LIFT-OUT: IDENTIFYING HAZARDS AROUND THE HOME BUSH FIREbulletinVOLUME 38 NO 2/2016 THE JOURNAL OF THE NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE A Tasmanian NSW RFS crews help save devil World Heritage Listed Areas Contents

06 12 18 22 34 Foreword

01 FOREWORD 25 LIFTOUT During the autumn and winter season we saw three times as many incidents 25 Identify and mitigate hazards around than in the same period last year. This relatively high level activity shows just the home how important it is to prepare our communities for any event. The 2016/17 02 IN FOCUS Bush Fire Danger Period has started in some areas and we have seen a number of grassfires. 08 INCIDENTS 30 AWARDS Fire agencies and land managers took advantage of the dry conditions in April 30 St Florian’s Day 2016 and May by implementing a large number of hazard reduction activities right 04 Smoke signals across NSW. A considerable amount of planning and preparation goes into Climate change may impact the timing each of these activities, to ensure they’re safe for the community and also for of hazard reduction burns 34 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT the firefighters who are conducting the burns. You may have seen some media coverage about the smoke from these planned hazard reduction activities. 06 A Tasmanian Devil 34 A long engagement – Bonville Brigade We do need to be mindful about the impact of smoke on communities, while maintaining our steady approach to ensuring these important works get done when the conditions are right. I would like to thank all volunteers and crews for 12 RESEARCH 38 FIRE BEHAVIOUR taking advantage of the window of opportunity we’ve had, and also for being 12 Fire behaviour in grass – do we tend to flexible when we have rescheduled activities to limit the smoke impact on 38 Fires in the mallee woodlands communities. under estimate it? Researchers are now claiming that teaching children about bush fire safety

43 SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS is one of the best ways to build resilience within communities. In June 2016 14 ENGINEERING I joined NSW Premier the Hon Mike Baird MP and Minister for Emergency 43 Volunteer in profile – John Davison Services the Hon David Elliott MP at Warrimoo Public School, to officially to 14 Best truck ever built? launch the new NSW RFS Working with School Communities Guide. The Guide New features for Cat 10 pumper is a valuable new tool for our volunteers who deliver school fire safety programs 44 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 16 Fire on water and is based on the latest research to help children gain an understanding of bush fire preparation and safety, and gives them skills to be safe around fire. A new vessel for the Service 44 From the inside out Building community within The location of this event in the Blue Mountains was particularly significant a changing world given that the area was affected by a bush fire in November 2014, with the 18 SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS children of Warrimoo Public School safely placed into lockdown within the grounds, a testament to the school’s emergency planning processes. 18 The Young ones 48 BRIGADE IN PROFILE IN THE NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE While the bush fire season itself was quiet in NSW, a long and extensive 48 Bundanoon deployment to Tasmania involved a large number of NSW RFS volunteers as 19 RESEARCH well many of our interagency colleagues.This issue of the Bulletin features some of the behind-the-scenes elements of the NSW RFS deployment to 19 Preparing children for disaster 50 YOUNG PEOPLE WE VALUE Tasmania. I am proud to say that our crews made a significant contribution to protecting some of the spectacular World Heritage Listed Areas in remote 50 Girl Power community and environment Tasmania. 20 GENERAL NEWS As we prepare for the 2016/17 bush fire season, the Service has been dealing 20 Working with school communities 51 SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS with important changes to the Local Government Areas which were announced support, friendship and camaraderie by NSW Government in May 2016. A Working Group has been established to 51 Volunteer in profile – Ray Barron determine the impact on brigades. It is a big undertaking and consultation with 22 SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS knowledge and learning local brigades is a high priority. Updates on these changes will be rolled out over the coming months. 22 Hidden Treasures 50 GENERAL NEWS Celebrating NSW RFS women who integrity and trust 50 Why should your brigade become a give so much to their rural communities Regards Deductible Gift Recipient? one team, many players and one purpose

The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) encourages the availability, dissemination and exchange of public Disclaimer Statement adaptability and resourcefulness information. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this material for personal, in-house or non-commercial use, on the condition that you include the copyright notice © State of New South Wales While the material within this Bush Fire Bulletin is current at the time of writing changes in circumstances after the through the NSW Rural Fire Service [plus year of creation or first publication] on all such uses. In the event that you time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the material. Individuals are responsible for ensuring they have the wish to copy, distribute, display, download, store, or use this material for a purpose other than personal, in-house or most current version of this publication. mutual respect non-commercial use, you must obtain permission from the NSW RFS by writing to the following address: The information and material contained herein is general in nature and is intended for your use and information. Shane Fitzsimmons, AFSM Commissioner The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) disclaims, to the extent permitted by law, all warranties, representations or NSW RFS Commissioner NSW Rural Fire Service endorsements, express or implied, with regard to the material contained herein. The NSW RFS does not warrant or Locked Bag 17 represent that the material contained herein is free from errors or omissions, or that it is exhaustive. Users should @RFSCommissioner Granville NSW 2142 exercise their own skill and care with respect to its uses. You must not assume that this material will be suitable for the particular purpose that you had in mind when using it. You must also obtain permission from the NSW RFS if you wish to: The NSW RFS disclaims any liability (including but not limited to liability by reason of negligence) to the users of • charge others for access to the work (other than at cost); the material for any loss, damage, cost or expense whether direct, indirect, consequential or special, incurred by, or facebook.com/rfscommissioner • include all or part of the work in advertising or a product for sale; arising by reason of, any person using or relying on the material and whether caused by reason of, any error, omission • modify the material; or or misrepresentation in the material or otherwise. Users of the Website will be responsible for making their own assessment of the material and should verify all relevant representations, statements and information with their • use any trade mark from this publication, including the NSW Rural Fire Service crest, MyRFS logo, or the own professional advisers. All photos, unless otherwise stated, taken and owned by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Firewise logo. Corporate Communications. The views expressed in articles in the Bush Fire Bulletin do not necessarily reflect the views or the policies of the NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE. BUSH FIREbulletin // CONTENTS BUSH FIREbulletin // FOREWORD 1 infocus

Pomp and ceremony 2016 Cadet of the Year Never forget

There is nothing like the sound of bagpipes to mark a special In May 2016 the Minister for Emergency Services the Hon. David occasion. At this year’s St Florian’s Day awards held at NSW RFS Elliott, MP and Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons presented the Headquarters in Lidcombe, Pipe Major of the NSW RFS Pipes NSW RFS Cadet of the Year Award at NSW Parliament House. and Drums Brigade, Jeremy Rampant, led the official guests into Sixteen-year-old NSW RFS Cadet Sophie Cox from Hay War the presentation event. While active for many years within the Memorial High School was this year’s winner. Sophie was Service, the Pipes and Drums officially became a brigade nominated by her teacher, with the endorsement of District in September 2014. They are available for events at Officer Michael Borg. By all accounts Sophie is an exceptional “Members of Wamberal Brigade played an integral role in The Poppy Project: Never Forgetting The Sacrifice. It was run by local historian Merril [email protected]. role model, who volunteers with community organisations and Jackson as a way to commemorate the ANZAC Centenary and involved 60,000 poppies on the Terrigal Skillion. Wamberal Brigade pledged to displays an excellent understanding of firefighting techniques and make at least 1,000 poppies and dedicated a crew to install the full 60,000 poppies. Our members came together and worked through the night its technical language. until we met our target. Our involvement went international through social media, with one of our posts reaching over 60,000 people in a matter Congratulations Sophie! of days.” Tanya Shepherd, Deputy Captain, Wamberal Brigade.

Local government changes The future is looking bright Region North Exercise

In early May, Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers (right) invited Over 460 personnel attended the 16th annual Region North some young NSW RFS staff to a CEO & Young Professionals Exercise in Glenn Innes in March, 2016. A total of 12 strike teams The NSW Government recently announced changes to local government arrangements across the state. This includes the formation of new Breakfast held in The Westin, Martin Place. The theme this year (60 tankers) made up of crews from Region North, Region West, councils in some areas. As the NSW RFS has a long-standing connection to local government, including through funding contributions and the was ‘Collaboration is the new competition’. The Breakfast is a Region East, FRNSW and QFES took part in the annual exercise. areas in which we operate, the changes will have impacts on the Service. These changes are required as legislatively, rural fire districts are based chance for ‘the boss’ to spend time with those under 34 in the This record number of appliances was supported by 16 command on local government areas. If local government areas change, so must rural fire districts. To ensure a clear transition to the new arrangements, a Service. Project Officer Rochelle Rodgers (centre right) from vehicles, making the event the biggest Region North exercise working group has been established with representatives from all affected NSW RFS directorates.This working group has now met on a number the Corporate Planning, Risk and Policy Unit was thrilled to be ever. Over 130 personnel supported the event through catering, of occasions to assess the key areas of impact, which include: involved. “I think the event broke down certain barriers between Incident Management Teams, ground support, casualties, registered • Potential changes to district operating and staffing arrangements where local government boundaries have changed; us and helped us see how, whatever our role, we are all making a observers, communications and RFSA representatives. This was the second year the exercise has gone back to basics with an Explain, • Significant changes to NSW RFS systems including SAP, ICON, MyRFS and NSW RFS website; significant contribution to the purpose and mission of the Service.” Demonstrate, Imitate and Practice methodology. To provide practical • The need to continue to consult with staff and volunteers on the changes and their impact. As they were preparing for the group ‘selfie’ Fire and Rescue Commissioner Greg Mullins (back row) popped his head in too. refreshers for members there were 10 simulated scenarios spanning There will be ongoing updates as the implementation continues, and opportunities for volunteers and staff to provide input. Monitor MyRFS over two divisions including an MVA, a tanker over run, an aircraft and the NSW RFS intranet for updates and Frequently Asked Questions. Questions about the local government changes can be emailed to lga. incident, counter terrorism exercise, basic skills and first aid. Photo [email protected]. by Alan Brinkworth

2 BUSH FIREbulletin // INFOCUS BUSH FIREbulletin // INFOCUS 3 LEFT: A hazard reduction burn on Middle Head saw smoke drifting over the city. Photo by Ryan Todd. OPPOSITE: 30 May 2016: The ‘Letter A’ Hazard Reduction in the Mangrove The timing of hazard reduction burns may be changing Creek Catchment Area on the Central Coast was essential to protect the water catchment and surrounding community. Photo by Rolf Poole

The number and size of hazard planning and conducting hazard the largest areas were burned. member frustrations along reduction burns conducted was reduction burns. Autumn in A total of 9,894 properties with complaints from the higher than average in autumn 2014 and 2015 had been damp were protected by burns in public. Staff would plan and 2016. This was due, in part, to and not favourable for hazard March and April 2016 reducing resource the burns a week in low rainfall across NSW. reduction burns. In fact the hazard on 98,700 hectares. advance. All brigade members Much of the activity was in the district were invited to Every year about 56 percent of number of successful hazard focused on the Bega Valley, be involved in the prescribed hazard reduction burning takes reduction burns in autumn 2015 Lower Western Zone and place in autumn, and in 2016 it was 474 while in 2016 1,011 burns and plan their activities Singleton areas. is set to be a higher percentage burns were completed. accordingly. of the overall area hazard Early in May 2016 the National Superintendent John Cullen, “This successful change could reduced. Parks and Wildlife Service Far South Coast Manager, said not have occurred without the that several hundred homes In the three months of autumn, (NPWS) and NSW RFS dedication and commitment of would directly benefit from the land management agencies in conducted two large hazard the volunteers.” strategic value of the burns in NSW completed more hazard reduction burns in the Blue Currently, about 90 percent the Bega Valley. reduction than in the previous Mountains National Park near of hazard reduction burns two years. It is all to do with Leura and Glenbrook. One was “We did have a back log of undertaken by NSW RFS the weather and climate trends. a 3,000 hectare operation and burning to complete,” he said, volunteers are completed on the second was around 1,200 “January and February were Climate and fire experts say the weekends due to the higher hectares. The Blue Mountains wet months but we have not longer-term trends point to a availability of members on are some of the most bush fire had any significant rain since lengthening bush fire season. weekends. This trend to mid- prone areas in the world and March and so conditions have Early signs suggest autumn week burning is happening these burns were designed to been good for burning since and perhaps even winter will across NSW. protect the mountain villages then. take a larger share of the An enhancement to the state from summer bush fires. controlled burning in the future. “Over the past two years fuel mitigation crews program In the Hawkesbury area a loads have grown particularly The Bureau of Meteorology and was announced in April 2016. further eight burns covering in marginal country and CSIRO’s State of the Climate This will allow more hazard nearly 17,000 hectares were destocked country. Throughout reports indicate autumn may reduction to take place. The conducted. The number of April and May it has been dry be the more favourable time NSW RFS will establish an homes protected by these and we have had a couple of for burning off in south-eastern additional 10 mitigation crews burns directly and indirectly is early frosts so the Love Grass Australia in the future. The to work with local volunteers in the thousand’s, in addition, and native pastures have cured. 2014 State of the Climate to increase the amount of mid- these burns provide strategic Added to this, in the previous Report notes a drop in rainfall week burning. advantages to firefighters two years we have not had the across southern Australia These crews will assist with during wildfire events. right burning conditions due during the cooler half of the the preparation of control lines, to wet autumns. Availability of year. The reduction is in the Smoke from these and other and if volunteer availability is volunteers was also hampering order of 10-20 percent over the successful burns did impact low during the week, they can planning and implementation past 25 years. Sydneysiders and many others assist with burning activities. in NSW. While every effort is of burns. “Autumn and early winter It is important to remember made to manage the potential “We had been missing rare rainfall has mostly been below that this enhancement is impacts of smoke, weather opportunities to burn by average in the southeast since to support and supplement effects, such as temperature waiting until the weekends to 1990,” the report said. volunteer brigades, and not inversions within the Sydney conduct burns,” John Cullen replace their function in hazard A drying out of these months Basin can trap smoke low to said, “So through consultation could give brigades greater the ground. with the Captains and Senior reduction. opportunity for hazard While the smoke impact on Management Team we formed reduction burning throughout large numbers of people in crews to complete mid-week these months in the future. the Sydney Basin may have burning. The dry autumn of 2016 was grabbed the news, it was in “This change was helpful to particularly welcome for those areas away from Sydney where all by reducing brigade and

4 BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS 5 In early 2016 Tasmania faced some of the largest fires the small state has seen, with 300 fires burning more than 120,000 hectares. Overall, in the summer of 2015/16 Tasmania recorded 15 total fire ban days, five more than any previous year. Due to the hard work of firefighters from Tasmania and around Australia, not a single life or property was lost. About 1.3 percent of World Heritage Area, however, was affected.

The deployment coordinated by NSW RFS was significant. Here we take a look at the detail of A Tasmanian the NSW RFS deployment through the eyes of NSW RFS members involved in the deployment. Professor David Bowman from the University of Tasmania also considers what might have been the cause of this especially fierce fire season faced by devil our southern neighbours. The measure of NSW RFS by Emergency Management Victoria. The NSW RFS assistance coordinated the multi-agency From January to March 2016, response on behalf of the the NSW RFS coordinated following agencies: the deployment of over 1,300 • National Park & Wildlife firefighters and specialist Service (NPWS) personnel to Tasmania, the largest interstate deployment • Fire Rescue NSW (FRNSW) since the 2009 Black Saturday • Forestry Corporation NSW bush fires in Victoria. Of these (FCNSW) deployments 793 personnel were NSW RFS members. • ACT Rural Fire Service (ACT RFS) A formal request for assistance was received from Tasmania • South Australian Country Fire on 21 January 2016, due to Service (SA CFS) large bush fires burning across • Queensland Fire & the state. Emergency Services (QFES); The initial deployment of and NSW resources consisted • NSW Ambulance (NSWA). of RAFT personnel and equipment, and in following A total of 546 RAFT days was supplemented by deployments were undertaken more frontline firefighters, – 256 from NSW RFS, 219 aviation personnel, incident from NPWS and 71 from management personnel and ACT RFS. logistical support. Liaison During February, the NSW RFS officers were also placed in also developed an Arduous Hobart and regional locations. Firefighter capability, following In a significant logistical a request from the Tasmania operation, 30 personnel Fire Service. These firefighters carriers, 20 tankers, a base were to work in remote camp, five aircraft, four RAFT locations, but not be winched trailers, portable automated into or out of locations, or weather stations (PAWS), radio camp overnight. repeaters and radios were also The Arduous Firefighter dispatched to Tasmania. program involved the ABOVE: Central Plateau fireground in north-west Tasmania. Interstate support to Tasmania development of a process for Photo by Nicole Bordes consisted of two streams, volunteers to undergo medical one managed by the NSW assessments, followed by RFS and a second managed arduous pack tests.

