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Welcome to the VFFA
Official Publishers of
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER MAGAZINE
Official Magazine of the VFFA
COMING SOON !!!
Welcome to our website where Volunteer Fire Fighters who have been
stifled as members of the Rural Fire Service Association
by the permanent staff holding a majority ruling while disregarding the input of Volunteers.
Many unhappy members, being the people on the ground, were unable to be heard from
this association who discouraged the actual Fire Fighters a
loud and clear voice to the RFS and the government. People at the
front line do know what is required and the seat warmers in RFS need to listen.
We have moved on now representing the voice of the volunteers aligning
policies to government and the RFS without restriction of power base control
that now looks like turning around we hope.
VFFA PRESS RELEASE
MAY 2009
The Volunteer Fire Fighters Association, New South Wales only association solely representing the volunteers fire fighters in the Rural Fire Service of New South Wales holds in disgust the reported comments of John Maconachie, QC, reported in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday 23rd May 2009.
As reported in the Daily Telegraph" NSW government lawyer, John Maconachie, QC, told ACT Chief Justice Terence Higgins "responsibility was not that of Government but of fire fighters, as they were volunteers not employees.
"Statements of this nature from a member of a government legal team placed on court and public record can only make the volunteers of the Rural Fires Service wonder what personal legal position is there if this is the government's legal stance.
The shadow Minister for Emergency Services Melinda Pavey MLC in a press release dated 26th May 2009 supported the volunteers and clarified the position of Rural Fire Service volunteers by stating "However what the incompetent Labor Government fails to understand is that section 128 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 stipulates that volunteer fire fighters are protected from liability.
"The Act states that a protected person or body which includes 'the Commissioner and any person acting under the authority of the Commissioner" will not be "subject…to any action, liability, claim or demand'", Mrs Pavey said."
The NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons's press release supporting the volunteers and his statement "Be assured, that all service members have my full and unequivocal commitment to representing most vigorously the interests of all members against any legal proceedings associated with the conduct of our fire fighting and related activities."
At this point in time it appears that the only body that is not supporting the volunteers is the state government of New South Wales.
The Volunteer Fire Fighters Association calls upon the New South Wales Government and the Minster for Emergency Services to publicly reverse the reported statements by their legal council and reassure the volunteer fire fighters of New South Wales that they are still protected from prosecution according to the Rural Fires Act.
FIRE FIGHTERS ARE WAITING FOR YOUR REPLY ON THIS ISSUE MINISTER STEVE WHAN.
Peter Cannon -- President
John Parry -- Media Officer
Autumn Newsletter 2008
The latest newsletter has been published and is in PDF format so you may download or read on line.
It can be printed out - distributed to friends - spreading the good word about your VFFA.
To get your copy right now - Click Here.
SEPTEMEBER 2008 - INFORMATION
The main issue that effects Volunteer Fire Fighters, Compensation for injured fire fighters who are self employed we believe that injured Fire Fighters are under compensated whistled recovering.
In some cases the Fire Fighters do not have a taxable income because of drought for example, we believe that Work Cover needs to have this revised, even if you are paid a rate whistled injured it only amounts to some where in the order of $400+ per week not enough in to days cost structure.
The issue of compensation for injured RFS Volunteers has been a vexed question for some time. Exact details of how a compensation scheme would be enacted were almost non-existent and whilst volunteers were assured by their respective FCO's that they were covered for compensation, details of the extent of coverage were vague to say the least.
Various Brigades have sought positive information on this topic so much so a group put together by the RFSA have begun work in a attempt to clarify the situation.
Details of progress to date by the committee can be read on the RFSA website
http://www.rfsa.org.au/rfsa/?D=142
A lot of topics still remain unresolved with respect to the compensation issues especially for self employed volunteers. Some of these topics revolve around Privacy, appeal mechanisms, payments and payment amounts and financial disclosure information.
It seems the RFS does NOT have an individual budget item specifically labelled "compensation" but are required to hand over all the injured parties documents to a second arm of Government "Work cover" who assess the compensation payable.
