competitors at the Championship.
The Western Australia team easily won the Challenge event this year, with a time of 27.49 seconds.
This year’s fundraiser auction of a number of the Victorian Challenge team’s competition shirts raised $3,100, and included monies raised from an auction of one of the ‘Chief Officer’s Chargers’ competition shirts, an event run on the first day of the Championship between a team of the CO and his deputies, against the top 2019 Junior teams.
The $3,100 will be donated to beyondblue, which works to raise awareness of depression, anxiety and suicide prevention, as well as tackling the stigma surrounding these issues, and encourages people to seek support when they need it. VFBV is proud to support such a worthy cause and thanks the sponsors - the Firefighters Credit Co-operative, Haughton Plumbing Eaglehawk, and R & G Jilbert Plumbing – for providing the Challenge shirts for auction.
Full results of the 2019 State Championship can be found on the VFBV website.
Dandenong wins State Urban Grand Aggregate
Dandenong won its 5th Grand Aggregate title at last month’s 2019 State Urban Championship at Bendigo. The Championship was closely contested right up until the very last event, the Champion Fours. With Dandenong taking out third placing in this event, it finished the Championship in the lead with 85 points in the Grand Aggregate. Close behind was Maryvale with 80 points, and Kangaroo Flat on 76 points.
A long-time 1978 record for the Champion Fours event set by the Carrum Brigade (now Patterson River) of 16.05 seconds was broken by the Kangaroo Flat Brigade with a time of 15.90 seconds, which created an exciting finish to the Championship.
VFBV congratulates the Bendigo and Districts Fire Brigades Championship Committee on hosting yet another very successful Championship. VFBV sincerely thanks members of the Committee and neighbouring brigades for their significant work and efforts in hosting three successive State Urban Championships. A great effort by all concerned.
VFBV also expresses sincere appreciation to the City of Greater Bendigo for its significant financial support to our State Championships over the past three years.
The Championship was well attended, with more than 2,000 people attending and 52 entered teams from across the state totalling well over 400 competitors, and also included teams from Harvey from Western Australia and Wyong from New South Wales.
The number of female competitors continues to increase, with many mixed teams now competing in the more traditional male events such as the Ladder Race, Hydrant Race and the reel events.
You could win!!
Brigades or Groups that pay VFBV affiliations before 30 June 2019 will automatically go into the draw for a chance to win one of four great prizes!
The 2019/20 Affiliation notices for your Brigade/ Group’s VFBV affiliation and VFBV Welfare Fund Subscriptions are with your Secretary now with a due date of 30 June 2019.
As a gesture of appreciation to Brigades and Groups that pay their VFBV affiliation prior to 30 June, VFBV will automatically place your Brigade or Group into a draw for a chance to win one of the four great prizes, kindly donated by GAAM Emergency Products and Powdersafe Pty. Ltd.
For further details, checkout the “You Could Win” flyer included with your 2019/20 VFBV Affiliation Notice sent out to your Secretary last month.
TAE upgrade reminder
Members are reminded that volunteer trainer and assessors who wish to be involved in the assessment of national training qualifications need to ensure their Training & Assessing Qualifications are up-to-date. CFA has established a panel of recognised providers that will work with members to upgrade older qualifications to the new requirements.
Districts and Regions have been responsible for identifying and contacting relevant members to schedule and provide upgrade programs locally. Members holding the older TAE10 qualifications being prioritised.
In welcome news, the federal government has announced an extension to the original 1st April deadline, to 1st July 2019 to help individuals complete their gap training.
However, members are urged to not delay their upgrade as the Education Department has advised there will be no further extensions.
A number of volunteers have made VFBV aware of upgrade courses that were cancelled by CFA at the last minute earlier this year. VFBV delegates on the Joint Training Committee have expressed disappointment and concern about the factors leading to these cancellations. CFA has taken this feedback onboard, apologised and given assurances that this will not occur again.
Members are encouraged to ensure their training and assessing qualifications are up-to-date and should speak with their District Training staff urgently should they be required to complete any upgrade or gap training to bring their qualifications up to the new standards.
Position Vacant - Executive Officer
VFBV is seeking a talented and motivated person for the position of Executive Officer to work fulltime based at our Burwood East office.
Reporting to the CEO, this senior position involves working in a team environment to address issues impacting on all volunteers and representing VFBV on committees and working parties. You will work actively with VFBV State Council and District Councils with an aim to ensure volunteers’ views are understood and that issues of concern can either be resolved locally or escalated through appropriate channels.
The role has responsibility for the provision of expert technical, practical and strategic advice on matters affecting CFA volunteers. The role provides important leadership support to VFBV’s network of consultative forums, committees and working parties, as well as providing senior level support to the CEO in developing and managing relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders.
We need a person who can effectively represent volunteers within CFA, to Government, to other organisations and the general public. The role involves considerable liaison with CFA at Executive and senior management levels; working closely with brigades and District Councils; and influencing external decision makers. Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills is essential.
Applicants need to have an understanding and appreciation of issues relevant to CFA brigades and volunteerism in general. You need to be able to demonstrate an ability to establish productive relationships within our own membership base and also with people who influence decisions about matters affecting volunteers. It is important that you are a self starter and can demonstrate success while managing multiple concurrent issues and challenging work demands. You need to be a good communicator and someone who understands how to lead and influence others to achieve outcomes.
This is a permanent position, based at our Burwood office. Recognising that the position supports brigades across Victoria, the position involves considerable travel including weekend and evening work required to support our volunteer membership base.
All applications must include current resume and cover letter addressing key result areas and selection criteria outlined in the Position Description found on our website.
Please contact Cathie Smith for any queries by phone on 03 9886 1141 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Inviting Applicants for CFA Board
The CFA legislation recognises that it is important that the CFA Board has strong volunteer expertise, knowledge and an understanding of CFA volunteers. To support this, CFA legislation provides for four of the CFA Board's Members to be appointed from a panel of names submitted by Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, two being representatives from brigades predominantly service urban communities and two being representatives from brigades predominantly serving rural communities.
