ROAD RESCUE CHALLENGE TASMANIA 2012fire.tas.gov.au/userfiles/tym/file/Fireground_Winter_2011.pdf ·...

n Queensland Floods

n Heroism Award

n USAR Deployment to Christchurch

n TFBCA Championships

ROAD RESCUECHALLENGE TASMANIA 2012

www.cdesign.com.au/rrct2012

Firegroundwinter 2011

4 Fireground WinTer 2011

Contents

Official Journal of The Tasmania Fire Service

CHIEF OFFICER and CHAIRMAN of the STATE FIRE COMMISSION Mike Brown

COMMISSION MEMBERS Bruce Corbett, Paul Kingston, Lyndsay Suhr, Rod Sweetnam, Carmel Torenius

EDITORIAL FIREGROUND, GPO Box 1526, HOBART TAS 7001

Email: [email protected] Web: www.fire.tas.gov.au

The opinions expressed in FIREGROUND are not necessarily those of the State Fire Commission

Published by Tasmania Fire Service Printed by The Print Centre 1 Sunderland Street, MOONAH

ISSN 0727-6087

WINTER 2011

Printed on Monza Satin recycled paper (55% recycled - 30% pre consumer, 25% post-consumer & FSC certified pulp), with environmentally friendly vegetable ink.

Corporate Image Style Guide 1USAR Deployment to Queensland Floods 2Brisbane Floods 3USAR CAT 2 Deployment to Christchurch 4Regional Conferences 5Australasian Rescue Challenge 5Pride of Australia Medal’s Heroism Award 6Emergency Services Working Together 6Citizen of the Year Award 7AFAC/Bushfire CRC Awards 7Gunns Plains Floods 8Lyprenny Structure Fire 10Ian Officially Bounds into the South Esk 11International Relief and Education 12Multi-Service Exercise at Smithton 16Midlands Group Exercise 19Tamar District Exercise 20Junior Development Day 22East Coast Field Day 23Exercise Tests Incident Management Team Roles 24The BullEx Intelligent Training System 25Experience TFS! 26Our Volunteer Handbook has been Updated 30Team Dragon Slayers 31Volunteer Leadership Programs in 2010 32Volunteer State Consultative Committee 34Community Protection Planning Project 35Community Expectations – Realistic Or Not? 36Derwent Valley in TFBCA Championships 372010 TFBCA Championships 38Family Fun Day Competitions 40Tasmanian Mines Rescue Competition 2010 42Somerset’s Foreshore Fiesta 43Jeans For Genes Days 43Oatlands District High School’s Dinner 44Introducing 45Glenorchy Children’s Christmas Party 46Yolla Brigade’s Annual Dinner 47Magra Brigade Presentations 47Dilston Brigade Awards Night 48Melrose Brigade Medal Presentations 2010 48Queenstown Brigade’s Dinner and Presentation 49Franklin turns 75 49Seven Mile Beach Brigade’s 50th Anniversary 50Cambridge Commemorates Membership 51Awards 52Photo Gallery 54Library News 56On the Move 58Letters 60

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Cover photo Multi-service exercise at Smithton. Photographer: Leading Firefighter Paul Caston, Penguin Brigade.

1Fireground WinTer 2011

MICHAEL BROWN

From the Chief Officer

Welcome back to Fireground! You would be aware that we have missed two editions, Summer 2010 and Autumn

2011. I reported in Word Back that our long serving editor, Linda Lacy had an extended period of sick leave. The positive news is that Linda has returned to work and is enjoying good health. Linda has decided though, that after 10 years as Editor, it is time for a new focus. She has instead been working on a number of projects, including the training and rollout of Employee Self Service which provides access to electronic payslips, leave, etc. to employees. I’ve heard great feedback on her efforts in this area as well! For this edition Enola Johnson from our Library has provided much support in the preparation and editing - thanks Enola!

Linda did such a professional and enthusiastic job with Fireground that she is proving hard to replace. We are still not exactly sure how we’ll support Fireground in the longer term however we know this kind of publication is very important to our 5,000 members and in

one way or another we’ll continue to produce it. I’m sure I join all of you in expressing our gratitude and appreciation to Linda for a fantastic job over the last 10 years. Well done Linda and thanks for such an outstanding effort!

For most areas of Tasmania our summer was a fizzer. The La Niña provided us with regular rain and mostly cool conditions. In January much of eastern Australia, including Tasmania, experienced damaging floods. This edition features articles on the support TFS members provided to the flood events both locally and in Queensland. Over the latter part of our summer Cyclone Yasi, the devastating Christchurch earthquake, and major fires in the Perth area dominated the news and again TFS capabilities were utilised and (as I now know) very much appreciated by the receiving jurisdictions. All feedback to date has been extremely positive.

While fire is and will continue to be our core business, clearly our roles in the larger emergency management context are becoming our growth business.

In closing, and as I write, we are yet to hear just how the new state budget will impact on our budget and future planning. Currently we are consulting with our members to seek your ideas on ways in which we can achieve savings and efficiencies. At the same time we are reviewing our range of programs across the organisation and consulting with Tasmania Police to identify areas of duplication and functions we may be able to share.

I have no doubt we will be impacted in some way, however we will do all we can to ensure the vital services we provide to the Tasmanian community are maintained at the high level they have come to expect.

TFS has been developing a new ‘corporate image style guide’ that will help to ensure an improved look and

better consistency with all our materials including stationery, publications (both electronic and otherwise), correspondence and branding generally. This way, when you receive correspondence from the north or south it will all look the same.

One important element that has undergone some minor revision is our logo. You may not have realised it, but there have been a number of “official” versions of our logo being used around TFS for some time – each a little bit different in colour and style. Also, as we have been moving into more digitised use of logos, we have been finding that the fine detail in our logo has been difficult to reproduce clearly to allow for the greatest possible recognition of our brand.

We understand that our members highly value the history and tradition of our logo, and as a respected and trusted

organisation it was important that we take care not to lose our ‘brand’ identity. However it was time to sharpen up our brand logo and we now have an agreed revised logo. There will be no wholesale change, instead you will see the revised logo progressively featuring on our stationery, brochure materials, website, vehicles and uniforms as our current stocks are depleted and old badging and signage needs replacing; this may take a number of years to complete.

I would like to thank those who have expressed their views regarding the revised logo. With our new logo and style guide, we will all know which logo to use and can ensure our logo is presented in a consistent and professional way.

Corporate Image Style Guide

New Logo Old Logo


The devastating floods that inundated a large part of south-east Queensland in January 2011 led to the activation of

COMDISPLAN – the Australian Government’s disaster response plan. COMDISPLAN provides a mechanism for the coordination of physical resources to be deployed to assist a disaster affected area - and a disaster it was!

Following the activation of the plan, eight TFS Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Technicians were requested to participate in two multi-jurisdictional USAR Taskforces – the very first time this concept has ever been used in Australia. The Taskforces, one led by Fire and Rescue New South Wales (FRNSW) and the other by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS), were deployed to the Toowoomba and Brisbane regions. District Officer Mark Dobson undertook the role of Tasmanian Government liaison for requests of assistance.

The primary function of each Taskforce differed, with the Toowoomba based crews initially being tasked with undertaking search and rescue operations and the Brisbane crews undertaking rapid damage assessment of flood affected areas.

Rapid damage assessment is a process where individual properties are assessed for structural damage and important information is captured in relation to a property’s habitability status. The information is entered into a ruggedised (read firefighter proof!) electronic device and that data is then uploaded to a central database where it can be used in a variety of ways by emergency management authorities, councils, government departments and insurers in the community recovery process.

TFS staff worked alongside other USAR technicians from all states and territories of Australia in what was a massive effort

USAR Deployment to Queensland Floods 12-19 January 2011By District Officer and State USAR Coordinator, Mark Dobson

in very ordinary conditions. Some of the significant hazards encountered included bull sharks swimming in submerged suburban streets, snakes, dead animals, chemicals and of course raw sewage as a result of inundated treatment plants. At one point there were 576 personnel and 117 appliances assigned to the Brisbane Region alone.

Well done to those staff who participated in this deployment, they are to be congratulated for the way in which they represented TFS!

SSO Russell Kerr (N) SFF Andrew Pitt (N)

SO David Meldrum (NW) SFF John Kroczewski (N)

LFF Andy Howe (S) SFF John Carter (N)

SFF Royce Brougham (S) SFF Darryl Hancock (NW) MD

Base of Operations – QFRS Special Operations, Cannon Hill.

Typical suburban street during the clean-up.

Arrow showing where the water level reached.

Example of chemical contamination.


Brisbane Floods – Community Recovery DeploymentBy Coordinator Volunteer Strategy, Lucas van Rijswijk

I’m sitting in a car park under a building in the Brisbane Showgrounds. It is one of the Community Recovery Centres set

up by the Queensland Government to provide support for people affected by the floods. The centre is staffed by recovery workers and staff from Centrelink to manage grants, as well as Lifeline counsellors, a business adviser (occasionally) and Red Cross volunteers.

The air is hot and humid and is filled with the sound of fans and air conditioners. Everywhere I look is concrete. I’m surrounded by tables. At each table sits a recovery worker talking to an individual, a couple, or a family. Children cling to their parents while they are trying to find out what help might be available. About half of the recovery workers in this centre have come from Tasmania. We are a part of the team of 26 State Service employees spending two weeks in Queensland to help in the recovery effort. Kate Dobson is the other TFS member of the team.

I watch a young family walk towards me. They are being led by the Red Cross volunteer who has already got their basic details and who has been supporting them while they have been waiting for a worker to be available. As they come towards me I wonder what they will tell me. Will they tell me about the death of a family member like the one earlier this morning? Or will it be another case of people who have lost everything? Hopefully they’ll only be looking for help to replace all the food they lost when their power was off for days. One of the hard things about the job is not knowing what they’re about tell you. The box of tissues on the desk has already been used too often today.

The members of the Tasmanian deployment come from a wide range of backgrounds and jobs—some are experienced recovery workers, for others it’s their first deployment. We arrived in Brisbane a few days earlier. The flood damage was not as obvious as you’d think it would be. An irony of the flood is that it can be almost impossible to tell affected houses from those that have been spared. It’s not until you see a muddy line half-way up the second story that you get an inkling of what’s happened inside. Another irony is that in one house the family may have lost everything, while their neighbour’s house is completely unscathed.

When we arrived in Brisbane we were given half a day of training on the grants that were available and how to help

people to fill in their application forms. We’re also given an updated SitRep and information about the services we can refer people to. There was so much to take in and the grants seemed so little in comparison to the losses people will have suffered. The grant is just to get people started on their recovery; it’s certainly not compensation for what they’ve lost.

This is my fourth day (of a two week deployment) and there is a sort of routine. We leave our accommodation at 8 am to travel to the Recovery Centre by taxi. We start with a briefing and then staff the centre all day until we close it when the last person has left, usually at about 5.45 pm. We travel back to the hotel and meet for a debrief at 7 pm. It’s a long day but nothing compared to what the flood affected families have to cope with.

The Recovery Centre is the first place affected people come for help. Some will be referred to Outreach Workers who will assess their claims or organise help with more complex issues. Regional Coordination Centres receive the forms completed by Recovery Centres, help to process further payments and manage the Outreach Teams. During the deployment Tasmanians will work in each of these roles.

When we finally fly out of Brisbane we are aware that the recovery process will go on for months to come. We realise that we’ve helped people to take their first steps towards their recovery. It’s been good to be able to help a little but also sobering to know that many people will face a long and challenging journey to full recovery. LvR

The Tasmanian deployment.

Tasmanians staffing the Yeronga Recovery Centre. Kate Dobson at the RNA Community Recovery Centre.


On 4 September 2010, Christchurch was hit by a 7.1 magnitude quake that damaged buildings but caused

no deaths. A 6.3 magnitude quake struck at lunchtime on 22 February 2011 when streets and shops in New Zealand’s second largest city were packed and offices were occupied. The damage this time was far worse than the quake in September; this quake was deadly with large numbers of casualties and personnel unaccounted.

The earthquake created major damage to buildings and infrastructure within the CBD and outskirts leaving a scene out of a war zone. As a result of lessons learnt from September, immediately following the quake the CBD was closed off restricting access to only emergency service personnel and approved contractors.

Australian Task Force 3 (AUST TF3) comprising of 72 USAR CAT 2 personnel from every state and territory assembled at RAAF Richmond on the night of Friday 4 March 2011. We deployed to Christchurch on 5 March arriving to a damp evening in Christchurch. Following a comfortable flight on a C17 heavy transport (did not even feel it land, must be the great Defence Force training) we were transported to our Base of Operations (BoO) at Latimar Square where we were given a quick induction.

A total of seven USAR CAT 2 personnel from TFS, Ambulance Tasmania and the State Emergency Service deployed with the Task Force, filling the following positions: 1 Safety Advisor, 4 Technicians, and 2 Paramedics.

Sunday 7 March 2011 saw an early start with briefings commencing at 0700. A total of four teams were created out of the available personnel. The major role of the teams was to undertake structural assessments of damaged buildings including gaining access to determine if any casualties/victims remained. Once the buildings were cleared they were prioritised in order of structural survivability, some were extensively damaged especially the Grand Chancellor and the Capthorn Hotel. It was estimated that approximately 600 buildings will have to be destroyed.

During our 10 day deployment over 300 tasks were allocated to the Task Force from NZUSAR Command along with approximately another 60 tasks allocated from NZ Police Command.

In addition to these tasks the teams were involved in an extensive community engagement process, where they would identify damaged suburbs, undertake assessments of damaged buildings and conduct shoring and repairs to buildings and infrastructure. The community engagement process was very rewarding for the Task Force as their help was highly appreciated by the home owners and enabled them to return into their homes and begin to get back to some sort of normality.

Raising a national multi-jurisdictional task force and deploying overseas had the potential to be a difficult and problematic

TFS USAR CAT 2 Deployment to Christchurch 2011“Beyond the rubble pile”By Senior Station Officer Hobart Brigade, Neil Brooksbank

A typical sight in and around Christchurch.

exercise due to tight time frames to assemble teams and each jurisdiction’s logistical requirements. However the deployment was a great success, largely due to the cohesive interoperability of all personnel deployed.

The Christchurch experience has shown that the level of training undertaken by the Tasmanian team is equal to that undertaken in other states. The compatibility of equipment and processes used, ensured seamless integration occurred at all levels.

Due to the success of the national team deployment, the Task Force Leaders from Fire and Rescue New South Wales, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and Emergency Management Australia are keen to look at utilising similar processes in the future; as a result USAR personnel must ensure they are ready and able to deploy at short notice.

Thank you to District Officer Mark Dobson who, through his coordination and support, ensured the transition went smoothly.

To the team members selected to deploy, your work ethic and camaraderie was of the highest standard I have seen. You are all a credit to TFS and USAR; I look forward to sharing war stories over a few well deserved beers. NB

The Tassie crew.


Regional ConferencesBy A/Deputy Chief Officer, Andrew Comer

The dates and locations for this year’s Regional Conferences have been set and invitations sent to brigades.

As has been the practice for a number of years, these events are open for all members of brigades to attend so we are encouraging the maximum participation possible. Look out for the invitations which will provide all the information you need; in the meantime here are the key details:

§ The Northern Regional Conference will be held on 24 July at the Boathouse on Northbank, Invermay.

§ The Southern Regional Conference will be held on 30 July at the Police Academy, Rokeby.

§ The North West Regional Conference will be held on 13 August at the Ulverstone Civic Centre, Ulverstone.

We are trialing a new format for this year’s conferences that will see the introduction of “Breakout Sessions”. This will provide an opportunity for attendees to discuss and provide feedback on

TFS assumed the role of road accident rescue in the major urban areas of Tasmania on 1 December 2006,

since then TFS firefighters and SES volunteers have continually worked towards national best practice in road rescue techniques to keep pace with advancing new car technology. One avenue to achieve this has been through the Australasian Rescue Challenge (ARC) organised each year by the Australasian Road Rescue Organisation (ARRO).

