More than your Brigade Footprint

Loddon Mallee Region Community Education GroupPresented by: Paul Tangey (Loddon Mallee Region CEC)

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The road to safer communities?

• In 1999 a meeting was called for members of all brigades in Region 2 with an interest in Community Education

• This meeting was held at the Northern Districts Training Ground at Huntly just north of Bendigo

• From this initial meeting group members commenced training in display and presentation skills

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The road to safer communities?

• The group started participating in displays and gathering resources for use in educating community members

• Many members have come and gone in the past 14 years from various brigades with several still delivering within their brigade footprints

• 2 attendees from the first meeting still remain as active members of the group today

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Who we are?

• 15 CFA members representing 9 brigades with a common interest and passion for educating the community on fire safety

• As a group we are there to support community activities and CFA Brigades undertaking events, displays and presentations to community members and groups in all matters relating to fire safety

• Trained Fire Safe Kids presenters

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Our purpose?• To educate the community on prevention,

preparedness and mitigation techniques• To increase community fire safety awareness

by creating positive behavioural change• To utilise a planned and coordinated

approach to prevent and decrease impact of fire on the community

• To support brigade and community activities• ‘We have no boundaries’

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What do we do?

• Elmore Field Days Display• SAFE (Safety Awareness Field Education)• Brigade Community Events• Shopping Centre Displays• Local Market Displays• Fire Safe Kids Presentations• Local Community Shows• Community Festivals

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Our structure?

• We are not a brigade in our own right• Biannual elections are held to elect the

following – – Group Leader– Secretary– Assistant Secretary

• The group is managed by the Community Education Coordinator

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Our resources?

• Over the years the group has been successful in winning numerous grants and awards which has enabled them to obtain – – Smoke House– Cubby House– Display Trailer– Our newest …. The Little Red Fire Truck– Display stands, signage, boxes, etc.

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Funding and Support?

• Since inception there has always been a high level of support given by the Area Manager/Regional Director and the Manager Community Safety

• As we are not a brigade our funding comes from this support and that provided in the Region/District office

• Grant applications are regularly submitted by the CEC for various projects

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Are we there yet?• No …. we are making progress in communities,

confirmed by feedback we receive• Our objectives are not something that will ever

be fully met. We progress in small steps, overcoming any challenges and meeting opportunities that arise

• A subcommittee of 3 members along with the CEC are producing the groups history. It is envisaged this can then be updated each year.

Grampians Community Engagement TeamPresented by: Lindsey Pritchard (Clunes Fire Brigade)

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• The Grampians Community Engagement Team has been developed to assist brigades and promote community education/ engagement across the Grampians Region.

• The team consists of volunteers who have the skills and an interest in engaging with the community.  

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• The process of developing this team is being taken slowly, only small steps at a time, to ensure we get it right

• Into the future, the aim is to develop a community engagement team in district 15, 16 and 17 and to have a Grampians team, comprising of members from each district, as an overarching group to guide the district teams and ensure a consistent delivery of the key messages across the region.

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• To engage with the smaller brigades to inform them on what is “community engagement”

• Recruit interested members to join the team

• Liaise with the CEC to develop a monthly article templates for brigades to use in community newsletters

Current Objectives

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• To offer assistance to brigades that may wish to do some community engagement but either don’t have the capacity or knowledge to do so

• Promote the concept of “Brigades helping Brigades” and to promote community education across the Grampians Region

Current Objectives

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Recent Activities

May & June 2013

• Visited brigades in Districts 16 & 17 on Sundays with the program titled Brigades Helping Brigades on a Sunday

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Planned Workshops

Preparing Your Community for the Fire Season

• Sunday 6th October Horsham D17 Headquarters • Sunday 13th October Ararat Fire Station• Sunday 20th October Ballarat D15 Headquarters

9.30 morning tea and Networking Workshop Commences at 10.00 am and conclude at 3.15 pm

Q & A Session

• Ken Deveraux - Kangaroo Flat Brigade

• Doreen Raven - District 02 HQ Brigade

• Ray Stevenson - Newstead Brigade

• Tracey Mastropavlos - District 02 HQ Brigade

• Bill Bowery - Kangaroo Flat Brigade

• Rachel Rogers - Manager Community Safety

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Further information?

Paul TangeyCommunity Education CoordinatorLoddon Mallee RegionDistrict 02 HQ BendigoP: 1800 735 202M: 0448 042865E: p.tangey@cfa.vic.gov.au