6 BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS 7 SIMON TOPP impact on local resources, area firefighters comprising Over the period from the 23 The lightning strikes ignited species and peats in the the extent of large fires. the Tasmania Fire Service of 60 from the NSW RFS, January to 9 March, the NSW tinder dry vegetation western half of Tasmania. However, this approach The NSW RFS NSW RFS Rapid Aerial Response requested interstate assistance RFS sent 149 volunteer remote requires care, flexibility, and 20 from NSW National Parks desiccated by a record-breaking The TW WHA has successfully Team (RART) Operations Officer on the afternoon of 21 January. area firefighting personnel to an acknowledgement that coordinated and Wildlife Service(NPWS) spring and consistently warm reduced the incidence The NSW RFS coordinated the Tasmania, with a number of under extreme fire weather Tasmania experienced and 20 from ACT RFS. To temperatures. The capacity of human-caused fires, largest interstate deployment these members heading back conditions this technique may the largest widespread lightning storms support their operations a to detect and control the fires particularly through the of NSW and ACT Remote for two, three and even four not effectively limit the spread on 13 January 2016. These mammoth logistical process was limited because they ‘fuel stove only’ policy that interstate Area Firefighting Team (RAFT) rotations. of fires. There is also the risk storms started a number began – involving a collection were burning in a rugged and prohibited campfires. There has personnel and equipment. some fires may escape control. deployment of of fires across the state. A of 4x4 vehicles, firefighting remote area with few tracks. In also been a steady reduction number of the new ignitions RAFT often work with equipment, trailers, radios, DAVID BOWMAN such terrain it is very difficult, in arson. However, since the helicopters and are winched NSW and ACT were burning in the Central and ration packs and both NSW and sometimes impossible, 1990s there has been an ANDREW MACDONALD into remote locations. Once on Professor of Environmental Remote Area Western Areas of the State RFS medium-sized helicopters! Change Biology to safely insert crews quickly increasing incidence of dry Group Captain, Macarthur Zone in some very remote areas of the ground it was arduous work enough to stop the fires lightning storms that have NSW RFS RAFTs worked with Location: Gordon River Road Firefighting Team Tasmania. Over the following using hand tools, leaf blowers School of Biological Sciences, spreading before they reach become the predominant fire (near Strathgordon) week a number of these fires and chainsaws to construct their interstate and international University of Tasmania a point where it is no longer cause of large fires in western personnel and grew under hot, dry and windy containment lines and mop colleagues across a number Dates: 23 to 27 January 2016 On the night of 13 January practical to put them out. On Tasmania. conditions. up smouldering tree trunks of major fires. They assisted some days aerial or satellite Position: RAFT team leader/ equipment. 2016 an extraordinarily intense During the two month long or peat. The teams also work in vital roles, often needing surveillance was impossible liaison While at first the fires electrical storm crossed firefighting campaign in 2016 with waterbombing helicopters to be flown by helicopter, and due to the low cloud and I was part of the first team threatened some homes, very western Tasmania, leaving there was much discussion to direct their drops onto the in some cases winched into reduced visibility. of NSW RFS remote area quickly the focus of the fire behind some 80 fires that and debate about these fires smouldering trunks or hot remote bushland to work on firefighters deployed to effort moved toward protecting would eventually burn over The fires burned for over two in Tasmanian, national and spots. the fires. These huge bush fires Tasmania in 2016 to assist with Tasmania’s World Heritage 120,000 hectares, including months, and during this time international media. Had the Listed and unique vegetation. The original deployment was had hundreds of kilometres of around 1.3 percent of the bush fires in the west of the there was concern that should 2016 fires escalated, iconic State. Given the inaccessible nature staggered over two days and fire edge burning in wilderness Tasmanian Wilderness World weather conditions deteriorate, places like Cradle Mountain of many of these fires and the included a total of 100 remote forest and alpine scrub. Heritage Area (TW WHA). tracts of vegetation found and the Walls of Jerusalem We departed on Saturday 23 nowhere else on earth would would have been torched. January 2016 from Bankstown be destroyed. This vegetation Environmentalists were airport on a chartered flight is of enormous scientific concerned that their hard won to Launceston where we met interest being the last surviving environmental battles to save up with other remote area fragments of ecosystems that the wilderness could all unravel firefighting specialists from the once dominated the gigantic because of uncontrolled fires. NSW RFS, ACT RFS as well as Gondwana supercontinent They were concerned that two NSW Ambulance Special made up of Africa, Australia, the firefighting authorities had Operations Team officers. Antarctica and South America. exacerbated this crisis using We were given a briefing at the Tasmania Fire Service Magical pencil pine forests outdated tactics, limited aerial regional office in Launceston and woodlands, tangles of fire suppression and a tardy where we learnt that we were fagus, Australia’s only winter response. Alternatively, some being deployed to the Gordon deciduous tree, and numerous scientists, myself included, River Road fire in south west other plant oddities, were understood these fires as the result of human induced Tasmania. We were given an all threatened because they overview of the unprecedented are restricted to cool, wet, climate change. Currently there are Tasmanian Government fire situation in Tasmania, fire free environments. More provided with a detailed safety concerning, the landscapes and Senate Inquiries exploring these issues. An AFAC briefing and finally advised that of western Tasmania are independent operational review our accommodation and base characterised by a surface has already been completed. was in Strathgordon - a five- layer with organic soil that is hour drive from Launceston. combustible if dried out. These The reason I believe the peat soils take thousands fires are the result of climate The Gordon River Road fire of years to develop, and are change is because they fit a had burnt in excess of 4,000 unlikely to form in future hotter global pattern of anomalous hectares of the Southwest and drier climates. ‘megafires’ being driven, in National Park. This Park part by extreme and historically forms part of the Tasmanian Despite continuous occupancy unprecedented fire weather Wilderness World Heritage of the Tasmanian landscape for conditions. I am concerned that Area. As well as destroying over 30,000 years, Aboriginal there is a naïve belief that aerial endangered flora and fauna, the fire use caused limited suppression can quell every fire fire also posed a risk to critical damage to this fire sensitive – experience from Canada and powerline infrastructure. The vegetation. It is likely that the USA shows this is not the Gordon River hydro electrical skilful patchy burning practiced case. Because the TW WHA power station supplies much of by Aborigines protected fire is largely trackless I think the the electricity to Hobart and the sensitive vegetation through most effective way to reduce powerlines supplying power the control of fuel loads and fire risk is through elective to Hobart passed through the creating mosaics that limited planned burning of treeless fireground. the occurrence of large- buttongrass moorlands that Vegetation included scale destructive fires except are adapted to landscape fire. buttongrass, thick tea tree and under extreme fire weather There is evidence that fires eucalypt forest. Much of the conditions. By contrast, burning under moderate fire terrain was extremely steep changed fire regimes following weather conditions will stop and in many places inaccessible European settlement, in on recently burnt buttongrass which made ‘walking the conjunction with associated moorlands. Targeted burning fire line’ impossible. Due to ABOVE: Photo by Dwayne Graham broad scale grazing in subalpine of buttongrass moorlands is the sensitive nature of the areas, have caused the therefore a critical preventative environment, heavy machinery destruction of fire sensitive methodology to reduce could not be used to construct

8 BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS 9 fire trails. Instead, control boots and branches to smother JANELLE CLARK provide a base camp. An officer lines were to be hand cut the flames and dig with the NSW RFS Project Officer was then deployed to scope using Mcleod tools, shovels, pulaski tools at the interface and pre-plan for a base camp pulaskis, super tools, brush of the burnt-unburnt ground to Location: Mole Creek in Tasmania, within 48 hours a cutters and chain saws. We open up the peat. The blowers Dates: 12-16 February and plan was developed and given would then light back burns used by another team seemed 5-8 March 2016 to the Tasmania Fire Service. from these lines, supported by to work quite well. When Position: Base Camp water bucketing helicopters. Two and half weeks later helicopters became available, Manager All personnel and equipment at approximately 1400hrs bucketing along the fireline did were transported between our Discussions were held with Thursday 11 February 2016, accommodation at the Pedder the job. Eventually the fire was the Tasmania Fire Service a request was received by Wilderness Lodge and the extinguished two days later in late January in relation to the NSW RFS to supply a 150 fireground by helicopter, as when it rained. the capability of NSW RFS to person base camp to support roads were non-existent. Overall it was a unique experience in challenging terrain with magnificent scenery.

NICOLE BORDES, VIC ZHUKOV ABOVE LEFT: Bruce Coomer, Blue Mountains RAFT, and the owner of the service station at Mole Creek R&D Motors, modifying the rake hoes. Nicole AND BRUCE COOMER Bordes explained: “The McLeod tools had six teeth and the handle was too long to fit in the winch bag so Bruce had them ‘re-engineered’. The Blue Mountains District owner of the service station at Mole Creek cut one tooth on each side, making the tool a four tooth rake hoe. It was then lighter, smaller and more maneuverable around rocks and trees... and it fit into the winch bag!”. ABOVE RIGHT: Located in this picturesque area of Tasmania, the Mole Creek Location: Central Plateau Base Camp was put together in four days and housed 150 firefighting and support personnel. Photo by Janelle Clark Conservation Area (Bravo deployment) Dates: 26 January - 1 the ongoing bush firefighting in the early hours of Friday the elements. On-site caterers would be substantial damage February 2016 effort in Tasmania. At the time 12 February bound for Port provided meals and laundry and it would be difficult to Position: RAFT team of the request there were 76 Melbourne. The vehicles and services were also provided to control. Our job was to build members active fires around Tasmania. containers then faced a barge everyone staying in the Base containment lines along the ridge. When we were driving towards The picturesque site chosen trip across the Bass Strait. Camp. Mole Creek for our first day was the adjacent to the Mole Vehicles and equipment began The multi-agency base camp In order to access areas of of deployment, we could see Creek Football Oval in Mole arriving on site at Mole Creek was used for more than three extreme fuel loading, including a distinctive feature on the Creek, approximately one from mid-morning Saturday 13 weeks and was managed by areas of old growth forest, local mountains: a flat area on which hour west of Launceston. February. the NSW RFS throughout. At dozer operators were brought smoke was billowing. Little did The oval was also used as a That same morning a NSW RFS its peak it had 181 RAFT and in to construct access trails for we know that later 50 of us heli-base and staging area for team of 16 State Mitigation arduous firefighters staying in us and the other tanker crews. would be ferried by helicopter firefighters. Support Services personnel the camp on one night. The terrain was often elevated there, to fight a fire that had and steep. We were amazed On Friday 12 February, myself arrived on site to establish been raging for several days. to see the skill of these dozer and another forward planning the base camp. The team MARK CASPER The locals told us: “it’s going to operators and the positions officer were deployed to Mole established the tents in just be cold up there!” Deputy Captain, they could get their machines Creek to execute the plan to over 24 hours, amenities such into! The cold and the ‘foreignness’ establish the base camp. We as toilets and showers were Warringah-Pittwater District Location: Pipeline Fire of the landscape were what remained onsite from this point connected over the next few The area we worked in was not Dates: 17-22 February 2016 struck us first! There was a working with the property days. The camp was initially only steep and hard to access, Position: Alpha Strike Team strong steady wind, no trees owner, staging area manager, established for 75 personnel it also had in excess of 15cm Leader and just low-lying plants and suppliers and contractors to and was soon expanded to (six inches) of peat across the strange flowers that we had ensure the establishment the requested capacity of 150 The strike team consisted of surface of the ground. This never seen before. One of the of the camp remained on personnel. The establishment seven heavy tankers, three dramatically increased the remote area firefighters told us schedule. team faced some challenging light tankers, two Ambulance fuel loading, smoke and risk it reminded him of his native windy conditions while erecting NSW paramedics and myself. to members. In some cases Back in NSW, the State Scotland. the tents and some rain arrived For most of the deployment we our crews had to return to the Warehouse Logistics team a few days later, however were at work on a ridge in the same area a number of times There were many fires burning loaded equipment including 19 the infrastructure installation high country, only accessible to extinguish the same spot – on the plateau (the visible area tents, a mess tent, sleeping had already been completed. via a narrow dozer trail rose due to the peat reigniting. being approximately 5km x bags, pillows, blankets, Approximately 20 NSW sharply out of a gully. 10km), each with a smoke trail towels, electrical cords, tables, Other risks to members National Parks and Wildlife blown horizontal by the wind - a chairs, lighting, a generator When we first arrived I included dangerous century-old personnel were the first scene very reminiscent of a and an all-terrain forklift into wondered what the purpose trees which had almost totally guests of the camp on Sunday war zone in a Middle East oil containers and then onto the of our tasking was. Once at burnt out their base. On the evening. field. We were dropped in a flat semi trailer for transportation the top of the ridge however, final afternoon our crews were area not far from a line of fire, to Tasmania. One NSW RFS Due to the forecast for cold it became clear. To the east relieved and satisfied to make with Kerosene bushes flaring semi trailer, two NSW RFS tilt temperatures, air-conditioning of the ridge lay a vast area the final trip down the steep up now and then (as the locals trays and five contract heavy was installed in the tents, of plantation timber. If the dozer trails and return to the warned us they would). tilt trays departed Glendenning providing some comfort from fire was to impact it, there Base Camp in Stanley. The fire was burning in peat and advancing slowly, except when impacting a Kerosene In March 2016 the Tasmanian Government announced a research project to examine the impact bush. We tried several tactics. We started with a containment of climate change on the wilderness, and strengthen Tasmania’s firefighting techniques in line but abandoned that quickly: wilderness areas. The Tasmanian Fire Service also initiated an independent review into the fires you had to dig deep, the roots ABOVE: Central Plateau Conservation area. Crews used a variety of methods to smother in the peat conducted by the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authority Council (AFAC). were a problem and it was too fires. Photo by Nicole Bordes slow. Then we used rake-hoes,

10 BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS BUSH FIREbulletin // INCIDENTS 11 Improving the prediction of rate of fire spread in partially cured grasslands

The state of curing of a grass sward has long been known to have a direct effect on the speed of a fire, with fires spreading faster in more fully cured swards than those that are less cured. A research partnership between CSIRO and the Victorian Country Fire Authority has shown that Fire behaviour in grass current systems for incorporating the effect of grass curing on fire behaviour under predict fire potential when grasses are not fully cured. A new mathematical function to describe this effect – do we tend to underestimate it? has been developed for incorporation into grassfire rate of spread predictions.