ARRO is the peak body in Australasia for the development and exchange of information, knowledge and skills in road rescue. Each year ARRO arranges with a host agency to conduct the ARC where agencies involved in road accident rescue come together to learn, exchange ideas and participate in the spirit of friendship. ARRO has approached TFS to host the ARC in 2012 and we have agreed to do this in conjunction with Ambulance Tasmania, the State Emergency Service and Tasmania Police.

The proposed date for the ARC is 26–29 April 2012 and we have already managed to secure the Princes Wharf Shed 1 as the venue for the period 23-30 April 2012. To ensure we are not overloaded with other commitments at this time I ask everyone to mark these dates in their calendars. Whilst there will be a limited number of TFS personnel competing in the ARC, we will be required to draw upon many areas of our organisation to help facilitate the logistics of running this event. MB

Australasian Rescue Challenge 2012By Chief Officer Mike Brown

several topical issues. We hope you find some real value in those sessions.

As usual there will be a series of other short presentations covering a range of issues. Below is just a snippet to hopefully whet your appetite:

§ The Fireline Leadership Program;

§ State Championships;

§ Interstate and international deployments; and

§ Community Protection Planning.

We are also including an opportunity for our partner agencies, Tasmania Police, State Emergency Service, Forestry Tasmania and the Parks and Wildlife Service, to take to the stage so we can hear from those who frequently work alongside us.

Hope you can make it and we look forward to seeing you all there! AC




As Brigade Chief of the New Norfolk Brigade, I was extremely proud when the brigade was nominated for the Heroism

Award in the Pride of Australia Medal. The nomination was for rescuing a husband and wife from a house fire in New Norfolk on 8 July 2009.

On that foggy cold winter’s night, the brigade was hosting a District Training Course and the recently purchased defibrillator was dispatched to the fire scene within minutes of its requirement. Brigade members assisting in the rescue and resuscitation of this couple who had been overcome by smoke, did an incredible job.

The Pride of Australia Medal winners were announced on 27 September at Moorilla Estate. The brigade members who attended were pleasantly surprised and proud to have Chief Officer Mike Brown present on the night, and were excited and honoured to be announced the winners of the Pride of Australia Medal’s Heroism Award.

I received notification of the brigade being awarded the medal whilst on holiday in Western Australia and this was the proudest day of my 38 years with TFS.

The members of the New Norfolk Brigade are a group of people who I strongly admire for their professionalism and willingness to ensure the victims and members of the public were treated respectfully that night. I am still amazed by the positive attitude displayed by brigade members after this difficult experience which impacted on them and their families.

I would like to thank the New Norfolk Brigade members who attended the scene and those who gave support to fellow

New Norfolk Brigade Wins the 2010 Pride of Australia Medal’s Heroism AwardBy Brigade Chief New Norfolk, Colin Triffitt

members following this difficult event. I would also like to thank the families of the firefighters, members of the CISM team and District personnel for their understanding and support provided.

This was the proudest day of my service as Brigade Chief at New Norfolk. CT

New Norfolk Brigade. Photo courtesy of The Mercury

On Sunday 27 December 2010 the Dunalley Brigade

was paged to a vegetation fire at Murdunna. Brigade member Danny was driving through Dunalley at the time so proceeded to go straight to the station. On arriving he realised he did not have his station key on him, but hoped that by the time he got his turnout gear on another member would have arrived. After waiting a while he became anxious about not being able to respond to the fire due to not being able to get access to one of the appliances. Being resourceful and knowing that the local

Emergency Services Working TogetherBy Brigade Chief Dunalley Brigade, Bradley Westcott

police officer had a key to the station, Danny rang the Tasmania Police radio room. He requested they contact Senior Constable Jones and ask if he could come and open up the fire station. The operator managed to contact SC Jones who came and opened the station for Danny, enabling him to promptly respond in the Toyota 5:1. Jonesy being the community man that he is, followed Danny to the fire to see if he could assist in any other way. As can be seen

in the photo he was a great help in more ways than one! And yes, a dynamic risk assessment undertaken on the day supported the level of PPE SC Jones was wearing for the task! BW


AFAC/Bushfire CRC Awards

Mark Chladil and Damien Killalea receiving their AFAC awards.

On 26 January this year a large crowd of people arrived at the small village of Poatina, less than an hour’s drive from

Launceston on the slopes of the Western Tiers, to participate in the Northern Midlands Council’s Australia Day Family Festival.

During the festival, a number of awards were presented to various community members in recognition of their commitment and contribution to the municipality over many years. It also provided the opportunity for the community to acknowledge those individuals, in front of their family and friends, and to show how much they value and admire these people who give so generously and freely of their time and effort; it is a trait so uniquely Australian.

One of the prime recipients was TFS’s own Ronald Denne, Second Officer of the Longford Brigade, who humbly received the Citizen of the Year Award from Mayor Kim Polley. Ron was nominated for this award based on his exceptional service to the Northern Midlands. The Council’s Executive particularly noted Ron’s service as a member of the Longford Brigade for over 20 years as a firefighter and permit officer, and also took into account the range of other events and activities that Ron has participated in, or supported:

§ Active in the Project Wake Up program within the Longford area by providing many community fire safety demonstrations to the public;

§ Ambulance Tasmania Volunteer – Longford co-responder team member;

§ Supported ‘Blessing of the Harvest Festival’;

§ Life Member of Longford Fishing Club – has held the positions of President and Vice President and contributed to committee work and fundraising over many years;

§ Has been on the Board of Directors of Longford RSL;

Citizen of the Year Award

§ Awarded the National Medal for services to TFS;

§ Provided assistance to the National Trust; and

§ Has been a strong supporter of the Longford youth’s involvement in the community.

Regional Chief Andrew Comer was at the festival to see Ron receive his award and said afterwards “Ron, in his usual modest way accepted his award, but paid tribute to his fellow brigade members and the support they had given him. That’s just like Ron, a tireless worker, who just wants to help others without fuss or bother – a true Australian in my view and justly deserves the recognition he received today”.

Congratulations Ron from all at TFS!

At the opening ceremony for the 2010 AFAC/Bushfire CRC Conference in Darwin the Tasmanian delegation had every

reason to be proud.

Andrew Orange from our IT team was awarded a commendation for his work in developing our GIS fire boundary mapping system.

And Fire Management Planning Officer Mark Chladil and Director Community Fire Safety Damien Killalea received special AFAC awards for their significant contributions in assisting AFAC at the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

Well deserved recognition!


In January of this year, Gunns Plains was one of many towns in the north west to be hit by severe flash floods, which forced

business and home evacuations, cut-off and stranded families, and damaged major infrastructure such as bridges and roads.

Wing’s Wildlife Park was one business badly affected by the floods. Initially the Wing family felt like closing the park, but with encouragement, support and assistance from local brigade members they were able to reopen the park to the public two weeks later. Brigade members helped out by removing mud from animal enclosures and storerooms, repairing fences and clearing fallen rocks.

Many farmers were also badly affected by the floods, with considerable amounts of fencing being destroyed. Once again TFS volunteers pitched in daily to help in whatever way they could. Riana Brigade helped with clean-up and restoration efforts, as did John Streets, Paul Hill and Steve Webster who helped pull debris from fence lines. The farmers were very thankful for all the help – every pair of hands was greatly appreciated!

PFD Food services kindly donated food for a barbeque lunch for the volunteers, and Wing’s Wildlife Park also held a thank you event for all those who helped with the clean-up and restoration of the park. These events provided the opportunity to recognise and appreciate what can be achieved through community spirit and many helping hands!

Hosing out animal enclosure sheds.

Wing’s Wildlife Park.

Photos courtesy of Jane Reid and David Bonney, Gunns Plains Brigade.

Gunns Plains Floods

Leven River bursts its banks, forcing

road closures.

Damaged bird aviary.


Regional Chief John Streets and District Officer Paul Hill helping to restore fencing on a Gunns Plains farm.

Gunns Plains Brigade members removing muddy water from Wing’s Wildlife Park’s gift shop and café.

Landslip and flooding closed the main approach to Gunns Plains from Ulverstone for three days.


Photographer: Third Officer Neville Rushworth, New Norfolk Brigade.

Lyprenny Structure FireBy Brigade Chief New Norfolk, Colin Triffitt

Firefighter Shane Tassell using a cutting saw to gain entry.

On 19 July 2010 the derelict Lyprenny building in the unoccupied Willow Court/Royal Derwent Hospital complex in New Norfolk

was set on fire by vandals who entered the area, smashed windows and set alight building products. Six firefighters from the New Norfolk and Magra brigades entered the building wearing BA and were confronted with secured doors with steel mesh welded behind the doors requiring crews to use quick cut saws to gain entry as well as to conduct primary searches to determine if anyone was trapped inside the building.

Five appliances responded to this call and 14 members from both brigades worked together for 2 hours trying to locate the source of the fire which was causing large volumes of smoke. Fortunately the damage to the building was minimal, and the firefighting experience gained was invaluable to members from both brigades.

The brigade would like to thank Andy Smith (Southern Region BA Technician) for returning to work and refilling the BA cylinders allowing both New Norfolk and Magra brigades to be operational.

Thank you also to Third Officer Neville Rushworth (New Norfolk Brigade) who captured shots of New Norfolk Brigade arriving and live action photos of both brigades’ members undertaking the search and entry duties. CT

Ian Bounds commenced with TFS in 1989 with the Launceston

Fire Brigade. Over the next 12 years Ian worked in the North

and North West Regions as a firefighter with Launceston,

Devonport and Burnie brigades before returning to Launceston

Brigade on promotion to Station Officer in 2002.

Ian was seconded to Northern Region in 2005 and worked for a

period as Field Officer in the North East District. During this time

he was involved with fire management, brigade support and

training, and performed many operational roles at significant

incidents locally (notably during the busy 2006 fire season) and

on interstate and international deployments (the latter being

part of an Australian and New Zealand contingent sent to the

United States to assist in firefighting operations).

More recently Ian was deployed to Victoria as part of a

Tasmanian multi-agency response to assist Victorian agencies

during the tragic 2009 fires.

On promotion to Senior Station Officer in August 2009, Ian

played a substantial role in the redevelopment of the volunteer

training pathway and while assigned as a Senior Training Officer

and later Acting District Officer to Learning and Development

was heavily involved in a review of command and control

training.

Ian has been in an acting role as District Officer South Esk since

the new year and now with successful progression to the rank of

District Officer will continue his work in the South Esk District.

Ian Officially Bounds into the South Esk


Obituary

Donald John Jones AFSM, GIFireE13 May 1940 – 9 October 2010

The Autumn 2010 issue of

Fireground reported on the

retirement of Brigade Chief Don

Jones from the Fern Tree Brigade. It gave details of his

volunteer career in TFS and his service with associated

bodies spanning a 38 year period. Sadly Don has passed

away after a short illness.

Not long after arriving to live in Fern Tree, Don became

a volunteer firefighter at the Fern Tree sub-station

of the Hobart Brigade on 23 November 1971. On 12

September 1973 Don’s potential was recognised when

the Hobart Fire Brigade Board appointed him as Deputy

District Officer Fern Tree.

When Fern Tree was reorganised into a retained

member sub-station in 1975, Don became its District

Officer. On the 1979 creation of TFS, Don became

Brigade Chief Fern Tree, a position he held for the next

30 years until his retirement.

Apart from his commitment to brigade operations,

his involvement in a number of other fire associations

formed a significant part of Don’s fire service life. His

active membership in them is an indication of his keen

interest in the welfare of fellow volunteer firefighters,

firefighter education and Tasmania’s fire service

heritage.

We are grateful to Don’s family for allowing us to have

a role at the memorial service held to celebrate his

life. At the commencement of the service, a guard of

honour was formed by officers and members of the

Fern Tree Brigade, together with the Chief Officer,

Regional Chief South, District and Group Officers

Hobart, and representatives of the Tasmanian Retained

Volunteer Firefighters Association, Institution of Fire

Engineers Tasmania branch, and Tasmania Fire Museum.

The guard of honour ushered in Don’s medals,

carried forward by his son, Firefighter Damien Jones,

accompanied by his portrait carried by daughter

Meredith.

TFS colleagues and friends extend their deepest

sympathy to Don’s family.


In October 2010 I was invited by Australian Firefighters International Relief and Education (AFIRE) to participate in an

exciting project which comprised of a three week firefighter training program. Established in 2006 by Australian firefighters, AFIRE has quickly become acknowledged worldwide as professional and unique in its holistic approach to fire service assistance in developing countries. AFIRE provides assistance in the following areas: training of firefighters; community education; infrastructure development; operating procedures; and policies and legislation. The assistance provided by AFIRE works beyond the borders of services, departments, states, countries, cultures and religions.

AFIRE’s credo is to provide an holistic approach to fire service development in order to create a self sustainable emergency service capable of providing safe and effective emergency response in all emergency incidents and to ensure accountability at all times. We achieve this by working closely with the relevant authorities and conducting a comprehensive skills, knowledge and infrastructure gap analysis when planning any projects training or improvements in Cambodia.

AFIRE has been working in Cambodia for the past four years, and has made a significant positive impact on the Cambodian Fire Department. Our volunteer instructors have trained over 350 firefighters, issued 300 sets of personal protective clothing and shipped over $700,000 worth of firefighting equipment and uniforms. They have also started work in East Timor under a United Nations Development Program to assist in the development of the Timor Leste National Fire Service.

All AFIRE members use annual leave to take part in the many projects on offer and are completely self-funded, paying for all

Australian Firefighters International Relief and EducationBy Station Officer Planning and Capability, Michael Goldsmith

airfares, accommodation and living expenses while away. On this tour the instructors from Australia were SSO Paul Summons (CFA), SO Tim Erickson and LFF Rian Miller (MFB) and myself. We had a number of translators working with us for the duration of the trip. We worked in Cambodia’s capital city Phnom Penh as well as in Kandal and Kampong Cham.

Phnom Penh and Kandal firefighters had previously received some training on an earlier trip, so on this trip we focused on advanced firefighting techniques and command and control practical refreshers as part of the Officer Development Program.

The firefighters at Kampong Cham had not participated in any previous firefighting training so the AFIRE trainers focused on delivering basic firefighting skills as well as issuing the firefighters with new personal protective uniform, kindly donated by the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB).

The firefighting vehicles that are used in Cambodia are donated by China, Japan and Korea. The fleet mostly comprise of heavy tankers along with a few urban pumpers similar to our Isuzu 2-1. When it comes to equipment on their trucks, they don’t

AFIRE has been working in Cambodia for the past

four years, and has made a significant positive impact

on the Cambodian Fire Department.


have a lot and most trucks only have 4 to 6 lengths of hose on them. Some vehicles carry BA but they don’t use it that much and don’t have the facilities to maintain and test the equipment as we do in Australia. The fire service is not considered to be a well respected job, with firefighters earning around US$100 a month.

With no formal training college or headquarters available to the firefighters in Phnom Pehn, we trained at the old Olympic Stadium which was an eye-opener in itself! The stadium is frequented by up to 300 locals a day, who come along and play soccer with their friends. The fire service itself is part of the police force, so in order to gain an area to conduct fire training they just started squirting water around to take over the area required. Even in such strange and very public training grounds we trained over 120 firefighters and officers in the capital city over a six day period.

In the other two provinces Kandal (located 45 minutes out of Phnom Penh and mainly industrial) and Kampong Cham (a remote area town located three hours from Phnom Penh) we trained in and around what could only be described as a cow paddock! They know nothing of risk assessments, hence training in those locations is deemed to be OK by their standards. John Green would raise his eyebrows somewhat I would think and the Chief would be inundated with letters from the union.