The terms of CFA Board Members Hazel Clothier, Lynda Hamilton, Peter Shaw and Tim Young expire 19th July 2019, triggering the need for VFBV to seek applications for a panel of names to be nominated for the next term commencing 20th July 2019.
VFBV is seeking applications for volunteers interested in filling one of the four VFBV nominated positions on the CFA Board.
CFA volunteers who believe they have the skills, experience and capacity to make a contribution to the Board of the CFA, are invited to apply for nomination to the CFA Board. In addition to volunteer experience and knowledge, selection will have regard to any of the following: knowledge of, or experience in, commercial, technical, operational, legal or financial matters; or expertise in fire or emergency management, land management or any other field relevant to the performance of the functions of the CFA.
From applications received and following interviews, VFBV will submit a panel of names to the Minister for Police & Emergency Services.
The CFA Board meets on a monthly basis and also operates a committee system which could require commitment of one half day per month. Attendance at official functions is also expected.
CFA Board Members current annual remuneration is $58,598 (including Superannuation).
The CFA Board Charter is available from the VFBV office. For other relevant information, interested volunteers should contact VFBV - contact details below.
Applications including a current resume must be emailed or faxed to VFBV by COB on Friday 24th May 2019 to: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax: 03 9886 1618.
Inviting to Apply: Board Members of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV)
INVITATION OPEN TO ALL VOLUNTEERS TO APPLY
Closing date for written applications is 31st July 2019
VFBV advances the interests of all Victorian fire brigade volunteers and advocates on their behalf to CFA and other key stakeholders. The VFBV Board drives policy development based on volunteer input and is involved in management of issues of central importance to all CFA volunteers.
Vacancies for Four Board Members will arise when the terms of Samantha Rothman, Kate Boschetti, Jan Cleary and Libby Hay expire on 1st October 2019; all members are eligible for reappointment.
The term of appointment will be to 1st October 2021 (two years) and applications are invited from interested volunteers to be considered for these vacancies.
The role of a VFBV Board Member involves contributing to VFBV direction, policy determination and monitoring the performance and governance of the Association. Also actively contributing to policy discussion at Board Meetings, networking with others about policies and issues management, and not only making decisions but being prepared to actively advocate for the benefit of all CFA volunteers and ultimately the Victorian community.
A Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria is available from the VFBV office or from the VFBV website.
This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.
If you are motivated by the prospect of making a difference for CFA volunteers, then send your written application addressing the key selection criteria in the role statement, plus an outline of your CFA activity including the names of two referees.
Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Wednesday 31st July 2019 to:
VFBV, 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East 3151
Tel: 9886 1141; Fax: 9886 1618
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
CFA Proposed Changes to SOP 6.06 - Practical and Hot Fire Training
Written by VFBV
CFA has commenced consultation on proposed changes to SOP 6.06 Practical and Hot Fire Training. CFA is proposing this SOP replace the existing SOP 6.06 which is called Hot Fire Training -PAD Briefs. VFBV is now calling for volunteer feedback and discussion on the proposed changes to assisit with formal VFBV comment and feedback that will be provided to CFA.
A copy of the draft SOP provided by CFA for consultation can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. Please note that this is draft and for discussion purposes only.
Any comments on suggested improvements or clarifications volunteers have on the proposed changes would be welcome, as would any practical limitations or difficulties members may identify. Feedback to VFBV via email or post would be most preferred, and feedback is welcome from any individual, brigade, group or District Council. We would be most keen to hear from Brigade/Group Training officers as to the practicality of the proposed changes.
If feedback could please be directed to VFBV Support Officer – Chris Dent in the first instance, Chris will be coordinating and collating field feedback, that will then be used by VFBV to provide a formal response to CFA.
Feedback is due no later than the 14th June 2019 – but much earlier if possible.
It would be preferred that members provide feedback ASAP, so that it can be received incrementally, allowing us enough time to consolidate, identify trends and research issues raised by members.
Feedback To:
| Email: | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
| Post: | 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East VIC 3151 |
| Fax: | (03) 9886 1618 |
| Feedback Due: | Friday 14th June 2019 |
UPDATE: Final Results can can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.
A reminder for everyone to consider getting along to the VFBV State (Rural) Championships being held at Bendigo this weekend (Saturday 6, Sunday 7 April).
The Seniors will be competing on the Saturday, and the Juniors will be competing on the Sunday.
This will be the 63rd Senior State Rural Championship and the 41st Junior State Rural Championships.
Events at the rural championships which evolved in the 1950's are based around more current fire ground practices and most use either tankers or replica tanker stands for most of their events.
Results from this weekends Championships will again be posted here: https://www.facebook.com/Volunteer-Fire-Brigades-Victoria-Championships-451309545285820/
And we also be running our live stream of Photo's from the weekend via our Flickr account at; https://flic.kr/s/aHsmCBUCDJ
State Championships allow volunteer firefighters to test their skills and prowess against opposing Brigades in a congenial atmosphere and provides an opportunity to strengthen existing friendships and form new bonds with Brigade members throughout Victoria and interstate. Unlike a real bushfire or structural fire situation, which often pits firefighters against mother nature and where lives and property are at risk, these drill competitions are more firefighter versus firefighter, and Brigade versus Brigade, which allows for a more friendly opponent than mother nature.
The Top 10 benefits and objectives of our competitions and State Championships are to:
- increased operational firefighting efficiency and discipline
- develop, maintain and enhance the operational skills of firefighters by providing a competitive environment to promote and hone training and skills maintenance in core and fundamental firefighting skills and practices
- develop teamwork and leadership skills of individuals and Brigades
- increased health and fitness development and promotion of healthy lifestyle and its correlation to increased firefighting efficiency and effectiveness
- promote comradeship amongst firefighters, sense of belonging and networking
- encourage family participation and strengthen community engagement and involvement in local Fire Brigade’s
- encourage our future CFA volunteer firefighters and provide early exposure to young people to instill a sense of community service and the importance of local Fire Brigade’s
- promote a professional image of CFA to the community
- instill and promote the Australian tradition of having a go, and doing your best
- promote and recognise our future CFA, Brigade and VFBV leaders and celebrate excellence
The Structural Helmets project includes the procurement and deployment of a new European-style helmet for eligible CFA volunteer firefighters with both Breathing Apparatus and Search and Rescue competencies.
