~THE BRIGADE BULLETIN~

The occasional newsletter of the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade #46 15 June 2018 Find us on www.michelagoregion.org.au and

Chakola fire; Foggy Forest Fire; MVA Monaro Hwy-Kelly Road; Annual General Meeting; Portable wi-fi hub; May training; Training change of date; June training; Michelago Music Muster; National Parks Pass; Arduous Firefighter; Health survey; NSW RFS application forms; District Doings; New committee.

Callouts

1. Chakola Fire Photos: Keith Howker Just as all the map-reading fun was winding up at training on Sunday, 6 May, the call came to assist Cooma and Bredbo Brigades with a haystack fire that had started around 11 pm at Chakola and burned through the night. It wasn’t the only recent haystack fire.

Cooma and Bredbo had dealt with the fire and Michelago members, along with a large excavator, attended to the mopping up with much rake-hoeing to spread the dense, smouldering material, then hosing it.

Taking the Cat1 and the command vehicle, all those at training attended: Brent, Keith, Alex, Rob Smith, Kylie, Bronwyn, Abby and Derek.

Alex works the rakehoe, a tedious job.

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The excavator did the big raking.

2. Foggy Forest Road fire Photos: Keith Howker An alleged campfire near Foggy Forest Road, Anembo, had spread overnight and was attended to on Sunday 27 May by Michelago 1 and 7A, Anembo 9 and 7, Jerangle 7 and NSW NPWS units. Michelago members were Keith, Alex, Kylie and Peter.

Above: View from Tinderry Road

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3. MVA Monaro Highway-Kelly Road – Sunday 10 June

After a 3.02 pm call, Michelago responded within 15 minutes to a two-car collision near the Monaro Highway- Kelly Road T-junction near Williamsdale. One car had caught fire, igniting grass. Michelago closed the Monaro Highway for 40 minutes to deal with the fire, then police organised a contra-flow on the southbound lane. Two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Brigades attending were Michelago with the Cat1, Colinton with two Cat7s and a Cat1, Queanbeyan Brigade 428 Fire & Rescue with one pumper, and ACT Fire & Rescue. Michelago members attending were Brent, Keith, Derek, Rob Green, Aldo, Bronwyn and Peter. Snr Deputy Captain Keith’s comment on Facebook’s Michelago Rural Fire Brigade Members Group: ‘Well done to everyone yesterday at the MVA. The team work between our crew and working alongside Fire Rescue NSW and ACT and NSW police was bloody awesome. One of the best- organised scenes I’ve seen in a long time. Big pat on the back. Thanks for your attendance.’

Photos: Keith Howker and Bronwyn Gattringer

ACT Fire & Rescue used their Breathing Apparatus against the smoke while cutting open the bonnet of the burning car so Michelago could get water to the fire source. M i c h elago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin - 1 5 J u n e 2 0 1 8 P a g e 3 | 9

Annual General Meeting 5 May 2018 The Michelago Brigade Committee for 2018—2019 was elected at the AGM. The positions held are listed at the end of this Bulletin.

L-R: Peter Butler, Leanne Pattison, Brent Wallis, Abby McPherson, Brien Hallett, John Taylor, Lauren Wallis, Keith Howker, Bronwyn Gattringer, Derek Giucci, Kylie Kenyon, Scott Teys, Alex Milovanovic. Apologies: Dave Ferris

Photo: Jim Puniard

AGM Awards: It’s been a busy Brigade year for training. In three years, Michelago has completed a five-year plan to achieve an impressive array of qualifications.

L-R. Back row: Peter Butler, Alex Milovanovic, Scott Teys, Lauren Wallis, Brent Wallis, Keith Howker Front Row: Bronwyn Gattringer, Derek Giucci, Kylie Kenyon. Apologies: Dave Ferris, Lee Harris, Matthew Kunkel

Jim Puniard, District Coordinator of the Monaro Team, presented the following awards:

Brent Wallis: Group Leader; Bushfire Fighter Grasslands (Lovegrass); Crew Leader Village (upgrade) Photo: L. Pattison Derek Giucci: Village Firefighter (VF14—upgrade); Bush Firefighter Grasslands (Lovegrass); Crew Leader Wildfire (CLW) David Ferris: FAA (recertification); Village Firefighter (VF14); Bush Firefighter Grasslands Matthew Kunkel: Bush Firefighter (BF); Village Fire- Fighter (VF14), Bush Firefighter Grasslands Bronwyn Gattringer: Village Firefighter (VF14—upgrade) Lauren Wallis: Village Firefighter (VF14) Kylie Kenyon: FAA (recertification); Village Firefighter (VF14) Lee Harris: Village Firefighter (VF14) Keith Howker: Village Firefighter (VF14—upgrade) Alex Milovanovic: Village Firefighter (VF14—upgrade) Peter Butler: FAA (recertification); Crew Leader Wildfire (CLW); Bush Firefighter Grasslands (Lovegrass); Code of Conduct & Ethics Workshop; Code of Conduct & Ethics Instructor; Community Safety Assistant (CSA); Rural Fire Instructor (RFI); Rural Fire Assessor (ASR).