In both these provinces, all the firefighters did a parade around the city to show the residents that they have a fire service in their area. It was also a show and tell of the modern equipment and an education for the residents, as most Cambodians don’t know that they have a fire service.


Cambodia is a country rich in cultural history that is sometimes overshadowed by the catastrophic events that unfolded during the reign of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. There were many interesting and wonderful places to visit in Cambodia, but the one that had the biggest impact on me was the notorious Choeung Ek prison and its grounds now known as the “Killing Fields”. To visit here, one gets the same emptiness that is felt when visiting the S21 Khmer Rouge Prison of Tuol Sleng in Phnom Penh City. This is a place knowing no bounds of barbarity, where many thousands of prisoners were brought from S21 by trucks in the middle of the night to hide their activities and then killed and buried in mass graves. One hundred and twenty-nine mass graves were found here and over 8,000 human skulls recovered, one of which may have been Australian journalist David Lloyd Scott.

At this site there is a museum erected as a tribute to the victims and a large glass tower in the middle of the grounds known as a Memorial Charnel (built in 1988) which is filled with human skulls bearing testimony to the barbarity of the Pol Pot Khmer regime that lasted from 1975 to 1979, unchecked by foreign governments and encouraged by some others. The Charnel is built to remember the many victims that met their cruel demise in the genocide that was discovered here.

Over 20,000 people were killed there and more than three million were killed throughout the country. History cannot be ignored and to think that this occurred during my lifetime was a very sad and confronting experience. Nevertheless, Cambodia is a country of beauty and history with the potential to be rebuilt and retrained for a better future. I enjoyed immersing myself in another culture, tasting the local food, seeing the sites and helping to improve fellow firefighters’ working conditions and

skills. A great sense of satisfaction is achieved when you participate in such a worthy and necessary project.

As many of you may be aware, since my return home more than 350 people were killed and many more injured during a stampede in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on 22 November 2010. The tragedy occurred at the finale of the annual water festival celebrations that had been held over the weekend. Thankfully no AFIRE staff were injured in the events, although AFIRE was involved in the rescue and recovery efforts.


PO Box 5009, Burnley, Victoria, Australia 3121

ACN: 122 888 448

www.afire.org.au

18 November 2010

Via Email

Mike Brown

Chief Officer Tasmania Fire Service

Cnr Argyle & Melville Streets

Hobart

TASMANIA 7001

Dear Mike

MICHAEL GOLDSMITH IN CAMBODIA

I am writing to you to express our gratitude in the Tasmania Fire Service allowing Station Officer

Michael Goldsmith to attend the recent training program in Cambodia with AFIRE at such short

notice. His ability to attend the trip enabled all elements of the training program to go ahead and

make the trip a success.

Michael took part in a ten-day training program operating in three provinces and training over 200

firefighters in a range of disciplines ranging from Basic Firefighting to Advanced Tactics and

Command and Control. He was one of four professional firefighters from Australia that worked

with our in-country representative and local staff.

I know Michael took away many powerful memories and experiences and Project Manager Paul

Hurford was grateful for his passion and willingness to work under adverse circumstances given

the heat, humidity and frustrating events that unfold when working in a developing country.

We thank Michael for his efforts and welcome him back on any other projects in the future. I

would also like to take this opportunity to thank you in your role in assisting Michael with his leave

and offer to visit you to discuss ways in which AFIRE and the Tasmania Fire Service can work

together in similar ways that CFA and MFB in Victoria are working with us to assist the fire

services in developing countries.

I look forward to hearing from you at your convenience.

Yours faithfully

Jamie Hansen

Director Infrastructure Development

P. +61 409 708 809 (Australia)

P. +670 725 8158 (Timor Leste)

P. +855 12 886 105 (Cambodia)

E. [email protected]

AFIRE members had recently completed a two week training program in Phnom Penh and some of the surrounding provinces. Over the course of the festival, AFIRE also provided a water rescue service in partnership with the Cambodian Fire Department and the Prime Minister’s Guards.

An AFIRE team consisting of Paul Hurford, Tim Erikson and Ryan Miller were notified of the incident and responded with rope rescue and advanced life support equipment. Upon arrival, they were confronted with chaos and despair. They established triage areas to aid ambulance response and began CPR using a defibrillator that had recently been donated by MFB.

Throughout the ordeal our members responded with care and professionalism, affording all people involved dignity and respect. The control over the incident that was displayed by our members gave the public and authorities confidence that every effort was being made to ensure a safe and effective response.

I would like to thank Regional Chief South Tony Davidson for

approving my leave at short notice to attend this trip and I look forward to the opportunity to participate again in the future. If anyone else may be interested in participating please feel free to contact me or visit the AFIRE website http//www.afire.org.au. MG


By Firefighter Penguin Brigade and Associate Professor Rural Medicine, University of Tasmania, Peter Arvier

Multi-Service Exercise at Smithton


On Grand Final weekend, a mini-van ran out of control and embedded itself in the front room of an isolated

farmhouse near Smithton. This ignited a fire and the ensuing smoke added to the confusion of the house occupants and those trapped in the vehicle.

Fortunately an exercise and not a real event! Nevertheless, a tremendous training opportunity for TFS volunteers as well as State Emergency Service (SES) and Ambulance Tasmania volunteers along with doctors and staff from Smithton Hospital and medical students from the Rural Clinical School in Burnie.

In what has become an annual event, emergency service volunteers from the Circular Head region team up with local health services and University of Tasmania students to test teamwork, cooperation, communication and emergency skills in a “real time” rural disaster scenario. This year’s event saw TFS volunteers from Irishtown and Penguin brigades also participating, while Ambulance Tasmania brought additional volunteers from Wynyard and paramedic students from Burnie to supplement local resources.

Photographer: Leading Firefighter Penguin Brigade, Paul Caston.

The creativity and ingenuity of Smithton Brigade and Circular Head SES were superb. An actual house on fire with multiple “casualties”

on a wet and windy day really put all services to the test.

Photo courtesy of the Chronicle.

Photo courtesy

of the Chronicle.


The creativity and ingenuity of Smithton Brigade and Circular Head SES were superb. An actual house on fire with multiple “casualties” on a wet and windy day really put all services to the test – with few of the participants having any idea of what they would be confronting until arriving at the scene. The scenario encompassed multiple disaster aspects including rescue and fire suppression at the scene, casualty extrication and stabilisation, transportation and ongoing hospital management in Smithton and communication with statewide retrieval services. And just like in real life, a few other problems were thrown in to test the participants – limited medical equipment at the scene, a rescuer “collapsing” with chest pain, not enough ambulances available, weather delays in flying patients to other hospitals – and always some anxious “relatives” trying to find out what is happening. All in all, a great exercise to test the knowledge, skills and resourcefulness of over 150 emergency service personnel, hospital staff and medical students.

Special thanks as always to Smithton Brigade, SES and the local community for their help and enthusiasm. We can’t wait to see what scenario will be developed for 2011! PA


The Midlands Group Exercise was held 16 October 2010.

Commencing at Bushy Park Station, participating brigades were split into two groups and given a list of grid references to find a roadside water source in the west Uxbridge area.

Each group headed off in a different direction and 75 minutes later they both arrived at the designated location in the allotted time frame, only to find the weather had closed in and snow was falling.

After some brief discussions and the mandatory snow fight it was decided to seek another water supply at a lower level to run a relay pumping exercise; this task was completed (only minor damage to a pump). We then made our way to Bushy Park (via the Styx Valley through Karanja) for a BBQ lunch.

Hopefully a good day was had by all. Many thanks to the brigades that attended.

Also thanks goes to Paul Horne and Colin Cunningham who helped organise the event. AP

Midlands Group ExerciseBy Group Officer Lower Derwent, Andrew Pegg


The annual Tamar District exercise for 2010 was held 3 October at Quercus Park (Agfest site), near Carrick. Representation

from every brigade in the district was nearly achieved.

Part of the intention of the exercise was to expose some of our newest members to the structure they should expect at a campaign fire; this involved:

§ Crews being formed up as strike teams to travel in convoy to the site;

§ Arriving at a defined staging area (with staging area manager - thanks Errol);

§ Receiving a detailed briefing in the SMEACS format; and

§ Crew leaders being given an Incident Action Plan and map for the day.

The site itself enabled us to carry out a wide variety of exercises as well as being centrally located within the district. The day

By Field Officer Tamar District, Ben Wilson 4WD course.

Field Officer Tamar District Ben Wilson and Group Officer Rod Sweetnam conducting the briefing.

Conducting the briefing Group Officers Rod Sweetnam

(in white) and Errol Gleeson (in orange).

Team building exercise.

Tamar District Exercise


involved the crews being split into teams and rotated through seven different scenarios, which included:

§ Road accident rescue awareness;

§ Burnover drill;

§ A team building exercise;

§ Off-road driving utilising the on-site course;

§ The old faithful pumping exercise;

§ An awesome vehicle fire/service station mock-up (thanks Carrick); and

§ A helicopter demonstration during a magnificent lunch.

Thanks must go to our Group Officers Rod Sweetnam, David Wright and Errol Gleeson for assisting me in getting the day organised. Another big thank you to those who helped out with running each of the scenarios. Last but not least thank you to Greg, Peter, Cliff and others from Carrick for their efforts in the mock-up service station, you really have raised the bar for next year. BW

Departing exercise.

Pilot Nick ‘Hollywood’ Talbot with Field Officer Ben Wilson.

Vehicle fire exercise.

Brigade Chief Mike Breen (Winkleigh Brigade)

watches over the crew during the pumping exercise.

Tamar District Exercise


The 2010 Southern Region Junior Development Day was held at Gretna on 29 August. Teams from

Brighton, Cambridge, Claremont, Kingston, Lachlan, Margate/Sandfly, New Norfolk, Old Beach, Upper Huon and Gretna participated in a series of ten events which tested skills and teamwork with everyone gaining valuable experience in the various simulated scenarios.

After a cool start, fine weather made pleasant conditions for a very successful day. The unique concept of this event is that senior members from each participating brigade devise, man and judge their own scenario thus easing the efforts of the host brigade. Events included exercises in first aid, map reading, firefighters’ football, triage, standpipe, question sheet, relay pumping and a blind pumping event which had the hose operator blindfolded, with plenty of advice from the sidelines!

TFS encourages and assists junior development within the organisation and it was pleasing to see the Regional Chief South Tony Davidson travel up to view proceedings and be on hand to present the winners’ trophies. A special thank you to the Midlands District staff for their continued support of events held within our district and once again making themselves available on the day.

Thank you to all the coordinators who put in a lot of time preparing the teams for the competition and to the drivers who made sure all crews got safely around the venues. Well done to the BBQ cooks who provided the big crowd with a much anticipated feed after the competition.

The Huon area produced the three winning teams this year. First place went to Upper Huon, second place to Margate/Sandfly and in third place was Kingston. The winning brigade hosts the next competition, so it will be back to the Huon Valley in 2011. TH

Junior Development DayBy Second Officer Gretna Brigade, Trafford Harvey


The 2010 East Coast Field Day was hosted by South Arm Brigade on 22 August. Nine teams participated in a series of exercises which

were held in locations from Lauderdale through to Opossum Bay. The teams, consisting of three crew members, encountered a variety of tasks such as the application of first aid, burn-over practice, four-wheel driving in sand dunes, and ropes and knots scenarios. They also had to deal with a grumpy landowner whose house was under “fire threat”, complete a standpipe event and work together for some challenging team work exercises.

The judges were impressed and at times amused by the original and innovative tactics displayed by various individuals. The feedback from competitors was that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and even learnt a thing or two along the way! To conclude the day’s activities there was a barbeque at South Arm Station while the scores were tallied.

The results were:

1st place - Campania, 2nd place - Wattle Hill and 3rd place - Richmond.

Rumour has it that next year’s events will be hosted by Dunalley Brigade!

Thanks to the South Arm Brigade for hosting this year’s Field Day, to Robin Howlett for donating the medals, and to all of the judges who gave up their free time to organise and execute a great day. JK

East Coast Field DayBy Third Officer Richmond Brigade, John Knibbe Obituary

Alan Raymond Hill“The Commander”13 July 1944 – 25 July 2010

In July 2010 TFS lost someone who could only be described as one of the more outspoken, colourful characters to be employed.

Alan commenced employment as a career firefighter at the Devonport Brigade on 3 October 1973. He reached the rank of Station Officer in 1987, a position he held until his retirement in 2007. Prior to this he had been a volunteer at Devonport since 1965.

Alan - or Frogs/Kermit (Kermit the Frog) to those who knew him well - had a way about him, he was loud and loved using expressions such as salubrious or fantastic whenever he could. He was also what you would describe as a marshmallow - just an old softy on the inside. I suppose the saying “having more front than Myers” (Hobart store excluded) would describe him well. He could use his bellowing voice to get the upper hand in any argument, but when a group of school children entered the station he would show his true colours and simply melt.

Alan was given the unofficial title of “The Commander” many years ago when he had informed a firefighter acting up as a Station Officer that “while you are in that seat, you are the Commander”. From that day forth Alan became known as “The Commander”.

Alan lived up to this title during an exercise at Devonport Airport years later, it was one of those days where anything could go wrong and just about did. After a series of turnout vehicles breaking down, the show went on and Alan was seen arriving to a major airline crash in the style of the famous General George S Patton, riding aboard the back of the heavy tanker, towing the foam trailer, thumping on the roof and waiving his arm up in the air and resuming control. Some say it could have been a scene out of the epic Ben-Hur.

Not everyone who worked with Alan may have seen eye to eye with him on matters, but at the end of the day he would always back his men, a trait that he was respected for.

Alan was also involved with the Mersey Yacht Club as well as the Devonport Brigade Social Club where he sat as an executive member for many years.

TFS colleagues and friends extend their deepest sympathy to Allan’s family. He will be sadly missed.


The adrenalin was pumping for about 80 firefighting staff from the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS), Forestry Tasmania

(FT) and TFS as they faced a scenario of a rapidly moving bushfire in Hobart’s suburbs as part of a training exercise in November 2010.

The workshop was the second of two Inter-Agency Incident Management Team Workshops, with about 80 attending in Launceston on 3 November and about 80 at the TFS training centre at Cambridge on 10 November.

The purpose of the workshops was to provide an opportunity for staff to practice their roles in incident management teams, and practice team cohesion and effectiveness.

The PWS Fire Management Section officers Sandy Whight and Adele Wright put in a big effort towards the organisation of the workshop, along with Ken Burns and Jeff Harper from TFS.

Sandy said the intention of the exercise was to provide a scenario that was as realistic as possible.

“The Multi-Agency Coordination (MAC) group is reviewing training and exercise arrangements to ensure that personnel supporting level 3 IMTs have and maintain adequate skill levels.” she said.

“Also, one of the recommendations from the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission was for agencies to practice the management of major incidents together before they have to do the real thing. That was one of the main reasons why we really wanted so many of our staff involved, to practice an inter-agency

Exercise Tests Incident Management Team RolesBy Manager Media and Communications PWS, Liz Wren

response, where if mistakes were made the consequences weren’t dire.”

Staff were divided into four Incident Management Teams (IMTs)and were presented with a briefing on the day’s scenario – a situation very similar to the real-life event where a fire threatened suburbs on Hobart’s Eastern Shore in October 2006. The IMT’s response to the fire was then tested throughout the day as the team received reports of changing conditions.