As part of the tender evaluation process simulated field trials of shortlisted helmets will be conducted with volunteers at several locations across the state. Volunteer feedback on the design, comfort and usability of the shortlisted helmet options in field conditions will help to determine the best solution. The project was funded as part of the State Government's $60 million investment in the Victorian Fire Services as part of the 2017 Fire Services Statement.
CFA is looking for expressions of interest from a range of CFA volunteers to assist in the field trial of structural helmets.
To be considered to participate in these field trials you must hold both current Operate Breathing Apparatus competency and Conduct Search and Rescue. It is important that Volunteers hold these pre requisites to be eligible to participate in field trials as they will include practical drills and live fire. The number of participants is limited however all EOIs will be assessed and candidates shortlisted to ensure that the required spread of demographics including location, gender, age and experience are represented in the trials.
To be considered to participate in the trial please complete the EOI Form below before the 4 April 2019. Note all participants in the trial will be required to follow probity protocols and sign both a Confidentiality Agreement and a Conflict Of Interest Declaration.
The field trials will be held at training grounds across Victoria:
| Location | Date |
| West Sale | 28 April 2019 |
| Penshurst | 4 May 2019 |
| Bangholme | 11 May 2019 |
| Huntly | 12 May 2019 |
Visit the following link to register your interest to participate in the field trials: https://cfacommunications.cmail19.com/t/r-l-jtukkykd-uijuqbdj-d/ Applications close on April 4th.
More...
Thank-you and Well Done
By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
Once again I need to express my deep admiration for the hundreds and hundreds of CFA volunteers from around the state who dropped everything to provide vital surge capacity to those communities in need, including our friends from interstate.
There’s never really enough that can be said about how amazing and admirable our volunteers are. They provide such a huge contribution to the safety and response capacity of CFA and the protection of Victoria.
And as always, we thank the families of volunteers who put up with the disruption and the absences – you are also a major part of why the CFA can succeed.
I also want to thank employers. Some volunteers are self-employed and make personal sacrifices to join strike teams deployed across the state, and many have wonderful employers who are also part of Victoria’s response in their willingness to support the emergency services members who work for them – we thank them for being so understanding and generous.
A lot of people have lost property, pets and livestock in the fires – but importantly, a lot of them have been saved as well, as a direct result of Victoria’s volunteer and career firefighters providing their highly trained and professional response capabilities.
We are still in a very dangerous time of the year, with significant damage potential from the fires already burning and plenty of risk of further fire activity as we have many areas of bush that are still in peak dryness and with high fuel loads. I have received report after report of new fire starts being controlled very quickly and dozens of houses being saved directly because of our firefighters’ efforts. It is the work of CFA volunteers and our valued colleagues that have avoided greater losses and spared many residents from great loss. As with every fire there will be opportunities to investigate what learnings can be gained and that will happen in due course.
We all know how traumatising fires can be. We understand and sympathise with people who are facing the mountain of challenges that come when fire has ripped through their communities. They deserve our compassion and empathy, and we grieve alongside them.
Victorians are a resilient people, and there’s a reason CFA is one of the most respected fire service models in the world and once again our response to these fires have proven why.
Take care of yourselves, keep safe and know that we and the people of Victoria are proud of you and have your back. Well done and keep up the good work, there is still much to do.
CEO succession plan activated
By Nev Jones AFSM, VFBV State President
In February VFBV CEO Andrew Ford advised the VFBV Board of his desire to step down as VFBV CEO as of end April 2019.
While this is sad news for VFBV, I am sure you will share with me in recognising that Andrew has made an outstanding contribution to VFBV, CFA volunteers and the community over many years, and truly deserves our support as he chooses to pursue other career and family objectives.
Andrew was appointed to VFBV CEO in February 2007 and prior to that held various senior management positions as a CFA employee during a 15 year career commencing in 1992, and involving appointments as CFA Manager Corporate Planning and General Manager CFA Westernport Area.
Through Andrew’s leadership, VFBV operates as a highly professional organisation and we have a well-established succession strategy in place. As a result of this the VFBV Board has appointed experienced CFA volunteer and VFBV Executive Officer Adam Barnett as the new VFBV CEO from 1 May 2019.
The Board is grateful that Andrew has agreed to continue his outstanding commitment to CFA volunteers and stay on with VFBV in a part-time strategic advisory role. Andrew will focus his energy and expertise on helping VFBV navigate the complex and challenging period ahead that will almost certainly see the Victorian State Government push ahead with its plans to create Fire Rescue Victoria.
As members know, this involves plans to separate operational paid staff out of CFA and discontinue Victoria’s world-renowned model of integrating volunteers and paid staff working as one unified team. VFBV has been very clear that it poses significant risks to the sustainability and effectiveness of CFA.
Andrew and Adam will work with the government and other decision-makers to achieve the strongest possible CFA despite the significant downsides of a very flawed fire service reform proposition.
In addition to continuing part time with VFBV, Andrew will be pursuing some other career interests and taking the opportunity to establish a better family/work balance following what has been a very demanding role as VFBV CEO over the past 12 years.
Adam Barnett will transition into the VFBV CEO role from 1 May 2019. Adam is well known throughout both VFBV and CFA and is a highly experienced and well regarded operator. Adam has acted as VFBV CEO on numerous occasions and brings 13 years CFA experience to the role.
Adam will hit the ground running with regard to the continued day-to-day leadership of VFBV, the strategic challenges presenting to us and the important ground work we must always do to support, engage with and advocate for CFA volunteers and the work volunteers do to protect Victorian communities.
VFBV’s strength comes not just from our leadership positions but from you our members, and I take this opportunity to express my ongoing gratitude to all of you for the contribution you make to ensuring the voice of volunteers is respected and heard.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to represent volunteers on all matters that affect them so that on behalf of all Victorians we sustain strong volunteerism and the strongest possible CFA for the benefit of our communities.
