Not going to be a good fire season

[The ho har's]

Was informed this morning there is a local fire Ban in the S.E. District of Qld...maybe other districts as well:(


Since we are still in Winter the fire season outlook certainly look doesn't promising......


Mrs ho har:(

[Mud_Bogger6]

Official's reckon the fire season this year is going to be the worst we've ever seen

[ellard]

Hi there

Were also in the same situation in SA........

With several areas being put into the extreeme danger......including our residential area.

But we are prepared - spent the past few days clearing breaks again, 7m clearings around the house and sprinkler system operational and tested.

The biggest problem when it turnes to the "brown stuff" I am usually in a command car or on a truck........though last year it was in a chopper. The wife and kids know what to do if needed.


Wayne

[Scallops]

34 degrees today in Ipswich - and it's winter. :eek:

[The ho har's]

Just come home and good to see the brigade are on their toes and put the "Total fire Ban" signs up. Lets hope people read them...

you know I have actually had 3 people contact me this morning asking for fire permits:eek:


Mrs ho har:angel:

[bblaze]

and more rain and floods in tassie
cheers
blaze
ps
havnt seen a winter like this in 20 years

[incisor]

we'll all be rooned said hanrahan... (http://www.warrenfahey.com/bush_poetry-hard-yakka-5.htm)

"There’ll be bush-fires for sure, me man,
There will, without a doubt;
We’ll all be rooned," said Hanrahan,
"Before the year is out."

[JohnF]

our local brigade is expecting the worst. training next Sunday to set up radio repeater trailer, and portable dam for helicopters to such water from. I am in two brigades, Hanging Rock at Wadeville, and Northern Rivers Support Brigade.

[shad]

wish we could ship u some of our rain it hasnt stopped for more than 2 days in the last 6 weeks weve had the most rain recorded for the last 35 years:):mad::(
ps what did u do with all the water u had earlier in the year

[Treads]

Already 2 major fires out of control in Northern NSW. One NE of Tenterfield and the other near Inverell.

We were on standby at the Station today with an Extreme Grasslands Fire Danger Index of 77 :eek: (out of 100). We had a car/grass fire at quarter to 6 this morning and had 3m high flames when we arrived :o There's some serious pucker factor going on here, people aren't even game to fart! :p

[long stroke]

34-35 degs here today, amazing:eek:

[123rover50]

Think of the Rural Firefighters, Everyone gets paid except the firefighter on the fireground. Without the firefighter there is no R.F.S.. Things have to change. We are profesionals too.

[incisor]

Think of the Rural Firefighters, Everyone gets paid except the firefighter on the fireground. Without the firefighter there is no R.F.S.. Things have to change. We are profesionals too.

and who is going to pay for that?

retired city firemen who now live in the bush?

mate i am seriously over everyone wanting more for every thing. some things you just got to do imho and looking after your mates is one of them....

[Sprint]

The wife and kids know what to do if needed.

make sure the fleet are full and ready to pump?

[willem]

we'll all be rooned said hanrahan... (http://www.warrenfahey.com/bush_poetry-hard-yakka-5.htm)

"There’ll be bush-fires for sure, me man,
There will, without a doubt;
We’ll all be rooned," said Hanrahan,
"Before the year is out."

Thanks, Inc. I hadn't read that for an awful long time! And coincidentally we were talking about it tonight!

Willem

[The ho har's]

Think of the Rural Firefighters, Everyone gets paid except the firefighter on the fireground. Without the firefighter there is no R.F.S.. Things have to change. We are profesionals too.


Mate I have been doing this "job" for 16 years now as in staying up all night being base radio, responding to call outs at all hours of the day and night and so has "ho har" he does have "The National Medal " to commemorate his volunteering services to the Emergency Services in particular Rural Fire Brigade ... for more than twenty years...we do it because it is a community that we live in and that is how we do it....we are professionals yes but we do it for our community ......
and we have never asked for payment

Mrs ho har:angel:

[Grover-98]

Living in the middle of bush, which hasn't been back burned for more then 6 years does make me very nervous!!!

That is why i joined my local brigade, makes me feel like if anything does happen it will be under control :(

[123rover50]

Mate I have been doing this "job" for 16 years now as in staying up all night being base radio, responding to call outs at all hours of the day and night and so has "ho har" he does have "The National Medal " to commemorate his volunteering services to the Emergency Services in particular Rural Fire Brigade ... for more than twenty years...we do it because it is a community that we live in and that is how we do it....we are professionals yes but we do it for our community ......
and we have never asked for payment

Mrs ho har:angel:
You are right on , I have been doing it for ten years now, they gave me a pair of boots , but we dont look for recognition. Bunch of farmers , take our tanks out , put out the fire and go home. I was under the s1 this morning early start to remove the gbox , mum comes down , they are picking you up in 10 mins. two fires on the one road. Why do they start on roadsides? Wish I could catch the bastards.We caught them early and back home by midday. WE only have one unit , a Nissan Patrol, but our problem is warm bodies to man it. I am mid sixties too old to be pulling hoses, told them dont call me unless you cant get anyone else. They still call me ,I still go.HOW DO WE GET YOUNG BLOKES TO FRONT UP.