At the end of the day the teams had to prepare a handover of the current situation to the next IMT due to replace them. A short debrief discussed issues such as the way the teams worked together and how they utilised the areas they were given to work from, including a large tent. LW


TasFire Training has purchased a portable training system that will allow us to deliver extinguisher training to our clients

at their workplaces. The BullEx Intelligent Training System (ITS) was developed in the United States by engineers experienced in occupational safety and the fire industry. It operates using LPG to produce training fires that include: carbonaceous, stove top, waste bin and electric motor simulations, allowing the trainer to vary the intensity and difficulty factors for the participant. The BullEx ITS senses where the participant is aiming and sweeping the compressed air and water from the SmartExtinguisher and varies the flames automatically. As long as the participant uses the correct technique the fire is extinguished and the trainer receives a digital readout that feeds back how long in seconds the participant took to extinguish the fire. This feature is particularly relevant as most workplaces have extinguishers with an effective life of approximately 7-10 seconds.

Our clients have been giving us terrific feedback particularly in regard to the systems portability and minimal environmental impact. The traditional method of UL petroleum fires and dry powder extinguishers is highly restrictive in terms of where the training can occur because of the environmental constraints. Most workplaces have no facility to safely deliver extinguisher training and powder drift from extinguishers has long been an issue for anyone who has a car parked within the vicinity. These constraints in most cases have restricted the training delivery to

The BullEx Intelligent Training SystemBy Manager TasFire Training, Justin Young

Andrew Frankcombe putting the BullEx ITS through its paces at Cambridge.

Obituary

Bill Holmes OAM AFSM 16 June 1922 – 3 August 2010

On 3 August 2010 TFS lost

a true stalwart when former

Brigade Chief of Snug,

William ‘Bill’ Holmes passed away.

Bill’s long association with the Brigade and the

surrounding Channel Region extended back over forty

years.

When the Snug Brigade was formed in 1968, Bill was

elected as Deputy Captain and eventually went on to

hold the position of Brigade Chief.

His work within the community was well received, as

was his involvement with various associations and in

local government.

As a testament to Bill’s dedication to the Snug Brigade,

his family recently met with brigade members at the

station and during a private memorial his ashes were

scattered around the station grounds.

TFS colleagues and friends express their sincere

condolences to Bill’s family.

our TFS regional training centres and this creates logistical issues for employers to release staff to participate.

TasFire Training will be able to offer flexible training delivery and take training to the client, therefore providing a safe and effective training experience. TasFire Training has found that some organisations that had reduced or stopped providing training to employees have been so impressed with the environmental and logistical benefits of the BullEx ITS that they have reintroduced training and increased the number of employees that will participate.

From a trainer’s perspective: we no longer transport and decant volatile fuels; the inbuilt system safety features include a safety cut-off switch activated if the system is disturbed in any way; a hand held controller allows the trainer to have full control over the system at all times and importantly, the training outcomes remain the same. JY


Experience TFS!By Systems Coordinator Organisational Learning, Debra Pope


TFS supports a number of unpaid work placement programs each year, 2010 was no exception.

Work placements allow participants to: attain a better understanding of particular job roles; compare their initial expectations to “what actually occurs”; increase their awareness about the world at work; and gain a broader awareness of career options.

Work placements also provide opportunities for the development of useful work/life skills that are recognised in the workplace and that build confidence and networks.

The placement programs provide many benefits to TFS as well. They provide staff with a fresh outlook encouraging job satisfaction and sense of worth, they offer refreshing new ideas and stimulating viewpoints, and present opportunities for the development of staff by partnering with participants.

Tasmanian Government Work Placement ProgramThis three week program is designed to help newly arrived migrants and humanitarian entrants to Tasmania become more job ready. It provides participants with opportunities to improve their skills, confidence and develop networks within state or local government workplaces.

In 2010 TFS hosted two participants: Burtukan Gebreselassie originally from Sudan, who was placed with the Human Services team and Atem Atem Deng Ngor from Kenya who worked in a variety of areas including Information and Records, TFS Library, Engineering Services and Building Safety.

School-Based Work Experience ProgramsDesigned for students taking part in a recognised school-based work experience program, these programs are flexible and are negotiated with students’ interests in mind.

Through these programs students gain insight into a variety of TFS work environments, develop employment related skills to enhance their vocational education, and broaden their perspectives on employment opportunities with TFS.

Programs are also offered to students with a genuine interest in a specific field or job role, e.g. mechanic, auto electrician, fabricator, communications technician, business administration, IT support, finance clerk and librarian. This program is not offered for the role of firefighter.

During 2010, TFS hosted students from Claremont College, Launceston Church Grammar, New Town High School, Rosny College and Ogilvie High School.

Indigenous Employment Program School-Based TraineeshipsThis program allows indigenous students from years 10-12 to study towards their Tasmanian Certificate of Education while at the same time undertaking a nationally recognised qualification.

Community Fire Safety hosted Emerenna (Em) Burgess from Cape Barren Island School during 2010. Em was employed by Work & Training who provided ongoing mentoring in conjunction with Em’s workplace supervisor Natalie Burnie and school teachers.

Vocational Placement ProgramsParticipating students in this program have decided on a career path in conjunction with their school career advisors and are completing a nationally recognised qualification in their chosen field.

Vocational placements help students to clarify their future career plans by undertaking on-the-job training one day a week for one term. Specific tasks are identified for students to assist them in demonstrating their skills for assessment.

TFS has hosted students throughout 2010 from the Tasmanian Polytechnic Elizabeth and Rosny campuses.

What do staff think?

Mick Strange – Purchasing Officer

Joel Quarrell and Jacob Petraitis (New Town High School) performed far in excess of our expectations in relation to attitude and willingness to learn and undertake tasks. Well mannered, very eager and a pleasure to have for the day.

Karl Shea – Team Leader, Information and Records

Jamie Hepburn (Claremont College) worked well in Information and Records – he had a positive attitude, was polite and displayed a very keen attitude towards the work assigned to him. When he was unsure about some task he sought direction rather than trying to guess the answer – it was a pleasure to have him work with this section.

Jade Gordey – Team Leader, Cambridge Complex

Cambridge administration hosted Ally Chamberlain (Rosny College) during her vocational placement. Ally was very pleasant and always eager to please. Our staff all helped to make her feel welcome and everyone pitched in to teach her new skills and how to make the most of the abilities that she came to us with, which gave her a great sense of belonging and pride.

Work placements provide opportunities for the

development of useful work/life skills that are recognised

in the workplace and that build confidence and

networks.


Our trainee Jarrod was able to share with Ally some of the things that he has learnt recently which instilled in him confidence in his knowledge and ability to “do the job”.

Hosting vocational placements not only assists the organisation with an extra person to get work done, it also promotes TFS as an organisation that cares about the future by helping today’s students gain knowledge and experience before entering the workforce.

What do participants think?

Jacqui Allen – Tasmania Polytechnic Elizabeth Campus

I would like to thank Taya, Kylie, Alicia, Molly, Clare and the rest of the team (Southern Region Administration) for taking the time to make me feel welcome at TFS.I appreciate the effort and time you have contributed in helping me with my VET course, and teaching me more valuable skills I can take away with me in the future. I have now got more of an understanding seeing how the theory in my business class is used in the workplace. I really enjoyed my time working with you all.

Emerenna Burgess – Cape Barren Island School

Before having the opportunity to come here as a trainee, I was studying law and still am trying to complete that course as well as others. I am completing a school-based traineeship on the island with a focus on Certificate II in Business.

As part of my traineeship I was fortunate to gain work placement at the Community Fire Safety Division of TFS in Hobart. My placement consists of 4x3 week blocks.

I am really enjoying my time at TFS and already feel that I have learnt a great deal in the short period of time I have been here.

I am unsure of what my future goals are at the moment but once the year is over I may have a slight plan of where I want to go in the future. Thank you to all the people at TFS who have made me feel welcome and a thank you to Natalie Burnie my supervisor for putting up with me and showing me heaps of new things.

Jacob Petraitis and Joel Quarrell – New Town High School

Thank you so much for having us as work experience students. We appreciated everyone for giving up their time and being very friendly. It was a very interesting and enjoyable week. We learnt a lot about TFS and how it operates. Everyone has given us a wonderful insight into TFS and hopefully we will be working in TFS in the future.

We thoroughly enjoyed our week working in the SFC Store with Mick, Jack and Scott and working in TasFire Equipment with Faron and Phil. Thank you for giving up your time and working with us.

We had a very enjoyable time working with Guilia in Community Education and thank you for having us and showing us the Glenorchy Station.

We had an interesting and fun time with Andrew and Rod looking at South West District and Jason looking at the East Coast District - thank you so much for having us for the day.

Thank you to Jess, Linda and Lyn for looking after us and giving up your time talking to us about TFS and recruitment.

Thank you Phil Smith and Mark for giving up your time talking to us about Planning and Capability, Remote Area Teams and house fire investigation.

Thank you Phil Douglas for talking with us about the TFS and answering questions.

Thank you to D Shift crew in Hobart for showing us the firefighting equipment, it was a brilliant experience.

Thank you so much Deb for giving us a tour of headquarters and giving up your time organising the whole week, it was a great week!

We appreciate and thank you so much TFS for having us for the week, it was such a great and enjoyable experience. Thanks so much to everyone for being very kind and friendly and giving up your time answering all our questions and showing us around and working with us, it was such a fantastic experience.


Laura Williams – Ogilvie High School

Laura wrote the following article during her placement.

Did you want to become a firefighter when you were younger?

I always thought of becoming a teacher when I was a little girl, but then it occurred to me that being a firefighter would be an awesome job. When I was 10 years old I joined the Old Beach Brigade Juniors Program. At first it was a little bit of fun with friends after school every second Wednesday. As I got older I decided that I wanted a career in this field.

As a result of participating in a full-time program at Ogilvie High School called “Take the Lead”, I have had the opportunity to find out more about the different sections in the TFS. “Take the Lead” encourages all students involved in the program to actively pursue their interests and connect with a mentor in the adult world and really take the lead with their own learning and more importantly their future. Ideally, the experience with a mentor leads to a long-term internship.

The first step in securing an internship with TFS was to get in contact with someone who works at TFS. Debra Pope was the first person Janet, my advisory teacher, made contact with. After weeks of talking to Deb and sharing information about the Take the Lead program and the opportunities at TFS, a 10 week internship with my mentor, Alison Wigston, was organised. I was very excited, but a little bit nervous about the whole experience.

My first day at TFS was on 18 June. On arrival I was met by Debra and she took Janet and me upstairs into a meeting room and we had a long discussion about all the things that my work

Laura Williams with her mentor Alison Wigston (during Ogilvie High School Take the Lead Program)

experience would involve whilst on my internship. I met Alison after she had finished up in a meeting and she took me out to the fire trucks were I met her crew. At the end of my first day, I felt tired and quite overloaded with information.

The areas that I have worked in so far are, Southern Region, were I did an induction and had a meet and greet and tour around the state headquarters. I have also worked with Karl Shea in the Information and Records Section and Reception, in Learning and Development with Grant Joyce and with Linda Lacy, Editor of Fireground. In the coming weeks I will be working in the East Coast District, Brigade Operations, Human Services, State Operations, Building Safety, Finance and ending my experience in the Community Education Section.

Throughout this internship I have gained more knowledge and awareness of all different areas of TFS. Not everything is about jumping in a truck and putting out fires. There is a lot of depth and variety to the work and jobs around the Fire Service.

I’m very grateful to Debra Pope and Alison Wigston for organising and supporting my internship and giving me this rich opportunity. DP

For further information on work placement programs please phone Deb Pope on 6214 8820 or e-mail [email protected].

At the end of Laura’s placement Alison Wigston, Michael Goldsmith

and a crew from Hobart Fire Brigade visited Ogilvie High School to talk

to Year 9 and 10 students who were interested in a career with TFS.


Has your brigade received its updated Volunteer Handbook (Version 2.0) yet?

Have you had a look at it?

Your Volunteer Handbook is an important brigade management tool. It gives all of us the information we need to take part fully in brigade activities. I’m sure you’ll find it full of useful information. Please take the time to look through it.

A lot of people have helped to bring the Handbook up-to-date. This version was built on the hard work done by our people to produce Version 1.0.

Carol Davey was the Project Officer. She was a powerhouse of energy and ideas and really drove the review process.

Carol was supported by the Volunteer Handbook Working Group. The members of this group included representatives of volunteer associations and regional administration, as well as District Officers and Human Services.

So what has changed? Firstly some of the changes to the format:

§ The sections have been made smaller. This will make things easier to find. It will also speed things up when you read them on the TFS Members’ Intranet;

§ Section 10 has been added for frequently used forms and information; and

§ Section title pages have been redesigned to make it easier to find things.

There have also been changes to the content, for example:

§ Joining a Brigade, Section 4, has been completely revised to implement the decisions made by TFS in 2009 to streamline our volunteer joining processes;

§ Administrative arrangements for joining a brigade have also been completely revised;

§ New forms have been inserted including the revised Volunteer Agreement, as well as Volunteer Role Descriptions and our TFS Volunteer Code of Conduct; and

§ Policy Statements and Administrative Instructions approved in 2010 have been added.

Some other changes include:

§ TFS Values and Behaviours has been updated;

§ Community Protection Planning has been added;

§ Learning and Development information has been restructured; and

§ Newly revised instructions for wearing medals and badges have been included.

Our Volunteer Handbook has been UpdatedBy Coordinator Volunteer Strategy, Lucas van Rijswijk

At the same time, we’ve changed the way we process volunteer applications. Key changes include:

§ All paperwork will go through your Regional Administration;

§ Application forms have been updated and all information is collected on one form;

§ New applicants will sign a role description and a volunteer agreement so that they clearly understand what their commitment will be;

§ A new applicant will be classed as a Provisional Member/Firefighter until her/his Police Check has been approved; and

§ Applicants and brigade chiefs will get informative letters and documents so that everyone knows what needs to be done next.

This means that your brigade will need to stop using older versions of the forms. Please destroy any copies of the old application form you have in your station.

So, why not check it all out now!

To use the intranet to see the Volunteer Handbook, go to: www.fire.tas.gov.au click on Members Area and enter your username and password.

If you don’t have access to the TFS Members’ Intranet yet, ask for access by clicking on Members Area on the TFS website, and then ‘Request Access to Members Area’ which is located on the right-hand side of the screen.

Please let us know what you think.

It’s risky thanking people by name but I’d especially like to thank Rob Atkins, Bruce Corbett, Lyndsay Suhr, and Andrew Taylor (volunteer representatives); Carol Davey, Taya Dineley, Nardene Reeves, and Lynda Robins, (Regional Administration); as well as Ian Cawthorn, Paul Hill, Philip Harvey, Gary Johnson, and Dale Rayner (District Officers). LvR

Your Volunteer Handbook is an important brigade

management tool. It gives all of us the information

we need to take part fully in brigade activities.


Fireground has a mailing list which covers all states of Australia as well as overseas, however, did you realise it gets read in so many interesting places? If you can contribute some more interesting photos, please send them in to [email protected]

Fireground goes

far and wide!

Gavin Smith and Fraser Herbert on an elephant ride in northern Thailand.

Launceston Brigade’s Adrian Adams and Jamie Masson competing for the first time as team Dragon Slayers in

the two day mountain biking challenge “Blue Dragon”, held 29-30 January 2011. Congratulations gentlemen on placing 60th out of 167!

Team Dragon Slayers

Adrian Adams and Jamie Masson.

Obituary

Arthur Hammond Whitehead20 February 1926 – 8 February 2011

The Passing of a LegendArthur was a true gentleman. Born in England and served in the Navy during World War II, he migrated to Australia and worked all around the country.

Arthur married Alida in Perth WA before moving to Rossarden. While at Rossarden, Arthur became involved with the local fire brigade and was instrumental in putting the brigade on track.

He became the Brigade Chief but was more than that, he was a mentor and a community man and helped a lot of people through difficult times.

Arthur and Alida never lived in a house, instead they indeed lived in a home, and we must remember the road to their home was never long.

Anyone that knew Arthur knew a man of his word and a man you could trust. We thank Arthur for all he contributed to TFS and the community, and extend our deepest sympathy to his family.


