Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria- District 13 | Non-profit organisation

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria- District 13

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24.01.2022 Following the success of our recent survey, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) is inviting those in the agriculture sector to participate in a focus group in Yarr...a Junction at 7pm on 1st June. The focus group discussion will help CFA better understand the farming sector needs so that we can design improved resources to help you prepare for fire on your farm. For more information, or to book in, please email [email protected] or call 8739 1300 and ask for the Community Safety Team.

19.01.2022 COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER (19 June) - Update for the Metro Storm Event June 2021

17.01.2022 2 Minute Briefing Joint Communications & Technology Committee DIGITAL RADIO UPGRADE... The Digital Radio Upgrade is continuing to roll out with Telstra approving an additional 4 new sites and the relocation of a further 2 sites across the network. With the addition of Ambulance Victoria coming onto the RMR network there is an opportunity to leverage off this work to improve the network based upon reported blackspots through the Observation Report process as forwarded through the Districts. The Committee encourages all members to continue lodging instances of blackspots via the observation report process to ensure these can be included into the AV works

17.01.2022 Joint Volunteerism Committee 2 Minute Briefing RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROJECTS... Delegates to the Joint Committee have been working cooperatively with CFA on a number of exciting recruitment and retention projects in collaboration with the volunteer support team. These projects are aimed to promote, encourage, retain and re-engage volunteer members to ensure the future sustainability of CFA. One project that has been completed is the Information for Families Guide. This Guide is designed to support family members and/or caregivers of new members by giving them tailored information about what experiences and impacts volunteering with CFA may have on them and their families. Ensuring families are informed about what it means to be a part of CFA contributes to the health, safety, wellbeing, inclusion and ultimately retention of CFA members. The Information for Families Guide can be accessed on CFA Online for current members and their families. New members will receive a resource booklet, with access details, to pass on to their family members in their Welcome to CFA pack. Other projects in progress are the Expression of Interest portal. This EOI process is initially started when a member of the public registers on the CFA public web page wanting to join as a volunteer. Delegates have previously raised a number of concerns relating to the long delay from when a person first actually registers, and when they are eventually referred to the local brigade. A system is being developed to improve this process and facilitate the timely notification to a brigade that someone in their area is wanting to join. The project is still in the early stages and delegates are keen to receive any brigade feedback on what other improvements you would like to see. The Brigade Management App is another project being scoped to improve the recording of member activities and time spent on CFA related activities. This is useful information for areas such as nominations for awards, applying for grants and general promotion to the public of how much commitment is made by volunteers to their communities. These projects are being developed through strong collaboration between the volunteer delegates and CFA through the joint committee process, and the committee is looking forward to progressing these projects and will keep members informed on progress.

14.01.2022 2 Minute Briefing Joint HR, Welfare and OH&S Committee CFA DISCIPLINE PROCESS... CFA has presented a proposed Complaints Framework which includes a four-tier classification system to apply to new complaints. The system will allow low level L1 and L2 complaints, which consist mainly of minor interpersonal differences and less complex issues to be dealt with locally in the hope these matters will be resolved and closed off quickly. More complex and serious L3 and L4 complaints will be investigated by external consultants and the Integrity Unit. There was discussion about how best to support volunteers during stand down/suspension by developing individual wellbeing plans for each volunteer and conducting weekly case progress reviews. VFBV Delegates have requested ALL complaints in ALL Districts be captured for status and progress reporting, and it was agreed that CFA would develop a weekly ‘check in’ with each District through the Regional HR Business Partners. Delegates agreed that the proposed new measures were a vast improvement on the existing discipline process. VFBV also highlighted that while the new measures were welcome there is an urgent need to improve the investigative process immediately which in VFBV’s view is often cruel, punitive and drawn out, leaving volunteers distressed and feeling unwelcomed at their brigade. Delegates have requested the guiding principles of consistency and fairness and everyone being treated with dignity and respect need to be implemented immediately to mitigate and minimise any further distress and possible harm to volunteers. To assist us more closely to monitor the current and proposed systems and offer valuable volunteer input, all volunteers will be entitled to nominate a VFBV support person to attend any CFA volunteer discipline meetings / investigations.

13.01.2022 2 Minute Briefing Joint Training Committee GENERAL THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA (TIC) TRAINING... Members would recall previous comms around VFBV’s push for CFA to adapt its TIC Training for a short and simple package aimed at using TIC’s within the bushfire environment. CFA has recently presented to the Committee draft materials, of which delegates have provided detailed comment and feedback. While generally happy the materials are better meeting the intent and scope volunteers had asked for, delegates have provided more robust feedback regarding the format, structure and delivery methods planned for the course. Delegates were particularly pleased to see the draft package easily able to accommodate either of the two TIC models used by brigades across the state, with the materials easily adapting to concepts relevant to the Drager UCF9000 and the newly released intermediate 3M Scott. Delegates are now waiting for further consultation on the final draft after the initial feedback has been reviewed and considered by CFA.

10.01.2022 We are working alongside CFA and ADF members to get Generators out to those who have registered for the State Government Support Scheme. #weworkasone

09.01.2022 URGENT CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TODAY - WE NEED YOU! The Help The Hills team have a number of open requests for assistance today but we need the boots on the ...ground to get them done! If you're not busy today and want to lend a hand, come down to the staging area (new netball complex, Em-Beac Rd next to Pepi's Land) and sign up! Call and text your mates and get them on board as well! Make a meaningful difference to others in your community today! taken yesterday at a request for assistance in Macclesfield PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE FAR AND WIDE :)

06.01.2022 2 Minute Briefing Joint Community Safety Committee EMERGENCY KIT SUMMER PREPAREDNESS WITH COVID-19 VFBV delegates have discussed with CFA proposed additions to this year’s public messaging to incorporate COVID-19... precautions. The most obvious change will be the recommendation for all public Bushfire Safety Plans to consider COVID19 precautions and safety measures. Brigades delivering community education messaging should also familiarise themselves with the COVID-19 changes to the leaving early protocols. COVID-19 restrictions and pre-plans may also affect public venues people had planned to attend as an alternative safe place. Public facing messaging will include suggesting that people add additional items to their home Emergency Kit. The changes suggest additional face masks, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes (more than 60% alcohol.) Service delivery of Community Safety programs, like all other CFA activities is affected with all events and activities requiring a COVID safe plan to be prepared in advance. A template is available to assist Brigades and can be requested through your District Office or via Brigades online. And as always, don’t forget to have your own safety plan for your own families and household, so they know what to do in case of an emergency. This plan should include planning for your absence in case you are out fighting fires this fire season. A little bit of planning now will bring a most welcome piece of mind should the worst happen. See more

05.01.2022 2 Minute Briefing Joint Equipment and Infrastructure Committee STRUCTURAL HELMET STORAGE With the delays in the rollout of the new structural helmets in some districts due to COVID 19 restrictions it has allowed... the Engineering team to investigate and design various options for the storage of the new structural helmets. Members would be aware the helmets are a different shape to the current structural helmet and therefore there are many challenges in storage options. Coupled with the many different appliance designs and sizes there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Members of the committee were presented with a report which showed that all of the new medium pumpers had been fitted with new helmet storage bags and work was continuing to progress on options for the light pumpers and other vehicles. Engineering reported that there may be no option on some appliances to store the helmets in the cabins, but alternative storage spots may need to be found in lockers. See more

01.01.2022 COMMUNITY INFORMATION - Metro Storm Event June 2021 Hard copies will be distributed throughout communities tomorrow (Sunday 13 June 2021) #vicstorm #staysafe #stayinformed