A truly meaningful role
By Andrew Ford, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
In February I announced that I was stepping down as CEO of VFBV. I will leave the role at the end of April and, as part of our long-standing succession plan, I’m delighted that Adam Barnett, our current Executive Officer, will step into the CEO role from 1 May 2019.
One of the things I love about my role as CEO at VFBV is that it is truly meaningful. I get to meet and represent people who actively protect their communities and who go above and beyond for the CFA and the whole of Victoria. I have felt privileged to work with and represent volunteers across Victoria, which quite reasonably meant working hours that suited them; on weekends and beyond normal 9-5 hours. And that’s fair enough, given the hours and effort of CFA volunteers, especially our Brigade and Group leaders.
However, as most people would in a role with big time commitments, it was always my plan to move on after a few years and give myself a new challenge – and spend time with family and new interests. In fact I spoke to the VFBV Board about my thoughts on this a few years ago and worked with them to put in place a succession plan.
The dangerous and damaging games being played with our fire service in the past few years made me decide to stay longer to give my best and strongest possible defence of CFA volunteers and the communities we serve. I realised the VFBV and volunteers were under attack by those who should be our strongest supporters, and by forces that were not acting in the interests of CFA, volunteers or the safety of Victorians.
Like many, I think there is always a room for improvement in our service. But dismantling the CFA and our critical surge capacity with a proposal based solely on political and industrial benefits just couldn’t be left unchallenged.
That is why I’m stepping down as CEO but I will continue to help VFBV fight for a strong and sustainable CFA in the future, given we expect that this Government will revive its ill-considered and poorly formulated legislation and has a stronger position in parliament than it has had before.
By the way, I don’t agree with claims that the election gave the Government a ‘mandate’ to change the CFA. It was pretty clear during the election that the Government wanted to say as little as possible about its fire services legislation given how polarising it was in previous campaigns, so it’s not an issue that voters focussed on during the election campaign.
Regardless of that, it’s still deeply flawed and dangerous to the safety of Victorians, and VFBV will work with the Government and other decision-makers to try to protect the invaluable attributes that make the CFA so admired around the world – the meaningful and vital role of volunteers and CFA surge capacity in particular.
As I write this, the fires in Victoria’s east remind us why the current CFA operating model is world-renowned for its ability to generate surge capacity of highly trained firefighters over long-duration fires.
I am looking forward to working with Adam Barnett, as CEO of VFBV, and the VFBV Board to carry out our duties under the CFA Act 1958 to represent volunteers to the CFA and other decision-makers on the matters that affect us and our welfare and efficiency. I’m also looking forward to spending a bit more time with family and on other interests, which I will be able to do with Adam in the driving seat.
Finally, I would like to thank all our members and supporters for their support, teamwork, integrity, persistence and courage. Thanks also to the VFBV Board, who have been tireless and excellent representatives of CFA volunteers and VFBV, and everyone in the VFBV office, our Support Officers and all VFBV delegates around Victoria.
Last Chance: Cold Climate Jackets
Brigade and Group orders for fully funded Cold Climate Jackets were due by the 28th February. Order forms and information were sent to all Brigade Captains and Secretaries and all Group Officers and Group Secretaries in December 2018. Hard copies were also posted in January.
Any Brigades/Groups that have not yet returned their order forms are requested to do so ASAP or risk missing out.
For Brigades or Groups that do not wish to receive any further jackets, please return the forms so any unwanted jackets can be allocated to other Brigades/Groups. There is a section on the order form to indicate you do not wish to order any Jackets.
Order forms can be found on the VFBV website.
Thank you for members' strong show of support
VFBV’s Brigade affiliations in 2018-19 were maintained at a high 95%, demonstrating yet again strong support for the important work VFBV does on behalf of all CFA volunteers.
This month VFBV will be sending out notices for 2019-20 Brigade or Group VFBV affiliation and VFBV Welfare Fund Subscriptions. These will be posted out to Brigade and Group secretaries with a due date of 30 June 2019.
VFBV is established under the CFA Act to represent CFA volunteers on all matters affecting their welfare and efficiency. Without doubt it is more important than ever that volunteers have a strong, united, independent and respected voice. Affiliating with VFBV demonstrates unity and support for the important work VFBV does on behalf of all CFA volunteers. It also helps build volunteer influence and entitles your brigade or group to participate in VFBV forums and decision-making.
The VFBV Welfare Fund has been helping volunteers since 1913 and provides small grants of up to $5,000 to assist volunteer members and long serving ex members. The grants support members and their families experiencing personal financial hardship/crisis by providing welfare grants, on a needs-assessed basis, that may help alleviate stress impacting their ability to maintain involvement as a volunteer.
More information about the Welfare Fund can be found on the VFBV website or by contacting your local VFBV State Councillor.
FEM Advocacy
VFBV has continued discussions with the regulator on how best to support CFA Brigades through the implementation of the new Plumbing Regulations that were bought in late last year. Amongst the changes were new limitations that prevent CFA members servicing fire hose reels, with the regulations only providing for licensed plumbers to conduct this service.
VFBV has joined other stakeholders in working with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) to properly scope the impacts of these changes and discuss appropriate arrangements to minimise the impact on CFA Brigades. There are more than 300 Brigades and more than 1,500 CFA volunteers trained and accredited to provide this service. CFA Fire Equipment Maintenance (FEM) services raise hundreds of thousands of dollars across the state for Brigades to purchase essential appliances and equipment for emergency response.
Discussions have been positive. All stakeholders have exhibited respect for the role CFA volunteers play in providing this service to communities and sympathy for the unintended consequences arising from the new Regulations. We have provided comment and recommendations to the regulator and are now awaiting final confirmation from the VBA’s deliberations on these proposals. VFBV will continue to advocate for a common-sense approach that would ensure CFA volunteers can continue to provide this valued and essential service to communities across Victoria.
Melton wins the 2019 Junior State Championships
An impressive performance saw Melton win its first State Junior Championship by a significant lead - coming first place with 90 points over second placed Harvey WA on 39 points and Tatura third on 27 points.
The Championship was held in Kerang on 23-24 February. It was hosted by the Kerang Fire Brigade, which did a sensational job welcoming Brigades and competitors and running a very slick and smooth competition.
