Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Page 1 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
~THE BRIGADE BULLETIN~ No. 29, 16 June, 2016
An occasional newsletter from the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade
Find us on www.michelagoregion.org.au and
Micalago Road fire; Annual General Meeting (elections; congratulations to Duncan; protocols for incident reporting; Monaro
Team report); callouts; Rural Fire Driver course; Live Fire course; National Parks pass; $5 membership; training; NSW RFS Values.
Micalago Road fire – 22 May
Photo above: Scott Teys.
Photo left: Abby McPherson
This fire was started by a whipper-snipper
at about 3 pm, 22 May and burnt
approximately one acre.
It moved fast through lovegrass and was
hard to mop up because of the thick layer
of pine needles. The trees didn’t burn.
Michelago’s Cat1, 7A and 7B, with a total of
nine crew, attended and were supported
by Colinton and Bredbo Brigades.
Crews were able to leave about 6 pm.
Page 2 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Annual General Meeting elections Photos: Leanne Pattison
The election of Michelago RFS officers for 2016—2017 was held at the Michelago Community Hall on 21 May.
The election was conducted according to the Brigade Constitution and by Councillor Winston Phillips as
Returning Officer. Rein Peet represented Monaro Fire Control. The election results are below.
a) Administration Officers President: David Gattringer; Vice President: Abby McPherson; Treasurer: Brien Hallett; Secretary: Leanne
Pattison; Active-Member Representative: Abby McPherson; RFSA Representative: Keith Howker
b) Field Officers
Captain: Brent Wallis; Senior Deputy Captain: Keith Howker
Fire Permit Officers (appointed, not elected): Brent Wallis, Keith Howker, Derek Giucci
Deputy Captains: Derek Giucci, Alex Milovanovic, John Taylor, Scott Teys
Callout Officers: Bronwyn Gattringer, Abby McPherson; Training Officers: Aldo Giucci, Peter Butler
Equipment Officers: Derek Giucci, David Ferris; Engine Keepers: Steve Haines, Tim Haines
Catering Officers: Lauren Wallis, Kylie Kenyon, Bronwyn Gattringer, Alex Milovanovic
WHS Officer (female): Bronwyn Gattringer WHS Officer (male): Steve Haines
c) Auditor appointed by the meeting: David Bunston Left: Captain Brent Wallis
congratulates Scott Teys, one of
the two new Deputy Captains.
Right: Deputy Captain Regina
Roach of the Support Unit chats
with Councillor Winston Phillips
after the meeting. Regina
presented the Support Unit’s
report.
Left: Rein Peet, District Officer at Monaro Team Fire Control and Dave Gattringer,
the re-elected President.
Right: The three
Catering Officers
who provided the
substantial
afternoon tea for
everybody – Abby
McPherson, Lauren
Wallis and Bronwyn
Gattringer.
Page 3 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Congratulations, Duncan McNeill!
At the AGM, Rein Peet presented Duncan with his ten-
year long-service medal. Duncan has served the Michelago
Brigade since 2004 and, as well as being an active
firefighter, has worked as Equipment Officer, Deputy Captain and
Senior Deputy Captain.
Duncan said that the mateship and sense
of common purpose in community
service have been the most outstanding
and rewarding features of his time in the
brigade.
The meeting expressed the members’
strong appreciation of Duncan’s
contribution.
Left: Rein Peet congratulates Duncan.
Right: The unburst festive balloons Duncan took
home for the family.
Also at the AGM 1. Incident reporting protocols
Senior Deputy Captain Keith Howker emphasised that members attending a callout must sign in the diary at the Station. If they don’t, they won’t be logged in as attending the incident.
Crew leaders must also write in the diary the number and names of their crew members.
The Senior Deputy (Keith Howker) or the Deputy #1 (Derek Giucci) have to log in all information about an incident—who attended, and when and what the incident was.
Rein Peet asked members to take care with these details during an extended incident. If members are on standby at the Station, they should note ‘Station’ with their name in the diary.
Rein also noted that callout officers are logged in as being on an incident, and have been so for the last 12 months.
2. Monaro Team report
Rein Peet spoke about the year’s matters in Cooma Fire Control’s jurisdiction, focusing particularly on the Michelago region. (A summary of the report was attached to the minutes emailed to members and supporters. The full report is available on request from the secretary.)
He noted that a new National Parks Pass is now available. Members should contact Louise Povey at Cooma Fire Control for the current application form.
He urged members whose radio calls to Fire Coms are not immediately answered to be aware that he and other staff can be occupied with other calls.
New Michelago Station – a construction start at some time is assumed. (Image: Chinese calendar – Creative Commons-Wikipedia)
Callouts
1. Sunday 22 May: Micalago Road grass fire. See page 1 report and photos.
2. Saturday 28 May, about 5 pm: false call of a truck on fire on the Monaro Highway. The truck
was just broken down.
3. Saturday 28 May, about 6 pm: false call of a grass fire on the Burra Road. The three Michelago
trucks attended. Thanks to members for their swift response.
Page 4 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Rural Fire Driver course Photos: Dave Ferris
As well as Michelago’s
Dave Ferris, there
were 14 volunteers
from Colinton,
Bredbo, Anglers
Reach, Dalgety,
Wollondibby-Snowy
River, Adaminaby and
Berridale Brigades at
the Berridale Fire
Control Centre, 21 and
22 May, 9am to 5pm.
Cat7s and Cat9s were
used, with two
participants per truck.
Day 1, Saturday, was
at Berridale Fire Shed
and focused on
expectations, the do’s
and don’ts of driving
with lights and sirens,
and SOPs on-road and
off-road.
Left: Michelago 7B heads
up the hill.