The CSIRO has issued results of a recent study that will change the way we predict fire behaviour in grasslands. Grass fuel dynamics cannot be sustained in such destructive sampling of grasses A new curing relationship The study has found that existing methods for incorporating the effect of grass curing on fire behaviour overestimate the fuels and fires will not spread. and partitioning into live and effect of green grass. Experiments were held in partnership with fire agencies around Australia, including the NSW RFS, The lifecycle of annual grasses dead components. The findings of the field-based (i.e. germination, growth, Once senescence commences experimental burning program throughout 2014 and 2015 and have shown that fire potential when grasses are not fully cured is higher than previously flowering, setting seed, drying in individual plants, the overall Our sampling protocol in to quantify the effect of the thought. This means that fires can spread faster in greener grass than scientists had predicted. out (curing) and death) controls condition of a sward becomes the current research project degree of grass curing on fire the flammability of grassland quite complex with a mix of expanded the fuel component propagation were surprising. As a result of these findings, a new mathematical relationship that better captures the effect of partially cured grasslands fuels. The onset of senescence living, dying, drying out and groups from two (live and dried out fuels. Fire spread also dead), to four: green (i.e. live), Firstly, it was found that on the rate of forward spread of fire has been developed and is now being incorporated into NSW RFS calculators. following flowering and setting sustained fire spread occurred of seed initiates an irreversible becomes similarly complicated. senescing, recently dead and Throughout 2015 the NSW RFS worked alongside researchers from CSIRO and the Victorian Country Fire Authority Understanding just how a fire old dead fuel (previous year’s at quite low curing levels- process that increases the -down to 20-30%, where conducting experimental burns to look at how fire reacts in grassland during different weather conditions and in proportion of dead material behaves in such fuel conditions growth). is critical to predicting its previously it has been assumed different types of dry or ‘cured’ grass. As grasslands dry out or ‘cure’, the way they interact with fire changes. in the sward (a reflection of We found that visual curing that sustained spread required the degree of curing) and behaviour, particularly assessments resulted in an Carefully planned and executed experimental burns were conducted in Tamworth and Braidwood during March and under more potent burning curing values greater than decreases its overall moisture over-prediction bias of curing 50%. December 2015. These burns, held in conditions of elevated fire danger, enabled the research team to use the data to content. This results in an conditions. level and failed to capture Secondly, it was found that improve the models we use to predict fire behaviour. The experiments were carried out in a wide range of conditions increase in the amount of the effect of senescence fuel available for combustion Estimating grass curing on fuel availability due to the current systems used in with the aim of providing a better understanding of what it means for fire behaviour prediction in NSW and to assist with and significantly impacts the Australia to incorporate the Operationally, the degree of misclassification of fuel ease of ignition and ensuing effect of grass curing on fire planning for hazard reductions. curing is usually obtained from components. For example, behaviour of a fire. discoloured senescing fuels behaviour resulted in significant The CSIRO published the following paper in early 2016 explaining the findings in detail. This and other bush fire science visual estimates based on under-predictions of rate of Annual grasses and their expert assessment supported were classified as dead even bulletins from the CSIRO are available from http://research.csiro.au/pyropage. though they were still partially forward fire spread in partially lifecycles vary considerably by photographic field guides cured grasslands. Fires in fuels across Australia, influenced or through analysis of remote- alive and had relatively high fuel moisture content. at curing levels between 50 by species, soil structure and sensing satellite imagery. and 80% were observed to moisture, and climate. After the Despite the effort that has This result highlights the need spread up to ten times faster growth stage, grasslands are gone into developing these for comprehensive visual than predicted. at their lowest curing level, i.e. methods, it is important to curing assessment training that uniformly green and with the recognise that none of these enables accurate and unbiased A new relationship between highest fuel moisture content yield the true curing level, determination of the degree of degree of curing and fully cured levels. Flaming combustion which requires time-consuming curing in grasslands. rate of fire spread that better captures the effect of partial curing has been developed. This relationship has a significant effect on predicted rate of spread when compared to previous models for grass curing coefficient. It results in sustained fire spread at lower curing values and faster fire spread at values less than fully cured. Next steps The soundness of the new curing function is currently being evaluated against the experimental burns conducted in NSW. Rigorous testing is required to determine the impact of the new function on the operational prediction of fire behaviour and danger. Within the NSW RFS, the new mathematical relationship that better captures the effect of partially cured grasslands on the rate of forward spread of fire is now being incorporated into NSW RFS calculators. ABOVE and OPPOSITE PAGE: Twenty NSW RFS members worked alongside CSIRO researchers in Tamworth in March and in Braidwood in December 2015 to conduct experimental grassland burns to help understand the impact of grass curing on the behaviour of fire in NSW. Photos by Laurence McCoy

12 BUSH FIREbulletin // RESEARCH BUSH FIREbulletin // RESEARCH 13 There is great excitement about the new Cat 10 pumper. Engineering Services Manager, Andrew Canderle here explains some of the reasons for the excitement. The technical name for the pumper is the ‘urban appliance Category 10’ and it was developed to replace the old Category 11 truck. Those familiar with the Cat 11 will feel very at home on this new and improved version, given the layout is almost identical, however, that is where the similarities end. Innovative and useful new features have made their way onto the Cat 10 and are sure to impress those lucky enough to use it. The improvements were incorporated following a comprehensive review of the Cat 11. The new Cat 10 has been broadly accepted as one of best trucks ever developed by Engineering Services and many are eagerly awaiting New features for Cat 10 pumper their chance to jump on board. It is being built in mid-2016 and is available for brigades to order.

Roof mounted ladder Lighting improvements Pumping and capacity Cab Chassis The usability of the truck has been vastly improved The tank can hold 2,000 litres of water Members will find the new cab by some illuminating features. Both the electrics and is is fitted with a power take-off pump easier to access because it and lighting are leagues ahead of the Cat 11. capable of delivering 2,000 litres per minute sits closer to the ground. This Lockers now feature effective LED strip lighting at 1,100 kPa with an electric primer. also means firefighters will and the body has been fitted with proximity The Cat 10 is fitted with a 100 litre foam have safer access to the cab lighting so the area surrounding the truck can be tank filled using the Hale ez-fill foam transfer and better access to the body lit up when needed. The icing on the cake is a pump and an electric rewind hose reel stowage than the previous 4 x 4 centrally mounted lighting mast to help illuminate (with auto hose lay) has 40 metres of high version. For those interested in incidents at night. pressure hose. the finer engineering details: the Roof mounted ladder gantries give new cab chassis is a 4 x 2 Isuzu easy access to the rescue and roofing With no shortage of useful features, the FTR 900. This also makes for ladder from the ground. new Cat 10 may indeed have earnt the label safer on-road manoeuvrability

‘best truck ever built’. You be the judge. and handling.

Auto transmission The engine and transmission are matched to provide better use of the available torque and horsepower. It is fitted with an ‘Allison five speed automatic transmission’ and those familiar with a Cat 6 will recognise the hydraulic transmission retarder.

External power Another impressive feature of the new truck is an external power supply and on-board wiring for charging portable devices and radios. This will be an excellent addition when Rescue ladder with gantry lowered crews are on the road, or even at the station. More room for CABA

Body Slide out shelves for easier access Members asked for flexibility Slide out steps make the upper in the body so shelving shelves much easier to reach. and partitions could be The lower locker shelves also tailored to meet brigades’ slide out providing clear access unique needs. Constructed to stowed equipment. Slide out There is storage for four CABA sets and of aluminium and with stowage trays also provide quick spare cylinders. The body is fitted with increased storage - it’s and easy access to the portable a retractable awning next to the CABA widely agreed amongst pump, generator, positive pressure stowage. those that have seen it – the ventilator, extinguishers, standpipe Cat 10 delivers. and access ladder. Easy access to Positive Slide out to access Generator and Portable Extinguishers on slide Access ladder on slide Pressure Ventilator standpipes pump access out mechanism mount

14 BUSH FIREbulletin // ENGINEERING BUSH FIREbulletin //ENGINEERING 15 LEFT: Designed to transport crews of up to six or equipment up to 1,000kg. ABOVE: In March 2016 the new Category 15 (Light) was on display for observation and assessment at the Annual Combined Districts Fire Boat Exercise on the Hawkesbury River. Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons and Fire on water Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Stacey Tannous, are seen here on the Cat 15 (Light) while the exercise was underway. Photo by Jason Gower A light Category 15 fire boat has hit the water in the Shoalhaven District.

The NSW RFS has a long The light Cat 15 prototype 7 pump is mounted in front of • Full aluminium dual axle longitudinal stiffeners running the helm. The pump is coupled NSW RFS Marine Capability Lightweight history of operating water- vessel was completed in the helm and a portable Class 9 trailer with wireless electric between the frames. to a suction manifold which Working Group to help gather September 2015 and following based brigades and fire pump is kept within the hull for braking system The vessel has a fully sealed can draft from a twin sea chest the operational requirements but strong, the testing, changes were made immediate deployment. arrangement, or suction via for the three vessels. The boats through necessity; • Communication and work deck with buoyancy foam to the design to make it easier one of the four 38mm standard requirements were then brand new light they are often the only way Capable and registered for electronic package including in the hull. Additional foam to operate. The first boat lightweight hoses. A Class 9 implemented and the prototype to provide fire assistance to is now in service with the night operations, this vessel radar for night operation boxes sit under the gunwales Category 15 is pump, the same as a portable light Cat 15 vessel was isolated communities. Today Christians Minde Brigade in the will be a handy addition to the to help right the vessel if it • 12 inch touch screen with 3D pump on a Cat 9, is retained constructed and delivered to designed to assist marine brigades operate in 10 Shoalhaven District. firefighter’s arsenal. capsizes. mapping within the hull for immediate the Shoalhaven District in early districts and 26 boats assist Fitted with a two piece bi-fold larger vessels, Lightweight but strong, the Light Cat 15 specifications • Sonar with side imaging deployment. September 2015. with firefighting and other brand new light Category ramp, the light Cat 15 is ideal or vehicles, operational duties. 15 is designed to assist The light Cat 15 vessel is • Full safety equipment for delivering equipment. The Consultation is also underway Fleet standardisation for a final design of the medium in firefighting A NSW RFS Marine Working larger vessels or vehicles in designed to assist operation of With two operators on board ramp features a main section in process Group has been tasked with firefighting operations. The the medium and heavy vessels, the vessel can load up to attached to the hull and a piece prototype vessel, to be operations. vessel can transfer crews of that folds forward. The two Since 2014 the NSW RFS constructed for the Woronora ensuring consistency across with its primary workload 1,000kg or seat six people. up to six people or provide sections are controlled by an Engineering Team has Brigade in the Sutherland the fire boats consulting with consisting of crew transfers equipment and supplies up to and equipment supplies. The light Category 15 is electric winch that raises and been standardising water- District in 2016/17. Marine Rescue NSW on vessel 1,000kg. The two piece bi-fold constructed from marine lowers the main section and based infrastructure within • Overall length 6.7m and This medium vessel will be design, safety, procedures and ramp and electric winch allow grade aluminium in various deploys the forward section. the service. Over time this largely designed for firefighting training protocols. The Marine straightforward delivery of beam 2.46m thicknesses, delivering will see the Category 15 While firefighting is not its operations with greater Working Group consequently supplies and equipment on • 2 x 60hp 4 stroke motors a lightweight, yet strong vessel standardised to three main role, the vessel is also maneuverability than the large has identified three standard shore. structure. The hull is made subcategories of vessels: light, • Boat, trailer and motors equipped with two pump-sets. vessels currently in service. classifications for new boats The light Cat 15 also has of transverse frames and medium and heavy. weigh 2,800kg The first is a Class 7 pump, the (Category 15) – light, medium firefighting capabilities with bulkheads with a plate keel same as a portable pump on a In November 2014, the and heavy. two pumps on board. A Class Standard features: on the hull centreline and Cat 1, semi-mounted in front of Engineering Team engaged the

16 BUSH FIREbulletin // ENGINEERING BUSH FIREbulletin // ENGINEERING 17 This article first appeared in the Summer 2014-2015 edition of Fire Australia magazine. By Nathan Maddock

A Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC project is examining how educating children on how to be resilient in the face of a natural disaster can flow on to mobilising an entire community.

Enabling kids to become not evaluated,” Professor this can have an immense in most communities, so we active participants in disaster Ronan said. effect. need to increase motivation for resilience and education “Most of the research on “The second reason is preparedness. We feel like kids programs could not only reduce these programs is short about children’s right to are one such source.” their fears, it could also have term—we do not know if increasingly participate in their a potential motivational role in Research published over the these programs translate into own and their community’s mobilising wider community past decade has shown that life. Preliminary research The top honours in 2016 Young Citizen of the Year coach the team on a regional, group and is a member of the preparations. saving lives, reducing injuries children are better equipped to state and national level. In 2013 Bendick Murrell Brigade. She or reducing the psychological has shown that kids are deal with an emergency if they Samual Tout That’s according to Bushfire consequences of disasters. Nor motivated and get benefits for the town of Young he took over as lead coach and joined the Service in 2012 at have been active participants Samual Tout, firefighter and and Natural Hazards CRC do we know if these programs themselves and their families in disaster resilience and this year went to set up training programs and the age of 13, and has been project leader Kevin Ronan, a Murringo resident, has made a can save governments money. from learning about disaster- education programs. timetables for local cadets to a regular competitor at both Professoriate Research Fellow risk reduction. We think this active members of significant contribution to “Our research is examining learn safety, teamwork and State Championships and Cadet at CQ University. is because disasters typically “This study is designed to the community through the if programs do translate into individual skills. This training Championships ever since. rank in the top ten major fears evaluate the extent that the NSW RFS. Both Professor Ronan is leading saving lives, reducing injuries NSW RFS. regime paid off when three In 2015 Lizzie was officer-in- of childhood. When you help education can equip children the Building best practice in and other consequences, while 2016 Young Citizen of the six team members he equip human beings with tools and families to prepare, In his role as South West charge for the South West child-centred disaster risk saving government money, trained came second in the to deal with fears, and turn respond and recover more of the Year, Samual Slopes Fire Cadet team coach Slopes Zone Cadet team who reduction study, which also how can we get them to be threats into challenges, people effectively from some and NSW RFS youth committee 2015 National NSW RFS Cadet came in second at the recent involves researchers from part of policy and scaled up in a Tout, and 2016 Young typically respond well. This unanticipated event, including advisor to other teams, Sam Championships. National Cadet Championships RMIT, Monash and Massey large way?” includes children and youth. its potential flow-on effects Junior Citizen of the has exhibited commitment to held in Lake Macquarie. As universities, Risk Frontiers and Save the Children Australia. The Professor Ronan notes that for the larger community,” youth leadership within the 2016 Young Junior Citizen of the Year the only female team member, “In other words, when you there are two main reasons Professor Ronan said. Year, Lizzie Butt, were Service. His involvement with project will carry out research can turn a fear on its head and Lizzie Butt she is well respected and has on current policy, practices why educating children about the NSW RFS cadets in the say that it is a problem with “The goal is to make a policy recognised for their encouraged teamwork, pride and evaluation frameworks. In disaster-risk reduction is Lizzie Butt is one of Sam’s solutions, kids are interested and practical difference. We South West Slopes Zone began and mateship within the team. building on research conducted important. contribution to the in 2007 when his son Alex former cadets and this year and get excited about that.” want to know what works and was named Young’s Junior in Australia, New Zealand and “It reflects the societal value community of Young, became a cadet. As a keen Professor Ronan said educating then help to get it implemented Citizen of the Year for her other countries, the research we have around protecting parent Sam regularly assisted will also increase the attention kids about disaster-risk on larger scales.” volunteering duties with many children. In any given disaster particularly through the cadet team coach at the given to children and their reduction can have flow-on local organisations, as well as TOP: 2016 Young Citizen of the worldwide, according to the their involvement in time, Trevor Reeves. When families’ needs in disasters. effects within communities. excelling in the sporting arena. Year, Samual Tout, and 2016 World Health Organization, the NSW RFS. his son ended his involvement Young Junior Citizen of the Year, “There are hundreds, if children represent 30–50 “Kids are an untapped with the cadets four years Lizzie is a Junior NSW RFS Lizzie Butt, at the Australia Day not thousands, of disaster- percent of the deaths. They community motivational ago, Sam’s commitment never Member who trains with the celebrations. Photo by Elouise resilience education programs are also the most at-risk group reservoir. Prevention and wavered and he continues to South West Slopes Cadet Hawkey, The Young Witness. for kids worldwide, including psychologically. Kids can carry preparedness for a disaster many in Australia, which are impacts for a long time, and is usually at a very low level