Thank you to all members who gave Saturday afternoon time to attend the AGM. Special thanks to Lauren and the rest of the Catering Crew for afternoon tea. M i c h elago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin - 1 5 J u n e 2 0 1 8 P a g e 4 | 9

Portable Wi-Fi Hub

Jim Puniard, District Coordinator of the Monaro Team, has told us that ‘the Telstra Wi-Fi hub is available to all brigades on request … It will work anywhere that there is Telstra mobile service, and there is a large external tripod signal booster for areas with low service. The device will provide internet to up to 20 devices (laptops, smart phones, tablets, etc). There is more than enough data and sufficient speed to play training videos and the like, also.’

He added ‘…with sufficient notice, we could arrange a demo at your station. As for transport, people are all over the place all the time; we can arrange drop off/pick up as required.’

6 May training Photos: L. Pattison

After the usual truck maintenance check and convivial barbecue, Rob Smith and Brent Wallis coached a demanding navigation exercise. Each person had an area map, was given their grid references for starting point and target location, perfected triangulation, and had to calculate variables of compass bearing, speed, access roads or tracks, terrain and vegetation to estimate their ETA at the hypothetical incident.

Above: Derek, Rob, Keith, Brent, Alex, Kylie.

Left: Derek, Alex, Kylie, Rob.

Right: The Fire Danger Index (FDI) app, which can be used for forest and grassland fires. Enter the data (eg relative humidity, fuel load) to get the FDI and the rating (from low to catastrophic).

Left: Potential new members Archer and Travis Doherty and Greg McFaul. M i c h elago Rural Fire Brigade Bulletin - 1 5 J u n e 2 0 1 8 P a g e 5 | 9

Below: Keith checks the pressure gauges on the Cat1 before the navigation exercise, following which all members at training were off to the Chakola fire after the 12.25 callout.

Training – change of date

From 8 July, training will continue to start at 11 am, but on every second Sunday of the month, not the first.

June training

Training on Sunday, 3 June was mainly to do a thorough familiarisation check, including pumping and drafting, on the recently commissioned new (to Michelago) Cat7A, a relatively new vehicle from the Bawley Point Brigade. Experienced members, led by recently elected training officer Dave Ferris, showed recent recruit Rob Buvari and potential member Greg McFaul the ropes.

Michelago Music Muster – 2 June

Such cold weather, but an event oh-so-warm, with friendly fires, fabulous food and marvellous music!

Organised by the Michelago Rural Fire Brigade and the Michelago Region Community Association, the Music Muster was a community success and a good fundraiser for both the Brigade and the MRCA.

The Brigade provided luscious lamb rolls and hot dogs. ORA Catering, from Googong, offered a choice of three Indian dishes. Catcher and Co Distillery Brewery supplied the bar. Thanks to Asset Construction Hire for donating the fencing.

The highly entertaining Stewart Barton and Ivy Lane rocked us on until late.

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Photos above were taken by Lightning and Landscapes. Their other images can be seen on the MRCA site www.michelagoregion.org.au and on www.facebook.com/lightningandlandscapes

Left: MRCA President Romney Kelly and MRCA committee member Libby Melton kept warm at the gate.

Right: MRFB Deputy Captain John Taylor stirred and served the delicious roast lamb with gravy.

Photos: L. Pattison

National Parks Pass 2018—2019 Louise Povey of Cooma FCC has advised that NP passes will be available from Monday 28 May. You can access the new form here: Parks pass - 2018-19 Application - NPWS All Parks Annual Pass.pdf Note previous year’s forms will NOT be accepted. This year Head Office has implemented a number of administrative changes that make the process of issuing NP Passes longer. Therefore, Passes will be available from Cooma FCC ONLY between 10am and 3pm Monday to Friday. It is strongly recommended you phone FCC prior to coming into the Office, to ensure staff are available to process your application and so avoid disappointment. If it is easier for eligible members, correct paperwork may be emailed to [email protected] and passes will be mailed. A copy of your CURRENT rego papers MUST accompany all application forms. NOTE: ALL paperwork must be correct before a Pass will be issued.