Each year a group of future officers and brigade chiefs who have outstanding leadership potential are sponsored by

TFS to participate in either the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Volunteer Leaders Program held in Manly NSW, or the Emergency Management Australia (EMA) program held at Mount Macedon. The programs cover leadership issues and challenges, self awareness of personal effectiveness, your responsibilities as a leader, communication and leadership styles, improving workplace relationships, and how to achieve work/life balance – attributes that are useful in all workplaces not just at TFS.

Our Regional Chiefs were extraordinarily generous in sponsoring six attendees in 2010 who were David Cooper (BC, Channel), Gary Linnell (LFF, Eaglehawk Neck), Ricky Birch (BC, Runnymede), Matthew Bennell (BC, Falmouth), Richard Cosstick (Third Officer, Devonport), and Michael Armstrong (BC, Longford). Jason Clarke (Third Officer, Queenstown) attended the EMA program.

One course participant provided the following feedback: “Having attended the course I feel more confident about some of the challenges facing leaders and being able to deal with these. Since being on the course I have had an issue within the brigade which I have had to deal with and my approach has been different to what I would have done before attending the course”.

For Ricky Birch the program’s highlights included spending “one afternoon at Lake Narrabeen at the Institute of Sport and Recreation of NSW, where as two teams we had to work our way through a wide range of activities, both physical and problem solving, competing against the other team. This particular activity was all about how as a team we could best solve and complete the tasks in a defined time”. Another highlight was a “session which covered such areas as how to deal with the media (both electronic and print), how to overcome anxiety when facing the media, forming answers to maximise a win/win situation with the media and predict pre-interview questions both positive and negative”.

For David Cooper it was “the session from David Sprague from Victoria Police who gave a presentation on the leadership issues he faced when tasked with leading a multi-jurisdictional operation involving the search for human remains in the aftermath of the Victoria Bushfires (over 3,000 premises in three weeks)”. David said that “One of the main benefits of the course was meeting the other participants, course coordinators and facilitators. All other fire agencies were represented along

Volunteer Leadership Programs in 2010By Manager Organisational Learning, Suzanne Bacon

A mixed agency and authority team during a leadership exercise.

Since being on the course I have had an issue

within the brigade which I have had to deal with and my approach has

been different to what I would have done before

attending the course.

2010 Program 2 participants. Ricky Birch (third from right) participating in a media exercise.


with the SES. This gave a good opportunity to network …and to discuss issues …(inside and outside the classroom) that we all faced as volunteers and leaders and how we might do things differently having learnt from others in similar situations”.

Jason Clarke said he “found …extremely beneficial the sections on self management, personal goal setting, decision making and ways to recruit and retain volunteers…but one of the best things to come out of the program was (meeting) some fascinating volunteers from all over the country. We still keep in contact with our own Facebook page limited to volunteers that attended the program. Part of this page is we are sharing information and ideas from different volunteer organisations from all over Australia”.

They say a picture tells a thousand words and it is evident from the accompanying photos how hard they worked as well as how much they enjoyed the program. SB

A team communication and problem solving exercise.

Matt Bennell (right – holding the ‘apparatus’) in a team building activity.

Obituary

Tas King19 June 1951 – 30 December 2010

Tas King joined the Musselroe Bay Brigade on

7 March 1999. During his time with TFS Tas filled

many positions culminating in becoming the

Brigade Chief of Musselroe Bay. Tas was passionate

about supporting and resourcing the brigade and

worked hard to achieve great things for his crew

and community.

Having lived and worked in the area all his life,

there’s not a soul who didn’t know Tas. He was

a much respected member of the Musselroe Bay

local community and TFS. He will be sadly missed

by all who knew him. Northern Region staff send

their heartfelt condolences to Margaret and family.

Obituary

Peter Webb19 April 1943 – 6 March 2011

Peter Webb, Brigade Chief Musselroe Bay, passed

away on 6 March 2011. Peter was a volunteer

firefighter for over 20 years. Over the years he

also held the positions of Brigade Treasurer and

Volunteer Training Instructor, the latter enabling

him to pass on his skills to the younger firies.

Peter was only recently elected to the position of

Brigade Chief Musselroe Bay and his enthusiasm

for the job was clearly evident to all. Peter, who

was very community minded, also held the position

of Public Officer in the Musselroe Bay Community

Association. His passing is a great loss to the local

community. Northern Region staff wish to express

their deepest condolences to Jacqueline and family.


The Volunteer State Consultative Committee (VSCC) has been

operating for some time and is viewed as the peak consultative committee within the volunteer stream of TFS. Like any other consultative committee, the VSCC operates under a set of Terms of Reference.

Membership of the group, consists of representation from both volunteer associations - TRVFA and TVFBA. Association representatives are predominately some of their executive members, in this case their State President and Regional Branch Presidents.

Additional membership comes from senior officers within TFS as deemed appropriate. The VSCC is chaired by Deputy Chief Officer Gavin Freeman.

The committee meets usually on a quarterly basis or as required dependent on items that require discussion. Matters scheduled for discussion are able to be put on the agenda on the provision of a “discussion paper” being circulated prior to the meeting. This avenue adequately provides volunteer associations with an opportunity to table matters of concern and subsequently discuss them with senior TFS officers.

Over the last two years a number of important matters usually of an operational or people nature have been openly discussed at these meetings. This provides a collective avenue for both volunteer associations to communicate openly with TFS senior management. Management also use this avenue to seek comments and support from associations as they deem appropriate. This does not restrict either association communicating directly with TFS senior management, but as mentioned before is an ideal avenue to discuss and reach agreement on items that affect ALL volunteer members of TFS.

Some of the more recent matters discussed by the VSCC include:

§ Access to the TFS website and associated documents by brigade chiefs;

§ Protocols – wearing of medals and awards;

§ Brigade membership models;

§ Review of TFS Goals and Values;

§ Firefighter Level 1-2-3 training proposal (referred from L&D working group) – acknowledged in principle;

Volunteer State Consultative CommitteeBy Northern President TVFBA and Brigade Chief Bell Bay, Don Mackrill

§ Applied First Aid (WP Level II referred to OLD’s Committee);

§ TFS consumption of alcohol on stations (working group to be formed); and

§ Volunteer Crew Leaders (Leading Firefighter - fireground recognition).

Further information and contact details for VSCC representatives can be found on the association’s web pages on the TFS Members’ Intranet by clicking on Info Centre > Volunteer Resources > Volunteer State Consultative Committee. DM

The Volunteer State Consultative Committee

(VSCC) has been operating for some time

and is viewed as the peak consultative committee

within the volunteer stream of TFS.


The Community Protection Planning Project is well underway in Tasmania. The planning initiative is funded by the State

Government with the aim of increasing community resilience to bushfires through enhanced bushfire planning across Tasmania.

Lessons learnt from the Victorian bushfires in 2009 initiated the planning project as well as the revision of our operational priorities in extreme conditions. As a result our operational priorities will be focused on defensive strategies e.g., the protection of human life by issuing warnings and improved measures for protecting vulnerable members of the community. The protection of valuable community assets will be the secondary focus, before ‘fighting the fire’.

Plans will be developed progressively for all Tasmanian communities in consultation with local brigades, local government and community groups to identify vulnerable community members, assets the community values for recovery and the measures to be taken to protect them.

There will be three types of plans:

§ Local Bushfire Plans for the public (residents and visitors) – publicly available from the TFS website;

§ Bushfire Response Plans (for brigades) – available from the TFS intranet for members only; and

§ Bushfire Mitigation Plans (for Fire Management Area Committees) – available from the TFS intranet for members only.

Local Bushfire Plans will provide guidance at the community level on what to do when threatened by bushfire; working conjointly with households’ Bushfire Survival Plans. Bushfire Response Plans will assist brigades with the decision-making required to reduce the impact of fire on life and community assets in extreme conditions. Bushfire Mitigation Plans will record agreed hazard reduction works to reduce the risk of bushfire to the community.

Four locations have been selected to conduct project trials: Dulcot and Fern Tree in the Southern Region, Binalong Bay in the Northern Region and Sisters Beach in the North West Region. Questionnaires were sent to property owners in these communities and community forums were held in Binalong Bay and Sisters Beach.

In conjunction with the University of Tasmania, the Community Protection Planning (CPP) Unit (see list of team members below) are compiling data received so draft bushfire plans can be prepared in March/April for the trial areas. The draft plans will be circulated for comment through the district and local brigade members and the CPP Unit is looking forward to discussions with and input from local brigades in relation to community

Community Protection Planning Project for BushfiresBy Planning Officers Community Protection, Jo Tubb and Alexander Bigham

protection planning. Once plans are finalised, brigades will be advised and copies provided.

The project is part of a broader community protection framework comprising of the following initiatives and activities: Bushfire Ready Schools; Community Fire Refuges and Nearby Safer Places; the Community Development Pilot Project; mapping of bushfire-prone areas and participation in land use planning reforms related to building in bushfire-prone areas.

The project is funded for three years and is staffed by a team of three Planning Officers with support from the DPIPWE GIS team. The team members are:

§ Kate Dobson – Senior Planning Officer, Southern Region;

§ Jo Tubb – Planning Officer, Northern Region;

§ Alexander Bigham – Planning Officer, North West Region; and

§ Aaron Cashion and Julian Ward – DPIPWE Emergency Services GIS Unit.

Comments and suggestions are welcome and can be directed through your District Officer or emailed directly to us [email protected]. We’re looking forward to working with you so we are better prepared to make better decisions during bushfires. JT & AB

Lessons learnt from the Victorian bushfires in 2009 initiated the

planning project as well as the revision of our operational

priorities in extreme conditions

A community forum held at Sisters Beach Fire Station on 27 February 2011.


When the forces of nature conspire to demonstrate their unpredictability and uncontrollable power in the form of

extreme events such as the Black Saturday fires is it reasonable for the community to expect that combat organisations achieve the same standards of performance that they do during more ‘normal’ events?

Media coverage would seem to indicate that the scale and severity of the impact of what are generally termed natural disasters and the consequential losses and damage are accepted as a feature of such events and that little can be done during or immediately after the event to lessen the impact and end result. They are generally categorised by insurance companies as ‘an act of God’.

For instance, the catastrophic scale of the death toll and destruction wreaked by the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile has been well covered in the media. The language used in those reports conveys an attitude of inevitability and acceptance that earthquakes will happen and that they will result in major structure damage / losses, significant loss of lives and even greater numbers of injured.

The major flooding currently occurring in Queensland is also being reported using terms that accept the futility of trying to stop the unstoppable advance of the water and the inevitability that loss and damage to property will occur.

Fire is a natural feature of the Australian environment and many native plant species have adapted to the presence of fire, indeed some are dependent on fire for regeneration. Observation of large fires was first recorded in Cook’s journals as he sailed the coastline in 1770. Fire is a natural event. Sometimes, the conditions are such that it should be considered a natural disaster, one that is just as natural as any other disaster resulting from the behaviour of nature.

So why is it that the community, and the media in particular, have a different understanding and expectation about bushfire? Why is it that deaths, losses and damage caused by uncontrollable bushfires of the scale, intensity and geographic spread of those experienced on Black Saturday are not treated in the same way as other uncontrollable natural disasters such as cyclones, floods, volcano eruptions, tsunami or indeed earthquakes?

There seems little realisation that we are just ordinary human beings like everyone else in the community. We do our best to limit the impact of fire events but some, like those of Black Saturday, are as unstoppable as the flood waters in the headwaters of the Darling in Queensland.

Fires are fairly common events by comparison with other natural disasters and emergency events. In general, fires are responded

Community Expectations

to and usually well dealt with by the fire services. Most grass and scrub fires during a typical summer are contained and extinguished with minimal impact on the community at large. So the expectation is created that all fires will be successfully dealt with. Even on Black Saturday the majority of fires were successfully dealt with.

Those that were not able to be stopped were always going to be raging monsters once they got away. The conditions of the day dictated that. Predicting where the monsters would escape is I think, the key difference between bushfire and other natural disasters with the possible exception of earthquakes. I have yet to meet the person who is able to accurately forecast where fires will start and which ones will become the raging monsters.

Additionally, there seems to be very little understanding and appreciation of how erratic and unusual fire behaviour becomes under such extreme conditions as occurred on Black Saturday. Topography, mass spotting activity, junction zones, convection columns, heavy fuel loads all help to confuse and confound our suppression efforts.

Leading up to Black Saturday, the specific locations of fires were not known however the areas of greatest risk were well known and there were more warnings issued to the public than I can ever recall. This was an attempt to warn those living in the risky areas that the approaching weather was going to produce possibly the worst fire weather in our experience.

Warnings for most natural disasters are able to be provided days ahead of an event and those in the predicted path/area know that they will be impacted and have time and are motivated to take appropriate actions. Forecasters can identify cyclones and predict their path. These days they can accurately predict

The facts of life are that in a large scale high impact

natural disaster THEY are unlikely to be there. Those who choose to live in high

risk areas need to take responsibility for their

own safety.

– Realistic Or Not?By Fireman Sam


flooding rains and the likely river levels. Vulcanologists can predict eruptions and lava flow paths. Warnings about bushfires, on the other hand, can only be general in nature because the points of origin and paths can’t be predicted.

In the impact phase each type of natural disaster creates the same suite of difficulties. Emergency call taking systems will be congested. Road systems will be damaged, congested and unsafe for motorists. Welfare services will be overwhelmed in both the impact phase and the recovery phase. Key response agency units (certainly their personnel who live in the impact area) will be affected by the event. Should they be with their home and family or get on with the job?

Communications systems – both emergency services and public will be fragile due to damage and congestion. Everyone has to get their ‘important’ messages across or wants to check on the welfare of loved ones and friends. This is not a new phenomenon. Congestion and convergence have been identified as features of emergency response for as long as studies have been done. The greater the capacity of the systems the greater the desire to use them and clag them up.

Since a culture of instant gratification dominates our world today the convergence and congestion issues are probably greater because we want information and we want it NOW. The media have made an art form of live reporting of events as they happen which has increased the expectation that “if something

This article was originally published in The Fireman: the Official Publication of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, vol. 64/09 no.867, 17 March 2010, p.11.

The Tasmania Fire Brigades Competitions were held at Inveresk Park Launceston on 6 and 7 November 2010 with 28 teams

participating from around the state.

The Gretna junior team retained the state title after a close tussle with Claremont No.1 and Sassafras teams. Gretna was represented by Nick Langford, Angus Denholm, Harley Hermans, Acacia Fenton, Brianna Fenton, Amber Butler, Georgia Griffiths and Jacob Bowerman.

This is the fourth consecutive year the Gretna Brigade placed first in the junior section, which is especially pleasing this year as five of the team of eight are new and had only been in the brigade for nine months.

The Derwent Valley was also well represented in the senior division with teams from Bushy Park, Gretna and New Norfolk. The Bushy Park Brigade senior team had their most successful competitions finishing in third place. The Gretna Brigade senior team gained first place in the Dutch roll event.

Many thanks to the Central Highlands Council, the Gretna Green Hotel and Mayor Deirdre Flint for donations which enabled us to send the teams to the competitions in the north of the state. TH

Back: Second Officer Trafford Harvey, Angus Denholm, Nicholas Langford, Acacia Fenton, Georgia Griffiths, Brigade Chief Colin Cunningham.Front: Harley Hermans, Jacob Bowerman, Brianna Fenton, Amber Butler.

Derwent Valley Participates in TFBCA ChampionshipsBy Second Officer Gretna Brigade, Trafford Harvey

is happening I will be told”. Perhaps this is a factor that mitigates against people in high risk areas heeding the Chief Officer’s early warnings and recommendations about leaving!