18 BUSH FIREbulletin // SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS BUSH FIREbulletin // RESEARCH 19 The NSW RFS Guide to Working As part of the three-step complement the Li’l Larikkins enable them to contribute to program, students will learn program by supporting its their community’s bush fire with School Communities the information and its context key messages and delivering preparedness. In June 2016 the NSW Premier within their own lives; they further bush fire safety Once the students have Mike Baird launched the practice the skill in scenario- information. gained a knowledge and NSW RFS Guide to Working based exercises; and finally The NSW RFS Guide understanding of what it means with School communities at share their new knowledge to Working with School to be bush fire prepared, Warrimoo Public School in the with family and friends. Communities was developed members or teachers delivering Blue Mountains. He was joined Commissioner Fitzsimmons to provide members with ideas the sessions are encouraged to by the Minister for Emergency encouraged NSW RFS and supporting material to introduce the decision-making Services David Elliott and NSW members to familiarise assist with actively engaging and problem-solving activities, RFS Commissioner Shane themselves with the resource with school communities. to help reinforce what has been Fitzsimmons. and work with brigades and The Guide is based on the taught. Many brigades are already district offices to deliver the Primary School Education This Guide is considered working with their local program locally. Framework: the first step in effective school community, and the Dr Briony Towers of the engagement with school Guide to Working with School • Lower Primary Bushfire and Natural Hazards communities and is a great way Communities program will Help students gain an CRC, contributed to the to introduce the local NSW RFS support those relationships understanding of bush fire research behind the program and bush fire awareness into with a structured learning safety and develop personal and will be part of monitoring the community. plan aligned with the school and measuring the success skills to ensure their own curriculum. It will also of the program. A ‘practice safety during a fire. Many of the ideas contained encourage other schools to evaluation’ is going to be • Middle Primary in the Guide directly reflect introduce the lessons into the undertaken in the Lower and relate to the creativity classroom. Hunter Zone with the support Help students to increase and experiences of NSW RFS their personal fire safety members already working Providing educational value can of local volunteers to determine awareness and develop an effectively within schools, be the gateway for brigades to how well the program works. awareness of the safety of and it has been developed to become more involved with the All primary schools across others during a fire. consider the differing needs schools in their area. By having NSW already have access and delivery styles of NSW a comprehensive educational to the Li’l Larikkins Bush • Upper Primary RFS members. bush fire safety program Fire Safety Program which Encourage students to across primary schools, more equips teachers and NSW reinforce and further develop All of the printable resources communities will gain an RFS members with bush fire personal skills to use in a to support the delivery of the understanding of their bush fire related classroom resources, bush fire or other emergency. sessions, such as flashboards risk and know what they have this Guide and the suggested Students should also develop and activity sheets are available to do to be prepared. content for classroom Sessions knowledge and skills that will for download on MyRFS.

Children across NSW have long delighted in the sight of the red fire trucks and firefighters in yellows at their local fetes and community events. Now the NSW RFS is following this long tradition by becoming more involved in the school curriculum, providing educational resources that teachers and volunteers can use. OPPOSITE PAGE: Premier Mike Baird talking to children at the launch of the Working with School Communities Members Guide held at Warrimoo Public School. Photo by Ben Shepherd. ABOVE: The Working with School Communities Guide is designed to engage students in the classroom using the support of the existing school curriculum

20 BUSH FIREbulletin // GENERAL NEWS BUSH FIREbulletin // GENERAL NEWS 21 The Hidden Treasures Honour Roll is a NSW Department of Primary Industries Rural Women’s Network initiative that has celebrated womens’ contribution since 2011. Every year many women from local NSW RFS brigades have been singled out for acknowledgement. In 2015, 14 deserving NSW RFS volunteers were honoured. The following stories, submitted by appreciative community members, celebrate female volunteers from rural parts of NSW. You are invited to nominate a brigade member or any rural woman who you believe makes your community Hidden a better place. For more information contact the Rural Women’s Network at [email protected] or check the DPI website.

Carrol Baker up most of her weekends to Elizabeth Ellis Helen Fenning, cater for training, exercises and Mt Ramornie Brigade, events – often single-handedly. Penrose Brigade, Buxton Brigade, Clarence Valley She has many strings to her Southern Highlands Southern Highlands Treasures Carrol Baker joined the NSW bow and is a most valued Elizabeth Ellis became a Helen Fenning is a highly Celebrating NSW RFS women who give so much RFS in July 1994 as a member member. member of the NSW RFS in committed volunteer who of the Mt Ramornie Brigade. 2009, when she made the works tirelessly within her local During her 21 years of service Francis Crown decision to join the Penrose community. to their rural communities she has been an active Brigade. With almost 30 years of service firefighter and held a range Canyonleigh Brigade, behind her, members are often of roles within her brigade Southern Highlands Since that time she has worked quick to say they wouldn’t be including Secretary, Treasurer to increase the resilience Francis Crown has been a able to do their job without her. and President. of the Penrose community, member of the NSW RFS since Helen makes herself available, Carrol is currently Deputy first joining the Canyonleigh through organising regular whether the need is physical or Captain for Mt Ramornie Brigade in 2006. Since that street meetings, women’s and emotional. She is a wonderful Brigade, and has previously time she has been instrumental horse workshops as well as sounding board and has held the senior leadership in planning and delivering contributing articles to the local proved particularly invaluable roles of Captain and Senior successful community newsletter. for firefighters struggling to Deputy Captain. As a frontline engagement programs at Elizabeth’s professional process what they have seen firefighter she has been Canyonleigh, with a particular approach to her volunteer at confronting incidents. involved in major bush fire focus on increasing women’s duties are held in high campaigns in the Clarence resilience to bush fire. Judith Fountain, Valley, including Section 44 regard within the NSW RFS Francis Crown’s enthusiasm operations. Carrol is extensively community. Crookwell Brigade, trained in all aspects of goes a long way to making Southern Tablelands the local community stand up firefighting and is more than Roxayne Felton, Judith Fountain is an important happy to share her wealth of and take notice of the bush fire preparation message. Eastbank Brigade, member of both the Crookwell knowledge with members of Lions Club and Crookwell her brigade and district. She is well-respected for Mid North Coast her methodical approach Brigade. Through both of these Roxayne Felton began her and absolute dedication in groups she works tirelessly to volunteer firefighting career as Linda Cook Canyonleigh and beyond. fundraise for the community Coramba Brigade, a member of Eastern Dorrigo and cater for events. Brigade in 1990. Ten years later Mid North Coast Many cadets and members Megan Davies she transferred to the Eastbank in the area have been lucky Linda Cook became an Narrabri Brigade, Namoi Gwydir Brigade and currently juggles honorary member of the enough to eat Judith’s food Since 2009 Megan Davis the roles of Deputy Captain Coramba Brigade in 2002 and sincerely appreciate her has been an active and with Treasurer and Health and dedication and catering skills, after spending several years Safety Officer. mowing the lawns and keeping knowledgeable member of particularly when the chips an eye on the station as a the Narrabri Brigade, with her Previously Roxie has been are down. Furthermore, she neighbour. Since then she has broad range of skills being Brigade Captain, Senior Deputy is reliable and always makes become an invaluable member formally recognised in May Captain and First Aid Officer herself available. Judith is 2013 with a NSW RFS Unit a valued member of both of the Coramba Brigade and for her brigade. In addition, Citation for Service. organisations. the greater Mid North Coast she is an active firefighter team through her involvement Her commitment to the Service who consistently responds in catering, community often sees her attending to incidents including several Peta Luke, engagement, firefighting and incidents day and night, major fires and out-of-area Merriwa Brigade, fundraising. while also holding down a full deployments. In 1994 she Liverpool Range Linda is an active firefighter time job. As a conscientious did what no firefighter should Peta Luke was born in and currently holds the position member and regular meeting have to: fight a fire impacting Melbourne and started of Crew Leader. She has participant it comes as no on their own home. The fire at volunteering in 1996 as a NSW previously held the position surprise she has also held the Lowanna also reached many of role of Brigade President for RFS member. of First Aid Officer for the her friends’ homes, making it a the past three years. Megan is Coramba Brigade. In addition very personal incident. She must have got a taste to her firefighting duties Linda a true asset to the NSW RFS, for it because two years later is the Mid North Coast team’s the Narrabri Brigade and her Roxie likens the Eastbank she also trained as a NSW primary catering officer, giving community. Brigade to a second family. SES volunteer. In 2006 Peta ABOVE: Helen Fenning from Buxton Brigade. Photo by Sam Venn, Wollondilly Advertiser

22 BUSH FIREbulletin // SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS BUSH FIREbulletin // SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS 23 moved to Merriwa and joined She takes great pride in her member of the Rocky Plain the New England Zone when the Merriwa SES Unit whilst role as coordinator, instructor Brigade, and also served as necessary. Secretary for a period. maintaining her involvement and assessor for courses in her In 2012 a major fire at Carrai with the Merriwa Brigade. local area, including first aid Robin has been particularly burnt through 6,400 hectares In 2011 she was promoted to and firefighting. dedicated to restoring the of forest. Merryn, who had Brigade Captain and afforded In 2012 the Rural Fire Service landscape to cope with severe never worked at the New the opportunity to take part Association awarded Liz eucalyptus dieback on the England office, received a in the graduate leadership a scholarship giving her a Monaro. Her community phone call asking if she knew program. Since that time she kickstart to pursue her natural mindedness is invaluable to the how to handle a Commander has used her leadership skills to ability and love of teaching. local area. Phone system and regardless, PROPERTY benefit the Merriwa community could she make her way to the She has recently been given Merryn Twemlow, office immediately? Merryn, Elizabeth Philpott, Life Membership of the Repton of course stood up to the Brigade. Armidale, New England challenge and has been a Repton Brigade, Mid North Coast Merryn joined the NSW RFS volunteer member of the team Liz Philpott has been a valued Robin Sevenoaks, when she retired from her job ever since. She is well known Property assessments are a key part of engaging with your community about bush fire member of the Repton Brigade Rocky Plain Brigade, Monaro in 2010 and since then has for her ‘can do’ attitude. safety. Many brigades are actively and regularly visiting homes to help residents to identify since 2001. been an active member of Robin Sevenoaks has made a three brigades. She has held a and mitigate potential risks to their home and to guide them in developing a personalised She is an active firefighter Sue White, significant contribution to the range of roles including Duty whose volunteering CV bush fire survival plan. quality of life in many parts Communication Operator, Riverina Zone Communications features the roles of Captain, of the Monaro through her Secretary of Lyndhurst- Brigade, Riverina Secretary, Permit Officer, dedication to the environment, Dumaresq Brigade and more Training Officer and First Aid Sue White was born and social and community issues. recently a member of New Officer within her brigade. raised near Wagga Wagga. England Logistics. Liz also has a passion for Robin served on the Snowy She has been a member of the Learning and Development River Shire Council from 1991 Typical of Merryn, she went NSW RFS for 26 years since and is a member of the Mid to 1999, including three years out of her way to obtain a joining the Eunony Brigade in North Coast Team Training as Deputy Mayor. Robin has Medium Rigid licence to help 1989. In 2002 she took on the Committee. been a long-term, active the team move vehicles around roles of Permit Officer and Communications Officer within the brigade. Sue has been actively involved in the Riverina Zone Communications Group and in 2013 was a founding member of the Riverina Zone Communications Brigade. She This Bush Fire Bulletin now captains the brigade. Liftout is the second in Sue’s expertise in the a series about Property communications field is Assessments designed extensive and she willingly for NSW RFS members. shares her knowledge, experience and enthusiasm with new brigade members. Sue is a valued member of the Eunony Valley community and is held in high regard for her FIRE HAZARDS AND RISK kind-hearted and generous nature. Lesley Wood, IDENTIFY Mandemar Brigade, Southern Highlands STEP 1 AND MITIGATE STEP 2 HAZARDS Lesley Wood has been a OF 3 STEPS member of the NSW RFS since BUSH FIRE THREAT AROUND 1999 when she first joined What is the threat from a bush or grass fire for the Mandemar Brigade. Since the area and the particular property? THE HOME that time she has spearheaded numerous community engagement programs for the STEP 2 THREE STEPS: Penrose community; including The role of NSW RFS members who conduct regular community meetings, FIRE HAZARDS AND RISK property assessments is to identify hazards, women’s workshops, horse Assisting residents to identify and mitigate fire workshops and coordinating hazards to reduce their risk. ensure the householder understands why it articles in the local newsletter. is a hazard and then assist them on ways to mitigate that hazard. Lesley shows great enthusiasm STEP 3 when working together with her local community to improve PREPARING A BUSH FIRE 1. Identify potential hazards their resilience to bush fire. She SURVIVAL PLAN 2. Explain why it’s a hazard and the level of is well-respected by her peers risk associated with the hazard for her tireless efforts. Assist people to start discussions around preparing a Bush Fire Survival Plan specific to 3. Discuss how to mitigate the hazard their family and property risk. ABOVE: Elizabeth Ellis from Penrose Brigade. Photo by Josh Bartlett of Southern Highland News

24 BUSH FIREbulletin // VOLUNTEERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT BUSH FIREbulletin // LIFTOUT 25 Identify HAZARDS IDENTIFY AND HAZARD #1: LEAF LITTER. HAZARD #3: HANGING VINES/VEGETATION. MANAGE HAZARDS WHY IS THIS A HAZARD? WHY ARE THEY A HAZARD? AROUND THE HOME

Explanation Either direct flame contact or embers Explanation Direct flame contact or embers can can set this litter alight. Loose leaf litter is generally ignite vines, shrubs and plants. aerated and therefore easily flammable. Wind will Radiant heat could also dry the moisture out in the cause a burning leaf to spread fire to other parts of plants, making them susceptible to fire. the property. Management Vines, shrubs and gardens should be Management Regularly rake up and remove leaves kept away from building walls, verandas and posts from wherever they accumulate. wherever possible. Plants that are well-maintained and have a high moisture content are less susceptible to fire.

HAZARD #2: LEAF LITTER ON THE ROOF. HAZARD #4: HEDGE: WHY IT COULD BE WHY IS THIS A HAZARD? A HELP OR A HAZARD

Explanation Either direct flame contact or embers Explanation Hedges that go right down to the bush, Westleigh Brigade can set this litter alight. While the leaf litter is loose, are dry and have fuel beneath, can act as a wick – members visited this house it is aerated and easily flammable. Burning leaves drawing a fire from the bushland directly up to the before the fire season to can get under the tiles and into the roof space house. and spread fire to other parts of the building and help the residents identify When hedges are thick, well-maintained and kept property. moist, they can act as an ember screen and protect and mitigate potential Management Regularly remove leaves from roof lines the house. hazards and gutters. Management Keep all gardens tidy and well When there is the threat of fire nearby, wet down maintained. the roof prior to the fire approaching. Ensure that During the summer, watering plants regularly will residents are aware it is important NOT to climb up help them maintain their moisture levels which will onto the roof to complete this task. make them less susceptible to fire and more effective as ember screens.