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Arduous Firefighter

Cooma’s Training Officer, Tim Ingram, has announced: ‘With expressions of interest closed, I can announce that the following members have progressed to the next stage of the Arduous Firefighter Programme. Adaminaby, Anglers Reach: Allan Burke, Toni-Lee Butters Michelago: Derek Giucci, Keith Howker, John Taylor, Scott Teys, Brent Wallis Numeralla: Dallas Bridges, Regina Roach The next stage of the programme will be to have Arduous Firefighter Medicals completed. I will be in touch when these have been organised. These will not be on a set date; it will be up to individual members to arrange a suitable date for themselves. I will provide further information for medicals once they have been organised. I would expect medicals to be completed well and truly by August and approved members will then be provided weight vests to begin training for the Arduous Pack Test scheduled for Wednesday 26th of September. On successful completion of the pack test, members will have their names registered on the Arduous Firefighter Operational Deployment Register and be available for out-of-area deployment. I will provide information on the pack test prior to the training. FYI, Medicals are required only every 2 years; Arduous Pack Tests are completed annually. Congratulations on your selection.’ Get Ready weekend

For Michelago, the Get Ready awareness focus this year will be appropriately made at the community event of the Michelago Spring Fair on 11 November. For the rest of the NSW RFS, it will be on the weekend 22—23 September. Get Ready Weekend provides an opportunity for members of the community to meet their local firefighters, learn about local risk and understand what they need to do to prepare for the bush fire season. It is also an opportunity for our members to encourage residents to discuss and review their Bush Fire Survival Plan.

Your Health Matters survey An email from Sam Anderson, Wellbeing Specialist, RFS Health Safety and Welfare, was recently forwarded to members. He requested that NSW RFS members complete the online survey at this link: https://form.jotform.co/NSWRFS/your-health-matters-survey

As part of the Get Healthy at Work program, members across the state have been offered a free and confidential 15 minute health check (questionnaire, blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol check). Contact your district manager to request a health check in your area.

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Online application forms for joining NSW RFS

These are still not directly accessible from the NSW RFS website. What you can do on the site is apply for an application form ... Otherwise, potential members can ask the Captain, Snr Deputy Captain or Secretary for a hard copy form.

District doings – done and to be done June July 2—3/6: First Aid & First Aid recertification 8/7: Brigade monthly training

5/6: TAG meeting, Cooma (Brent, Dave F., Peter) 14-15/7: GL14 Upgrade – current Group Officers 16/6: Advanced Firefighter 14 assessment (Brent) 21-22/7: Rural Fire Assessor ASR, Yass 17/6: Community Safety Assistant (CSA) (Keith) 28-29/7: Communication Centre Assistant CCA 23-24/6: CLW14; CLS14, Cooma 30/6: Rural Fire Driver (RFD) Note: most dates are taken from the Monaro 2018 Training Calendar and can be subject to change. If in doubt, please ask one of the training officers.

The 2018—2019 MRFB Committee

Captain: Brent Wallis (0418 680 205) Senior Deputy Captain: Keith Howker (0406 887 435) Deputy Captains: Derek Giucci, Scott Teys, John Taylor, Alex Milovanovic Callout Officers: Bronwyn Gattringer, Lauren Wallis Catering Officers: Lauren Wallis, Kylie Kenyon, Alex Milovanovic RFSA Rep: Keith Howker Training Officers: Aldo Giucci, David Ferris, Peter Butler Equipment Officers: Derek Giucci, Keith Howker Engine Keepers: Scott Teys, David Ferris Welfare Officer (female): Bronwyn Gattringer Welfare Officer (male): Keith Howker WHS Officer: Brent Wallis Permit Officers: Brent Wallis, Keith Howker, Derek Giucci President: Abby McPherson Treasurer: Brien Hallett Vice President: Bronwyn Gattringer Secretary: Leanne Pattison Active-member representative: Abby McPherson

Executive Committee Officers: Captain, Snr Deputy Captain, Deputy Captain 1, President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, Active-member representative

Auditor: tba 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 1300 722 164 / 02 6455 0455 (BH only; AH leave a message) Emergency 000 FIRE INFO: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/fire-information/fires-near-me or download the app Fires Near Me

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