Volume 123 September 2010 Print Post Approved - 535347/00018 SA COUNTRY FIRE SERVICE STATE HEADQUARTERS COUNTRY FIRE SERVICE VOLUNTEERS ASSOCIATION Level 7, 60 Waymouth St, Adelaide Suite 3, Transport Training Centre, P: GPO Box 2706, Adelaide SA 5001 17 Wirringa St, Regency Park SA 5010 T: 08 8463 4200 F: 08 8463 4234 P: PO Box 2359, Regency Park SA 5942 T: 08 8244 6500 E: [email protected] F: 08 8244 6400 E: [email protected] W: www.cfs.sa.gov.au W: www.cfsva.org.au CFS Bushfire Information Hotline: 1300 362 361 STATE TRAINING CENTRE (BRUKUNGA) VOLUNTEER STRATEGY AND SUPPORT BRANCH 6 Pyrites Rd, Brukunga SA 5252 VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT T: 08 8398 9900 F: 08 8388 6997 T: 1300 364 587 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] REGIONAL OFFICES REGION 4 Flinders Ranges, Mid North and Pastoral Areas REGION 1 3 Main St, Port Augusta SA 5700 Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island P: PO Box 2080, Port Augusta SA 5700 75 Gawler St, Mount Barker SA 5251 T: 08 8642 2399 F: 08 8641 0176 T: 08 8391 1866 F: 08 8391 1877 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] REGION 5 REGION 2 South East Mount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula and Lower North 46 Smith St, Naracoorte SA 5271 8 Redbanks Rd, Willaston SA 5118 P: PO Box 8, Naracoorte SA 5271 P: PO Box 1506 Willaston SA 5118 T: 08 8762 2311 F: 08 8762 1865 T: 08 8522 6088 F: 08 8522 6404 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] REGION 6 REGION 3 Eyre Peninsula and West Coast Murraylands and Riverland Level 1, Jobomi House 10 Second St, Murray Bridge SA 5253 48 Liverpool St, Port Lincoln SA 5606 P: PO Box 1371, Murray Bridge SA 5253 P: PO Box 555, Port Lincoln SA 5606 T: 08 8532 6800 F: 08 8532 6220 T: 08 8682 4266 F: 08 8682 6569 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] All bags made to CFS UTILITY BAGS suit your needs � Crew Bag: Extra Large • 12oz Heavy Duty Canvas • End pocket for name tag � Pager Pouch: • Heavy Duty Zip • All leather mobile • Separate boot compartment phone belt clip • Size: 750 x 360 x 360mm • Press stud on bottom to protect pager face $6700 $1200 $5000 All bags can have the Brigade Vest Holder: � name stencilled. • 12oz Heavy Duty Canvas • Holds 3 vests plus large torch $ 00 21 Note Pad & Radio Holder: � Knapsack • 12oz Heavy Duty Canvas � Bag: $ 00 • 12oz Heavy 50 Duty Canvas � Drink Bottle Holder: $ 00 • 12oz Heavy Proban 15 Duty Canvas $ 00 Dust and • Holds 8 drink Face Mask: � bottles 50 A.G. Williams, Upholsterer Member of the CFS Ph 8383 6031 Mobile 0417 812 319 since 1983 Contents WELCOME TO VOLUNTEER MAGAZINE WELCOMES .................................... 4 CFS Heritage Committee chairman Rex Messages from the Chief Officer Euan Hall (right) with Channel Nine weather Ferguson, CFSVA President Ken Schutz, presenter Brenton Ragless at the CFS Minister for Emergency Services Michael reunion page 14. CFS winter expo in Wright and the SAFECOM Chief Port Lincoln page 6. Road crash rescue Executive, David Place. at Blackwood page 27. NEWS & UPDATES .......................... 8 Feature articles on the successful CFS Winter Expo at Port Lincoln, CFS Heroes of the Bush competition, AFSM awardees Trudy Whelan and Tony Wege. CFSVA .......................................... 13 CFSVA members can now benefit from a free legal service. CFS FOUNDATION ......................... 16 Two new directors welcomed to 14 Foundation Board, help needed to achieve Foundation goals. FACES IN THE CROWD .................. 36 Some years ago Kail Williams would never have believed she would be leading COMMUNITY education ............. 19 an enthusiastic team of CFS volunteers at Basic bushfire skills for women Blackfellows Caves Brigade in the Lower workshops at Eudunda. South East. CADETS ........................................ 21 PHABULOUS PHOTOS ................... 37 Youngest members of the CFS and SES A collection of photos from CFS 6 take part in eleventh ANZAC Eve volunteers highlighting their valuable Youth Vigil. roles. REGIONAL ROUND UP ................... 27 OBITUARIES ................................. 38 GPS training, motor vehicle rescues, VALE Roger Magarey and Rhonda Butler. prime mover destroyed on South Eastern Freeway, One Tree Hill celebrations, THANK YOUS ................................ 39 Murraylands Career Expo, Farewell Letters of thanks and praise in Brinkworth 32, ladies’ lunch at Mt recognition of the service of the CFS and Gambier Cup, Fiery Women workshops. our volunteers. 