Feedback has been very positive of the success of the weekend, which attracted nearly 500 junior competitors, with 63 teams from across the state including Harvey and Kellerberrin from Western Australia. Hundreds more CFA volunteers and staff, including members of the general public enjoyed seeing the future firefighters of CFA on display.
Melton A was the clear winners of the Under 14 Years age group winning six of the nine events and the team also won three events in the Under 17 Years age group, taking a clear sweep of all the aggregates, in winning the Dry, Wet, Under 14 Years, Under 17 Years and the Grand Aggregates.
Other strong performances came from Harvey, Tatura and Kangaroo Flat.
Full details and results can be found on the VFBV website. Photo's from the weekend can be found here.
Workwear
CFA has advised us that it is now collating all the responses received to the CFA Workwear Survey run late last year. More than 3,300 volunteers participated in the survey, validating VFBV’s long advocacy that volunteers have a desire and expectation that they be consulted and involved in decisions affecting them.
CFA has asked to meet with the Uniform Working Party and is due to sit down with the Committee in early March to provide the results of the survey and discuss feedback.
It is VFBV’s desire that the results of the survey then be made public and that CFA adjust the workwear proposal based on volunteer feedback and suggestion. We would then like to see CFA proceed to conduct a timely and transparent process to finalise the specifications, moving as quickly as possible through a tender and procurement process to final implementation.
We will keep you informed as we learn more.
Wire rope barrier success
For many years VFBV has advocated on behalf of volunteers the importance of early and close engagement with CFA Brigades on any plans to install wire rope barriers along roadways. Early consultation and engagement allow Brigades to clearly understand what is proposed and allows volunteers to work with VicRoads staff to mitigate any impacts on local firefighting operations, including access/egress to bushland and sufficient turnaround points large enough to accommodate emergency vehicles.
Late last year VFBV officials sat down with VicRoads senior management on behalf of the VFBV Community Safety Committee, and discussed the importance of engaging with the local Brigades and volunteers, and some practical tips on how to do it effectively and constructively. We are pleased to report that following these discussions, we have had reports from several Brigades that have recently been approached by VicRoads, which then worked closely with the Brigade to alleviate and in some cases resolve concerns with planned works.
The Joint VFBV/CFA Community Safety Committee has requested that CFA work with VicRoads to plot out and map all current planned works across the State so that Brigades can identify works that may impact on their Brigade areas. As soon as this information is available, we will work with CFA to ensure it is well communicated and a process for Brigades to be identified and involved in planning is made available.
Leadership Training
In October last year CFA publicly announced the results of its tender process for its Leadership Development programs, advising that the Australian Institute of Management (AIM) had been successful in obtaining a five year contract to deliver these courses across the sector.
While VFBV was disappointed that volunteers had not been consulted during this process, and with the loss of the highly respected Fireline Leadership program it is set to replace, CFA has worked hard with the Joint VFBV/CFA Training Committee to restore trust and confidence in its new programs.
A small working party of subject matter experts and volunteer representatives has been assembled and is working with CFA and AIM to gain an understanding on the new proposed program.
We are told the program is based on the new Leadership Capability Development Framework for Fire and Emergency Services that was reviewed by CFA in 2017 and consists of Team member and Team leader training based around three themes; model ethics; self-awareness; and strategic thinking. CFA is expecting to release a pilot program this month.
VFBV has requested that the working party continue to be actively involved in reviewing the pilot, and that an opportunity for broader consultation and feedback is developed. We will keep you updated with progress as it is available.
Position Vacant - Executive Officer
VFBV is seeking a talented and motivated person for the position of Executive Officer to work fulltime based at our Burwood East office.
Reporting to the CEO, this senior position involves working in a team environment to address issues impacting on all volunteers and representing VFBV on committees and working parties. You will work actively with VFBV State Council and District Councils with an aim to ensure volunteers’ views are understood and that issues of concern can either be resolved locally or escalated through appropriate channels.
The role has responsibility for the provision of expert technical, practical and strategic advice on matters affecting CFA volunteers. The role provides important leadership support to VFBV’s network of consultative forums, committees and working parties, as well as providing senior level support to the CEO in developing and managing relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders.
We need a person who can effectively represent volunteers within CFA, to Government, to other organisations and the general public. The role involves considerable liaison with CFA at Executive and senior management levels; working closely with brigades and District Councils; and influencing external decision makers. Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills is essential.
Applicants need to have an understanding and appreciation of issues relevant to CFA brigades and volunteerism in general. You need to be able to demonstrate an ability to establish productive relationships within our own membership base and also with people who influence decisions about matters affecting volunteers. It is important that you are a self starter and can demonstrate success while managing multiple concurrent issues and challenging work demands. You need to be a good communicator and someone who understands how to lead and influence others to achieve outcomes.
This is a permanent position, based at our Burwood office. Recognising that the position supports brigades across Victoria, the position involves considerable travel including weekend and evening work required to support our volunteer membership base.
All applications must include current resume and cover letter addressing key result areas and selection criteria outlined in the Position Description found on our website.
Please contact Cathie Smith for any queries by phone on 03 9886 1141 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Inviting Applicants for CFA Board
The CFA legislation recognises that it is important that the CFA Board has strong volunteer expertise, knowledge and an understanding of CFA volunteers. To support this, CFA legislation provides for four of the CFA Board's Members to be appointed from a panel of names submitted by Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, two being representatives from brigades predominantly service urban communities and two being representatives from brigades predominantly serving rural communities.
The terms of CFA Board Members Hazel Clothier, Lynda Hamilton, Peter Shaw and Tim Young expire 19th July 2019, triggering the need for VFBV to seek applications for a panel of names to be nominated for the next term commencing 20th July 2019.
VFBV is seeking applications for volunteers interested in filling one of the four VFBV nominated positions on the CFA Board.
CFA volunteers who believe they have the skills, experience and capacity to make a contribution to the Board of the CFA, are invited to apply for nomination to the CFA Board. In addition to volunteer experience and knowledge, selection will have regard to any of the following: knowledge of, or experience in, commercial, technical, operational, legal or financial matters; or expertise in fire or emergency management, land management or any other field relevant to the performance of the functions of the CFA.