26 BUSH FIREbulletin // LIFTOUT BUSH FIREbulletin // LIFTOUT 27 Identify HAZARDS LEADING PEOPLE WORKSHOP

HAZARD #5: GARAGE DOOR AND HAZARD #6: OUTDOOR FURNITURE DOOR MAT

Explanation Door mat: Embers can be trapped by the Explanation It can catch on fire from embers. mat causing it to catch fire. Flame and embers from the Strong winds present ahead of a fire could result in burning mat can penetrate under the door, introducing it being blown up against the house or into window fire to the inside of the house. causing it to break. Garage door: The gaps above, underneath and down Management On days of high fire danger, when away the side of garage doors are susceptible to ember on holidays, or when fire is approaching, outdoor attack. The embers can penetrate the gaps in the door, furniture should be put inside. introducing fire to the inside of the house. Management Door mat: Take the door mat and other flammable items inside on days of high fire danger or when on away on holidays. WINDOWS AND Garage door: Check that the rubber seal goes along HAZARD #7: the bottom of the door to ensure that embers cannot GLASS DOORS get in underneath. Fit a good quality ember seal to the sides and top to minimise the opportunity for embers to penetrate. COURSE OVERVIEW Leading People (LDP) is a new internal course that has been developed to provide members with skills in leadership practices used within the NSW RFS. It is designed to enable suitable members to supervise and develop a team of people, taking into account the Course structure diverse nature of our membership and flexibility of our 2.5 day workshop commencing workforce. 1830hrs Friday evening and concluding at 1500hrs on Sunday The Leading People facilitator training workshops in the 2016 NSW RFS State Training Calendar are aimed Qualifications awarded PUATEA003B lead, manage and at members that will become the local facilitator and develop teams Explanation Sustained radiant heat can crack windows and glass doors, allowing flames or embers assessors teams. Pre-requisite In an upcoming issue of the Bush into the house. Advanced Firefighter Fire Bulletin Liftout we will look Management Use a high quality duct tape to tape up Nominations will be reviewed and prioritised by District and submitted (PUATEA002B) the inside of glass windows and doors. This will help to State L&D. State L&D will review all nominations to ensure fair at Step 3 on helping residents to to prevent cracking, or in the event of cracking help NSW RFS entry requirements have a discussion about making stop parts of the glass dislodging and creating an representation across DTZs. Nominations where the above entry requirements are not met will not be accepted by State L&D. Rural Fire Instructor certification a Bush Fire Survival Plan opening for embers to enter the house. If a fire is approaching close curtains or blinds to reduce the opportunity for embers to enter the home, if the glass breaks remove flammable objects from around windows and glass doors. For further information regarding the Leading People workshop, please contact State Learning and Development on 8741 5210 or [email protected]

28 BUSH FIREbulletin // LIFTOUT COMMISSIONER’S scope of responsibility normally expected of that person or unit COMMENDATION FOR SERVICE in their assigned duties. (INDIVIDUAL) Awarded for service of a CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT meritorious nature, or for ALAN BRINKWORTH, AFSM outstanding actions relating NSW RFS Headquarters to fire service duties, Chief Superintendent Alan administrative leadership, or for Brinkworth, AFSM is well exemplary performance of a known within the Service specific difficult project or task, for his near encyclopaedic not involving bravery. knowledge of NSW RFS history and field operations. DEPUTY CAPTAIN DEREK In 2003, Chief Superintendent COLEBROOK Brinkworth developed a Nelligen Rural Fire Brigade, handbook for use on the Far South Coast Team, fireground; making operational Region South information easily accessible Thanks to decisions made in for the first time. The the blink of an eye Deputy Firefighters’ Pocket Book was Captain Derek Colebrook saved introduced in 2004, ticking all ABOVE: Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, AFSM addressing the his family from a potentially of the boxes for firefighters: relevant, easy to understand St Florians Day Award recipients and their families at NSW RFS fatal house fire that engulfed Headquarters in Lidcombe his home in January 2014. and durable. In 2014 the book was transformed into a Woken in the middle of handy smartphone app. The the night, Deputy Captain Firefighters’ Pocket Book has Colebrook and his wife were been a resounding success greeted by thick smoke and and leaves a wonderful legacy flames. Unable to get to his for Chief Superintendent Alan children’s rooms, he was Brinkworth, who retired in forced to smash their bedroom 2011. windows with just a star picket. In the most challenging CAPTAIN MICHAEL BROWNE of conditions Deputy Captain Forbes Central Brigade, Colebrook saved his wife and Mid Lachlan Valley Team, two children. Region West FIREFIGHTER RUDY A member since 2003, Captain SCHUETT, AFSM Michael Browne not only heads Moonee Brigade, Mid North up the Forbes Central Brigade, Coast Team, Region North he also ensures Forbes Airbase Operations function smoothly. Firefighter Rudy Schuett, Under Captain Browne’s AFSM constantly goes over watchful eye members know and above the call of duty that water supplies and for the Service. As well as retardant at local airports will responding to hundreds of be ready-to-go when needed. ABOVE: Sitting in her grandfather’s lap and under the watchful eye of incidents and acting in the her grandmother, this young girl’s grandparents, Chris and Sue Talbert, It’s a common sight to see role of Crew Leader, he also received awards this St Florians Day. Captain Browne cleaning trucks maintains the station and at the Forbes Central Brigade, equipment. no task – big or small – is a It is not unusual for Firefighter problem for the Captain. Schuett to start work at 4.00 am and still be toiling after DISTRICT OFFICER ALEX dark. Firefighter Schuett’s CHESSER Acts of bravery and outstanding service are recognised each year on St Florians Day in a work ethic is complemented Warringah Pittwater District, ceremony at NSW RFS Headquarters. The annual ceremony is held on the fourth of May; by an easy-going nature and Region East the Feast Day of St Florian, patron saint of firefighters, and International Firefighters’ wonderful sense of humour; On the 1 October 2013 a powerful combination. District Officer Alex Chesser Day. This year’s St Florian’s Day Ceremony saw many deserving recipients recognised responded to a fuel tanker by The Commissioner and Minister for Emergency Services, the Hon. David Elliott MP. COMMISSIONER’S CERTIFICATE crash on Sydney’s Mona Vale OF COMMENDATION Road. On arrival he was faced with a devastating scene: (INDIVIDUAL) downed powerlines, several Awarded to recognise service vehicles on fire, burning or outstanding actions in bush and fuel gushing from relation to fire service duties, the overturned tanker. The administrative leadership, fire had already claimed one or exemplary performance life, burnt numerous others of a specific project or and posed a clear, direct and task. The Certificate of imminent threat to more ABOVE: Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers, AFSM, Minister for Police Commendation may be than 100 members of the and Emergency Services the Hon. David Elliot, MP and Commissioner awarded to an individual or public downhill. To ensure a Shane Fitzsimmons, AFSM at the St Florians Day ceremony unit for service beyond the coordinated response effort,

30 BUSH FIREbulletin // AWARDS BUSH FIREbulletin // AWARDS 31 District Officer Chesser demonstrates the passion of JEREMY WONG, PAUL harsh lessons learnt in the KEN THORNTON, JUSTIN Braefield/Dury 1, fire started in Mt Victoria Professional Standards Unit established clear lines of our NSW RFS senior volunteers MORONEY, NICHOLAS Victorian fires. The Program HONNER, BRADLEY Wallabadah 1, Big Jacks destroying many kilometres - Operation Vika Response communication with agencies to take on challenges and SAMAAN, NATHAN BOWER, aims to make the community FEDDERSEN, SONIA Creek 1, Currabubula Rural of fencing and threatening NSW RFS Headquarters on scene to effectively manage Fire Brigade and Merriwa 100 rural properties. Every seek leadership roles in WILLIAM SHEARMAN, more resilient to bush fire BROADBENT, NIKOLAUS In February 2015, a team was a complex incident. River Rural Fire Brigade, brigade in the district fought extraordinary circumstances. MARK UNWIN, LACHLAN by arming local residents RAMIN AND TIM HONNER formed within the Professional Liverpool Range Zone, the fires. Battling extreme Group Captain Maurice CRAMMOND, GRAHAME with practical skills and fire Willow Tree 2 and Willow Standards Unit to prepare FIREFIGHTER Region North conditions with winds of 120 McMillen and Firefighter MCLEOD, PETER NIXON AND knowledge. More than 500 Tree 7, Willow Tree Rural Fire the NSW RFS response for BRENDON LEWIS kilometres per hour, all crews Barbara McMillen each TIMOTHY STOCKER residents have completed Brigade, Liverpool Range This Commissioner’s ‘Operation Vika’ run by NSW Pacific Palms Rural Fire demonstrated service above received a Commissioner’s Kellyville Rural Fire Brigade, the program, including a new Zone, Region North Certificate of Commendation ICAC. Team members included Brigade, Gloucester Great and beyond the call of duty Certificate of Commendation. The Hills District, version tailored to women was also awarded for the Ms Michelle Wakka (Team Lakes Team, Region East The Willow Tree Brigade to successfully contain both MICHELLE WAKKA Region East and mothers. The success response to the antique store Leader), Ms Jane Hollier, On Monday 17 August 2015, responded to a fire at an fires. Responding brigades: Professional Standards Unit, of the program is evidenced fire in Willow Tree. Secondary Ms Stacey Weston, and Mrs Firefighter Brendon Lewis On Sunday 1 March 2015, unoccupied antique store Clarence/Dargan, South NSW RFS Headquarters through residents’ firefighting response crews arrived on Tania Marelic. The work was was on his way to school to brigades in the Hills District at around 8pm on the 9 Bowenfels, Marrangaroo, equipment, asset protection scene 45 minutes after the complex and challenging; sit a trial HSC exam when On 14 February 2015, Ms May 2015. The intensity of Hartley, Kanimbla, were assisting at the annual zones, well maintained Willow Tree Brigade, following vast quantities of documents he saw an elderly woman Michelle Wakka was acting Wallerawang, Portland, Cullen Tour de Hills bike ride when properties and commitment to the fire meant the antique a call for back up from Incident needed to be collected and crash into a tree. He stopped Manager of the Professional Bullen, Lowther/Hampton, a cyclist and motorbike had a Bush Fire Survival Plans. store couldn’t be saved. The Controller Group Captain catalogued. The team worked immediately to perform first Standards Unit when the NSW Tarana, Rydal, Capertee, Sunny devastating collision early in the Willow Tree crews requested Ken Thornton. These crews professionally and efficiently in aid, all the while working to RFS was served with a search Corner/Meadow Flat, Dark race. On arrival at the scene, VIC FISCHER, DAVID additional resources and included Braefield/Dury 1 and a high pressure environment, keep the woman calm until the Wallabadah 1, with Big Jacks Corner, Palmers Oaky, Lithgow warrant by the Independent a crew from the Kellyville ABERDEEN AND CODY focussed on protecting nearby whilst maintaining strict ambulance arrived. Firefighter Creek 1 operating as a bulk Communications and Hartley Commission Against Brigade found the injured RUNCIMAN properties and residents. The confidentiality and Lewis then carried on to school water carrier. Currabubula and Catering. Corruption (ICAC). It was cyclist was unresponsive. The Kyogle Rural Fire Brigade, Willow Tree crews worked consideration for those around and sat his exam just like Merriwa River members also alleged two employees and crew immediately performed Northern Rivers Zone, alone at the fire for 45 minutes them. any ordinary day. The school provided valuable support. Lower Hunter Zone, one volunteer had committed CPR on the cyclist, ensured Region North doing an outstanding job has always been proud of The timely and professional Region East fraud. Ms Wakka played a lead a defibrillator was ready and to preserve life and limit The Lakes Team Brigades, Firefighter Lewis’ community On Thursday 18 September assistance provided by the Cyclonic winds and torrential role in the Service’s response requested urgent ambulance property damage in challenging Region East service and they were to ICAC’s investigation. At 2014, a crew of four from the secondary responders helped rain pummelled the lower assistance. The crew worked circumstances. They were The day after the April 2015 particularly proud of his actions the conclusion of the public Kyogle Brigade responded to save important buildings and Hunter area on Monday 20 tirelessly on the injured cyclist dealing with gas cylinders ‘Super Storm’ hit the lower on this day. hearing, the ICAC Chief a house fire. On their way to infrastructure for the township April 2015 resulting in flash until paramedics arrived connected to the neighbouring Hunter area local brigades Investigator acknowledged the incident the crew realised of Willow Tree. flooding and massive damage FIREFIGHTER BARBARA declaring the patient deceased. cafe, potentially hazardous responded to an urgent call Ms Wakka’s efforts. “I one of their members, Deputy to buildings. Tragically, four MCMILLEN AND GROUP Kenthurst Rural Fire from the Broadcast Australia would like to express our The whole crew acted with Captain Witton, was growing materials inside the store, residents lost their lives in CAPTAIN MAURICE Brigade, The Hills District, site. Their access road was gratitude for the cooperation professionalism throughout the increasingly unresponsive. downed powerlines and a floodwaters. Local NSW RFS MCMILLEN Region East blocked by fallen trees and and professionalism of RFS event, something that was later As they pulled over, Deputy major highway closure. crews responded to more than Eglington Rural Fire Brigade, they urgently needed to personnel… We are especially acknowledged by the NSW Captain Witton was lapsing The Firewise Resident 1,000 Requests for Assistance Chifley Zone, Region East get a generator into the site grateful to you and everyone Ambulance Inspector on the in and out of consciousness. COMMISSIONER’S CERTIFICATE Awareness Program was also for the NSW State Emergency to continue broadcasting. It was during the State Mine in the Professional Standards scene. They got him out of the truck, awarded a Commissioner’s Service (NSW SES). The Lower OF COMMENDATION (UNIT) Certificate of Commendation Hunter Zone also provided the Important infrastructure Fire of October 2013 that Unit for your hard work and prepared the defibrillator unit Firefighter Barbara McMillen BILL DUNCAN, OAM, CHRIS Awarded for service of (Unit). More information about NSW SES with strike team for the government radio patience”. and administered first aid. and her husband Group Captain TALBERT, SUE TALBERT, a meritorious nature, or the program can be found on crews, liaison officers, aviation network, television and The paramedics and NSW Maurice McMillen proved they RAY HANCOCK AND JENNY for outstanding actions in the previous page (pg. 42). support, media liaison, and radio equipment used by RFS crew worked together would do whatever it takes COMMISSIONER’S UNIT HANCOCK relation to fire service duties, assistance to NSW Police and emergency services is all kept for 25 minutes to stabilise Lithgow District Brigades, to get the job done. For eight CITATION FOR SERVICE Kenthurst Firewise Resident administrative leadership, or Ambulance Service of NSW. at the site. Local brigades and Deputy Captain Witton who Region East days straight they expertly Awareness Program for exemplary performance Some Lower Hunter Brigades specialist chainsaw crews Awarded for service of had gone into cardiac arrest. managed the incident response Coordinating Group of a specific difficult project Two major bush fires struck were also isolated themselves, from Seahampton, Cameron a meritorious nature, or Unfortunately, he did not and strike team deployments Kenthurst Rural Fire Brigade, or task. The Certificate of the Lithgow District on the cut off from communication Park, Wakefield and Dooralong for outstanding actions in regain consciousness and from the Chifley Fire Control The Hills District, Commendation may be 17 October 2013. The State systems and without power. cleared the road, supported by relation to fire service duties, passed away on the way to awarded to an individual or Communications volunteers. In Centre. Group Captain Maurice Region East Mine Gully Fire travelled These brigades remained in McMillen and Firefighter administrative leadership, or for the hospital. The actions of unit for service beyond the 30 kilometres to claim six their communities and assisted less than five hours the crews Barbara McMillen can often be exemplary performance of a The Firewise Resident the crew reflect the NSW RFS scope of responsibility normally dwellings and 18 sheds residents where they could, cleared 34 large trees from found at the Fire Control Centre specific difficult project or task, Awareness Program was traditions of mateship and expected of that person or unit in just one afternoon. On often as the only emergency the road and the crisis was day and night. Their dedication not involving bravery. developed in response to the dealing with extreme adversity. in their assigned duties. the same day, a second service on hand. averted.