Another regrettable feature of today’s world is the community’s expectation that the mythical (or should that be mystical) THEY will be always be there to look after them. The facts of life are that in a large scale high impact natural disaster THEY are unlikely to be there. Those who choose to live in high risk areas need to take responsibility for their own safety. Interestingly, the notion of taking responsibility for your own actions seems to get stronger in direct proportion to the distance from the city.

Is it reasonable to expect that the Community adjust their expectations of outcomes for catastrophic bushfires such as those of Black Saturday so that they reflect those applicable to other natural disasters? Is it unreasonable to expect that those who choose to live in high risk environments take responsibility for learning how to live safely in their chosen environment and for taking appropriate actions when warnings are issued?

The answer to both questions is probably “I wish!”

By Fireman Sam


2010 TFBCA ChampionshipsBy District Officer/TFBCA President, Mark Dobson

The 2010 Tasmanian Fire Brigades Competitions Association (TFBCA) State Championships were

conducted over the weekend of 6-7 November at Launceston’s Inveresk Park. This is the second time the competitions have been run incorporating our new style events and the first time we have run the championships over two days.

A total of 12 senior and 16 junior teams battled it out in 10 different events (6 for the junior teams) and some very good times were recorded. The eventual aggregate winners were Devonport in the senior section and Gretna in the juniors. Congratulations to the team members and coaches from both of those teams on being crowned State Champions for 2010!

The grand prize for the winners of the senior section from both the 2009 and 2010 State Championships is eligibility to participate in the 2011 Australasian Firefighter Championships to be held in Port Macquarie NSW, 14-16 October. I’m sure both Devonport and Kingston will do TFS proud at these championships and hopefully enjoy a great deal of success.

Planning is currently underway for this year’s event, which has been scheduled for 5-6 November, again at the same fantastic facility. Your Competitions Committee is working hard behind the scenes to ensure the championships continue to grow and foster the great camaraderie that has been established over many years within TFS.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone who was involved in staging the 2010 Championships, particularly the competitors for making it such a success. The Committee is exploring some new ideas based on the excellent feedback received following these championships with a view to striking the right balance between competition events, light entertainment and displays.

The TFS website is being updated with information for the 2011 Championships and you can email us at [email protected] if you have any queries. I hope to see these championships develop into the premier event on the TFS calendar in the not too distant future! MD

Photos above courtesy of Firefighter Dennis Aitken, Penguin Brigade.


Photos above courtesy of Firefighter Dennis Aitken, Penguin Brigade. Photos below courtesy of Firefighter Heather Warner, Sassafras Brigade.

Penguin Brigade juniors with the firefighters of the future award.


On Sunday 10 October 2010, North West Region held its 40th annual Family Fun Day competitions at West

Ulverstone Recreation Ground.

Entries from both North and North West Regions, totalling six senior teams and nine junior teams, competed against each other using basic firefighting skills. Competitions are great practice for brigade members to hone their skills in preparation for the year’s upcoming bushfire season and State Competitions which are held a few weeks later in Launceston.

The games started at 0930 hours with the Firefighters’ Football event; this was followed by the Tanker Rescue and Cleared Track events. The lunchbreak began with an opening address from past competitions committee member Malcolm Murdoch and a welcome from Regional Chief John Streets. Then it was back into game mode for the Under 10s Bucket Brigade, Siamese Valve and Sealed events.

To help build interagency interactions and assist with familiarisation of equipment, Central Coast SES attended the competitions with a display of vehicles and equipment they use at Road Accident Rescue (RAR) incidents. Thank you very much to the volunteers who attended from SES.

The competitions were well attended by members of the public, providing a good opportunity to promote volunteering within TFS and the trophy presentations and afternoon tea completed the day with the following winners being announced:

Family Fun Day CompetitionsBy Communications Officer FireComm, Michelle Clarke

Aggregate Winners Seniors: Sassafras and Moriarty (equal first)

Runners-Up Seniors: Ulverstone

Aggregate Winners Juniors: Sassafras

Runners-Up Juniors: Chudleigh

Most Penalty Points Seniors: Ulverstone

Firefighters of the Future: Penguin

On behalf of the Competitions Committee I would like to thank Central Coast Council for the use of the grounds, St John Ambulance for their services and Ulverstone Brigade for hosting and catering the event. Thank you to the teams for their participation and good sportsmanship on the day, and to the committee members, TFS staff and volunteers for all their hard work in making the competitions a success. Also a huge thank you to all the sponsors: Serve-Ag, Burnie Brigade, Robert and Veronica Atkins, Graeme Jones, TFS NW Region, Alderman John Munro, Port Sorell Brigade and SES NW Region.

The Competitions Committee looks forward to planning and running next year’s 41st Family Fun Day at a venue and date to be determined. In the meantime, if your brigade is interested in finding out more about the competitions please call Robert Atkins on 0409 140 237. MC


Photos courtesy of Firefighter Dennis Aitken, Penguin Brigade.


The annual Tasmanian Mines Rescue Competition was held at the Blackwood Colliery mine site at Cornwall just west

of St Marys on Tasmania’s East Coast. The mining community from across Tasmania assembled at the venue and individual companies entered teams including a team manager and captain much like a sporting team. A maximum of six team members competed across a variety of mining skills and disciplines including underground search and rescue, first aid, rope work, theory, team skills and firefighting. This year the host was Cornwall Coal which is a division of Cement Australia.

TasFire Training has been a joint sponsor of the Theory event at the Tasmanian Mines Rescue Competition for the last seven years. TasFire Training instructors Steve Webster and Nigel Reid, along with Scott Clark of Caterpillar Australia (who is also Second Officer of Burnie Brigade), and Greg Bean (Brigade Chief of Fingal Brigade, and employee of Cement Australia), adjudicated Saturday’s firefighting section of the competitions.

The firefighting competition set-up was a test of four main skill areas. Each team had to nominate a team member to assemble and fit breathing apparatus, another to extinguish a fuel fire with a dry powder extinguisher and the remaining team members had to conduct a two line attack on a hot fire utilising the minimal equipment provided for the task. At the completion of this section the team is told to make up and while this is occurring another simulated emergency takes place. The new scenario involves a gas cylinder venting and requires the team to respond immediately as there is a trapped workmate. An additional distressed and agitated worker whose mate is trapped by the fire is also thrown into the mix just to add a degree of

difficulty to the exercise. The fire section was set up by Greg Bean and he is to be congratulated on a very good event.

All crews showed a high level of commitment and teamwork and the standard of this competition was very high. At the end of the competition each team was given feedback on their performance; what went right, what could be improved - this was appreciated by all teams.

In the end the winner of the firefighting competition was Grange Resources. In the past, these competitions have been dominated by underground mining rescue teams. By winning the fire and skills sections, and by being runners-up in other skill areas, Grange Resources (commonly known as the Savage River Mine) has shown that they are equally up to the task and are an extremely competent rescue team. Cornwall Coal were the overall winners of the competitions with MMG Rosebery and Grange Resources very close runners-up. TasFire Training conducts Emergency Response Team training for the majority of Tasmanian mining ventures. It was pleasing from our perspective to see teams demonstrating such a high level of skills during the competitions. JY

Tasmanian Mines Rescue Competition 2010By Manager Tasfire Training, Justin Young

All crews showed a high level of commitment and teamwork

and the standard of this competition was very high.

January 26, otherwise known as Australia Day, is celebrated in Somerset with the Rotary Club’s Foreshore Fiesta. The event is

an opportunity for community groups to interact with the public and promote their services to the community. Demonstrations, hands-on activities and competitions provide members of the community with an insight into the activities available to them in the community.

The Somerset Brigade has taken part in this annual event for the last three years, giving children and adults the opportunity to explore the fire trucks and to see and use the gear carried on

Somerset’s Foreshore FiestaBy Firefighter Somerset Brigade, Jessica Smith

Brayden Smith helping a little girl hit the target. Damien Gale showing the truck to members of the community.

Emma Richards helping children use the hose.

them. Children were able to participate in competitions involving the use of the 38mm duraline hoses to knock over witch’s hats, and the use of a fire extinguisher to hit a target with the help of the Junior Cadet members.

The day was very beneficial for the juniors as it gave them the opportunity to show the public the knowledge and skills they have learnt through their participation at regular meetings, as well as helping to give the public an insight into what firefighting is all about. JS

Jeans For Genes Days by Trainee Northern Region, Haylee Ellis

Northern Region supported Jeans for Genes Day over two days, with a blue themed

morning tea on 5 August and the traditional day of wearing jeans on 6 August.

The blue themed morning tea was a great hit with all sorts of delicious blue treats and a lucky door prize. The winners of the lucky door prize were Ben Wilson and Neil Brooksbank, who each won 18 holes of Mini Putt Golf at Grindelwald.

Over the two days a total of $160 was raised. A big thank you goes to everyone who made this possible and contributed to such a worthy cause. HE



Following the recent refurbishment of the Oatlands District High School home

economics area, the Grade 9/10 catering class decided they would put on a special dinner for local community groups.

The 9/10 catering class decided that as young members of the Oatlands community they wanted to recognise the fact that volunteer members of the Oatlands Brigade, Ambulance Tasmania and State Emergency Service are the first responders to many horrific incidents along the Midlands Highway and surrounding areas.

The school was able to contribute some funding for the dinner but not enough to ensure that the volunteers and their partners would not have to pay.

The problem was soon resolved with donations received from the Southern Midlands Council, Rural Health Services, Rural Alive and Well, and TFS.

The dinner was held at the Oatlands School on 29 July 2010 with 24 attending and thoroughly enjoying their dinner and night out. PH

Oatlands District High School’s Emergency Services DinnerBy Field Officer Midlands District South, Paul Horne

Students Sophie Pennicott and Kristy Smith preparing the main course.

Students Tegan Brooks and Carla Monks show-off some delicious desserts.

Oatlands Brigade Chief Kerry Mancey presenting a cheque on behalf of TFS to Home Economics Teacher Jenny Cooper to assist with catering for the dinner.


Kelly Quinn - FireCommI started with FireComm on 20 September 2010 after securing a 12 month secondment. I was previously employed by Tasmania Police for 11 years, spending one year in Prosecution Services and 10 years in their call centre.

I have an artistic background and am a qualified interior decorator. My husband and I are currently renovating our small weatherboard cottage, which is putting all of my decorating training to good use! I also love photography, cooking, throwing dinner parties for friends and being outdoors.

I’m really excited by this opportunity and look forward to talking to you all soon.

Clare Watling - FireCommI have been with TFS for three years working as a Clerical Support Officer. I have provided clerical support to numerous divisions within TFS, e.g. Southern Region Administration, Community Fire Safety and I have worked on several Incident Management Teams. I started in FireComm as a Fire Season Communications Officer on 20 September 2010.

I really enjoy working at TFS and I am looking forward to furthering my knowledge in emergency call-taking and dispatch. In my spare time I love going to Bruny Island where I do horseriding, fishing and help on the family farm. I am married to Simon and we have three border collies which we show and waste all our time on.

Tiffany Boon - FireCommI started working at TFS on 26 October 2010. I thoroughly enjoy working in FireComm and am finding it to be both an exciting and rewarding career. Prior to starting at FireComm I was a teacher. I spent four years teaching on the East Coast of Tassie before moving back to Hobart last summer.

Outside of work I enjoy camping and spending lots of time at the beach. I am lucky to have my friends and family live close by and spend as much time with them as possible.

I look forward to meeting you all soon.

Clare Watling and Kelly Quinn Tiffany Boon

Jessamy Otto

Introducing

Jessamy Otto - FinanceJessamy Otto commenced her employment with TFS as a payroll clerk on 4 January 2011. Before joining TFS, Jessamy worked for Federal Group in the payroll team. Outside of work Jessamy is very busy with her studies in Certificate IV in Human Resources, her role as President of the Hobart United Football Club, playing indoor and outdoor soccer, and attending dance classes.


Glenorchy Children’s Christmas PartyBy Leading Firefighter, Barry Bones

After our Christmas party was rained out in 2009, I decided to put in place a bad weather contingency plan

for 2010. Michelle and the crew from Makebelieve Children’s Entertainment were called in with their Christmas show and face painting. ‘Wow!’ is the best way to describe it! They provided us with such engaging singing and dancing that the parents couldn’t help but join in – especially Lee Hodgman, who if he were wearing a costume would have been mistaken as part of the show! Nice work Lee.

Jumping castles, go-carts and a merry mix provided some outside entertainment for those children looking for an adrenalin rush! And let’s not forget the main attraction – Santa (alias Bill Bourke), who didn’t have a shortage of fans as he handed out stockings to all who had been good for the year.

I would like to give a special thanks to Michelle and the crew for the awesome job they did, Peter Crossin (Cross Carnival Rides), Kmart New Town for their ongoing support with Christmas stockings and finally “B” Platoon for their mammoth effort on the day.

Hope to see everyone back again this year! BB

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On 8 October 2010 the Yolla Brigade held its annual dinner. Holding the position of training officer and

brigade mentor this is always a very special time for me as I see the various awards being presented to our members who have worked so hard throughout the year; this year was certainly no exception.

As we always like to have a special guest to make the presentations our Regional Chief, John Streets, was invited to attend. It is always a pleasure to have John along as he has a great interest in the awards and the work performed by the persons receiving them. John’s speech on the importance of the volunteer in our remote rural areas was a great inspiration to all. Two of our three life members were in attendance with the third giving some lame excuse about sitting on the beach in Queensland with a bucket full of prawns.

In no time at all it was time for the presentations. Leigh Loring, one of our newest members, was awarded Firefighter of the Year. A special presentation was made to Scott Evans for his hard work as Acting Brigade Chief over the last 12 months.

David Dunnings was awarded another clasp to his national medal making it 35 years as a volunteer, well done David! And well done to Dean Richardson for receiving his five year long service badge.

On reflection I think that I received the best award. Having worked hard to train the brigade up to the highest standard I could and then seeing it all come together out on the fireground, was like chocolate icing on a chocolate cake with chocolate sprinkles on top! RM

Yolla Brigade’s Annual DinnerBy Firefighter Yolla Brigade, Russell Matthews

Second Officer Scott Evans receiving his award from Regional Chief John Streets.

Award and badge recipients David Dunnings, Leigh Loring, Scott Evans and Dean Richardson with Regional Chief John Streets.

Long service awards were presented to two Magra Brigade members by District Officer Gerald Crawford on

21 October 2010.

Third Officer Wayne Marshall received his 30 year long service badge, and Firefighter Cecil Triffitt received his 10 year long service badge.

Leading Firefighter Tim Mann was presented with his 10 year long service badge the following week.

Congratulations to these worthy recipients.

L-R: Tim Mann, Cecil Triffit, Kevin Hardwick and Wayne Marshall.

Magra Brigade Presentations


Dilston Brigade members together with family and friends of medal recipients attended an awards

ceremony at the Dilston Brigade on 1 September 2010. A total of eight brigade members received awards ranging from the TFS Volunteer Medal to National Medals and Long Service Awards for dedicated and diligent service to TFS, their brigade and their community.

Don Mackrill, Dalrymple Group Officer, was the MC for the evening while medals were presented by Andrew Taylor, State President of the Retained Brigades Association; Ian Gabites, State President of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association; Steven Richardson, District Officer and Steve Lowe, Acting Deputy Regional Chief Northern Region.

The evening was a huge success and all those who attended thoroughly enjoyed the ceremony. Congratulations to all members who received various awards and medals for their dedicated service. SR

Dilston Brigade Awards NightBy District Officer Planning and Capability, Steven Richardson

Back: Raoul Stow, Neville Jolly, Jason Hingston, Paul Blakie and Brigade Chief Robert Montague. Front: Rosalie Montague, David Lake and Sue Hill.

Nine October 2010 saw an excellent turnout to the Melrose Brigade for their regular social BBQ

accompanied by a medal presentation night. The night was attended by Gary Johnson, Ian Gabites (State President TVFBA) and Richard Cosstick, who presented the well earned volunteer medals, long service badges and Tassie Devil Award.

