RFSA Division 13

Reminder: The RFSA Riverina Branch AGM will be held at the Wagga RSL, next Tuesday, 30 January 2024 commencing at 6:30pm.

You can view the agenda here:

d15k2d11r6t6rl.cloudfront.net

Santa, with the help of the NSW RFSA, came a little early this year for the Wantabadgery Rural Fire Brigade, who took delivery of their new John Deere Ride On.

This brigade prides themselves on the presentation of their station and the land that surrounds, and in an effort to reduce the impact of time on volunteers, this mower will get the job done effectively and efficiently.

The brigade noted how thankful they were of the support from the local RFSA Riverina Branch and the NSW RFSA.

A great oppurtunity for our young members.

Applications Open - Sail on the Young Endeavour! ⛵️

In 2023, three young members successfully completed an inspiring journey aboard the STS Young Endeavour, as the inaugural recipients of the Gary Barton Memorial Youth Scholarship.

📌 Applications are now open for more young members to join their ranks and set sail in 2024. No sailing experience is required, making this scholarship an extraordinary chance for personal growth and unique experiences.

This opportunity is open to RFSA members aged 18 to 23, who meet the Young Endeavour eligibility criteria - https://youngendeavour.gov.au/how-to-apply.

Additionally, members who are 17 years old may apply, with consideration for placement on a voyage commencing after they turn 18.

🛑 The application period is open until January 31, 2024. Interested RFSA members can download the application form by clicking here - https://www.rfsa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Young-Endeavour-Application-Form-2024.pdf.

This achievement wouldn't have been possible without the support of the late Gary Barton, a distinguished member of the RFSA State Council and former Division 5 Chair.

✨ Gary Barton's legacy lives on through a generous bequest that has enabled the RFSA to establish the Gary Barton Memorial Youth Scholarship. As an advocate for fellow members and a passionate supporter of youth development throughout the state, Gary's impact continues to shape the RFSA's commitment to its members' well-being.

Help shape the future of the RFS

EOIs re-opened – change of meeting dates

Expressions of Interest have re-opened for delegates to join the NSW RFS / RFSA Consultative Committees for the next two years (2024-25), due to a change of proposed meeting days.

We want as many RFSA members as possible to have the opportunity to participate in the committees. Because of this, we’ve worked with the RFS to have the 2024 meetings held on Saturdays, making it a little easier on those who find it difficult to attend meetings during the week. While the actual dates are still being finalised, they are likely to be held in March, July and October at RFS HQ.

The Consultative Committees allow members to participate in discussions about new initiatives being proposed by the Service, as well as pursuing suggestions and concerns raised by members through RFSA Branches and Divisions.

The committees are each chaired by a Deputy Commissioner or Executive Director of the Service, so they are a fantastic opportunity to provide feedback to the very highest levels of the RFS.

In recognition of the value brought by fresh perspectives, and to encourage more members to put themselves forward for consideration as Consultative Committee delegates, the Association’s Board has instituted a policy that at least half of the delegates appointed should be new each term. This worked really well for the current committee term, and will be maintained into the next term, so there’s a great opportunity for members with a broad range of experience to get involved.

Consultative Committee delegates should be prepared to:
Attend and contribute at three formal committee meetings each year (held on Saturdays in March, July and October at RFS HQ).

Participate in other workshop meetings and informal discussions with fellow committee members throughout the term (typically online).

Report to your local RFSA Branch and Division on the outcomes of committee meetings.

EOIs should be submitted on the form available here no later than Sunday 7 January 2024. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferences for the committee/s they would like to be involved in. Please only indicate a preference for those committees you would be willing to serve on. A description of each committee is available here for members who want to know more about what each committee covers.

If you have any questions about the EOI process, please contact Policy & Governance Manager Greg Dezman at [email protected] or on 4723 3400.

If you have already submitted an EOI in the past few weeks, you do not need to do anything further. Your EOI will be included for consideration in January.

NSW RFS - Forest Hill Brigade received a grant earlier this year to kit out their pumper with some Milwaukee gear, enabling them to better support the community and other agencies.

Really looks the part.

The brigade were very thankful of the support provided by the NSW RFSA.

A good result for our membership.

https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/roadblock-removed-for-rural-firefighters?fbclid=IwAR0j7uhyVwmeRk-dqfbwEq6VTxBN-p4_cDNzWVpvDRZBgVRU5tm0oVND-bc

NSW Government removes roadblock for rural firefighters protecting communities The Minns Labor government has made it easier for the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) to close roads in fire emergencies ahead of a dangerous bushfire season, with legislation passing through NSW Parliament this week.

The suns almost up for day 2 of the Sam McPaul Cadet Championships.

Holbrook Rotary Club have breakfast covered!

We welcome another two years of hard work and dedication to our members.

Please take the time, if you haven’t already to complete this important survey.

📣 Your Opinion Matters | RFSA Member Survey

At the RFSA we value your input. We invite you to take part in an important member survey, which will help shape the future direction and initiatives of our Association.