[Grockle]

My friend Ian has just retired from the Derbyshire fire service after 36 years finishing as West Area Commander (nick name Smokey for obvious reasons)what with government cut backs poor cover of appliances especialy high volume pumps.

Civilians doing jobs with no fire ground experience. as he says where will it end.

I admire all of you at the front end,just take care eh.

Grockle.

[Treads]

We're up to 8 uncontained fires on the NSW Northern Region now. I have a feeling the Tenterfield ones might be declared S44 in the morning :(

We are manning the station most days, it's nice to have quite a few uni student types in the Brigade here. We've averaged 7 calls a week in the last few weeks, starting to wear thin for us volo's :zzz:

I'm having an early night and hoping that the evil little black beeping thing on my bedside table stays silent tonight....

[Mud_Bogger6]

We have a few young ones in our shed, guys my age are joining up now, and our basic firefighter course is next month so we'll be heading into the season prepared

[The ho har's]

We're up to 8 uncontained fires on the NSW Northern Region now. I have a feeling the Tenterfield ones might be declared S44 in the morning :(

We are manning the station most days, it's nice to have quite a few uni student types in the Brigade here. We've averaged 7 calls a week in the last few weeks, starting to wear thin for us volo's :zzz:

I'm having an early night and hoping that the evil little black beeping thing on my bedside table stays silent tonight....



yeh I know what you mean....though we do not have that little black evil beeping thing here anymore..well they really have to be desparate to call us out at our age now....but if need be we will respond



keep up the good work:D


Mrs ho har:angel:

[The ho har's]

We have a few young ones in our shed, guys my age are joining up now, and our basic firefighter course is next month so we'll be heading into the season prepared

You will enjoy the mate ship that comes with Volunteering...keep up the good work and most of all ENJOY:D


Mrs ho har:angel:

[Mud_Bogger6]

Will do,

[digger]

Just to contrast this thread a bit....

with the strong winds here we (CFS) got called out last night to a....
houseboat sinking....

he was tied up and the wind was blowing water into an unsealed top (no gasket or rubber??) on his pontoon.. so he moved that side against the bank and ...guess what??... same thing started happening other side!!

We had it winched and tied to a gumtree (thats desperate in these times) and a crane on way!!.. pumped out both pontoons and then as the houseboat is set up to travel with a car on the front (but was in a position where a car couldnt be put on at the time) we realised the back sat low to allow for the weight of the expected car... (@ 2" clearance to top of pontoon!) so the solution we came up with???

we grabbed his tinnie, reversed the bung (so it was inside) and then put it on front deck and filled with water!

I loved the idea of filling in the paperwork explaining we had saved a sinking houseboat by grabbing another boat and putting it on top and filling with water.... people will be scratching their heads!!!


as for the fires, we have been told (cfs fire investigators) down here to make sure the kits for investigations are ready as the "war" will probably start early this year on the "bugs" :(

as for payment or not???
hey, the friendships, the feeling of doing good, the fact you can hold your head up and say "hey we've done our bit", isnt that payment enough...

and as already said, part of a community doesnt mean you live in it, it means you are PART of it...

cheers
digger
(ps is there a new trend of people wearing PPE for avatars now??:twisted:)

[Mud_Bogger6]

That report'd have som questions floating around afterwards lol

(I'm proud of my unfasionalble overalls, and how much i've acheived in 'em, i say smoke 'em if you got 'em)

[lardy]

Good onya guys you do a brilliant, outstanding, commendable job and you should be well proud of yourselves, i might see if i can do the fire fighting course for the prison off the back of what you guys have written

[digger]

Lardy,

Cadell training centre (CTC) (just down road from here) is a minimum sec prison...(more like a fenceless farm but that is another matter!!) they have a CFS unit based at the prison and all who want are put through the new Basic Fire Fighters Course (BFF1) and I believe other additional courses like Road Crash Rescue , structure fires etc... obviously they also do first aid course...

They then, when a unit is required, fold 8 blokes onto a truck, (2 screws) and away they go, they also help with searches etc when required, hardly ever winge and best of all, apparently the retetion rate when they "graduate" their accomodation is quite good!!..

Best bit, always blokes on hand ready to go no matter what the time or conditions are _change being as good as a holiday- always sober (well 99% of the time!!) respond well to orders... (always good in a volly!).. fed housed, trained and 'maintained' by the system...