Melrose Brigade Medal Presentations 2010By Firefighter Melrose Brigade, Steve Jones

Troy Phillips, Steve Jones, Cameron Cooper, Andrew Hingston and Vern Reeves (front) presented with their long service badges by Gary Johnson (far right).

Award recipients (from back) Sam Buchwald, Shane Buchwald, Simon Morris, Rodney Solomon and (front) Vern Reeves and Neville Bingham, with presenters Richard Cosstick (front left) and Ian Gabites (far right).

The successful recipients were:

Volunteer Medal: Vern Reeves, Shane Buchwald, Simon Morris, Rodney Solomon and Neville Bingham.

Long Service Badges: Troy Phillips, Steve Jones, Cameron Cooper, Andrew Hingston, Vern Reeves, Simon Morris, Sam Buchwald, Ashton Buchwald and Neville Bingham.

Tassie Devil Award: Sam Buchwald and Ashton Buchwald. SJ


Back L-R: Fourth Officer Robert Butterfield, Brigade Chief Bill Tiddy, Firefighter Darren Quinn, “Deputy Motor Mechanic” Jamie Nankivell, Firefighter Shane Sturges.Front L-R: Third Officer Jason Clarke, Firefighter John Edwards, Second Officer Paul Bugg.

Queenstown Brigade held its annual Christmas dinner/medal

presentation on 6 November at the Railway Hotel, Queenstown. About 60 people attended, including brigade members, brigade life members and invited guests.

Medals were presented to the following firefighters:

National Medals: Robert Butterfield, John Edwards and Jamie Nankivell.

TFS Volunteer Medals (presented by Bruce Corbett AFSM and John Brassington): Robert Butterfield, Jamie Nankivell and Darren Quinn.

Long service awards were presented to the following five firefighters, with the total years of service to the Tasmanian

Queenstown Brigade’s Annual Dinner and Medal PresentationBy Fourth Officer Queenstown Brigade, Robert Butterfield

community and the township of Queenstown adding up to 165:

Darren Quinn (25 years), Shane Sturges (25 years), Paul Bugg (35 years), Graeme Clarke (35 years) and Bill Tiddy (45 years).

Ian Mitchell Memorial AwardThe Ian Mitchell Memorial Award was presented to Third Officer Jason Clarke for his service to the brigade during the year. The award is named after the late Brigade Chief Ian Mitchell. Ian was Brigade Chief for 10 years and an active member of the brigade for 46 years. The recipient of the award is decided by the Brigade Chief and is not

necessarily awarded annually. The award is co-sponsored by Rob Deverell of Burnie Brigade. RB

On Saturday 26 February the Franklin Brigade held their 75th anniversary dinner at the Franklin Bowls Club. Over 85 past

and present members were in attendance with a number of people being inducted as life members into their long standing social club.

Founded on 17 May 1935, the Franklin Brigade was the first formed in the Huon district following several large bushfires that threatened towns in the Huon Valley in the early 1930s.

Like most new brigades it took a little time to establish themselves within the community but with a strong influence from a number of long term brigade chiefs the brigade grew in strength to what it is today.

Franklin turns 75By Distritct Officer South West, Rod Sherrin

L-R: Former Brigade Chief Hobart Brian Baker, Former Brigade Chiefs Franklin Kelvin Green, Philip Norris and David Johns, and Former Chief Officer Gerry Lowe.

Brigade Chief David Johns hosted the dinner and sadly announced that he was stepping down from his current position but will remain with the Brigade.

Invited guests at the dinner included former Brigade Chiefs Kelvin Green and Philip Norris along with former Brigade Chief Hobart, Brian Baker and former Chief Officer, Gerry Lowe. RS


On 4 December 2010 the Seven Mile Beach Brigade recognised its 50th year of service to the community.

Seven Mile Beach is a coastal community situated about 1 km from the Hobart Airport. The township has a population of 1100 and also jointly responds to Acton Park with a population of 1750.

The brigade was first mentioned in print in 1957 at a time when most townships consisted of a local bucket brigade and some hand held beaters. It was not until 1960 that it was formally formed and records maintained.

The brigade has seen the normal advancement in fire trucks and presently has a 5-1 and 4-1 unit. The brigade is BA equipped and recently had a major shed fire at the Wyndham Vacation Resort.

The anniversary day was attended by state and local government officials as well as senior officers from Hobart Brigade including Chief Officer Mike Brown.

The brigade took the opportunity to unveil its first honour board which recognises life members and past brigade captains and now chiefs.

The first life membership awards went to Graham and Jim Percival and the present Brigade Chief Anthony Butler.

Graham, Jim and Anthony were also awarded the Tasmanian Volunteers Fire Brigade Award.

The TFS Volunteer Medal is awarded to operational brigade members after initially completing ten years service as a

prerequisite and then it has to be established by a statement of support that the service has been both diligent and with integrity. This is not a service award, the medal is not simply awarded for years of service, although additional clasps for years of diligent service with integrity may be added after the initial approval.

To commemorate the day the brigade had a special presentation medal struck; this was presented to all active members and past brigade chiefs. The brigade would like to thank Wyndham Resort for their sponsorship of the medal. AB

Jim, Anthony and Graham in front of the new honour boards.

Seven Mile Beach Brigade’s 50th AnniversaryBy Brigade Chief Seven Mile Beach Brigade, Anthony Butler


The Cambridge Brigade hosted a ceremony attended by 80

guests, at the Cambridge Fire Station on 19 September. The ceremony was held to present TFS volunteer medals and long service awards, and to unveil new honour boards to commemorate the brigade’s membership through the years.

Attendees included the Mayor of Clarence Alderman Jock Campbell, Chief Officer Mike Brown, Regional Chief South Tony Davidson, and District Officer Hugh Jones. Bruce Corbett of the Retained Volunteer Fire Fighters Association and Lindsay Suhr of the Volunteer Fire Brigades Association presented volunteer medals and clasps.

Two honour boards were unveiled – one in recognition of those who have given five or more years service to the Cambridge and Mount Rumney brigades and one to record the captains and brigade chiefs of the Cambridge and Mount Rumney brigades.

The ceremony was well attended by former and current brigade members and their families. The afternoon became an impromptu reunion, with past members renewing old acquaintances and reminiscing, assisted by an extensive display of historic brigade photographs, records and other brigade memorabilia.

The original Cambridge Rural Fire Brigade was established in 1968 and the Mount Rumney Rural Fire Brigade was established in 1972. The two brigades amalgamated in 1982. MF

Cambridge Brigade Commemorates MembershipBy Third Officer Cambridge Brigade, Matt Fenton

Past and present Captains and Brigade Chiefs - John Tyrrell, Neil Hobden, David Reed, Mark Brazendale, Geoff Kent, Kevin Hibberd and Paul MacMichael.

Clarence Mayor Jock Campbell, Cambridge Brigade Chief Mark Brazendale, TFS Chief Officer Mike Brown.


Awards

Arthur District Jodi Armstrong Long Service (20 years)Beaconsfield Jason Miller Long Service (15 years)Bicheno Barry Schultz Long Service (20 years) Colin Lord Long Service (20 years)Bothwell Andre Datlen National Medal (25 years) Maxwell Stuart Long Service (50 years) Michael Brooks Long Service (40 years) Andre Datlen Long Service (25 years) Matthew Haney Long Service (25 years) Richard Hallett Long Service (15 years)Brighton Dean Plummer National Medal (25 years)Broadmarsh Tex Sonners National Medal (15 years) Adrian Mc Shane Long Service (35 years)Burnie Dean Graue National Medal (15 years) Heath Batten National Medal (15 years) James Dobbie National Medal (15 years) Shane Streets National Medal (15 years) Rob Deverell Long Service (35 years) Mark Lillico Long Service (25 years) Nick Johnstone Long Service (25 years) Dean Graue Long Service (15 years) Heath Batten Long Service (15 years) James Dobbie Long Service (15 years) Tyron Clark Long Service (15 years)Bushy Park Marty Gajkowski National Medal (15 years) Steven Butler National Medal (15 years) Steven Butler Long Service (25 years) Justin Butler Long Service (15 years)Channel Peter Hughes Long Service (25 years) Bruce Phillips Long Service (20 years)Claude Road George Kelly National Medal (35 years) George Kelly Long Service (35 years) Bernard Binns Long Service (15 years)Colebrook Norman Iles National Medal (25 years) Leanne Iles National Medal (15 years) Mary-Anne Munnings National Medal (15 years) Shirley Hogue National Medal (15 years)Coles Bay Leon Dransfield National Medal (35 years)Community Fire Safety Leon Carr Long Service (40 years) Don Seymour Long Service (20 years)Cranbrook Robert Elliott Long Service (15 years)Cressy David Green Long Service (30 years)Devonport Mark Klop Long Service (25 years)Dodges Ferry Christopher Wilson National Medal (15 years) Philip Clark National Medal (15 years)

Dodges Ferry Christopher Suckling Long Service (15 years) Michael Oliver Long Service (15 years)Dover Glen Baker National Medal (15 years)Dunalley Bradley Westcott National Medal (15 years) Trevor Newbold Long Service (20 years) Andrew Daly Long Service (15 years) Bradley Westcott Long Service (15 years)Eaglehawk Neck Gary Linnell National Medal (25 years) John Green National Medal (15 years) Mark Linfoot National Medal (15 years) Bob Clifford Long Service (20 years) Michael Clifford Long Service (20 years) Shane Wisby Long Service (20 years) James Mison Long Service (15 years) John Green Long Service (15 years)Emita Malcolm Mac Queen Long Service (35 years) Ted Conway Long Service (35 years) John Duigan Long Service (30 years) Alan Wheatley Long Service (20 years) Bill Cook Long Service (20 years) George Conway Long Service (20 years)Engineering Services Frank Howe Long Service (25 years) Leon Smith Long Service (25 years) Anthony Watson Long Service (25 years) Tony Watson Long Service (25 years) Bill Lyne Long Service (20 years) Phil Gardner Long Service (15 years)Falmouth Matthew Bennell Long Service (15 years)Fern Tree Philip Sansom National Medal (25 years)Firecomm Noelene Watt Long Service (30 years)Forth Graham Bennell Long Service (35 years) John Newman Long Service (15 years)Franklin Dennis Walker Long Service (30 years) Roger Grace Long Service (30 years) Bruce Price Long Service (25 years) David Johns Long Service (25 years) Craig Walker Long Service (20 years)Gravelly Beach Rob Henderson National Medal (15 years) Trevor Clark Long Service (25 years) Geoff Goss Long Service (15 years) Rob Henderson Long Service (15 years)Gretna Celia Browning Long Service (15 years)Grove Robert Hill National Medal (25 years)Hamilton Richard Downie Long Service (35 years) Timothy Parsons Long Service (25 years)

A list of recent awards presented within the TFS

Location/Brigade Name Award Location/Brigade Name Award

South Arm Brigade award recipients Lyndsay Suhr (2nd from left) and Mathew Philpott (far right) presented Volunteer Medals to South Arm Brigade members (L-R) Richard Calvert, Glynis Heather and Barry Heather.

Matthew Fenton (Cambridge) receiving his Volunteer Service Medal from Bruce Corbett and Lyndsay Suhr.

District Officer Gerald Crawford presenting New Norfolk Brigade member Neville Rushworth with his 20 year long service badge.


Location/Brigade Name Award Location/Brigade Name Award

Hobart Bill St Leger National Medal (25 years) Mark Dobson National Medal (25 years) Phil Douglas National Medal (15 years) Peter Plummer Long Service (30 years) Bill St Leger Long Service (25 years) Robert Ratcliffe Long Service (25 years) Stacey Peters Long Service (20 years) Phil Douglas Long Service (15 years)Howden Bruce Moran National Medal (35 years)Kempton Mark Shearing Long Service (35 years)Kingston Raymond Carter National Medal (25 years) Jason Davis Long Service (15 years)Lachlan Des Tatchell National Medal (15 years)Lackrana Malcolm Blyth Long Service (40 years) Roy Peddle Long Service (35 years) Kevin Peddle Long Service (30 years) Terence Klug Long Service (25 years) Darren Grace Long Service (20 years)Lady Barron Robert Holloway Long Service (25 years) David Bailey Long Service (20 years) Greg Bailey Long Service (20 years) John Holloway Long Service (20 years) Timothy Robinson Long Service (20 years)Lake River David Hingston National Medal (35 years) Mike Green Long Service (50 years) Richard Higgins Long Service (40 years) David Hingston Long Service (35 years) Ian Morrison Long Service (20 years)Lauderdale Stephen Hickie National Medal (15 years) John Brassington Long Service (45 years) Phillip Thorp Long Service (20 years)Learning & Development David Bryan National Medal (25 years)Lenah Valley Kevin Donovan National Medal (25 years) Evan Cram National Medal (15 years)Magra Wayne Marshall Long Service (30 years)Margate Simon Roland Long Service (20 years)Maydena Maureen Lowery National Medal (15 years)Melrose Neville Bingham Long Service (40 years) Dale Speight Long Service (35 years) Cameron Cooper Long Service (20 years) Verne Reeves Long Service (20 years)Memana John Butler Long Service (45 years) Kevin Haines Long Service (35 years)Middleton Edward Domeney Long Service (40 years) Kevin Lawler Long Service (15 years)Moriarty Peter Dawson Long Service (30 years) James Hortle Long Service (15 years) Jamie Holland Long Service (15 years)Mt Nelson Garry Shaw National Medal (15 years) Barry Bacon Long Service (35 years) Andrew Johns Long Service (20 years)New Norfolk Gerard Garwood Long Service (20 years) Neville Rushworth Long Service (20 years)North West Region Steven Townsend Long Service (35 years) Mark Klop Long Service (25 years) Shayne Andrews Long Service (20 years)Northern Region Peter Goss Long Service (30 years)Parattah Gordon Palmer Long Service (35 years) Lance Bailey Long Service (15 years)Pipers Brook Peter Harley National Medal (25 years)Port Arthur Peter Williams Long Service (20 years)Queenstown Jamie Nankivell National Medal (15 years) John Edwards National Medal (15 years) Robert Butterfield National Medal (15 years) Bill Tiddy Long Service (45 years) Graeme Clarke Long Service (35 years) Paul Bugg Long Service (35 years) Darren Quinn Long Service (25 years) Shane Sturges Long Service (25 years)Riana John Duff National Medal (35 years) Gary Morse National Medal (25 years) John Duff Long Service (40 years)Riana Christopher Talbot Long Service (15 years)Ridgley Graeme Jones National Medal (25 years) Ian Cox Long Service (35 years)

Risdon Vale Ann Harrison National Medal (15 years) Michael Glowacki National Medal (15 years) Nathan Woolley National Medal (15 years) Oliver Gledhill National Medal (15 years) Robyn Leahy National Medal (15 years)Rowella Neil Campbell Long Service (30 years)Sandford Gary Pursell National Medal (25 years) David Williams Long Service (20 years)Scamander John Hoult National Medal (15 years) Lindsay Tanner National Medal (15 years) Peter Reinmuth National Medal (15 years) Frank Martin Long Service (25 years) Lindsay Tanner Long Service (20 years) John Hoult Long Service (15 years) Lindsay Tanner Long Service (15 years) Peter Reinmuth Long Service (15 years)Seven Mile Beach Anthony Baillie National Medal (15 years)Snug Geoffrey Kemp Long Service (25 years)South Arm Barry Heather National Medal (15 years) Barry Heather Long Service (15 years)South West District Rod Sherrin National Medal (25 years) Rod Sherrin Long Service (25 years)Southern Region Paul Horne Long Service (35 years) Tony Davidson Long Service (35 years)South’n Logistics Support Peter Monty Long Service (35 years)Sprent Maurice Hill National Medal (35 years) Glenn Clark National Medal (15 years) Stephen Sims National Medal (15 years) Terry Rootes National Medal (15 years) Maurice Hill Long Service (40 years) Glenn Clark Long Service (15 years) Stephen Sims Long Service (15 years) Terry Rootes Long Service (15 years)State Headquarters Gavin Freeman National Medal (25 years) Gavin Freeman Long Service (25 years) Jack Campbell Long Service (25 years) Rod Sherrin Long Service (25 years)Summerleas Jeffrey Bremner National Medal (15 years) Jeffrey Bremmer Long Service (15 years)Triabunna Simon Deegan Long Service (15 years)Tullah Gregory Blake National Medal (15 years) Ken French National Medal (15 years) Alan Hennessy Long Service (15 years) Gregory Blake Long Service (15 years) Ken French Long Service (15 years)Tunnack Rodney Hughes National Medal (15 years) John Summers Long Service (30 years) Darryl Scott Long Service (25 years) Rodney Hughes Long Service (15 years)Wattle Grove Robin Dance National Medal (15 years) Robin Dance Long Service (15 years)Westerway Stefan Frazik Long Service (20 years)White Hills Greg Chugg National Medal (35 years) Michael Long National Medal (25 years) Kathleen Hodges Long Service (5 years) Charlie Watson Long Service (40 years) Greg Chugg Long Service (35 years) Michael Long Long Service (25 years) Nigel Hodges Long Service (25 years) Andrew Chugg Long Service (20 years)Whitemark Arthur Withers Long Service (50 years) Chris Bowman Long Service (45 years) David Blundstone Long Service (35 years) Peter Bowman Long Service (35 years) David Campbell Long Service (30 years) Stephen Mason Long Service (30 years) Dennis Williams Long Service (20 years) Wayne Warren Long Service (20 years) Allan Tuxworth Long Service (15 years) Judy Blundstone Long Service (15 years)Wynyard Athol Mc Neair Long Service (30 years)Yolla David Dunnings National Medal (35 years) David Dunnings Long Service (35 years)

Please note that only awards of 15 years and greater are printed due to the great number (Ed.)