27 Images this page: CFS Heritage Committee reunion page 14. Women learn basic bushfire skills page 19. Port Lincoln community celebrates its new emergency services precinct. Page 22. CFS STC hosts all-girls construction course page 25. Phabulous photos page 37. Front cover image: Taken by Jeff Anderson of a prime mover carrying a B-double semi-trailer that was loaded with wooden pallets and destroyed in a fire on the South Eastern Freeway near the Heysen Tunnels. More details on page 26. Editorial Team – Managing Editor: Chris Metevelis. Editor: Terry Price. Tel (08) 8212 9849 (CFS Media Line). If you would like to contribute to Volunteer…send your photos and stories to: The Editor, Volunteer Magazine, GPO Box 2468, Adelaide SA 5001 or email: [email protected]. Don’t forget to include your name, address, brigade and contact phone number. Photographs can be supplied digitally, via email or disc, in the largest file size possible or as original prints. Text can be supplied as hard copy or electronically, via email or disc as a Microsoft Word document. Comments and opinions expressed in Volunteer do not necessarily represent the views of the CFS. Volunteer is a free publication to all CFS volunteers. Volunteer 3 Welcomes CHIEF OFFICER Euan Ferguson Commission are hot off the press. Many Australia, we must work with our fellow of its recommendations are centred on emergency services, government and the Victoria. But there are many that have a public to continuously learn, improve, national application. All will be analysed change and adapt. thoroughly to see if we can improve It is pleasing to note that the new State through their adoption. After the Black Bushfire Coordination Committee has Saturday bushfires the Government moved been established in line with amendments to form the Bushfire Task Force. Through to the Fire and Emergency Services Act in the Bushfire Task Force we have seen late 2009. Nine new Bushfire Management new policies introduced including the Areas have been approved and work Prepare.Act.Survive program and the is underway to appoint new Bushfire concept of “Bushfire Safer Precincts” and Management Committees in areas before “Refuges of Last Resort”. The Task Force the fire season. has been a useful forum to engage with Finally, it was with great pleasure that other government and non-government Kristin and I attended the CFS Veterans Reunion recently at the Morphettville n July, senior CFS volunteers and staff agencies on bushfire policy reform. Recently the Emergency Services Minister Michael racecourse function centre, organised by Iand the executive from the CFSVA the indefatigable Rex Hall AFSM. Many Wright announced ongoing funding for spent four days in the northern Flinders current and retired volunteers and staff the Prepare.Act.Survive program. on “Operation Compass”. The aim was to attended a dinner and lunch barbeque We welcome this funding. It will allow discuss and plan our directions for the next the following day. It was a wonderful us to continue this important work in our 18 to 24 months. Central to discussions opportunity to catch up with old mates was the analysis of the CFS organisation communities and to reaffirm the excellent and enjoy the camaraderie and the “Health Check” that started in March work done by our community educators spirit of CFS. It was a time to reflect on and involved Regional volunteer and across South Australia. the enormity of the contributions that staff members over three months. Clear We all must learn from the Black continue to be made individually and messages were received from the Health Saturday Bushfires. South Australia got off collectively by so many willing and capable Check. Once endorsed by the Chief very lightly on that day. The toll in Victoria volunteers. It was also a time to reflect Officer’s Advisory Council, the proposals was horrifying and brought pain and on the many changes that have resulted will be turned into actions. This is a good tears to us all. We cannot be complacent. in the strength of the CFS we see before example of volunteer leaders influencing Major bushfires are not “once-off” events. us today. Volunteer firefighters represent our direction and our priorities for the Our history is studded with periodic the peak of citizenry. Once again, I stand, future. severe bushfires and the risks continue pause and salute every one of you. You are The final report and recommendations to increase. As a key emergency service all extraordinary people. We owe you so of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal and fire safety policy advocate in South much. Thank you! CFSVA PRESIDENT Ken Schutz see that the time, effort and training of the CFS manual as roles that have to be volunteers is sometimes recognised. I am carried out but they just did it. sure that most CFS brigades who have The perception of the general community had experience in Road Crash would have is that CFS volunteers cut people out of acted in a similar professional manner; cars and fight bushfires or house fires. although the actions by the members of They do not realise all the little things that the Cadell and Morgan brigades must have make CFS a truly professional organisation.