Thread: All 2019/20 bushfire comments here.

My old brigade was probably half and half, as in half self employed, tradies, farmers, and the other half were miners.
None of us were paid if we were off fighting a fire.

Now a PAYE employee and if I was in the local brigade I'd be taking unpaid leave, so wouldn't be doing weeks of it, that's for sure.
Couldn't afford to, and I know my employer wouldn't pay me.
Why should they?

Originally Posted by rick130

Now a PAYE employee and if I was in the local brigade I'd be taking unpaid leave, so wouldn't be doing weeks of it, that's for sure.
Couldn't afford to, and I know my employer wouldn't pay me.
Why should they?

I agree 100%. The elephant in the room is the multiplier effect of having a key employee out of a small business. This can have multiple knock on affects to small work teams, and would take some small business employers to the wall.

Originally Posted by Eevo

i prefer to stay alive.

Serious Q.

Eevo, like the Army, does the CFS have different classes of Licences for different vehicles? eg. B2, B3 4 & 5?

Of course you would be subject to Driving Tests. Wouldn't you?

There is one thing no one seems to have picked up on. Under school age children were not allowed to be taken aboard Choules , and had to stay behind[ with parent/parents of course] Why? I'm almost sure it would not be ship's decision, had to come from above. What, some seat warmer going OH&S in the middle of a disaster? Those kids had to stay all night with the fire closing in. The " official " explanation was that helicopters would pick them up. Who ever made the decision obviously didn't ask the operators of the helo about conditions for flying. I hope there is a simple explanation, for large numbers of children who were left with little or no food, in the middle of a fire.

Possibly because the kids don't vote.

NO apologies... it's a sad nation that doesn't / can't look after the most vulnerable people in their moment of extreme need.

Bet the crew of the Choules would like to comment...

Bob, it’s was based on having to climb the hull on the rope ladder. Imagine the **** fight if a small kid fell.. or some old bugger..... damned if they do, damned if they don’t.

At the time, flying conditions were perfectly viable.

Originally Posted by superquag

Possibly because the kids don't vote.

NO apologies... it's a sad nation that doesn't / can't look after the most vulnerable people in their moment of extreme need.

Bet the crew of the Choules would like to comment...

I’ve spoken with a couple - some of you have no ****ing clue!
Do some research, get some real facts instead of looking to bash (****ing tall poppy syndrome in Australia is amazing).

Perhaps Opinions should be more like arseholes. Everyone has one, nobody wants to see it (or hear it).

Anybody know how the operators are keeping up the maintenance on the aircraft involved? A lot of them must be away from their normal base and ground facilities. In particular the Aircrane helicopter needs regular daily servicing that is more then the pilots can do. The fixed wing aircraft may have lessor requirements, but as a former owner and operator of helicopters I am interested how they cope.

Another thing that really got my attention was a couple of Ag aircraft on floats picking up water while barrelling down a lake! With cojones like that I am surprised that there was any space left for water!