4WD Victoria Bushfire Rural Response Group : How you can help

**trobbo** · 11th February 2009, 09:50 AM

Hi teks,

I am not attempting to scaremonger anyone and encourage everyone to help out where they can. I will be doing just this with my own club.

I wish to clarify some issues regarding the type of insurance policies held.

Cetainly the Victorian 4wd Association will have a workers compensation policy. This policy applies to employees of the association. However if you are not an employee of the association then this insurance policy does not cover you.

The Victorian 4wd Association has taken out additional policies of insurance for it's members. These policies provide us with some cover whilst we are on club trips or working on RRG's, but it is wrong to call it workcover insurance.

If you are on a club trip with an affiliated club, you have public liability insurance cover via a policy placed by the association. The association obtained this cover with the assistance of Affinity Insurance Brokers. Affinity has placed the policy with Lumley's, which is a division of Wesfarmers (They own Bunnings and many many mines).

If you are providing community assistance via an RRG then in addition to the above public liability cover, I believe you are also covered by a personal injury and income protection policy. The policy provides cover such as:
* loss of wages of up to $300 per week 52 weeks
* 85% of surgical costs.
* $20,000 lump sum for total and permanent disablement
* $4,000 lump sum for permanent partial disablement
* $20,000 maximum lump sum for multiple permanent injuries
* $1,000 lump sum where dental work is required
* $1,000 lump sum for fractures
This list is not exhaustive or conclusive.

If people have questions regarding their insurance entitlements should they get hurt, then they should contact Affinity Insurance Brokers for definitive advice as to the exact extent of the cover, any waiting periods that may or may not apply, and any excess that may or may not apply.

The benefits outlined above are very different to those entitlements that most victorians have via their employer, if injured at work in a workplace accident, as provided for by the Accident compensation Act (i.e. workcover). To be covered for workcover ask yourself "Who is your employer if you are injured whilst working on bushfire relief?" Is AWD employing you to do this work? Is the Victorian 4wd Association employing you to do this work? Is your normal employer paying you to do this work? Are you doing this work as a volunteer?

The only volunteers who are covered for workcover insurance are those people working under the pieces of legislation quoted previously. If you are employed to do the bushfire relief work then you are covered under your employers workcover policy. If you are a volunteer working on an RRG then you are covered by a seperate insurance policy for personal injury and income protection that is not workcover.

Again I encourage people to assist with the bush fire relief in any way they can and the offer of a reduced membership fee from one club is a wonderful one.

Regards

Tony Robinson

**George130** · 11th February 2009, 12:30 PM

OK
I have registered my offer of assistance and have spoken with Evan Davidson

I have also offered to be a coordination point for those in the ACT region who are wishing to help.
Now just awaiting the battle plan.

**Timj** · 11th February 2009, 01:57 PM

Hi All,

I will definitely be heading down there once I am certain that there is actually something useful I can do. Nothing worse than turning up and not actually being able to do anything due to Police lines or fires still burning and such like. I have had one offer of assistance from one of the other members here in Brisbane so if any others are willing to take some time off and come down with us then please PM me. I am happy to act as a coordinator for those around here in Brisbane. Don't know exactly when but I am sure that Evan will let us know when and where we would be most useful and then we need to move.

TimJ.

**Tank** · 12th February 2009, 08:54 AM

Wrong post, sorry, Regards Frank.

**Tank** · 12th February 2009, 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by incisor

my money has gone to the salvos.... bless them

X2, Regards Frank

**rmp** · 12th February 2009, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Timj

Hi All,

I will definitely be heading down there once I am certain that there is actually something useful I can do. Nothing worse than turning up and not actually being able to do anything due to Police lines or fires still burning and such like. I have had one offer of assistance from one of the other members here in Brisbane so if any others are willing to take some time off and come down with us then please PM me. I am happy to act as a coordinator for those around here in Brisbane. Don't know exactly when but I am sure that Evan will let us know when and where we would be most useful and then we need to move.