May be worth checking them out for inspiration! (and a precendent to use as example)


MudBogger,
Mate, no bagging you or in fact any volly, Ive got both an Orange set and a yellow set of PPE, and I think Ive made a full set as I have the old green (no longer do st johns) ones and obviously blue ones..... MMM I wonder what Id look like in.....red??? (thats for Xmas-time I hope!!)

but doesnt matter what people volly for, could be admin, logistics, radio op, "Chief shed warmer!" or service clubs like lions, cwa, rotary or apex (and there are heaps more) so long as you dip your oar in and push the "boat" in the right direction... who cares what anyone else says!--but drag ya mates kicking and screaming if you have to, its amazing how many will stay on...and every pair of hands helps!

Good on ya I say!!

digger

[medic455]

They had 35 fires along an section of country road just north of here Monday.....turns out that some mindless git was going along behind the Rural Firefighters and re-lighting many of them after QFRS had moved onto the next fire.........:wallbash:...:bat:

[digger]

Lardy, also great for the "trainees" CV later and good PR (positive spin) for the system... community is greatful when they arrive when needed!!

[Treads]

(ps is there a new trend of people wearing PPE for avatars now??:twisted:)

There is since I am now Discovery-less :( Although Tulip has kindly let me drive the deefer around :)

[lardy]

Lardy,

Cadell training centre (CTC) (just down road from here) is a minimum sec prison...(more like a fenceless farm but that is another matter!!) they have a CFS unit based at the prison and all who want are put through the new Basic Fire Fighters Course (BFF1) and I believe other additional courses like Road Crash Rescue , structure fires etc... obviously they also do first aid course...

They then, when a unit is required, fold 8 blokes onto a truck, (2 screws) and away they go, they also help with searches etc when required, hardly ever winge and best of all, apparently the retetion rate when they "graduate" their accomodation is quite good!!..

Best bit, always blokes on hand ready to go no matter what the time or conditions are _change being as good as a holiday- always sober (well 99% of the time!!) respond well to orders... (always good in a volly!).. fed housed, trained and 'maintained' by the system...

May be worth checking them out for inspiration! (and a precendent to use as example)


MudBogger,
Mate, no bagging you or in fact any volly, Ive got both an Orange set and a yellow set of PPE, and I think Ive made a full set as I have the old green (no longer do st johns) ones and obviously blue ones..... MMM I wonder what Id look like in.....red??? (thats for Xmas-time I hope!!)

but doesnt matter what people volly for, could be admin, logistics, radio op, "Chief shed warmer!" or service clubs like lions, cwa, rotary or apex (and there are heaps more) so long as you dip your oar in and push the "boat" in the right direction... who cares what anyone else says!--but drag ya mates kicking and screaming if you have to, its amazing how many will stay on...and every pair of hands helps!

Good on ya I say!!

digger

onya Digger that was way useful, unfortunatly our residents are not allowed out to play(wrong rating) but i will try and look up that mob, as i might be going to a min 'job' down south and its a holiday camp as you described (did i just say that !?) so would be a good opporunity to get something going in that sense if i get it ...if not will hammer the super for a crack at it.thanks again

[digger]

They had 35 fires along an section of country road just north of here Monday.....turns out that some mindless git was going along behind the Rural Firefighters and re-lighting many of them after QFRS had moved onto the next fire.........:wallbash:...:bat:

only just saw this bit!!!!

mongrels.... wouldnt look / feel too flash after a resident found them would they??!!

We had some residents find someone 'suspected' of having lit or fed a fire to enlarge it in the hills a number of years ago... he was detained by them and they called us... for some reason unknown to anyone :angel: this particular 'suspect' had chosen to hold something obviously recently burnt and still quite hot..:mad:. and the same hand had 'somehow' been injured causing 'crushing damage' -:eek: not irrepairable apparently but when this guy couldnt get anything proven against him, you had the feeling he wasnt going to be anywhere near a fire...ever again....

He was asked on tape if those who had detained him had 'injured or assaulted him in any way' but he was very quick to point out that although he couldnt remember how he had done the injuries, the people who were holding his drivers licence and wallet were very nice people and had been good to him!:D

so obviously no proof against anyone!

[RobHay]

Hi there

Were also in the same situation in SA........

With several areas being put into the extreeme danger......including our residential area.

But we are prepared - spent the past few days clearing breaks again, 7m clearings around the house and sprinkler system operational and tested.

The biggest problem when it turnes to the "brown stuff" I am usually in a command car or on a truck........though last year it was in a chopper. The wife and kids know what to do if needed.


Wayne


Chance for you to make some serious money here Wayne....just hire out ya Fleet to the Fire Authority......:lol2:

[Grover-98]

HOW DO WE GET YOUNG BLOKES TO FRONT UP.

My station has a lot of young blokes! im 19 and pretty much all the blokes im with are of a very similar age, i have only met 10 out of the 48 at the station however only 25 are on regular service seems a lot have put the name down to simply get a uniform. Seems to be a young crowed obviously there are much older members such as the captain, Senior Deputy etc.