In the case of a company or public servant employee only a formal weekly/fortnightly/monthly salary slip is required by work cover and the amount of compensation payable is 100% of their salary. No duration has been mentioned for this payment i.e. does it continue indefinitely or does it reduce after a period of time?
The situation with respect to self employed volunteers becomes a whole lot more complicated with an injured volunteer having to choose one of 3 scenarios that best suits their situation and if they are unable to decide then work cover take over and decide for you.
A recent "policy" document "Weekly Compensation For Self-Employed Volunteers"
Put out by the RFS an attempt to set out procedures to be followed but at the same time provides a lot of unanswered questions.
The Canobolas Model
One of the most important documents to be produces is the Canobolas Model produced by Peter Cannon and is a MUST read for everyone.
It replaces National Park and government hazard reduction into a common sense workable area. Click Here to read the paper
National Parks rejects farmers firefighting claims
Claims by the New South Wales Farmers Association that the National Parks and Wildlife Service do not fight fires vigorously enough are offensive, NPWS officials have said.
NPWS chief Dr Tony Fleming (pictured) says the claims do not recognise the dedication of staff who work extremely hard on the firefighting frontline to protect the community.
"The claim is ill-informed and not supported by the facts," he said.
"I am very disappointed by the claim and am frankly getting tired of the continual sniping from the sidelines by people who are not held to account for their claims which are generally made without a shred of evidence."
"The facts tell a different story. In this past bushfire season 70 per cent of national park fires were kept to below ten hectares. Another 20 per cent were between 10 and 100 hectares."
"During this time only 3 per cent of fires grew larger than 1000 hectares and these were managed by the NPWS in close cooperation with the NSW Rural Fire Service and other agencies."
He said the Service's success in quickly containing most fires was largely due to the skill of the 550-strong remote firefighting team.
"The NPWS pioneered the approach of using helicopters to get specially trained crews into remote areas so they can avert disasters by putting the fires out before they have a chance to make a run," Dr Fleming said.
"NPWS remote area teams are of world renown and their expertise is often called in to assist in fighting fires in other countries."
"If anyone has any doubts about the hard work of national parks firefighters I'd challenge them to put on a 10kg pack, get helicoptered into a rugged and inhospitable landscape in 40 degree heat for 12 hours, three days straight, using chainsaws, picks and sheer grunt to clear firebreaks and fight fires."
He said the NSW Farmers' obsession with NPWS fire management is surprising given that national park fires generally constitute a small fraction of the total number in NSW each year
Please contact Peter Cannon with YOUR Comments
(02) 6869-7634 Mobile - 0428-697-634 or 0427-697-608
peterjcannon@hotmail.com
Join the VFFA
Be part of the volunteer team that has an organisation 100% behind them. No divided platforms of them and us experienced with another organisation, we are the people
on the ground, the experience and the machine that does the job.
Click Here
VFFA Meet With Commissioner Koperberg
Members of the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association led by Peter Cannon, met with Commissioner Koperberg and his senior staff in Parkes on Friday 29 September 2006.
The VFFA discussed a range of issues with the Commissioner, including the Canoboloas Model which has the support of the Commissioner and the coordinating committee.
To read the full story - click here
Worst Ever Bushfire Risk
Despite a bushfire conference, followed by a firestorm, which burnt unchecked at Oyster Cove for two weeks, no lifesaving burnoffs have been done on the Tilligerry Peninsula this year.
NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Koperberg's response to grass roots concerns was to implement a PR campaign. This consisted of a fuel loading study without any local input - followed by a traveling road show which set up shop at five locations at LTP, Mallabula and Tanilba.
Peter Canon-VFFA President (L)
Commissioner Koperberg RFS(R)
The bushfire conference was attended by over 300 residents, volunteers and fire experts, however the Koperberg PR night was a flop despite extensive media advertising and his roadshow snake oil salesmen fared ever worse.
Lemon Tree's Captain, Keith Jones, doesn't mince his words. He is one of an increasing number of volunteer firefighters who speak their mind to the media despite efforts by the Rural Fire Service - Fire Control to silence them.