From applications received and following interviews, VFBV will submit a panel of names to the Minister for Police & Emergency Services.
The CFA Board meets on a monthly basis and also operates a committee system which could require commitment of one half day per month. Attendance at official functions is also expected.
CFA Board Members current annual remuneration is $58,598 (including Superannuation).
The CFA Board Charter is available from the VFBV office. For other relevant information, interested volunteers should contact VFBV - contact details below.
Applications including a current resume must be emailed or faxed to VFBV by COB on Friday 24th May 2019 to: email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax: 03 9886 1618.
Orders for Cold Climate Jackets were due back on the 28th February. Late orders are being accepted, but Brigades and Groups must hurry before final orders are confirmed, or risk missing out all together.
Order forms are available at the bottom of this page for download, and hard copies were posted to all Brigade/Group secretaries in January.
Original Story posted in December 2018:
We are pleased to announce that the bid for additional Cold Climate Jackets through this year’s Volunteer Emergency Service Equipment Program has been successful. We thank CFA for their support for the bid.
Though the final amount approved was less than hoped – it is envisaged that the allocated funding will cover up-to an additional 1,900 jackets State wide.
VFBV has offered to run the ordering process so that Brigades and Groups can be assured of having the opportunity to order specific sizes relevant to their membership profile.
Brigades/Groups can download Order forms from the bottom of this page, and paper copies have been posted to all Brigade/Group secretaries in the January VFBV Mailout.
Completed order forms are due back by 28th February, so please follow-up with your Brigade/Group secretary ASAP.
VFBV will continue to advocate for additional funding to further increase allocations. Delivery of the new Jackets are expected late June early July ready for the winter season.
VFBV is seeking a talented and motivated person for the position of Executive Officer to work fulltime based at our Burwood East office.
Applications Close Friday 24th May.
Reporting to the CEO, this senior position involves working in a team environment to address issues impacting on all volunteers and representing VFBV on committees and working parties. You will work actively with VFBV State Council and District Councils with an aim to ensure volunteers’ views are understood and that issues of concern can either be resolved locally or escalated through appropriate channels.
The role has responsibility for the provision of expert technical, practical and strategic advice on matters affecting CFA volunteers. The role provides important leadership support to VFBV’s network of consultative forums, committees and working parties, as well as providing senior level support to the CEO in developing and managing relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders.
We need a person who can effectively represent volunteers within CFA, to Government, to other organisations and the general public. The role involves considerable liaison with CFA at Executive and senior management levels; working closely with brigades and District Councils; and influencing external decision makers. Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills is essential.
Applicants need to have an understanding and appreciation of issues relevant to CFA brigades and volunteerism in general. You need to be able to demonstrate an ability to establish productive relationships within our own membership base and also with people who influence decisions about matters affecting volunteers. It is important that you are a self starter and can demonstrate success while managing multiple concurrent issues and challenging work demands. You need to be a good communicator and someone who understands how to lead and influence others to achieve outcomes.
This is a permanent position, based at our Burwood office. Recognising that the position supports brigades across Victoria, the position involves considerable travel including weekend and evening work required to support our volunteer membership base.
All applications must include current resume and cover letter addressing key result areas and selection criteria outlined in the Position Description found at the bottom of this page.
Please contact Cathie Smith for any queries by phone on 03 9886 1141 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Click the image below to view the Photo Album from the weekend.
Final Results
Detailed Results
SATURDAY, 9th MARCH
Event 1 - DISCIPLINE CONTEST
A Section:
|
1st |
MELTON A |
89.55 % |
|
2nd |
EAGLEHAWK |
87.73 % |
|
3rd |
HARVEY |
86.82 % |
|
4th |
DANDENONG |
86.36 % |
|
5th |
DROUIN/BUNYIP |
83.64 % |
B Section:
|
1st |
KNOX GROUP |
90.91 % |
|
2nd |
HOPPERS CROSSING |
86.36 % |
|
3rd |
MORNINGTON |
84.09 % |
|
4th |
KYNETON |
83.18 % |
|
5th |
OSBORNE PARK |
81.82 % |
Event 2 – Ladder Race - One Competitor