PHOTO GALLERY


A PWS fuel reduction burn at St Helens. Photographer: Firefighter Linda Finch, Prospect Brigade.

Vehicle fire attended by Rokeby Brigade. Photographer: Firefighter Lewis van Bommel.

Lake Mackintosh fire. Photographer: Firefighter Linda Finch, Prospect Brigade.

Tim Airey showing Bridgenorth Brigade their new 4-1 on 19 January 2011. Photographer: Field Officer Tamar District, Ben Wilson.

Firefighter Sam Locke helps out on McHappy Day 2010.

Glenorchy 1.1 and hose lines in use at a house fire in Claremont. Photographer: Senior Firefighter Justin Benson.

Snug Brigade Juniors training weekend. Photographer: Firefighter Graeme Facy, Snug Brigade.


Fire at Berry Lodge, Miena on 31 October 2010. Photographer: Rick Armstrong, Fire Equipment Officer, Northern Region.

Jayden Sturges learning how to use the fire hose at the Rosebery Festival. Photographer: Firefighter Lyndy Smith, Rosebery Brigade.

Santa (Brigade Chief Claus) and Chayse Hampton at the North Pole Brigade. Photographer: Firefighter Lyndy Smith, Rosebery Brigade.

Tamar District Group Exercise. Photographer: Second Officer Liam Cox, Glengarry Brigade.

A very foggy morning on the Northern Outlet. Photo taken by B Shift LFB.

Senior Firefighter Kim Jessup extinguishing a car fire. Photographer: Station Officer George Auchterlonie.

Firefighter Stowport/Natone Philip Tustian and Brigade Chief Stowport/Natone Fiona Tustian with trauma teddy donator Annie Osborne.

District Officer Tamar Ian Cawthorn hands over the keys to Beaconsfield’s new 4-1 to Brigade Chief Todd Russell on 22 February 2011. This vehicle complimented a $60,000 makeover to the station and the arrival of a 3-1P pumper tanker, which took place over the last 12 months. The appliance upgrade released Beaconsfield’s Hino 3-1 heavy tanker to flow on to Kelso Brigade.

LibraryNews

NEW ARRIVALS IN THE LIBRARY

Air attack: fighting fires in South Australia / Gary MacRae. South Australia: G. Macrae, 2010. 634.9618 MAC

Australian Journal of Emergency Management January 2011 Also online at http://www.ema.gov.au/www/emaweb/emaweb.nsf/Page/PublicationsAJEM

Fire fighter safety and emergency response for electric drive and hybrid vehicles: final report / Casey C. Grant. Quincy, MA: Fire Protection Research

Foundation, 2010. 363.12081 CAS Also online at http://www.nfpa.org/foundation

Fire fighter safety and emergency response for solar power systems: final report / Casey C. Grant. Quincy, MA: Fire Protection Research Foundation, 2010. 363.379 CAS Also online at http://www.nfpa.org/foundation

Government, politics, power and policy in Australia (9th edition)/ [editors] Dennis Woodward, Andrew Parkin, John Summers. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Australia, c2010. 320.994 GOV

Leading with emotional intelligence: hands-on strategies for building confident and collaborative star performers / by Reldan S. Nadler. New York: McGraw-Hill, c2011. 658.4092 NAD

Tasmanian heavy vehicle drivers’ handbook. March 2010 629.22409946 TAS

Also online at http://dierp.dot.tas.gov.au/transport/publications

2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission: final report. (4 volumes + summary) 634.961809945 VIC Also online at http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports

Without warning: one woman’s story of surviving Black Saturday / Jane O’Connor. 634.961809945 OCO

and 3 new booklets from WorkCover Tasmania:Workplace stress P 363.11 WORBullying P 363.11 WOR Drugs and Alcohol P 363.11 WOR

Also online at http://www.wst.tas.gov.au/publications/workplace_safety

AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS (Also available on the TFS intranet via: Home » Members Area » Info Centre » Library » Databases)

HB 76:2010 Dangerous goods: initial emergency response guide: Australian/N.Z. handbook.

AS 1674.1-1997 Safety in welding and allied processes - Fire precautions.

HB 158-2010 Delivering assurance based on ISO 31000:2009 - Risk management - Principles and guidelines.

AS/NZS 5050:2010 Business continuity - Managing disruption-related risk.

CONTACT US To borrow these resources or to find other material suitable for your needs, and for assistance with information and research please phone Helen on 6230 8679 or email [email protected]. Items can be sent out to TFS personnel around the state. The library is located in the TFS SHQ building, corner of Argyle and Melville Streets Hobart. Visitors are welcome, but please phone or email first to check daily opening hours.

For a full listing of library resources, please go to our catalogue at http://talis.education.tas.gov.au/uhtbin/fire/



When photos are received for Fireground, they are not necessarily submitted by the photographer. In these instances the names we have received will be published and the prize money will be split between the person submitting the photo and the actual photographer. Remember, please advise the name of the photographer for each photo submitted.

The winning photo from this edition is:

Photo Competition

Winner

How to enter:

Simply send your photo with details of the incident and name of photographer.

Please ensure digital photos are of 3 mega pixels and above, also ensure date stamp is off.

If emailing photos, please don’t reduce the size when Outlook asks you if you want to keep original size or send smaller, this affects the quality and therefore the size of the photo we can print.

Photos may be of any TFS event or incident, and may include TFS personnel in turnout gear or uniform.

Any photo submitted to Fireground automatically becomes an entry to the competition.

All photos become the property of the TFS and may be used in any publication or displays with acknowledgment given to the photographer.

Post them in to:Editor – FiregroundGPO Box 1526HOBART TAS 7001

or email them to: [email protected] place photo submitted by Third Officer Neville Rushworth,

New Norfolk Brigade ($100).


On the Move

The following Career personnel changes have occurred

Arrivals

FireComm Kelly Quinn Communications Officer 20 September 2010ISB Jack Liu Computer Systems Developer 13 October 2010Launceston James Worley Technician, Statewide BA 18 October 2010Payroll Jessamy Otto Finance Clerk 5 January 2011Southern Region Alicia Rattenbury Clerical Officer 18 April 2011

Departures

Northern Region Amanda Ross Clerical Support Officer 16 August 2010FireComm Bill Perry Communications Officer 13 October 2010Burnie Darryl Purton Senior Firefighter 17 November 2010Devonport Malcolm Biscoe Senior Firefighter 13 December 2010Hobart Robert Henry Leading Firefighter 16 December 2010FireComm Jade Gordey Communications Officer 11 February 2011

Elevations

ISB Andrew Orange Manager Infrastructure - Development 2 September 2010FireComm Clare Watling Communications Officer 20 September 2010North West Mark Klop District Officer 28 September 2010North Ian Bounds District Officer 28 September 2010Northern Region Darren Berry Station Officer 22 December 2010

A list of recent personnel changes within the TFS

The following Volunteer Brigade Officers have been elected by their Brigades

BRIGADE OFFICER APPOINTMENT

Avoca Max Rak Brigade Chief Peter Squires Second Officer John Barnes Third Officer John Rubenach Fourth OfficerBeaconsfield Todd Russell Brigade Chief Jason Miller Second Officer Martin Suitor Third Officer Justin Miller Fourth OfficerBell Bay Don Mackrill Brigade Chief Clive Watson Second Officer Belinda Taylor Third OfficerBicheno Adam Gluth Brigade Chief Josh Singline Second Officer Chris Lord Third Officer Nicole Pou Fourth OfficerBoat Harbour Trevor Duniam Second Officer

Bushy Park Adam Gittus Brigade Chief Steven Butler Second Officer Justin Butler Third Officer Wayne Walker Fourth OfficerCurrie David McKerrow Second Officer Chris Crouch Third Officer Stephen Cook Fourth OfficerDeep Bay Pamela Evans Brigade Chief Chris Petterd Second Officer Pavel Ruzicka Third Officer Nick Direen Fourth OfficerDunalley Aaron Millar Second Officer Evandale Grant Rigby Brigade Chief Andrew Hoggett Second Officer Paul Binns Third Officer Craig Surrall Fourth Officer

BRIGADE OFFICER APPOINTMENT


Fern Tree Terry Gill Fourth OfficerFrankford/Birralee John Penney Brigade Chief Neville Hall Second OfficerFranklin Craig Walker Brigade Chief Andrew Lovell Second Officer Roger Grace Third Officer Brett Knowles Fourth OfficerGeeveston Leigh Wilcox Second Officer Philip Mustoe Third OfficerGlamorgan Doug Renshaw Group Officer Great Lake Byron Thompson Second OfficerGunns Plains Jane Reid Brigade Chief David Bonney Second Officer Robert Reid Third Officer Chris Kisbee Fourth OfficerHeybridge Robert Hird Brigade Chief Lisa Cross Second Officer Georgina Cross Third OfficerHilwood Elaine Burns Brigade Chief Iain Nixon Second Officer Sharon Clarke Third Officer Leon Hodges Fourth OfficerHowden Leigh Bowden Fourth OfficerKelso Kevin Cleaver Third Officer Edmund Ten Berge Fourth OfficerLackrana Stephen Crawford Third Officer Darren Mills Fourth OfficerLatrobe Michael Parker Second Officer Michael Clarke Third Officer Ben Dick Fourth OfficerLilydale David Cleaver Brigade Chief David Dornauf Second Officer Ricki Trickett Third Officer Alicia Dornauf Fourth OfficerMagra Randal Garwood Brigade Chief Wayne Marshall Second Officer Brett Harrex Third Officer Timothy Mann Fourth OfficerMontagu Phillip Wilson Brigade Chief John Grey Second Officer Andrew Blizzard Third OfficerMt Nelson Andrew Johns First Officer Rod Betts Second Officer

BRIGADE OFFICER APPOINTMENT BRIGADE OFFICER APPOINTMENT

Mt Nelson Andrew Herbert Third Officer Wayne Smart Fourth OfficerNew Norfolk Colin Triffitt Brigade Chief Peter Brazendale Second Officer Mark Lusted Third Officer Brad Smith Fourth OfficerPerth Peter Wheeldon Second Officer Danny Littlejohn Third Officer Mark Jones Fourth OfficerRichmond Robert Mason Brigade Chief Andrew Luttrell Second Officer Anke Knibbe Third Officer Gerard Brown Fourth OfficerSandfly Arthur Reid Fourth OfficerSassafras Tony Perry Brigade Chief Andrew Perry Second Officer Shane Marshall Third OfficerScamander Greg Louden Third Officer Damien Tucker Fourth OfficerSnug Ian Kemp Brigade ChiefSorell Group Brian Rainbird Group Officer St Helens Glenn Bailey Brigade Chief Jeff Coulson Second Officer Tim Watson Third Officer William Freeman Fourth OfficerTarleton Stewart Geard Third Officer Tyson Rolls Fourth OfficerTribunna William Sullivan Brigade Chief John Ashlin Second Officer Tullah Ken French Brigade Chief Gregory Blake Second OfficerWaterhouse Dale Wooley Brigade Chief Roger Bignal Second Officer Ian Abraham Third Officer Andrew Campbell Fourth OfficerWestbury Craig Johnson Fourth OfficerWynyard Jarrod Wade Second Officer Damian Poke Third Officer Christopher Neilson Fourth OfficerYolla Cheryl Matthews Brigade Chief Dean Richardson Second Officer


LETTERS

The Fire Commissioner

Tasmania Fire Service

Dear Sir

I wish to give thanks to the fire crews that attended my

premises on the afternoon of Wednesday 27 October 2010.

They were called by our family to rescue our family dog, who

somehow had got herself wedged under a large concrete

slab on our neighbour’s property.

They displayed extreme empathy and professionalism in the

performance of their duties. My family was understandably

very upset because the dog was becoming quite distressed.

They made access possible for me to retrieve the dog with a

minimum of fuss.

All in all they are a credit to the Tasmania Fire Service. I wish

I had got at least one of their names so I could mention

them in this letter.

If possible could you pass on my kind regards and

commendation.

Yours faithfully

Gary Vesper

Should we add “C” Platoon?

Ian Wade, Brigade Chief, Collinsvale and his family wish to

thank members of his own Collinsvale Brigade, other TFS

crews (particularly those responding in HO72 and HO81),

Ambulance Tasmania and Tasmania Police who assisted with

Ian’s rescue following a vehicle accident on his own property

on 11 September 2010.

Ian was seriously injured when his Land Rover rolled on a

steep bank and Ian was thrown clear, suffering fractures to

his pelvis and left arm, requiring a rather difficult recovery

and transport to hospital.

After seven weeks in hospital Ian is now home, but not yet

fully “operational”. He would also like to thank various TFS

brigades and members who visited him in hospital.

Ian would also like to remind TFS members to be careful

driving in off-road situations. He thinks that he has learnt a

few lessons the hard way!!


United Firefighters UnionState Secretary - Vincent MalesEmail: [email protected]: PO Box 20, North Hobart 7002Phone: 6234 9331Website: www.ufutas.asn.au

Tasmanian Retained Volunteer Firefighters AssociationState Secretary - Mathew PhilpottEmail: [email protected]: 0417 499 088Website: www.trvfa.org.au

Tasmanian Volunteer Fire Brigades AssociationState Secretary - Lyndy SmithPhone: 6473 3169Mobile: 0408 577 576Email: [email protected]: www.tvfba.org.au

CPSU (SPSFT) incGeneral Secretary - Tom LynchEmail: [email protected]: GPO Box 54, Hobart 7001Phone: 6234 1708Website: www.cpsu.com.au

As a courtesy Fireground now offers contact details for members’ representative organisations.





Fireground

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ROAD RESCUE CHALLENGE TASMANIA 2012fire.tas.gov.au/userfiles/tym/file/Fireground_Winter_2011.pdf ·...

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