TimJ.

Thanks Tim. If I hear of any people in Bris I will get them to hook up with you.

It is too early for us. As you know most towns are a crime scene. A friend from Marysville told me yesterday the town now has asbestos problems. The fires are not yet out. There is no current shortage of volunteers or money.

What we have to do is wait. In several weeks time, the media will be reporting something else, the "Dunkirk Spirit" (immediate adrenalin rush) will have worn off, radio stations won't be raising money, and the focus will be elsewhere.

That is the point at which the RRGs will really start to do their work; it's not glamorous, it's a long slog.

If there are people traveling to help I'm sure we can arrange accommodation. A principle of the RRG is that we don't drain community resources, we are self-sufficient. However, we do try and spend money in the communities where we can.

Yesterday I was speaking to a vehicle manufacturer who has donated cars. They have a launch this year and intended to avoid the area. I told them no, get back in, use it, the communities cannot rebuild without commerce and trade as it was before.

**Redback** · 13th February 2009, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Teks

Hi Tony,

VFWD affiliated club members ARE COVERED despite the above. VFWD has their own workcare cover and public liability cover.

Please refrain in future from scare mongering people from joining up to help out those less fortunate.

As mentioned elsewhere the special $20 club fee offered by All Wheel Drive Club of Vic is for public liability insurance and personal safety insurance reasons.

So, unfortunately AULRO members who wish to physically help need to join a VFWD club otherwise they are on their own should anything happen in the way of litigation or personal injury. The AWD club is one of a few clubs that processes new members within 2-3 days without the usual 4-8 week process of other clubs. It is envisaged that each new Bushfire Relief Helper will receive an AWD club PC printed membership card to prove their bone fide club membership to shire and law enforcement agencies.

Kind regards,

Evan Davidson
LROCV - CERG Coordinator
AWDC - President
Special $20 club fee offered by All Wheel Drive Club of Vic = info@awdvic.org.au

Hi Evan, just emailed AWDC with an offer of help, all my contact details are in the email.

Just want to do my bit.

Baz.

**Teks** · 13th February 2009, 10:00 PM

Thanks Tony for clarifying this matter. I was going on info supplied by VFWD earlier this week.

**Teks** · 13th February 2009, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by Timj

Hi All,

I will definitely be heading down there once I am certain that there is actually something useful I can do. Nothing worse than turning up and not actually being able to do anything due to Police lines or fires still burning and such like. I have had one offer of assistance from one of the other members here in Brisbane so if any others are willing to take some time off and come down with us then please PM me. I am happy to act as a coordinator for those around here in Brisbane. Don't know exactly when but I am sure that Evan will let us know when and where we would be most useful and then we need to move.

TimJ.

We are currently waiting for more fire clearing and delivery jobs which may appear mid next week onwards. Due to road access problems there just isn't enough work to do until then so we just have sit around and wait patiently.

In the last 24 hours since Thursday 12th 11-00am, we have been getting up to speed with the manufacture and delivery of 1000 litre cubic cage tanks, otherwise known as IBCs. We are expecting 100s of them to arrive nect week in Melbourne from NSW & QLD for delivery and to bring water by trailer & 4WD to stock troughs in burnt out farms. Seems like we have cornered the market in these tanks!! Tonight (Friday 13th) I was told that the Mudgee 4WD Club is collecting enough hay to fill a B-Double which will deliver to a drop point near the VIC/NSW border. We will then trans ship it directly to farms in need and otherwise to the depots we are setting up.

Fun times ahead!

**Teks** · 13th February 2009, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Redback

Hi Evan, just emailed AWDC with an offer of help, all my contact details are in the email.

Just want to do my bit.

Baz.

Thanks Baz. The server at info@awdvic.org.au has crashed. If you don't get a reply from me over the next 12 hours please resend to evan@tektrek.com.au.

Thanks,

Evan

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