"Fuel levels in our area - indeed all of NSW are at critical levels," Keith said.
The current complex structure means, in reality, that broad acre - even peripheral burnoffs will never again be done.
The RFS has been politicized. The losers in all of this are the unpaid volunteers. Year after year we put our lives on the line unnecessarily because of the green politics involved, " he said.
Keith went on to say, "if you look at the big picture, all we are doing is preserving bushfire fuel for the next big firestorm. You can't fight firestorms. All you can do is hope for a favourable change in the weather - and then mop up."
He concluded with, "long range forecasters predict another very bad fire season ahead. With the ever increasing fuel loadings the bushfires of the future will be bigger and far more destructive."
Photo: VFFA Members Honing their skills - Tanilba's fire crews preparing for this summer.
Support your VFFA as the organisation that represents, and listens to, the volunteer firefighters who are the people on the front line..
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SMOKE ALARMS
 VFFA is also about to embark into the issue of SMOKE ALARMS the Ionization Smoke Alarm are not working and should be recalled.
These smoke alarms have caused thousands of deaths right around the world because the alarm does not react to smouldering smoke and residents are over come by smoke and it's too late.
The Photoelectric alarms do react to smouldering smoke and this is the Alarm to have in your house to protect your Family and your assets.
For more info website www.TheWorldFireSafetyFoundation.org
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Fire Service Levies in NSW
NSW Fire Service levies are a major problem in the way it's become a cash cow for the State Government.
Also there is something like 26% of Tax Payers that do not insurer and the insurers are covering them and on top of all this there is insurers the go Offshore to insure and that Taxed by the State Government.
So why do we need to the Tax Base for the Fire Levy?
At the moment we pay this amount-for every $1000 premium you pay,
Terrorism charge Rural (Federal) $20.40
Fire Service Levy (State) $387.75
G.S.T. (Federal) $140.81
Stamp Duty (State) $ 139.41
Tax on Tax Formula Total $ 1688 .37
VFFA and others asking for the State Government to Change the Tax base from Insurance and Shire Council base Tax to a Land Rate tax to that every land holder who owns land has to pay there Fire Service Levy.
This would make cheaper because every body pays, Queensland have had this system and it works well.
This is most effective way to cover this Fire Service Levy and will be fairer for all.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
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Senior Management Team Document
Click Here to download
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ABC 4 Corners "FIRESTORM" link
Click Here to review the transcript, interviews and forum
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NSW Farmers want inquiry into the RFS Mismanagement
Click Here to download
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RFS 2004-5 Annual Report PDF (is 5.7 megs in size)
Click Here to download
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Fire Incident Report Document
Click Here
to download
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Flyer For Recruiting Document
Click Here to download
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2007 AGM Minutes Document
Click Here to download
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Constitution of the VFFA Document
Click Here to download
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RFS 4 Corners Rebuff Release by RFS
Click Here to download
Blackheath fires
VFFA members in action
More Blackheath fire
Elected for 2008-9
Patron
Kurt Lance
Bruce Noble
Executive Council:
President - Peter Cannon - Region West
Vice President - Jon Russell - Region East
Secretary - Valerie Cannon- Region West
Treasurer - Laurie Norton - Region South
Media Officer- Jon Russell
Asst Media Officer- Geoff Walker -Region East
Peter Cathles - Region South
Alan Brown - Region South
Rod Young - Region North
Tony Ellis - Region West
Brian Williams - Region East
Lee O'Neil - Region South
Michael Scholz - Region East
John Parry
Don Tarlinton
Patron
Kurt Lance
Consultants:
Phil Cheney
Arthur Owens.
Representatives for the VFFA
Ron McPherson - Region South
Peter Webb - Region South
John Ross - Region South
Rob Maslin - Region West
Gordon Pearce - Region West
Max Hedges - Region South
Rex Hockey - Region South
Andrew Scholtz - Region East
Neville Wearne - Region East
Doug Grey - Region South
Doug Wild - Region North
John Granger - Region South
Stever McCoy - Region North
Frazer McDonald
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