Thread: Bush Fire Brigade

Originally Posted by JohnF

Got to get of forum and study for an Aviation Basic Knowledge exam on Sunday at Yorklea Fire Control center. This exam is for the Bush Fire Brigade, of which I am a member.

It is worth every one joining their local Bushfire brigades--Our Hanging Rock brigade plus The Northern Rivers Support Brigade, plus the whole Northern Rivers area needs more Members, and I expect other areas do as well.

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You too could do something in your area, even if it is only Catering, etc.

Thanks John, good suggestion.

Unfortunately Rockdale City Rural Fire Service is not recruiting ATM.

Already a member of my local RFB have been for the last 16 years......hh has retired now he was a member for 20 odd years.

And you are right John there is always a need for suport crew

Mrs hh

Originally Posted by JohnF

Got to get off this forum and study for an Air Base Knowledge exam on Sunday at Yorklea Fire Control center. This exam is for the Bush Fire Brigade, of which I am a member.

It is worth every one joining their local Bushfire brigades--Our local Hanging Rock Brigade, at Wadeville, plus The Northern Rivers Support Brigade, plus the whole Northern Rivers Area needs more Members, and I expect other areas need members as well.

Airbase knowledge, which I am doing, is the first step to allow you to work around Aircraft--supply them to water bomb Bushfires, etc. We have a portable dam for Water, etc.

Our Northern Rivers Support Brigade has several Non Fire functions:--

1. Catering for those Fighting Fires, and for training days. We have two Catering trailers.
2. Communications, both in headquarters talking to brigades fighting fires, and in field--we have a communications trailer, we can set up where reception is poor.
3. Logistics--moving personnel and/or equipment to where needed. For Example, take a busload to the airport to fly to relieve crews at interstate fires--we are getting a new bus.
4. Airbase see above.
5. RAF [Remote Area Fire Team] have to be fit for that--Jump out of helicopters in font of fire to put in fire breaks, etc. But other areas may not even see a fire, but are still essential.

So forum members, there is always something to do, even without getting onto a hose in front of a big fire.

I have a crook Knee/foot, so thought I could not join the brigade, as they could not use me. Then one day I got I lift with a girl who had been sent by my Brigade down to Sydney to do an Aircraft Traffic Controller's course. to direct Water bombers at Bushfires, etc. So realizing their were other jobs than on a hose, I joined.

You too could do something in your area, even if it is only Catering, etc.

Ooops, it is not Air base Knowledge, it is Aviation Basic Knowledge that I am doing. Realized after I logged of the internet, so came back on to correct my first ever Alzheimer's error. at least that is my excuse.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Thanks John, good suggestion.

Unfortunately Rockdale City Rural Fire Service is not recruiting ATM.

So travel to the outer suburbs of Sydney and find a brigade that is. RFS headquarters are over near the race course towards Parramatta I think [forgot the name of that Suburb. Lived at Auburn years ago when I was young, then later at Yagoona]. Rockdale may have a SES.

Originally Posted by The ho har's

Already a member of my local RFB have been for the last 16 years......hh has retired now he was a member for 20 odd years.

And you are right John there is always a need for suport crew

Mrs hh

That is great Mrs HH. Old retired Members can still do important Communications, etc., though, if their minds/thoughts still are okay. I do not know Mr. HH, but assume his mind is still okay--after all he married you.

CFA vol for 15 years had to retire due to accident on the job and long term injury. Still hard to sit still when sirens go off. Good on you for contributing.

Andrew

I hope to catch up with you over the summer John. I'll be flying an Air Tractor AT 802 and a Dramader TPE-331 on fire work.

Cheers,

Rohan.

I mentioned this above, because at the last Northern Rivers Support Brigade AGM, a week ago, it was mentioned that most Support Brigade members were taken from other brigades, where as enthusiastic new Non brigade Members would be useful. See most of us N R Support Brigade Members still are involved with other brigades in some way, many being active Fire Fighters, so we have weakened our other brigades by joining the NR Support Brigade. Hence this lead to this thread.

But we have areas of interest. For example I am interested in doing Air Base & field Communications--At fireground assisting Group officer on Radio or in Field on the Radio Trailer.

Apparently our Radio Trailer is one of only three Radio Trailers in the State.

Before the recent Radio upgrades, our Group Vehicles could be on five different Radios all at once, as well as be mapping fire with GPS & Laptop, etc. So can be very busy, too much for just the Group Captain.

The Five Radios could have been.
1. Updating Headquarters Dispatch [e.g. send us more Fire trucks/Crews sent as fire is getting too big for existing Crews too handle].
2. Communications with Fire-front Crews [e.g. I need you to leave current duties to travel 2 km north to put out that spot fire, before it threatens property. Or updates on what events are happening, e.g. Group Captain informing crews that a Weather front with strong winds is coming, and they must urgently leave the area in ten minutes].
3. Radio to talk Town Brigades, ambulance, etc, that could also attend our fire [they used different Channels to RFS].
4. Radio to Quensland brigades [We are very Near Queensland border and they used different radio Channels to us. 3 foot six inches gauge compared to 4 foot 8 inches for all you train buffs].
5. Communication to Helicopter, etc. [Want that water dropped on that house to the north that is about to be impacted by the Fire front, etc.]

And on a busy Fire-ground all these radio calls could go off at once, while Laptop GPS and compass bearings are being taken [Group vehicle could say "Want to report smoke of a new Spot fire on top of the ridge about 3 KM from our GPS location on a bearing of 230 degrees. Need you to dispatch Crews there now to contain it before it gets too large.].

So the Group Captains like a companion in the command car, to help with Radio calls, GPS/Laptop mapping of fire extent, etc.