32 BUSH FIREbulletin // AWARDS BUSH FIREbulletin // AWARDS 33 As the crow flies, the and other community buildings, In 1980, the year before the Bonville Brigade offered a Bundagen community is 15 as well as a fire station. community was established, Basic Firefighter training course kilometres south of Coffs The gorgeous setting, once the area was subject to a to interested members from Set in an idyllic spot south of Coffs Harbour is a large multiple occupancy community (commune) which is Harbour on the Mid North farmland, is now surrounded legendary bush fire. Locals still Bundagen. An old Leyland Coast. The 313 hectare by the Bongil Bongil National vividly recall the speed of the tanker, transfered to Bonville at extreme risk of bush fire. The Bundagen community was formed 34 years ago and since that time the Bundagen Cooperative hugs fire and the damage it left in its Brigade for use at Bundagen, Park with the great eastern nearby Bonville Brigade have made it their business to ensure the community is well-prepared against bush the land at Bundagen Heads. wake. The fast moving bush was a surprise handover at the The population is currently firebreak, the Pacific Ocean, fire started near the Pacific completion of the course. fire. The relationship between the Bundagen community and the Bonville Brigade has flourished over time. sitting at around 300 people to the east. There is just one Highway, gathered speed, Deputy Captain Viv Gill was housed in nine settlement access road - a gravel road Narelle Swanson, from Bonville Brigade explains. crowned in the tall eucalyptus happy to provide further villages including 70 dwellings through thick forest. forest and burnt a pathway training on the Bundagen all the way to the beach. By property, including drafting the time the Bonville Brigade water from a dam on the reached the fire it was too late, property. By now there was a and they made a wise decision proud crew of eight members to retreat. The fire had travelled with ‘blue spots’ in the five kilometres in just 15 Bundagen community. minutes. Or so the story goes. It was the following fire The fire left a scar on the season, in 1992, that the land that was still apparent Bundagen Cooperative crew the following year when the faced their first real fire test. Bundagen Cooperative was Working with State Forestry formed. It is unknown if the tanker crews and the local fire affected the sale price, but bush fire brigades, they fought it has certainly affected the an extensive forest fire on the occupants ever since. outskirts of the Bundagen land. The founding members of the Unpredictable weather resulted community wisely made fire in an unpredictable fire. All the protection planning a priority. crews involved, including the Within the first year of their Bundagen crew, worked hard arrival, they elected a Fire to contain the out of control Coordinator who, along with blaze. This fire was a success six others, attended a Bonville story; they prevented the fast Brigade meeting in 1982. At moving fire from entering the time these ‘outsiders’ inaccessible swamp and more were unexpected visitors at importantly the Bundagen the brigade meeting and their property. alternative lifestyle was not Following this challenging understood by the locals. bush fire, Rajiva, a Bundagen However, brigade members community member with quickly realised their urgent exceptional leadership skills, need for fire protection and completed the Crew Leader knowledge of fire behavior. course and was elected a Brigade records show that Deputy Captain of Bonville in November 1982 the Coffs Brigade. The Bundagen crew Harbour Fire Control Officer at was now complete. the time, Perc Bulley, issued In 1997 the first joint training the Bundagen Cooperative with day was held by the brigade on its first firefighting equipment: the Bundagen property. This two knapsacks and four saw a further 12 Bundagen Mcleod tools. Some years later Coop members complete basic the Bonville tanker trailer was training. also relocated there. At this stage the Bundagen Basic firefighter training Coop had a wealth of was still a new concept in trained firefighters but Coffs Harbour in 1988. So their opportunity to attend when a crew from Bundagen callouts was limited by volunteered for night patrol at a communications. Even when forest fire in Bonville, they were a landline phone cable was bravely fronting up to their first established in the community, fire with no formal training. they had very few telephones Following that experience, the to take advantage of it. There Bundagen people developed were no answering machines a real thirst for structured or mobile phones and pagers firefighting training. were not an option. As a After another fire to the north solution, the Bonville Brigade of the property in 1991 the purchased Citizen Band ABOVE: 1991: Some of the original Bundagen-Coop members with their newly acquired Leyland tanker and Bonville Brigade Captain Vivian Gill. Photos by Narelle Swanson, except where indicated

34 BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 35 (CB) radios for their trucks, to welcome new members Water sources and vehicle In 2014, the Mid North Coast Bundagen CFU members the station and a base at from the coop. For many it access were inspected and NSW RFS proposed that a through their training at the Bundagen. The CB radios were was simply a way of accessing members looked around the Community Fire Unit (CFU) be main house, where they also Throughout the useful, but the signal was often basic fire training in order to many villages on foot. The established on the Bundagen took delivery of their new CFU blocked by forest. better defend their community. visit revealed potential access Coop land, thus fulfilling the trailer. years the brigade desire of the community to Others became more fully issues for the bigger fire trucks Later both groups gathered at As the Bundagen population have their own autonomous involved in brigade life; driving due to overhanging trees, these the north dam for exercises continued to grew and expanded their fire unit. bush fire safety mitigation were soon cleared. with pumps and hoses. Twenty property holding, the activities in the Bundagen welcome new Over the years, access to water Local community members CFU members, resplendent community purchased their community. has been markedly improved responded enthusiastically in their new blue PPE gear, members from own replacement truck, to the CFU training, held in proficiently worked their sourced with the help of the In 2007 permission was with the installation of an granted for the Bonville underground tank to the main August 2015 alongside a joint portable pumps. It was great the Coop. For local fire control officers. Brigade to visit and inspect the house, new dams and each training day. This provided a to see a few of the original many it was Throughout the following Bundagen property. A grand villages’ water tank now had valuable opportunity to build Bundagen firefighters still years the brigade continued tour of the land commenced. storz fittings. relationships between the actively participating! A similar simply a way Bundagen Coop members and number of crew in yellows the neighbouring brigades of practiced drafting water from of accessing Boambee and Repton. open water sources and relay basic fire The joint exercise began pumping. with brigades assembling at A valuable discussion about training, others the Repton Brigade Station. equipment and resources became more The Cat 1 and Cat 2 tankers continued over a fabulous took the main access road lunch provided by the fully involved to Bundagen and the Cat 7, Bundagen Coop. The exchange 9 and Group Officer Vehicle of local knowledge and fire in brigade life; were sent to do a recce of the awareness was exceptionally driving bush fire bumpy southern access road. valuable to both groups. On arrival brigades were met At the conclusion of the day it safety mitigation by community members who was clear this new generation familiarised them with the of Bundagen community activities in layout and resources in the firefighters had the same pride the Bundagen community. It was a new and enthusiasm for their role as experience for many brigade the very first group in 1991. community. members to see entire villages with no fences or gates. Community Safety Officer Jamie Bertram guided

TOP RIGHT: Basic Firefighter training in 1991 was completed on Bundagen land. The five members pictured from Bundagen and Bonville Brigades TOP LEFT: 2007: The Bonville Cat 1 checking access to Bundagen via an alternate north access gate through the Bongil Bongil National Park. CENTRE: were proud winners of the Black Stump Trophy. Wendy Crampton (second from right) is current Senior Deputy Captain of Bonville Brigade. Photo by 2015. NSW RFS officers were happy to answer questions for Bundagen CFU members. ABOVE: AUGUST 2015: The freshly minted Community Fire Narelle Swanson. ABOVE: The two leaders who helped develop fire awareness and training over many years: Rajiva from Bundagen (left) became a Unit at Bundagen Coop. Photos by Jamie Bertram Deputy Captain of Bonville Brigade and Bonville Captain Viv Gill (1991 and 1997) offered multiple training sessions to the community over the years

36 BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 37 Fire in the mallee woodlands A history of troublesome fire suppression

38 BUSH FIREbulletin // FIRE BEHAVIOUR BUSH FIREbulletin // FIRE BEHAVIOUR 39 ABOVE LEFT: Spotting ahead of the fire front is a common danger in mallee fires. Occurring quickly and in several directions at once, this is the ABOVE: It is the discontinuous fuel that makes fire behaviour in mallee areas so different to forests and grass fires. PAGES 38-39 This photo of main cause of fire spread. Photo by Bill Britt. ABOVE RIGHT: A lot of litter fuel within ‘mallee clumps’ can lead to intense localised burning. the mallee fire near Menindee in March 2015 shows a low-intensity fire spreading in discontinuous fuels, characteristic of mallee shrublands. BOTTOM RIGHT: The Mallee Bushfire Prevention Scheme includes an extensive network of fire trails totalling 1,500km. National Parks and Wildlife High-intensity fire is required to overcome the areas of patchy fuel. Photos by Bill Britt Service staff, John Brickhill and Brett Pengilley , who have worked alongside the NSW RFS to reduce hazard and maintain fire trails in the area. Photos by Robyn Favelle

and Commonwealth Scientific Dr Miguel Cruz, Research Scientist easily jump across bare ground any length of time, it is likely Far West Team Operations Officer, burning back from these areas The area south of Menindee in Far West NSW is and Industrial Research at the CSIRO Bushfire Dynamics and quickly move between to crown. These fires are Robyn Favelle is also an effective tactic. known locally as ‘mallee country’ due to the unique Organisation (CSIRO). and Applications trees, high and low. Fire burning particularly hot and dangerous. A program of complete fire in this vegetation is particularly shrub and woodland found in the area. Mallee is Vegetation in the mallee is The Mallee Bushfire Prevention Mallee is a common name In order for a fire to spread protection for the area is susceptible to wind changes, some of the most flammable vegetation found in composed of a continuous Scheme encompasses given to eucalypts that sprout across the surface of ‘mallee unfortunately not considered adding to the erratic fire semi-arid Australia. Fires burn intensely and behave stand of many trees up to an area of approximately stunted, multiple stems from clumps’ a particular flame possible. an underground tuber, as behaviour. 15 feet high, and following 23,800 square kilometres structure is required. When erratically due to the sheer amount of surface fuel opposed to the more common The patches of bare ground do abnormal winter rain, a heavy Because of the unique this type of flame reaches the mallee gums produce and because the nearby in far western NSW. Local eucalypt trees that grow tall successfully slow the spread litter and hanging bark ribbons growth of corkscrew grass characteristics of the mallee government administration is and proud with a single trunk. of low-intensity fires. In order porcupine grass and speargrasses are also quick over a metre tall. This fuel area, in 1972 councils in divided between three local - underneath the mallee clump Mallee woods and shrub-lands for a fire to keep spreading to burn. can mature and cure rapidly the region encouraged local government areas; Cobar, canopy - crown combustion are located in semi-arid areas for a long time, a solid, self- bush fire brigades to form Carrathool and Central Darling usually occurs. In early March 2015, lightning sparked a fire on a encouraging large, dangerous of southern Australia. They are sustaining fire front needs to fires in the mallee, where fuel an organisation focused Shires. Currently there are develop, enabling a fire to jump It is the discontinuous fuel that large grazing property in the Far West of NSW, particularly common where is otherwise patchy. on protecting pastoral land approximately 1,500km of the borders of South Australia, the patches of bare ground. makes fire behaviour in mallee south of Menindee. The fire burnt with great adjacent to mallee areas. The maintained fire trails within the Ignitions from natural causes NSW and Victoria meet, as The moisture content of dead- areas so different to forests and organisation was tasked with Mallee Bushfire Prevention fuel has been found to be the grass fires. When you are faced intensity, easily jumping a road four metres wide such as lightning account for well as in southern Western and spotting ahead of itself in two directions. It constructing fire trails and Scheme area. Australia. This vegetation key factor that determines with a situation where the well over half of the recorded undertaking hazard reduction how long a fire will continue The extensive wildfires often sees multi-stemmed flame front reaches a certain was a good example of the challenge firefighters fires. Usually, strikes occur work. eucalypts in the canopy and to burn. Research has found recorded throughout the past size, it can turn a broken flame in the area have faced for many years. The photos from dry thunderstorms hummock grasses, such as that fuel moisture lower than The Mallee Bushfire Prevention front into a dangerous, fully- on these pages, taken by Inspector Bill Britt, clearly approaching from the west, century illustrate just how spinifex and shrubs closer to around eight to 10 percent Scheme was developed volatile fires in the mallee area fledged crown fire – capable of show the heat and intensity of fire in mallee country. so we most often see fires the ground. The mallee woods allows a solid flame front to abruptly changing direction. In with active support from the can be. Records date back develop. Other influencing running from west to east. are characterised by low fuel these circumstances fires will Western Lands Commission to large wildfires in 1917/18 loads, a high proportion of dead factors such as wind speed and Here Inspector Robyn Favelle, Operations Officer, cross discontinuous fuel gaps Experience has taught us that and the Bush Fire Council of and 1921/22, with huge fires fuel and patchy growth. It is fuel cover also have a noted NSW RFS Far West Team, explains the history the most effective way to NSW. The National Parks and burning from Menindee to common to see shrubs and impact on how long the fire will with ease. of bush fire suppression in mallee country, while control major fires in the area Wildlife Service and State Cobar recorded in 1931/32. grasses separated by patches burn – after a self-sustained This is particularly challenging Research Scientist Dr Miguel Cruz explains why is to steer fires into natural Forests also became involved Further large wildfires were of bare ground, often referred and continuous front has taken when planning hazard reduction reducing hazards in this kind of vegetation has barriers or prepared trails. The as land and resource managers. recorded in the Cobar, Mt to as ‘fuel discontinuity’. hold. Wind also plays a big part burning, because it limits the in fire behaviour. proved challenging. trails need to be wide enough Expertise was also provided Hope, Hillston and Roto areas All of the dead vegetation on the window of acceptable burning to give firefighters a chance to by the NSW Department of during 1939/40,1956/57, ground feeds fires, particularly If a fire really gets going in conditions, compared to fires in control the blaze. Alternatively, Land and Water Conservation 1969/70, 1974/75 and 1984/85 intense fires, enabling them to mallee country and burns for other types of fuel.