I hope to one day be a Driver for my Brigade but all in good time and when i actually deserve it :)

James.

[stevo68]

Take my hat off to those that battle fires. For sure I have sat around some hot camp fires....but today going along the M1.....just at the Helensvale turnoff a spot fire had broken out.....was quite a decent blaze but not what one would call a "huge" fire. Well we passed it doing 110kms an hr...we had the windows down as per usual and were a couple of lanes across from it. Even then we felt the heat in our car.......was quite amazed and in some respects shocked at how hot a small fire like that was. So take care you lot that are involved with that,

Regards
Stevo

[Mud_Bogger6]

Well guys, i got the dates, My Basic Firefighter course is on in 3 weeks, wish me luck and hopefully i'll be out on the fireground with the rest of the workin class heroes like you guys....

[The ho har's]

Well guys, i got the dates, My Basic Firefighter course is on in 3 weeks, wish me luck and hopefully i'll be out on the fireground with the rest of the workin class heroes like you guys....

you will learn valuable life long skills ...soak it all in


Mrs ho har:angel:

[Grover-98]

Well...

I had my first experience with firefighting over the last weekend... and who would of thought the exact reason i joined the RFS would be the cause for my first fight. A bush fire broke out on out property and burned for 2 days, we had the helicopter in for 2 days straight doing water dumps and had to go up by foot and create fire brakes as the fire was on steep terrain which no tanker could get too unless we used many a hose, we were lucky the fire was coming down the mountain so it was a slow traveler...

At the end of the day i LOVED the experience... best part was the sheer heat of the flames and then the Helicopter coming low over head dumping 1500L of water meters from us causing a moment of relief from the heat :)


James.

[ellard]

Hi there all

Unlike other states - our fire danger season will be a late starter, but suspected to be long.

I havent seen the sorts of rains we have had in the Flinders Rangers for many years........and tonight while on night shifts in the far north of SA its still comming out the skys (will turn our site into a mud clogmire).

I will strengthen Diggers words - volunteer, as theres a job for everyone.

Wayne

[Bushie]

Well...


... best part was the sheer heat of the flames ..................


James.

Try not to enjoy it too much............................................so me times it's not so comfortable


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/850.jpg
Menai 1997


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/09/851.jpg
Blue Mountains 1979






Martyn

[The ho har's]

Well the second total fire ban and we haven't hit the end of spring:(


Mrs ho har:angel:

[JDNSW]

Yesterday we had a meeting, with three local brigades and senior RFS officers to discuss the new fire plan issued by National Parks for the forest next door to me. It seems that the RFS thinks even less of it than I and other local brigade members do. Apart from anything else it has a number of statements that conflict with the Rural Fires Act - for example National Parks having to give prior approval the use of chemicals; current practice is that the first strike against a fire would be by a fixed wing aircraft, held ready and loaded with fire retardant at a local airport during the fire season these days.

Then this morning half of western NSW has a total fire ban - and the other half has a sheep grazier's warning! If the forecast is correct, we are facing a nasty day.

John

[RobHay]

You are right on , I have been doing it for ten years now, they gave me a pair of boots , but we dont look for recognition. Bunch of farmers , take our tanks out , put out the fire and go home. I was under the s1 this morning early start to remove the gbox , mum comes down , they are picking you up in 10 mins. two fires on the one road. Why do they start on roadsides? Wish I could catch the bastards.We caught them early and back home by midday. WE only have one unit , a Nissan Patrol, but our problem is warm bodies to man it. I am mid sixties too old to be pulling hoses, told them dont call me unless you cant get anyone else. They still call me ,I still go.HOW DO WE GET YOUNG BLOKES TO FRONT UP.


The answer to that is very simple.......get young ladies to front up.

[korg20000bc]

Sometimes I wonder if the intentionally started fires are deliberate acts of terrorism. Sydney is really vulnerable.

Having moved to Tassie from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney five years ago I've realised that one of the tings I miss least is the horrible fire season.

[bblaze]

Sometimes I wonder if the intentionally started fires are deliberate acts of terrorism. Sydney is really vulnerable.

Having moved to Tassie from the Sutherland Shire in Sydney five years ago I've realised that one of the tings I miss least is the horrible fire season.

67 bushfires in Hobart, 198? zeehan fires. Dont think we dont get them in tassie. I have a feeling we may have a horid season here to
cheers
blaze

[Bushie]

67 bushfires in Hobart, 198? zeehan fires. Dont think we dont get them in tassie. I have a feeling we may have a horid season here to
cheers
blaze

Not a case of 'black dog syndrome' but the frequency of fires around Sutherland Shire is a bit different.

1976, 1980, 1988, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002 the green was the one without loss of life or property.


Martyn