Weekly Newsletter - 10th February

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Operations

Roster

Starting Saturday

Date: 13th February - 19th February

  • First Call: Crew A
  • Second Call: Crew D

Incidents

Wooroloo Fire, 1st Feb - 10th Feb

Called to rapidly escalating fire in Wooroloo at Rahnie Rd cross Werribee Rd. Originally reported as a structure fire, this fire eventually burnt along 26km to the North West, covering an area of 10,400ha. Our Brigade provided crews in an on-going capacity from Monday through until Saturday afternoon, with further crews patrolling on Wednesday the 10th.

Attended by: Adrian, Ben M., Chad, Colin, Danika, Dave R., Dave We., Dave Wh., Elton, Graeme, John L., John Re., Josh, Kath, Keith, Michelle, Murray, Paul, Rob, Rod, Sarah, Shaun, Tracey, and Warren. Station Crew: Denise, Jen, Lorna, Nick T., Shane, Simon, and Vicki

This fire is the most significant event the Brigade has seen since the 2013 Stoneville, Parkerville, Mt Helena fire. A situation update and short debrief was conducted on Saturday the 6th, however an in-depth debrief will be conducted at a future date.

Critical Incident Response

For many members of the Brigade, last week's fire will be the most intense and stressful fire they have attended. It is important that all members should stay aware of how they are coping following this incident, and seek assistance if they are in any way concerned. Members should also keep an eye on one another, and offer assistance where appropriate.

DFES provides access to the following counselling services:

The Shire of Mundaring also provides access to an Employee/Volunteer Assistance Program:

Lastly general community mental health services are also available:

  • Crisis Care
    • Phone: 9233 1111
  • Lifeline
    • Phone: 13 11 44
  • Beyondblue
    • Phone: 1300 224 636
  • Family Helpline
    • Phone: 9223 1100
  • Mensline Australia
    • Phone: 1300 789 978
  • Mental Health Emergencies
    • Phone: 1300 555 788
  • The Samaritans
    • Phone: 1800 198 313
  • Healthdirect
    • Phone: 1800 022 222

Signs to watch out for include:

  • Changes in sleeping and/or eating patterns;
  • Seeming tired and irritable;
  • Constant worrying;
  • Muscle tension or restlessness;
  • Difficulty concentration or making decisions;
  • Loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy;
  • Feelings of anger, sadness or frustration;
  • Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt.

More information and support can be found on the Mental Health and Wellness page of the DFES Volunteer Hub.

Crew Leader Appointment Process

Over the past week there has been much discussion within the Brigade on the appointment of Crew Leaders. The availability of Crew Leaders can become a critical issue for the allocation of rosters during a prolonged incident. The following information provides details of the process for appointing new Crew Leaders, as well as some context for how crews may be deployed without an available Crew Leader.

Qualification as a Crew Leader requires more than just completion of the DFES Crew Leader course. The current requirements are:

  • Crew Leader (DFES);
  • Practical Crew Leader (MFS);
  • Advanced Bush Fire Fighting (DFES);
  • Initial Control at Wildfire (MFS).

The process for appointment to Crew Leader is:

  1. Identification as potential Crew Leader;
  2. Successful completion of required courses;
  3. successful completion of incidents/shifts in a Crew Leader role, with feedback provided;
  4. Proposal to, and acceptance by the Operations Committee.

The rank of Crew Leader conveys a level of authority and responsibility within the Brigade; Fire Fighters are expected to follow the direction of a Crew Leader, and should trust Crew Leaders to make decisions that will keep them safe and are in line with the required SOPs. Promoting members prematurely can weaken this chain of command; ie a crew with two or more Crew Leaders may be unsure who is ultimately in charge of the crew which could lead to conflict and confusion.

Whilst allocating crews, both during campaign incidents and normal turn-outs, there is always the potential for crews to be deployed without a qualified Crew Leader. This can be done at the discretion of the Captain, or in their absence, a Lieutenant. Consideration must be given to the individuals being proposed for such a crew as well as the anticipated complexity and relative danger of the incident. The Acting Crew Leader must also be identified and agreed upon within the crew to ensure there is no confusion as to the chain of command.

Allocating members to Acting Crew Leader roles provides an excellent opportunity for members to gain experience in this important role and hopefully encourage them to complete the required training. However permanently promoting someone before all of the requirements have been met is not appropriate.

If you have any questions regarding the Crew Leader appointment process, or are interested in taking on the role in the future, please contact Adrian or Elton.

Updates

Circulars and SOPs

Mundaring Fire School

The current Mundaring Fire School Calendar is attached.

Administration

Station Open Day and Polling Station Recruitment Drive

As February rapidly disappears we are now just five short weeks away from the State Election (13th March), and six weeks from the Station Open Day (20th March). Both promise to be excellent opportunities the raise the profile of our Brigade and promote volunteering. Assistance will be required for both these events, including the preparation of promotional material, organising activities, and attending the polling station.

If you are interested in assisting with either of these activities please contact Warren or Vicki.

Weekly Calendar

  • Saturday 13th: Training - Ground Controller Basics, 09:30 at the Station
  • Tuesday 16th: Weekly Vehicle Checks, 19:30 at the Station

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