The survey should only take 10 minutes to complete and will close on 31 August 2023.

The RFSA exists to support our members. To enable us to represent you even more effectively, we need to know what matters most to you 🗳️

Please take a few minutes to complete our members’ survey and let us know what you think.

To take part, go here 👉 https://rfsaforms.rfsa.org.au/forms/rfsa-member-survey-KP.mZg

🔥🌾 RFSA RIVERINA BRANCH GENERAL MEETING 🔥🌾

Dear members of the NSW RFS and NSW RFSA, Riverina,

You are all cordially invited to join us at the RFSA Riverina Branch General Meeting on Tuesday, 1st August 2023, at 6:30 pm. The meeting will take place at the Junee Ex-Services Club, located at 75 Broadway Street, Junee, NSW 2663.

As the newly elected committee, we are bursting with energy and enthusiasm to support the brigades and members of our Zone in various ways. Our focus is on advocacy, addressing important issues, providing financial support through grants, exploring sponsorship opportunities, promoting collaboration, and ensuring member welfare.

The potential for growth and progress in the Riverina region is immense, and together, we can unlock countless opportunities. Join us for a delightful evening with a bite to eat and discover how you can be a part of this exciting journey.

If you're interested in attending, please confirm your attendance by contacting our Branch Chair, Jonty Bruce, at 0488 104 704 via call or text.

Spread the word and let's make a positive difference in our NSW RFS community!

📍 Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, 1st August 2023
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Junee Ex-Services Club, 75 Broadway Street, Junee, NSW 2663

For any inquiries, feel free to contact:
👤 Jonty Bruce | Chair | Riverina Branch
📞 0488 104 704
📧 [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you there!

Members from the RFS had the opportunity to attend the RFSA Conference held at Rydges Resort Hunter Valley.

Just another example of the great support and opportunity the NSW RFSA provides to its members.

Check out the latest RFSA News Issue 72 here:

www.rfsa.org.au

Don’t forget our quarterly meeting will be on the 13th November at the Central Station (Holbrook).
The Division 13 meeting will be held after the Southern Border RFSA meeting.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Walla Walla BingBang, great weekend!

Our Trinity team had a lot of fun being part of the RFS championships, its is definitely a great opportunity. Learnt such good skills that will forever help us.

Great day at Holbrook, South Wests slopes cadets, Thankyou RFSA.

GO Lavington black ants 🐜🚒

Blitz

Having lots of fun at the cadet championships thanks to the awesome team that put this opportunity together for us

Team ting tang did this ;)

We’ve got sun!!
We’ve got cadets!
We’ve got a fantastic weekend ahead of us!

Wishing all the teams and volunteers a fun and safe weekend at the 2022 Sam McPaul Cadet Championships, from Holbrook, NSW.

Walla Walla Rural Fire Service
Lavington Rural Fire Brigade
Gerogery Rural Fire Brigade
NSW RFSA

With no SMSing or DM in site, the art of communications will be on show with,

Event 5- Comms Converse

This event is a simulated radio communication that a crew may provide when responding to an incident, using correct phraseology and call signs.

How it happens.
The cadet team will be given a scenario and, using UHF radios, will radio through a sitrep to the event Marshall and complete the logbook. FIRECOM, aka the Marshall, will initiate comms to ensure the cadets knowledge and understanding.

PS- no, traffic cones will not form part of the comms event on the weekend and no cadet was harmed in the taking of this photo 😂 but we had a great time with the Walla Walla Rural Fire Service when we went to visit.

Plenty of activity with....

Event 10- Pumping along

Simulating the rapid deployment and use of a single hose line with an open relay using portable pumps.

From the start line, the hoses are bowled to pump from a bouywall, into a 240lt drum, and then fill the target drum (which may or may not have a barrier in the way😉), all of this is using portable pumps. The course is over 70 metres.

You probably guessed right yesterday, if the Lavington Rural Fire Brigade have entered a team A, then, yes... there is a team B.

A number of this team are only new to cadets, and the whole team are using this experience to learn, train, make some new friends and have some fun doing it- what it is all about!

Welcome to both the Lavington RFS cadet teams.

Lavington Team A or Black Ants, as they are better known, are planning a big weekend and have put in a lot of training for the 2022 Sam McPaul Memorial Cadet Championship.

This team consists of the Lavington Rural Fire Brigade more senior cadets and, due to having trained together for quite some time, we think they will be a team to watch for proficiency and efficiency.

What can be anticipated for the 2022 Sam McPaul Memorial Cadet Championships for the teams to compete in?

Event 12- Bowl & Sq**rt

The aim is to simulate the need for accurate and fast deployment of hoses, as well as the adequate use of knapsacks, in the shortest time possible.

How it happens.
Bowl the hose, in a straight line, with the aim knocking down the pins at the end, re-roll the hose, then use the knapsack to knock down the targets, reset and then the next team member repeats this until it has been done 5 times!