Spring 2016 Fire & Rescue News
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Fire & Rescue Spring 2016 News EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 5 MINUTES WITH...OUR NEW SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM FIRE OPS JOURNAL: STRUCTURE COLLAPSES & COMPLEX RESCUES A The The Minister Commissioner WRITES WRITES s we enter another summer season, NSW’s elcome to this issue of Fire & Rescue News which emergency services will again be responding to the has a special focus on the annual Emergency Afull gamut of emergency incidents, from bush and WManagement Conference that FRNSW held in May grass fires through to storms and floods. 2016, and the major themes and outcomes flowing out of it. Training is crucial to maintaining a high level of As an emergency service, we are a large geographically- preparedness to deal with these emergencies. That is dispersed organisation with an extensive network of why in June I was pleased to announce that the NSW frontline stations across the State supported by Commands Government would invest in building a new state-of-the-art and a range of support Directorates. Events like the EM Training Academy at Erskine Park in Sydney’s west. The Conference are crucially important to ensure that all our new Academy will provide Fire & Rescue NSW firefighters operations are working in sync and pulling together to with one of the best emergency services training facilities achieve common goals and priorities. in Australia, as well as a centre for leadership and The EM Conference had five main strands – achieving management training for all its uniformed and non- operational excellence through leadership, technology, uniformed staff. governance, innovation and diversity. FRNSW is strongly About 150 permanent roles will relocate to the new committed to embedding these facets in all of our Academy from the current training college at Alexandria. operations and to ensure that they underpin everything On any given day, there will be up to 350 people at the we do as we strive to maintain our position as one of the campus – including new recruits and other trainees. world’s biggest and best fire and rescue services. Just by being there, these people will stimulate other This issue documents many of the new initiatives and activity, business and services in the area. And that’s achievements happening throughout our organisation. great news for Sydney’s west. The Academy demonstrates The new Training Academy to be built at Erskine Park will the NSW Government’s commitment to relocating public ensure our skills and capability keep us at the leading service jobs and boosting the economy of Sydney’s edge while the new executive appointments following the western region. recent restructure will lead us forward into a new era. We This investment in training will be an exciting new chapter are making progress towards becoming a more diverse in the history of Fire & Rescue NSW, and I look forward workforce but need to keep working hard at achieving this. to seeing the building and equipping of this world-class I am also pleased to see innovation in many areas, much firefighting academy. of it coming from the frontline, which is where it should originate. Leadership is being nurtured and developed in I am also proud of our State’s world-class urban search all areas of FRNSW – regardless of rank and role, we can and rescue capability. The fire services in both NSW and all be leaders. Queensland have USAR Teams certified by the United Nations to respond across the globe as required to natural Over the coming months, a key focus will be bedding down disasters and other emergencies. In recent months our the new structure and seeking to further improve on the State’s USAR capability, led by FRNSW, has partnered with great work being done right throughout FRNSW. This will and assisted other countries in their development of USAR include exploring new capabilities and enhancing our capability, including Malaysia, the Philippines and the USA existing capabilities, at the same time working to better (Los Angeles). integrate community safety activities into our frontline services, targeting specific activities for specific risks. NSW stands very well-prepared and ready to deal not only with emergencies and natural disasters within its own As we gear up for the warmer months, with the potential borders, but also to deploy resources and share expertise for damaging storms and the threat of bushfire, where needed interstate or overseas. I know that all of you will once again join together with me in working together to protect and serve the people of this State. David Elliott MP Finally I recently announced my decision to retire as Minister for Corrections, Emergency Services and Commissioner after more than 13 years at the helm. It has Veterans Affairs been an incredibly rewarding time