|
1st |
KANGAROO FLAT A (1): Jackson Dargaville |
6.26 seconds |
|
2nd |
MARYVALE (2): Matt Royal |
6.34 seconds |
|
3rd |
DANDENONG (1): Jon Murphy |
6.39 seconds |
|
4th |
HARVEY A: Rhys Landweher |
6.52 seconds |
|
5th |
MARYVALE (1): Chris Johnson |
6.59 seconds |
Event 3 – B Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors
|
1st |
WERRIBEE: Dominic Trifilo, Michael Trifilo, Michael Davey, Ben Watterson & Liam Brittian |
15.25 seconds |
|
2nd |
MAFFRA |
15.52 seconds |
|
3rd |
OSBORNE PARK |
15.72 seconds |
|
4th |
MOE |
19.35 seconds |
|
5th |
EUROA |
19.45 seconds |
Event 4 - A Section Marshall - One Competitor
|
1st |
HARVEY A (2): Marc Papalia |
23.15 seconds |
|
2nd |
MELTON A (1): Bailey Rhodes |
24.09 seconds |
|
3rd |
KANGAROO FLAT A (1): Tom Dargaville |
24.31 seconds |
|
4th |
KANGAROO FLAT A (2): Jamie Hart |
24.52 seconds |
|
5th |
MARYVALE (2): Matt Royal |
24.70 seconds |
Event 5 - A Section Hose and Ladder Eights
|
1st |
MARYVALE: Matt Royal, Dominic Keating, Chris Johnson, Jordan Royal, Tristan Salerno, Dallas Flowers, Gavin Stevenson & Cole Miller |
19.72 seconds |
|
2nd |
DANDENONG |
21.14 seconds |
|
3rd |
WENDOUREE |
21.50 seconds |
|
4th |
HARVEY A |
22.12 seconds |
|
5th |
TATURA |
22.21 seconds |
Event 6 - B Section Marshall - One Competitor
|
1st |
HORSHAM (1): Brandon Scott |
24.70 seconds |
|
2nd |
KNOX GROUP (1): Jack Lewis |
25.99 seconds |
|
3rd |
MOE (1): Matthew Van Tilburg |
26.33 seconds |
|
4th |
EUROA (1) |
26.96 seconds |
|
5th |
HARVEY B (2): M Golding |
27.18 seconds |
Event 7 - B Section Hose and Reel Sixes
|
1st |
MOE: Matthew Van Tilburg, R Drakatos, P Walsh, T Angus & J Van Tilburg |
31.41 seconds |
|
2nd |
WERRIBEE |
32.19 seconds |
|
3rd |
NARRE WARREN |
36.68 seconds |
|
4th |
HARVEY B |
37.02 seconds |
|
5th |
HORSHAM |
37.25 seconds |
Torchlight Procession
|
1st |
HOPPERS CROSSING |
93 % |
|
2nd |
KNOX GROUP |
92 % |
|
=3rd |
MILDURA & MELTON |
91 % |
SUNDAY, 10th MARCH
Event 8 – Hydrant Race – One Competitor
|
1st |
TATURA (2): Matt Rennie |
11.64 seconds |
|
2nd |
DANDENONG (1): Jon Murphy |
11.67 seconds |
|
3rd |
TATURA (1): Nathan Rennie |
11.84 seconds |
|
4th |
MARYVALE (2): Matt Royal |
11.91 seconds |
|
5th |
HARVEY A (2): Rhys Landwehr |
12.17 seconds |
Event 9 – A Section Pumper and Ladder – Five Competitors
|
1st |
KANGAROO FLAT A: Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Jamie Hart, James Murphy & Rino Powluch |
13.34 seconds |
|
2nd |
MARYVALE |
13.43 seconds |
|
3rd |
DANDENONG |
13.54 seconds |
|
4th |
DROUIN/BUNYIP |
14.10 seconds |
|
5th |
HARVEY A |
15.33 seconds |
Event 10 – B Section Marshall – Two Competitors
|
1st |
WERRIBEE (1): Dominic Trifilo & Michael Trifilo |
15.95 seconds |
|
2nd |
MOE (1): Matthew Van Tilburg & Trevor Angus |
16.61 seconds |
|
3rd |
HARVEY B (2): M Golding & Khloe Harding |
16.83 seconds |
|
4th |
SWAN HILL (2): Jesse Schifferle & Kadisha Bruton |
16.85 seconds |
|
5th |
HOPPERS CROSSING (1): Brenton Lawrence & Kyle Sulman |
17.01 seconds |
Event 11 - B Section Hose and Ladder - Five Competitors
|
1st |
OSBORNE PARK: Dean Jordan, James Mullins, Steve McNally, Nathan Bolger & Matt Bolger |
22.07 seconds |
|
2nd |
WERRIBEE |
22.41 seconds |
|
3rd |
HOPPERS CROSSING |
22.59 seconds |
|
4th |
ST ARNAUD |
22.96 seconds |
|
5th |
CRESWICK |
23.79 seconds |
Event 12 - A Section Marshall – Two Competitors
|
1st |
DANDENONG (1): Jon Murphy & Millar Anderson |
14.75 seconds |
|
2nd |
GOLDEN SQUARE/BENDIGO (1): Daniel Young & Brad Watt |
14.96 seconds |
|
3rd |
DANDENONG (2): Matt Wilson & Dale Hucheson |
15.40 seconds |
|
4th |
SALE (1): David Monck & Gil Aitken |
15.77 seconds |
|
5th |
TATURA (2): Matthew Rennie & Harry Browning-Briese |
15.77 seconds |
Event 13 - A Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights
|
1st |
MARYVALE: Matt Royal, Dominic Keating, Chris Johnson, Jordan Royal, Shane Flowers, Tristan Salerno, Dallas Flowers & Aaron Winkler |
29.52 seconds |
|
2nd |
DANDENONG |
29.75 seconds |
|
3rd |
WARRACKNABEAL |
32.25 seconds |
|
4th |
HARVEY |
33.71 seconds |
|
5th |
MELTON A |
34.57 seconds |
Event 14 - B Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper
|
1st |
HORSHAM – New Record Time: Jonathon Hornsby, Brandon Scott, Troy Johnston & Michael Zeirsch |
12.93 seconds |
|
2nd |
MOE |
13.33 seconds |
|
3rd |
OSBORNE PARK |
13.59 seconds |
|
4th |
WERRIBEE |
13.67 seconds |
|
5th |
WARRNAMBOOL |
14.07 seconds |
Event 15 - B Section Disabled Hose and Reel Sixes
|
1st |
OSBORNE PARK: Dean Jordan, James Mullins, Leigh Barclay, Nikla Jakson, Matt Bolger & Nathan Bolger |
33.48 seconds |
|
2nd |
HORSHAM |
33.62 seconds |
|
3rd |
COBDEN |
34.31 seconds |
|
4th |
MAFFRA |
34.88 seconds |
|
5th |
KYNETON |
35.29 seconds |
Event 16 - A Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper
|
1st |
MELTON A: Ashley Goudie, Anthony Rhodes, Bailey Rhodes & Cooper Rhodes |
11.92 seconds |
|
2nd |
KANGAROO FLAT A |
12.48 seconds |
|
3rd |
DROUIN/BUNYIP |
12.92 seconds |
|
4th |
MARYVALE |
13.67 seconds |
|
5th |
SALE |
13.97 seconds |
Event 17 - A Section Hose and Reel Sixes
|
1st |