40 BUSH FIREbulletin // FIRE BEHAVIOUR BUSH FIREbulletin // FIRE BEHAVIOUR 41 Volunteer in profile

Name: John Davison managing crews in the field weeks we do a stint at the Fire time. There were lots of trees Year joined: 1983 during fires. At incidents we Control Centre. We can also be coming down around us - it’s Current role: Group Captain are always looking at the bigger deployed interstate at any time one of the gambles we take out picture and operating tactically. to assist with fires. in the field. D/T/Z: Mid North Coast What are some of the What inspires you to keep Why would you encourage qualifications you’ve obtained volunteering and what is the community members to become !( since becoming a NSW RFS most rewarding part of your involved with their local member? personal involvement with the NSW RFS? Everyone starts with the NSW RFS? The NSW RFS is for everyone basics so you can get out on a Working with the other who has time. Don’t think truck and work under officers’ firefighters. Firefighters come that because you come from supervision. Then there are from a cross section of society, an urban area, you won’t be multiple training options from Prime Ministers to 16 year useful. There’s a job for almost right through to Advanced olds who have just left school. everyone, whether its first aid, What first inspired you to join Firefighter, Crew Leader and There’s great camaraderie, radio operations, firefighting, Group Leader. the NSW RFS, and how long have and you meet people from a logistics, or support brigades. I also value my role as range of fields. In the last few We have people from 16 up you been a member? Chairman of the Bush Fire years we have had a rewarding into their 80s who come into I started in 1983 following a Management Committee. We relationship with local councils the control rooms, operate move from Canberra onto a liaise with other departments through regular communication. efficiently, and do their bit. rural property. I struck fires such as National Parks, The training you get is Of course I also relish the nationally accredited, so you that first year. All the farmers Councils and Forestry in the challenge of working out in the area got together, but we Mid North Coast area. We can take it with you wherever how to ‘stop the beast from you go in life. GET READY WEEKEND weren’t particularly organised make plans for the year ahead running!’ when we fought the fires and I for important fire mitigation thought there had to be a better activities like hazard reduction. You were recently the joint You have travelled to many parts 10-11 SEPTEMBER, 2016 way. That was the catalyst for I also sit on various sub- winner of Rotary’s second annual me to join the NSW RFS. committees, such as the of Australia fighting fires. Tell us Emergency Services Volunteer Operations Sub-committee about an experience that had a of the Year Awards 2015. Your current role is Group and Disciplinary Committee, profound impact on you? Captain in the Mid North Coast. of which I’m Chairman. In Congratulations! What are your #GETREADYWEEKEND IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BRIGADES TO ENGAGE WITH addition to this I enjoy my The Victorian fires of February thoughts on winning this award? What does this role entail? role as a training assessor 2009. I was on the first It was an honour to win, but I’m I help manage 52 brigades and coordinator, helping train shift after the fires had run THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR BUSH FIRES. people in specialist areas such through; we were deployed to just one of many people who and 10 Group Officers across could have been nominated and two districts: Hastings and as chainsaw operations and Marysville, where many lives prescribed burning. were lost. The utter devastation won. I’ll just keep doing what Manning. It’s important to have I’m doing. a clear chain of command. was shocking. Management sit at the top How many hours a week/year do Also, on a personal note, there Interview by Jo Atkins. Photo and and Group Officers are middle you estimate you volunteer with was an ACT firefighter in our story published with permission management. We act as a division who was struck by a from Greater Port Macquarie Focus magazine conduit between staff and the NSW RFS? tree and killed while fighting volunteers. We focus on This can vary from a few hours the fires, so this has certainly managing volunteers in their a week, to all week, depending stuck in my mind. He was in INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? VISIT MYRFS everyday work, training and on fire activity. Every five to six the wrong place at the wrong 42 BUSH FIREbulletin // xxx BUSH FIREbulletin // SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS 43 From the inside out Christchurch Over the last 30 years Peter Kenyon has worked with over 1,600 communities in Australia and overseas to create fresh and creative ways to stimulate the community Earthquake BUILDING COMMUNITY WITHIN A CHANGING WORLD and create economic renewal in the process. Peter is a passionate social capitalist. Many NSW RFS members may remember him as a popular speaker at the 2014 Australian Disaster Many brigades have become an integral part of their community because they know the secret to driving Community Engagement and Fire Awareness Conference. Recovery change must come from within. Community engagement means something different to each brigade, and so it should; there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach guaranteed to make a difference. I believe, after family, there we can create communities agendas and look at how we I spent the last few years probably isn’t any other social from the top down. If you read might weave in with what the working in Christchurch after What we do know, however, is that working together with your individual community ‘from the inside institution as important as stories in the media you would community cares about. the devastating earthquakes community. think we live in an economy, “There is no power for change in Canterbury. The impact on out’ is a sure-fire way to yield results. Whether it is street parties, working with young people, making that population is something I Community is just so valuable. not a community. That is greater than a community yourself available at community events or inviting locals to the station – you know your community best have never seen anywhere on It is the glue that gives context how little is mentioned about discovering what it cares about.“ and you know how to get the conversation started. And if you don’t, read on for 11 practical tips from a to our lives and it certainly community. the globe. Margaret Wheatley community development specialist on how to mobilise your community into action. gives us that context of place. “I work from the firm belief The response overall from But community ‘aint what it that whatever the issue, So how do we adopt these Government, I think, has used to be!’ community is the answer.” methodologies for increasing been pathetic. But what Most communities can be Margaret Wheatley resident participation in bush it has taught me is how compared to a rugby game fire awareness? community can respond where 30,000 people who I have continually seen this in to these challenging need the exercise turn up to operation. KEY #3 circumstances. The day of watch 36 players who don’t. Ernesto Sirolli wrote an Start where people are that first earthquake, there What we have seen in the amazing book called Ripples was an amazing mobilisation last 50 years is a killing off of from the Zambezi, and in it Why do we come in and that came from within the community. he talks about facilitating this dump a whole bunch of new community. There was, For eight years I headed the incredible power that lies activities on the neighbourhood for example, the Rangiora Employment Department in within community, he said: and attempt to create our own Earthquake Express: this was Western Australia. I was a networks? Maybe we need to “The future of every one woman who saw what senior bureaucrat that had a start where people are already. community lies in capturing was happening on TV in the cavalry under me who used the passion, imagination and I have learnt there may be morning and by late afternoon to go into communities to try resources of its people.” smarter ways to engage had mobilised two helicopters and build communities from people than information stalls and a whole pile of trucks the top down and from the Ernesto Sirolli delivering blankets, food and outside in. I have come to the and meetings. Maybe the good That is the simple message everything else she sensed conclusion that you can never old street party is where we I want to leave with you. We affected people would need. build communities from the top need to start? need to realise that within our down and the outside in. One of my jobs has been to communities there are amazing Relationships take time. facilitate ‘cafe conversation’ The only way to build resources and it is worth the Relationships take engagement nights in suburbs around communities is from the inside effort of trying to unlock that in normal things. We are so out. potential. keen to get the engagement Christchurch and to get that we want, we often don’t people to reflect on what The consequence of many To me effective community they want their community practices in community commit to building friendships building starts with the to be in future. What I have development over the past 50 first. acknowledgement that the found really interesting is that years has led to the majority of people who live in these so few people want to talk people becoming spectators in communities have insights KEY #4 their community. Have fun about physical stuff. They and an understanding of place want to talk about how to I am one of those people that we, or anyone from the “Why call a meeting when you retain the sense of community outside, will never have. looking to reignite the spirit can have a party?” that they have discovered of community, where people Jim Diers through the disaster. Since the stop waiting for the cavalry Key #2 earthquakes the streets have to arrive and start taking local Start with what the community I cannot understand this come alive, people now know responsibility. cares about pre-occupation with calling the names of their neighbours, Here are 11 quick tips based meetings where everyone there is a whole new life going on my experiences that will So often we come in to a sits facing the front. Then on in their neighbourhoods. hopefully be of value to you: community with an agenda. we call that consultation. We Now they are asking We come with the fact that need to look at doing things in themselves: why didn’t we KEY #1 we want everyone to become ways that get people excited. have this sense of community Believe in the power more aware of fire danger Food is a great place to start, prior to the disaster? We of community for example. Well, maybe something that is not lost on would have coped so much our agenda might not be the many NSW RFS members! We better. This is a necessity. For 50 starting point. Maybe we need need to become a lot smarter years we have held a belief that to start with other people’s about the way we do things.

ABOVE: “Relationships take time. Build friendships with your community first,” says Peter Kenyon. Photo by Sharon Quandt 44 BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 45 Get to Know Create your own response Stories help to demystify. They the Neighbour inspire and motivate. They help Sam Johnson is a 21–year-old from Christchurch. people identify what they have One of the events we The day of the very first earthquake he rang the local have organised in our local authority and spoke to the emergency coordinator. got and above all, they help to community is called ‘Get He said: “I have seen the stuff on TV and I want to do to Know the Neighbour’. If something”. The guy says: “Well, we are not taking celebrate... you are willing to invite over everyone. I’ll check your skills against our list of at least six neighbours for requirements. No, Sam, sorry we don’t think there is If you want to excite people, morning tea, or afternoon tea role for you. Thank you for offering.” excite them through story. or drinks in the driveway, the But this does not stop this young man. That very local IGA will give you a $60 day he created the Student Volunteer Army. Using All of us need to be become voucher to help you do it! You his social media skills he mobilised 9,000 young will get $200 if you invite the people to conduct clean-up operations around the story tellers. entire street! city. Overall the Student Volunteer Army gave 75,000 It’s called bribery, but boy hours and moved 36,000 tonnes of silt, sludge and it’s actually starting to work. rubble. Believe it or not, in a four- Sam is a great example of what is actually possible. month period we have had He was rejected by our traditional ways of evaluating “Just one thing...” 45 of these street parties. people but he made an incredible contribution nonetheless. A 35-year-old attends her first Parents and Friends Group at her child’s local Catholic school in a little community in central Queensland. You know those annual meetings when you happen to be ABOVE: “Why call a meeting when you can call a party?” says Peter Kenyon. Food can help make Community the only person not staring at your shoes when they call for Engagement fun. Photo by Rob Van Elven nominations for President. Well she is the only one staring forward and she ends up as the President! She turns up at her first meeting to discover there are only four others on building community is a thing safety? It could even be your KEY #5 #KEY 6 the board. called conversation. It is the own story. KEY #8 to hold hands with other Start with conversation, Communicate with stories organisations and groups. We way we have always related as If you want to excite people, In 2012 only five percent of families at the school not information Recognise and reward need to instigate collaboration human beings, it is the way we not concepts, figures and excite them through story. involvement and volunteers contributed to the Parents and Friends Group, which is “A community is not have always made decisions, All of us need to be become and partnership with people. If pretty typical of most P&C Groups in our schools. Last year spreadsheets you want to go fast, go alone. a community without it is the way we have planned story tellers. “I could live for a whole month 85 percent of parents contributed. How did she move from off a good compliment.” If you want to go further, go conversation. action. “Storytelling is the most together. Isn’t that a wonderful five percent engagement to 85 percent? Mark Twain “The two words information The one thing we need to powerful way to put ideas into KEY #7 proverb out of Africa? Sometimes success comes down to the simple stuff. This and communication are often learn in our community is the world today.” Don’t sit on your community Volunteer burnout is usually due woman said there was no way the group was going to used interchangeably, but how to find creative ways Robert McKee assets to people feeling unappreciated, #KEY 11 cope with the range of demands expected of them, the they signify quite different to create conversations that undervalued and unsupported. list was long and included support for classroom teachers People do not relate to the “Every community has far more Excite and mobilise young people things. Information is giving resonate. to fundraising. So what did they do in that first meeting? abstract! Stories help to assets than any one person Give a group of young people a out; communication is getting KEY #9 They simply divided up everything that a typical Parents and What do the French Revolution demystify. They inspire and knows.” task and boy do they turn it on! throu g h.” Friends Group did into these categories: Social; Pastoral; and the Arab Spring have in motivate. They help people Join the virtual world Mike Green Recently I have heard young Resourcing; Financing; Fundraising; Environmental and Sydney Harris common? They both started in identify what they have got and – use social media people referred to as ‘the leaders I think one of your first jobs Education. coffee shops. above all, they help to celebrate. In our community we have of tomorrow’. They are not We often give people booklets in engaging community is spent $85,000 building a leaders of tomorrow, they are She wrote to every family saying: “Just one thing: engage and brochures and consider it Our success will come back to What is your story collection? doing an ‘asset map’ of your website called ‘all we need is the co-participants of today. our creativity in being able to with your child’s school and do just one thing to help us.” communication. We need to What is it that you are able to community. Begin to discover right here’ and it is the most We have got to engage this Believe it or not, within two weeks, 45 percent of parents go back to basics. The oldest structure effective conversation share about why people should all of the amazing assets incredible, interactive website. group. They bring their own had responded and more than half of them chose more tool we have in the toolbox of spaces. get interested in bush fire present in each community. We all need to get into social unique talents, as well as fresh than one activity to be involved in. People engaged in what media and find creative ways to perspectives, great collaboration they cared about. take action. skills, ability to stretch the Two weeks after that, she wrote to the 55 percent who dollar, passion about issues, Young people on the move Key #10 impatience, idealism, media hadn’t responded saying: “Listen, you must have missed Move beyond silo thinking savvy skills and they know what my first letter, I am writing to you a second time. How and action other young people think and about doing just one thing for your child’s school?” Believe Have you been to the little town of Tumbarumba? Well here is five years, more than 150 of their young people have done that want. it or not another 20 percent signed up – so she is now up to a group who really understand how to interact with and engage walk supported by over 100 people from the community. In “I can’t save the world on my 65 percent. their young people. that experience they discover themselves, they discover what own, it will take at least three Two weeks after that she rings the 35 percent who hadn’t For the past five years, in a joint initiative between the Bendigo leadership is about, they discover what teamwork is about and of us!” they discover something about making a difference. responded and said: “You must have missed my two Community Bank, the school, the local Shire and the Chamber Bill Mollison, founder of letters; I am now ringing you”. And she gets another 20 of Commerce, they have raised money to send every Year 11 They then come back and boy do they get engaged in their permaculture in Australia and 12 student on the Kokoda Trail for two weeks. community! I believe this is one community that does not percent engaged. We have got to stop thinking struggle to find volunteers. Could you imagine the impact of every one of your young we are the only ones ‘doing This year 85 percent of families are doing something in people having the chance to walk the Kokoda Trail? In the past stuff’ and start holding hands that school. with other people. We need

46 BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUSH FIREbulletin // COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 47 A major milestone

On Saturday 5 September Special guests included NSW and representatives from a A special cake was made by BRIGADE IN PROFILE 2015, Bundanoon Brigade RFS Region East Inspector range of important community Bundanoon Auxiliary member members and special guests Kerry Parkinson, who unveiled organisations. Special mention Val Rooke and beautifully joined together to celebrate a plaque to mark the occasion; was made of Mrs Betty Shipway decorated by her young friend. A the Brigade’s 75th Anniversary. the Hon. Pru Goward, MP for and her sister Mrs Mary Quigg, wonderful painting by local artist The date was chosen to Goulburn; Mr Angus Taylor, MP both original members of the Ken Evans was donated as first coincide with Bundanoon’s for Hume; Clr. Joanna Gash, Brigade Auxiliary when it was prize in a raffle, with a basket of sesquicentenary (150th) Mayor of Shoalhaven, and Clrs. formed in 1976. luxury items as second prize. Ian Scandrett and Jim Clark, anniversary. More than 80 Inspector Parkinson presented After the official ceremony both from the Wingecarribee people attended the event and a commemorative plaque from and cutting of the cake by Ms Shire Council. Inspector David Stimson from Commissioner Fitzsimmons Goward and Mr Taylor, guests the Southern Highlands Team Guests also included past to Captain Craig Rowley and enjoyed a lovely afternoon tea did a great job as MC. Captains and Life Members Brigade President John Brock. provided by the Auxiliary.