Day 2 was at the training property, just out of Berridale. Participants were grouped according to the licences
already held, either (1) Class C or (2) MR or HR.
Dave reported, ‘We lined up for a turn in stall-start procedures on the side of a hill. From there we drove a set
course around the property. Then we split into groups of two to do a tricky reversing course, which was quite
a challenge but fun.
‘The afternoon was
finished with some
talk and
demonstrations on
tyre removal and
recovery techniques.’
Thanks to Dave for
the content for this
item.
Above: All the brigades’ trucks lined up. Right: the Adaminaby Cat7.
Page 5 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Live Fire training Photos: Brent Wallis
Above: Lighting the simulated gas cylinder
Right: Trainees attack the fire.
The Live Fire training course was at Cooma’s
Monaro Emergency Control Centre on 14 and 15
May. Michelago’s Captain Brent Wallis and
Training Officer Peter Butler attended.
Many brigades were represented, including three from the area’s north—Michelago, Anembo and Bredbo.
Michelago now has two Live Fire instructors, Brent and Peter, so can use actual instead of pretend fire in
training activities.
The brigade also now has two training props for live fire: a gas cylinder and a flange pipe, which imitates a gas
pipe.
National Parks Pass 2016—2017
Contact Louise Povey at Fire Control on 1300 722 164 for the new application form.
Last year’s form is not acceptable. Passes are not transferable. Images: Creative Commons
Thank you to those RFS members and supporters who attended the AGM or sent
their apologies.
If you were not there, please would you leave your $5 annual membership of the
Brigade at the Michelago shop, in an envelope addressed to the MRFB Treasurer
and with your name and address on the back, so we can send you a receipt? This is
not tax deductible, but $5 isn’t much. It’s the only money we ask for. Other funds
are raised by volunteer work on Bunnings and May Fair BBQs.
Page 6 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Training 6 June Photos (3): Leanne Pattison
This month’s topic was MVAs because, as Training Officer Peter Butler said, ‘Over 50% of our members are doing VF this
year, so we will focus on the program so you will all be very comfortable with it by the time you do the course.’
There were planning meetings at the shed and hall so people could
watch the good rain before the welcome and warming barbecue was
ready. Then the fourteen attendees sat in the hall for Peter Butler’s
PowerPoint presentation on MVAs and for discussion.
Peter presented a mixture of training manual text and diagrams,
supplemented by photos and videos from Road Traffic Authority
road safety campaigns. A few of these are shown below.
All photos of incidents come from the RFS-endorsed training
package and manuals.
The main topics covered were traffic control, the roles of various agencies, factors influencing strategies for
safety and for fire prevention and control (e.g. electrical hazards, hybrid vehicles, air bags), personal safety
checks, equipment, and dealing with accident victims and bystanders.
Some of the images were confronting, but necessarily so, as firefighters need to be aware of what they might
have to deal with.
Page 7 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Training
Next Brigade training: Sunday, 3 July, 11 am.
First Aid: 16 & 17 July at Cooma. Nine Michelago volunteers will attend.
Rural Fire Driver: 6 & 7 August at Berridale. Six Michelago volunteers will attend.
Crew leader wildfire: 18 & 19 June at Cooma. Four Michelago volunteers will attend.
Training calendar for 2017: please think about what training courses you would like to be considered for next
year. Peter says Cooma needs an indication of numbers for the region for planning what and how many
courses to schedule. Ring Peter on 0412 916 759 or email [email protected]
Lighting a fire out of fire season? You need to notify
Fire Control, neighbours and the Brigade captain.
Changed any of your contact details?
Phone: for callouts, please tell Bronwyn: 0407 943 245 / [email protected]
Phone, email and/or address changes: please tell Leanne: [email protected]
Page 8 of 8
Michelago Brigade Bulletin #29 16 June 2016
Adaptability
and
Resourceful-
ness
The NSW RFS values
This summary diagram is copied from the Code of Conduct and Ethics Training Manual of the NSW RFS. There
is no hierarchy of values, as all are equally important.
The 2016—2017 Committee
Captain: Brent Wallis (0418 680 205) Senior Deputy Captain: Keith Howker (0406 887 435)
Deputy Captains: Derek Giucci, Alex Milovanovic, John Taylor, Scott Teys
Callout Officers: Bronwyn Gattringer, Abby McPherson
Catering Officers: Lauren Wallis, Bronwyn Gattringer, Kylie Kenyon, Alex Milovanovic
RFSA Rep: Keith Howker Training Officers: Aldo Giucci, Peter Butler (0412 916 759)
Equipment Officers: Derek Giucci, Dave Ferris
Engine Keepers: Steve Haines, Tim Haines
WHS Officer (female): Bronwyn Gattringer WHS Officer (male): Steve Haines
Permit Officers: Brent Wallis, Keith Howker, Derek Giucci
President: David Gattringer Treasurer: Brien Hallett
Vice President: Abby McPherson Secretary: Leanne Pattison Active-member representative: Abby McPherson
Executive Committee Officers: Captain, Snr Deputy Captain, President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President, Active-member representative
Auditor: Dave Bunston
Editor: Leanne Pattison 0407 110 946 / [email protected]
Disclaimer: views expressed or implied in this bulletin are not necessarily those of the MRFB Committee, wider Brigade membership or the RFS.
Original articles and photographs: Copyright © authors and photographers and the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade
Fire Cooma Monaro Fire Control (24 hrs) 1300 722 164 / 02 6455 0455 Emergency 000 FIRE INFO: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me or download the app Fires Near Me
Community
and Our
Environment
Knowledge
and
Learning
Mutual
respect
One Team
Many Players
One Purpose
Support,
Friendship
and
Camaraderie
Integrity and
Trust