and I could not have done it without your support. My sincere thanks to each and every one of you. Please stay safe as you continue your dedication to protecting and saving life, property and the environment. I will continue to watch you with great pride, admiration and affection. Greg Mullins AFSM Commissioner Cover: 5th Alarm Rockdale church fire. Image courtesy Damian Hoffman. Fire & Rescue News — Spring 2016 IN THIS ISSUE The EM Conference issue Navigating uncertainty to be operationally excellent. Diversity Innovation • 2016 Permanent Firefighter recruitment campaign 77 • ‘Celebrate success’ sessions at the EM Conference 6 • FRNSW participates in NAIDOC Week 76 • Project Sapphire (hydrant indicator pilot) 11 • Young women consider FRNSW career options 77 • Piercing and misting firefighting tool pilot 12 • New ways of working at 1 Amarina 80 Governance Leadership • The new senior executive team 8 • The new Leadership Framework 73 • Operational Capability framework 19 • Captains Leadership Development Program 74 • Public comment and social media policy 69 • Launch of the book, Leading from the front 13 • Awards recognising leadership in various spheres 85 Information Technology • MDTs next phase rollout and software updates 18 • CFU e-learning induction program and apps 21 1 Fire & Rescue News — Spring 2016 CONTENTS 2016 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE _______________3 FRNSW staff recognised in Queens Birthday honours ___________85 We listened! Your feedback helped shape the 2016 Conference _____3 Awards recognise bravery at Banksmeadow emergency _________86 Commissioner ‘paints the big picture’ for emergency services ______4 Bravery medals announced for Blacktown firefighters___________ 86 Listening to and working with frontline staff ___________________5 2016 Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards ___________86 The power of storytelling __________________________________5 PAYING TRIBUTE _______________________________________87 Cindy Briscoe shares Border Force challenges__________________6 The public says thanks ___________________________________87 ‘Celebrate success’ poster session highly rated _________________6 Farewell and thanks to those retiring ________________________88 What you thought of the 2016 Conference______________________7 Vale: With gratitude for service to the people of NSW ____________89 What has happened since the Conference _____________________7 FEATURE ______________________________________________8 5 minutes with our new senior executive team __________________8 WHAT’S NEW? _________________________________________11 Keeping a cat’s eye out for water ___________________________11 A safer way to fight fires? _________________________________12 Our 21 Chiefs celebrated in new book________________________ 12 2016/17 budget delivers vital resources for emergency services ___14 OPERATIONAL NEWS ____________________________________14 FRNSW-led USAR working with other USAR teams worldwide_____ 14 Maintaining best practice in fire investigation__________________ 16 Incident footage raises awareness of structure collapse risks _____17 An MDT in every fire station _______________________________18 The right capability in the right place to get the job done _________19 FRNSW plays key role in major Sydney CBD exercise ____________20 CFUs ensuring safer communities __________________________21 GHS chemical labelling – are you ready? _____________________22 Learning from the Paris terrorist attacks _____________________22 FIRE & RESCUE OPERATIONS JOURNAL _____________________23 Editor’s note ___________________________________________23 Cecil Hills high-speed side-impact collision & severe entrapment __24 8 Croydon Park construction site rescue _______________________26 5 MINUTES Firefighters battle multiple factories alight at Greenacre 7th Alarm _28 7th Alarm response controls dangerous Liverpool store fire ______34 WITH... Firefighters battle 5th Alarm Marrickville furniture factory fire ____43 Firefighters respond to high speed MVA at Greenacre ___________47 Firefighters respond to St Marys head-on collision _____________52 Firefighters control fierce 8th Alarm Revesby wrecking yard fire ___57 Firefighters control 5th Alarm Rockdale church fire_____________ 62 FRNSW IN THE MEDIA ___________________________________69 Social media an effective new tool when used properly __________69 HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING _________________________70 Legacy foam use and investigation into potential risks ___________70 FireFit on the road ______________________________________71 Relief in times of need ___________________________________71 ON THE TRAINING GROUND_______________________________ 72 11 The new Leadership Framework – leadership starts with you _____72 WHAT’S Captains of the leader-ship _______________________________74 Retained