DANDENONG: Jon Murphy, Matt Wilson, Millar Anderson, Ben Sullivan, Steve Miles & Dale Hucheson |
26.75 seconds |
|
2nd |
MARYVALE |
27.48 seconds |
|
3rd |
HARVEY A |
27.93 seconds |
|
4th |
PATTERSON RIVER |
29.43 seconds |
|
5th |
DROUIN/BUNYIP |
29.83 seconds |
MONDAY, MARCH 11th
Event 18 - B Section Wet Hose Striking One Disc Twice
|
1st |
KANGAROO FLAT B: Andrew Smith, Tyler Harris, Kylie Miller & Liam Miller |
15.21 seconds |
|
2nd |
MAFFRA |
15.24 seconds |
|
3rd |
HORSHAM |
15.35 seconds |
|
4th |
WERRIBEE |
15.46 seconds |
|
5th |
MOE |
15.53 seconds |
Event 19 - A Section Y Coupling – Four Competitors
|
1st |
DANDENONG – New Record Time: Jon Murphy, Matt Wilson, Millar Anderson & Dale Hucheson |
7.31 seconds |
|
2nd |
MARYVALE: Matt Royal, Dominic Keating, Chris Johnson & Jordan Royal |
7.72 seconds |
|
3rd |
KANGAROO FLAT A: Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Jamie Hart & James Murphy |
7.92 seconds |
|
4th |
WENDOUREE: Peter Every, Delaney Armstrong, Damon Sutton & Thomas Moloney |
8.11 seconds |
|
5th |
WARRACKNABEAL: Devon Winsall, Jordan Winsall, Shaune Winsall & Cameron Whelan |
8.48 seconds |
Event 20 - A Section Y Coupling – Two Competitors
|
1st |
DANDENONG – New Record Time: Rick Owen & Murray Anderson |
11.10 seconds |
|
2nd |
WENDOUREE: Craig Briody & Anthony McGratt |
11.62 seconds |
|
3rd |
TATURA: Luke Rennie |
11.91 seconds |
|
4th |
KANGAROO FLAT A: Shane Henderson & Glen Scholtes |
12.14 seconds |
|
5th |
MORWELL: Jackson Raeburn & Jack Pavey |
12.82 seconds |
Event 21 – B Section Y Coupling – Four Competitors
|
1st |
OSBORNE PARK: Dean Jordan, James Mullins, Steve McNally & Leigh Barclay |
7.91 seconds |
|
2nd |
MOE: Matthew Van Tilburg, R Drakatos, P Walsh & T Angus |
8.51 seconds |
|
3rd |
MAFFRA |
8.62 seconds |
|
4th |
HOPPERS CROSSING: Christopher Trawn, Brenton Lawrence, Kyle Sulman & Leonnard Lawrence |
8.70 seconds |
|
5th |
HORSHAM: Jonathon Hornsby, Brandon Scott, Troy Johnston & Michael Zeirsch |
8.79 seconds |
Event 22 – B Section Y Coupling – Two Competitors
|
1st |
KNOX GROUP: Ian Gaertner & Will Johnson |
12.15 seconds |
|
2nd |
WHITTLESEA |
13.02 seconds |
|
3rd |
PYRAMID HILL |
13.18 seconds |
|
4th |
MOE |
13.45 seconds |
|
5th |
EUROA |
14.38 seconds |
Event 23 - A Section Hose and Reel Eights
|
1st |
KANGAROO FLAT A: Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Jamie Hart, James Murphy, Rino Pavluch, Shane Henderson, Jack Mactier & Glen Scholtes |
26.55 seconds |
|
2nd |
TATURA |
26.95 seconds |
|
3rd |
MARYVALE |
27.80 seconds |
|
4th |
GEELONG WEST A |
31.99 seconds |
|
5th |
HARVEY A |
33.43 seconds |
Event 24 - Champion Fours
|
1st |
KANGAROO FLAT A – New Record Time: Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Jamie Hart & Rino Pavluch |
15.90 seconds |
|
2nd |
TATURA |
16.56 seconds |
|
3rd |
DANDENONG |
17.01 seconds |
|
4th |
MARYVALE |
17.21 seconds |
|
5th |
WARRACKNABEAL |
17.73 seconds |
FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS
Dry Aggregate
|
1st |
DANDENONG |
35 Points |
|
2nd |
KANGAROO FLAT |
17 Points |
|
3rd |
TATURA |
15 Points |
Wet Aggregate
|
1st |
MARYVALE |
66 Points |
|
2nd |
KANGAROO FLAT A |
58 Points |
|
3rd |
DANDENONG |
48 Points |
SECTION AGGREGATES:
‘A’ SECTION
|
1st |
DANDENONG |
85 Points |
|
2nd |
MARYVALE |
80 Points |
|
3rd |
KANGAROO FLAT A |
76 Points |
‘B’ SECTION
|
1st |
OSBORNE PARK |
53 Points |
|
2nd |
WERRIBEE |
52 Points |
|
3rd |
MOE |
47 Points |
2019 CHAMPION BRIGADE: DANDENONG
The team members of DANDENONG are Coach Andy Waterson, and competitors:
- Millar Anderson
- Murray Anderson
- Tam Chan
- Wayne Charlton
- Stu Hucheson
- Dale Hutchison
- Steve Miles
- Jon Murphy
- Rick Owen
- Rach Rendell
- Matt Wilson
Results for the 2019 Champion Competitor:
|
1st |
Jon Murphy, Dandenong |
28 Points |
|
|
2nd |
Matt Royal, Maryvale |
20.5 Points |
|
|
=3rd |
Matt Wilson, Dandenong Dale Hucheson, Dandenong Tom Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat 19 points |
|
|
The Victoria / Western Australia Challenge took place after the final event, the Champion Fours, and was won by the W.A. team in a time of 27.49 seconds.
The State Urban Senior Championships is being held in Bendigo this long weekend (Saturday 9, Sunday 10, Monday 11th March).
The Bendigo and Districts Fire Brigades Championship Committee in partnership with the City of Greater Bendigo are proudly hosting the 136th Annual Urban State Championships in Bendigo this weekend.
This will be the 136th State Urban Championships, with this year attracting 49 Senior teams, including two teams from Western Australia and one team from New South Wales.
Results from this weekend’s State Senior Championships will be posted here: https://www.facebook.com/Volunteer-Fire-Brigades-Victoria-Championships-451309545285820/
And we also be running our live stream of Photo's from the weekend via our Flickr account at; https://www.flickr.com/photos/vfbv/albums/with/72157693786197555
The City of Bendigo will also be hosting a live musical festival, to coincide with the Torchlight procession, on Saturday evening at 2030hrs, on Bull Street, Bendigo. Visit www.facebook.com/thejohngrossmanproject
