Weekly Newsletter - 22nd September 2021

Online copy

Date: 25th September - 1st October

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

None

Recently the Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner wrote to all volunteer and career fire fighters outlining the new requirements for COVID-19 vaccination and safety. From the 1st of December 2021, all DFES staff and volunteers will be required to have received at least their first COVID-19 vaccination.

DFES has begun the process of requesting information about vaccination status from all staff and volunteers as the high-threat season approaches. More detail on this process will be made available as the systems are developed and put in place.

You can find out more regarding the DFES response to COVID-19 on the Volunteer Portal; https://volunteerhub.dfes.wa.gov.au/home/support/health-and-safety/novel-coronavirus

From the Equipment Manager, a reminder to check your PPE ahead of the (rapidly) approaching fire season:

• Check operation
• Fit new batteries (spare batteries in the Briefing Room bench drawer)

• Clean
• Check for good fit

• Clean
• Check in good order

• Renew masks that are damaged or suspect
• Clean masks regularly and store in closed (but unsealed) bag
• Fit a new set of cartidges and particulate filters, particularly if old set have been fitted for more than 6 months
• Fit a record-of-use label to newly installed cartridges. Mark label with installation date, and record hours of use (charge after 8 hours)
• Fit new particulate filters

Face masks should be serviced and cleaned at the mask cleaning station(eastern end of engine bay). Cleaning instructions are provided and new parts, including masks, are in the cupboards under the cleaning sinks.

Registrations are now open for Metro Bushfire Ready Facilitator Training on Sunday 31 October. This training provides a great introduction to community engagement. Participants will learn how to determine the needs of their communities and deliver appropriate engagement to build community resilience to bushfire. This is a repeat of the August training due to popular demand.

The training will be run across two sessions – a morning session aimed at those who are new to community engagement or the Bushfire Ready program, or would like refresher, and an afternoon session aimed at helping new and existing Facilitators to prepare for the 21/22 Bushfire Preparedness Season.

Morning session

• Bushfire Management in WA (including the concept of Shared Responsibility and how community engagement fits in)
• Community Engagement to influence behaviours
• The Bushfire Ready Program
• The role of a Facilitator

Afternoon session

• Season debrief/preparedness lessons learned
• Where to find materials and support
• Current bushfire campaign
• Community engagement activities
• Measuring and sharing your successes

Pre-requisites

• Minimum 6 months’ experience as a career or volunteer firefighter
• Bushfire Safety Awareness / Intro to Bush Fire Fighting / Bushfire 1

To apply, please follow the nomination instructions attached, or search “bushfire ready” in eAcademy.

There will be no training at the station this Saturday the 25th of September, due to the Annual Lunch being held later that day.

Training will also be suspended for Saturday the 2nd of October, due to the RUI Exercise.

Normal training will resume on Saturday the 9th of October.

• Operational Circular 65/2021 - Bushfire Warning Colours and Icons Have Changed
• Operational Circular 68/2021 - Total Fire Ban Breaches

• General Circular 152/2021 - COVID-19, Why the Vaccine is Important
• General Circular 157/2021 - Facing the Challenges of COVID-19
• General Circular 159/2021 - Annual Wellbeing Challenge Promoting Mental Health Week

The latest calendar from the Mundaring Fire School is attached.

Due to the public holiday on Monday, the monthly General Meeting shall be held on Tuesday the 28th of September, starting at 19:30.

Hope to see you all there.

• Saturday : Annual Lunch, 12:00 at the Parkerville Tavern
• Tuesday : General Meeting, 19:30 at the Station

• ABC News: VIDEO - Inquest hears of moments leading to death of firefighter
• ABC News: VIDEO - Central Queensland communities prepare for another fire season
• ABC News: Farmers warn not to bog them down in bureaucracy in firefighting registration push
• ABC News: New workplace rules spark concern for regional fire fighting volunteer numbers
• ABC New: Queensland records wild day of weather with extremes of fire and sleet