Name of Brigade: Bundanoon with a water tank and pump, bulkier, Cat 1 Isuzu tanker. This What vehicles do you have? Year brigade formed: 1940 knapsacks, rakes and shovels. extension was officially opened Currently the brigade has a Current Captain: Craig Rowley A small Rugby car was the third in May 1995 together with a 2003 Cat 1 Isuzu tanker and Current President: John Brock vehicle purchased to complete memorial plaque dedication the fleet. for Bob Page who was killed a 2013 Ford Ranger PC that District: Wingecarribee/ fighting fires in Double Duke was fitted out by the brigade. Southern Highlands In 1959, the NSW Board of Fire State Forest near Grafton in A 21-seater Nissan bus is also Commissioners acquired the garaged at the station. fire station and a Town Brigade 1994. Since then an office and was formed. At that point the equipment storeroom have Bush Fire Brigade relocated to been added to the building. What training do you conduct a large shed in Birriga Avenue. and how do you go about it? What types of incidents does Another notable bush fire Training is very important. swept through the area your brigade attend? Comprehensive training on the 6 March 1965. The Bundanoon is situated on the sessions are held every Chatsbury Fire started outside western boundary of Morton Wednesday night with Goulburn and raced towards National Park with extensive occasional weekend exercises, Bundanoon, devastating bush on the town’s doorstep. often including neighbouring Can you give us a brief history Tallong and Wingello, on the Currently the brigade has 22 brigades. These courses of your brigade? way. Burning on a wide front, active firefighters, eight non- are run by two training the fire reached the outskirts It all started in 1939 when active and a 20-person strong officers, supported by other of Bundanoon later that day. Auxiliary. The brigade attends members and staff from the the area was hit by disastrous All available resources were on bush fires that swept through bush and grass fires, car Wingecarribee Fire Control deck and local firefighters were Bundanoon to claim 12 homes. accidents, structural fires and Centre. glad of help from Holdsworthy The fires propelled locals into provides backup to the local Army Camp troops. The fire action and a loose group of NSW Fire and Rescue Unit. burnt for eight long days. A What community events does volunteers formed – each of wedding scheduled for the Members regularly attend them committed to combatting your brigade participate in? Saturday was delayed because out-of-area fires with crews the fires. Their equipment travelling all over the country The brigade has been heavily consisted of beaters made the vicar was fighting the fire; involved in community the local paper later noted the to assist their interstate of hessian bags and old boot engagement programs since bridegroom’s mother wore colleagues. They’ve sent leathers screwed to a wooden 1994, including visiting schools, ‘burnt-brown’ accessories. deployments up north to handle. These rudimentary Bundaberg in Queensland Rotary, Probus and garden tools were stored in the lock- Meanwhile terrified kangaroos, and down to South Australia, clubs, as well as running up of the local Police Station, trapped on cliff tops, drank as well as assisting with hail town and street meetings. where a large brass bell was water from firefighters’ damage clean-up closer to The brigade also offers the mounted on a pole. The bell helmets. home in Sydney’s eastern Secondary School Cadets was tolled when bush fire hit In 1976 Bundanoon Brigade program and welcomes the and could be heard all over suburbs in 1999. Members will Captain Peter Mangold never forget the experiences local pre-school at the station. the village. This same bell suggested an Auxiliary be they had when assisting at Members enjoy getting out now hangs proudly in the formed to raise funds for a major bush fires in Canberra, and about in the community Bundanoon Brigade station. more suitable building. Once Victoria and the Blue to take part in events such as again a huge fundraising drive The first vehicle the group had Mountains. Brigadoon, the Highland Fling was a 1924 Garford. When the ensued. This resulted in a Mountain Bike Race, Anzac TOP LEFT: Bundanoon Brigade members: Ron Redfern, Ken Rooke, fantastic station being built bell rang the driver would often What are some unique skills and Day March and International Tim Stirton, Barry Miller. TOP RIGHT: Captain Craig Rowley with stop by the pub to pick up his that boasted two vehicle bays, Carriage Club Championships, twin brother Senior Deputy Captain Dean Rowley at the 75th a meeting room, toilets and a Anniversary celebrations. CENTRE LEFT: Life member David crew! features of your brigade? to name a few. shower. The same station is Lidgard with wife Kay, and longest serving Auxiliary members In 1946, after much fundraising Bundanoon sent 12 members still in use today on Burgess Bundanoon is an incredibly Betty Shipway and Mary Quigg. CENTRE MIDDLE: Fire Mitigation and voluntary labour, a fire to the Sydney Olympics in supportive community and Officer Wendy Smith with her husband, Group Captain Andrew station was built on Anzac Street in Bundanoon. 2000 as part of the ‘Olympic its brigade is proud to have Smith. CENTRE RIGHT: Mr Angus Taylor, MP for Goulburn at the Parade in Bundanoon. The Following more exhaustive Volunteers in Policing’ VIP 75th Anniversary celebration. BOTTOM LEFT: Superintendent Kerry brigade was expanding and a fundraising by the Auxiliary, team. This was a truly amazing protected the village from fire for the past 75 years. Parkinson presents a plaque to Captain Craig Rowley and President second vehicle was required. A another vehicle bay was added and infinitely memorable John Brock GMC was purchased and fitted in 1994/95 to house the new, experience. Written by Rosemary Page

48 BUSH FIREbulletin // BRIGADE IN PROFILE BUSH FIREbulletin // BRIGADE IN PROFILE 49 Volunteer in profile

Volunteers at The Peak View Brigade in Monaro District took the occasion of Ray Barron’s retirement from his role of Group Captain to thank him for his steady wisdom and volunteering spirit. Ray Barron had been Group Captain for ten years but has held a range of leadership roles at the Peak View Brigade since 1957. Ray’s wife, Margaret was the Brigade Call Out Officer long before this was an official position and has been a patient supporter of Ray throughout. The following is the speech written by incoming Group Captain, Warren Schofield, which he presented at Cooma Monaro Group Captains and Captains post The 10-week program has to teach the program at the experience and knowledge that season meeting held at the Cooma Monaro Fire Control Centre in April 2016. been successfully running at school and really get to know would be very useful if you the school for seven years but the students in the process. ever found yourself in a bush this is the first time they have Mr Halliday said it’s an added fire,” she said. bonus if, at the end of the On behalf of myself, the Peak excitement have died down could ask for. He hates talking had a female-only group. The Northern Tablelands Cadet Name: Ray Barron program, students go on to View Bush Fire Brigade and all you still find people like Ray on the radio, can’t read a map, Tenterfield High teacher and Coordinator, Martin Mooney, is Year joined: 1957 volunteer. Usually at least the volunteer bush fire brigade mopping up and blacking out – never writes anything down program facilitator, Helen full of praise for the volunteer Current role: Retiring from his role a couple of graduates take members of the Monaro, I simply because it needs to be and I’m fairly sure he ate all my Clothier, said the program group who run the program as Group Captain the next step and become would like to thank Ray for his done. He only goes back to his chocolate biscuits. But I’m glad has numerous benefits. “This each week. Led by Wayne D/T/Z: Peak View Brigade, Monaro members. many years of service as a life once the job is complete. he was there, because when I year’s group of girls have really Halliday and Robert Duff the volunteer, Peak View Captain Ray never volunteered or joined had to make decisions on what benefitted from the program. NSW RFS cadet Emily Ryan team include Trevor Hessel, and most recently for the past The Secondary School the Peak View Brigade. He was I thought needed to be done I Every year they really enjoy said the program offers a Trevor Vollbon and Dennis ten years, Group Captain for conscripted simply because he knew if Ray agreed then those Cadet Program has it – it’s good for them in a great combination of fun and Pollard. “They do such a good the Monaro Region. things did need to be done. education. “Learning about job, the cadets really come out is part of that community and become somewhat variety of ways. They get in and The first reference I could the NSW RFS is a great of their shells. Once they feel it is a given that he be there to Someone once told me “the really click. It gives them an find of Ray attending a bush protect the community. I feel best way to gain experience experience, you are doing comfortable and get hooked on of an institution at opportunity to learn leadership fire was when a bloke called fortunate to live at Peak View is follow those who already something worthwhile that is Tenterfield High School, skills that they might not learn the program, their enthusiasm Moses reported a burning bush where the bush fire brigade have it.” in the classroom. I’ve seen enjoyable at the same time,” is contagious,” he said. near Mt Sinai. Shoving a corn is not something you join, it is Peak View are not letting Ray but the most recent it bring out the best in some she explains. beef sandwich in his pocket something you are. “There has been a gradual retire from his duties, he will students,” Helen said. and a wet potato sack over his group to graduate Fellow Cadet Leyla Campbell increase in the percentage of In today’s world of bureaucracy still be at bush fires when shoulder, Ray saddled up his The 15 girls have certainly agreed and said the focus on girls within the program over and red tape we seem to required - maybe not wearing looked a little different. trusty horse called Peak View 7 kept the NSW RFS crew on the practical elements of the the last couple of years, but it be losing more and more the same hat, but always in the and off he went. All 15 participants were their toes according to Group program has her thinking about was certainly a surprise to end people like Ray as volunteers same capacity, as Ray. joining the NSW RFS when she up with 15 from 15 this year.” To me Ray epitomises the word because they cannot adapt Captain Wayne Halliday, who When I am next attending a girls. The program was leaves school. volunteer, he steps out of the to the system. I think we oversees the program. He bush fire, I will seek Ray out shadows when he is needed, could be better situated if the such a resounding said their involvement was “You learn how to use the for advice because he has over he doesn’t need lights and system learned to adapt and mirrored by the rapidly rising pumps and equipment; they are 60 years of knowledge and success that a number sirens, recognition of rank or accommodate the Rays of our number of women involved in really useful skills,” she said. TOP: Tenterfield High School experience with bush fires and medals on his chest, he is there communities. of young women are the NSW RFS. “We’ve seen an held their first ever all-female knows what needs to be done. “It would be great to be in the because he is needed. increase of women in the NSW NSW RFS in the future.” Secondary School Cadet program. In 2014 Ray declined to be Div- keen to take their “Once they feel comfortable Written by Group Captain RFS right across our state. He takes charge of a situation Com during the Murrumbucca Warren Schofield training further and This program provides a good Cadet Sonya Campbell-Astruc and get hooked on the program, and does what is needed to fire and I was asked to take his introduction into the Service said that the lessons learnt in their enthusiasm is contagious,” be done, not for admiration or place. The first thing I did was become members in and volunteering itself,” program are valuable when said Northern Tablelands Cadet self-gratification but simply request that Ray be my scribe. living in a rural area like she Coordinator Martin Mooney. the future. he said. because it was needed to be I would have to say Ray would does and she is thinking about Photos by Helen Clothier done. When all the flames and have to be the worst scribe you Each week five NSW RFS becoming a volunteer in future. members volunteer their time “The cadets provide you with

50 BUSH FIREbulletin // YOUNG PEOPLE BUSH FIREbulletin // SPOTLIGHT ON VOLUNTEERS 51 BUSH FIREbulletin Why should your brigade become a THE JOURNAL OF THE NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE Deductible Gift Recipient? An interview with Andrew Macdonald, Trustee NSW Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund

What is DGR and how does it Do brigades have to become How do brigades access the principle purpose of the impact brigades? a DGR? their money held by the brigade and in support of NSW RFS Central Fund? activities that are associated DGR stands for Deductible No, it is not compulsory. with the brigade’s volunteer Gift Recipient which is a legal Brigade treasurers have online But why wouldn’t a brigade based fire and emergency status given to an entity, like access to their brigade’s want their financial supporters service activities. Donated a NSW RFS brigade, by the money held in the NSW RFS (donors) to be able to claim a funds cannot pay for brigade Australian Taxation Office. Central Fund bank account tax deduction? Christmas parties and alcohol. Bodies with DGR status can with Westpac. Withdrawals issue tax deductible receipts to How does my brigade obtain are initiated online, with money How many brigades have obtained DGR status so far? people making a donation. DGR status? being transferred overnight directly to the Brigade’s general 219 brigades have joined the DGR status is different from There are two options available bank account. NSW RFS Central Fund and charity status. NSW RFS to brigades. about 170 have set up their brigades don’t have charity The Brigade doesn’t need A brigade can establish its own own brigade managed fund. status. to explain why they are ‘brigade managed fund’ or the transferring the monies from Approximately 1,700 brigades The current DGR legislation brigade can become a member the NSW RFS Central Fund haven’t got DGR status commenced on 1 January of the NSW Rural Fire Service to their linked general bank and may be missing out on 2013. Since then, brigades that & Brigades Donations Fund. account. receiving donations. wish to issue tax deductible More commonly known as the receipts need to have DGR Are there any benefits in Are there any suggestions ‘RFS Central Fund’. that you can make to those status – either directly, or joining the NSW RFS brigades that don’t have through the NSW RFS Central Establishing a ‘brigade Central Fund? managed fund’ involves DGR status but still issue fund. NSW RFS Central Fund some administrative work receipts for donations? member brigades have access Who benefits from DGR in amending the brigade’s These brigades should be status? to the online credit card and constitution, holding brigade direct debit donations portal honest with their donors and It is the donors to our brigades meetings, setting up a new located on the NSW RFS tell them that the donation is not tax deductible as well as that directly benefit from the bank account, obtaining new website. This means donors issue receipts that specifically DGR status. These donors can receipt books and dealing can donate directly to your state that donations are not tax REMINDER: anyone can subscribe claim a tax deduction for their directly with the tax office. brigade through the website, deductible. to the Bush Fire Bulletin and have donation. Joining the NSW RFS Central and the money is deposited Are you a new brigade secretary? it delivered directly to your home. What’s in it for RFS Fund is simply a matter of directly into your brigade How do brigades get further Email your address to information about DGR? brigades? completing and sending off account. Do you distribute the Bush Fire Bulletin to your brigade members? [email protected] There is plenty of information Usually we find that it is a short application form. I didn’t know brigades could [email protected] The NSW RFS Central Fund on MyRFS. Just go to the ‘Info If you are new to the role, please let us know your name and address via email easier for a brigade to attract get online donations. How FOR: UPDATES – NEW SUBSCRIBERS – will then look after the do donors access that? about’ tab and select ‘Finance’ or using the subscription form below. Unless you contact the Bulletin directly donations if the donor can from the drop down listing. CANCELLATIONS – DEATHS – claim a tax deduction. I think administration and send to There’s a link to the online the magazine will continue to be posted to the previous secretary. NEW SECRETARY: NAME AND ADDRESS this would be the case for the brigade the appropriate payment facility under the The tax office has general DGR larger donations and donations documents and brigade specific ‘quick link’ tab located at information on its website: from businesses. Westpac Bank login details. the bottom of the NSW RFS www.ato.gov.au/Non-profit/ Alternatively, DGR questions So, for example, if someone Further information about both homepage. Donations can be can be emailed to: donates $100 to a brigade options and the NSW RFS made to the NSW RFS Central Fund member brigades by [email protected] that doesn’t have this DGR Central Fund application form credit card or direct debit. The BUSH FIRE BULLETIN status, then they cannot can be found on the MyRFS donation goes directly to the claim a tax deduction for website. brigade selected. SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THE BUSH FIRE BULLETIN DIRECT TO YOUR HOME OR UPDATE YOUR DETAILS their donation? Is there a cost for a brigade Andrew Macdonald has Are there any restrictions as That’s correct. The brigade gets to become a Deductible Gift been the Treasurer of Cut out and mail to: Name: ...... to what brigades can spend the $100, but the donor misses Recipient? Catherine Field Brigade for Bush Fire Bulletin their donated money on? the last 20 years and was (Please include any post-nominals) out on a tax deduction. There is no cost to join the NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE Yes. Regardless of a brigades appointed as a Trustee of Is DGR status important for NSW RFS Central Fund. Reply Paid 67059 Locked Bag 17 Address: ...... DGR status the general the NSW Rural Fire Service any other reason? & Brigades Donations Granville NSW 2142 There may be a small cost for rules about spending public Fund in 2013. Andrew is a (No stamp required) Yes. In some cases, only a brigade setting up their own donations are the same. All Postcode: ...... Phone: Home and/or mobile: ...... Chartered Accountant and brigades with DGR status can fund in relation to having tax donated money can only be runs his own financial advice or email your details to: apply for certain types of grants office compliant receipt books spent on goods and services business. [email protected] Email address: ...... or external funding. printed. that are in accordance with q Update q New Subscription

52 BUSH FIREbulletin // GENERAL NEWS q eBulletin (email required) q NSW RFS MemberBUSH FIREbulletin // xxx 53 www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE

15 Carter Street Lidcombe NSW 2141 Locked Bag 17 Granville NSW 2142 Tel: 02 8741 5555 Fax: 02 8741 5550 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

ISSN: 1033-7598

Publisher NSW RURAL FIRE SERVICE Produced Corporate Communications Editor Jacqueline Murphy PP255003/08075 Graphic Design & Art/Production Coordinator Letra Printed on Monza Gloss; FSC (CoC), ISO 14001, IPPC, ECF environmental accreditation Cover photo January 2016: Central Plateau fireground in north-west Tasmania. The smouldering fire in the peat proved devilshly hard to put out. Photo by Nicole Bordes.

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