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Volume 111 April 2005

Print Post Approved535347/00018

Special ReportBlack Tuesday

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The Voice ofSouth Australia’sVolunteerFire Brigades

Volunteer is published by the SA Country FireService. Comments and opinions expressed inVolunteer do not necessarily represent theviews of the VFBA or the CFS Board.

SA Country Fire ServiceLevel 7, 60 Waymouth StreetGPO Box 2468, Adelaide SA 5001Tel: (08) 8463 4200Fax: (08) 8463 4234e-mail: cfshq@cfs.org.auSGIC Fire Ban InformationHotline: 1300 362 361

Regional Offices

Region 1Mt Lofty Ranges& Kangaroo Island75 Gawler Street, Mount Barker SA 5251Tel: (08) 8391 1866Fax: (08) 8391 1877

Region 2Mt Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula& Lower North8 Redbanks Road, WillastonPO Box 1506, Willaston SA 5118Tel: (08) 8522 6088

Region 3 Murraylands & RiverlandCnr of Second & Seventh Streets,Murray BridgePO Box 1371, Murray Bridge SA 5253Tel: (08) 8532 6800

Region 4 Flinders, Mid North & Pastoral Areas3 Main Street, Port AugustaPO Box 2080, Port Augusta SA 5700Tel: (08) 8642 2399

Region 5 South East46 Smith Street, NaracoortePO Box 8, Naracoorte SA 5271Tel: (08) 8762 2311

Region 6 Eyre Peninsula & West CoastLevel 1, Jobomi House48 Liverpool Street, Port Lincoln SA 5606Tel: (08) 8682 4266

State Training Centre6 Pyrites Road, Brukunga SA 5252Tel: (08) 8398 9900

South Australian VolunteerFire Brigades Association17 Wirriga StreetRegency Park SA 5010Tel: (08) 8244 6500Fax: (08) 8244 6400President - Ken SchutzVice President - Wayne ThorleyExecutive - Wayne Ellard, Rex Hall,Rick Eylward, Jann ChambersExecutive Officer - Wendy ShirleyVFBA representative on CFS Board -John Forster (VFBA Rep) andRussell Branson (Deputy Presiding Member,CFS Board)

Editor: Lisa Tenace Tel: (08) 8463 4214

Producer: Krista St John Tel: (08) 8463 4289

If you would like to contribute to Volunteer…

Send your photos and stories to:The Producer, Volunteer MagazineGPO Box 2468, Adelaide SA 5001or e-mail: publicaffairs@cfs.org.au Don’t forget to include your name, address or brigade and a contact phone number.Photographs can be supplied digitally (minimum 600 X 600 pixels resolution), or as originalprints, negatives or slides. Text can be supplied as hard copy or electronically as aMicrosoft Word or Notepad document).

Deadline for the next issue: Monday 25 April, 2005

Advertisers please contact:Jim Girdler, The Media Pool on: 0414 846 450 or (08) 8338 7635

Front cover photo courtesy of Andrew Grant and The Advertiser

Every effort has been made to correctly acknowledge sources for articles and photographs. Errors and omissions excepted.

This IssueSpecial Report: Black Tuesday 11

Regional Round UpRegion 1 30Region 2 32Region 3 35Region 4 37Region 5 38Region 6 41

General NewsSAVFBA Update 44COAG – National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management 46The Nature of Ngarkat 48Training 49Around the Traps 50US firefighter experiences SA Fire Danger Season 54Community Bushfire Safety 55Emergency Management Act 56AFAC Volunteer Leaders Program 2004 59

SafetyAsbestos Audits and Labelling 62Red Flag Warnings 63The Dead Man Zone 64

EquipmentNew Appliances 66Dennis Arrives 67

A Job Well DoneAustralia Day Awards 70Medals and Commendations 2004 71Service Awards 73With Thanks CFS 80

Obituaries 81

Phamous Photos 82

Chief Officer’s PerspectiveEuan Ferguson

G’day CFS members and supporters.

It’s been a tough start to the year. Thedevastating events of 11 January, ‘BlackTuesday’, which resulted in tragic lossesto both life and property, will bescorched into our memory for manyyears to come.

Sadly, nine people lost their lives in theWangary fire and two of those were CFSvolunteers. Neil “Pee Wee” Richardson,from Ungarra (and previouslyCockaleechie) brigade and Trent “Wig”Murnane from Cummins brigade bravelyresponded to the call to help theircommunity. Tragically, they did notreturn home. My heart felt sorrow goesto the families, relatives and friends ofthese fine men. Soon after the fire,Presiding Member of the CFS Board,Ray Dundon, Board member RussellBranson and I met with members ofNeil’s and Trent’s families and offeredour personal condolences and support.It was a very difficult time for all, andone of the most heart-rending momentsI have experienced. Lynda Smith(Business Services Officer from Region6) has taken on the role of family liaisonofficer to the families. Lynda will haveregular communication with the familiesand be the link to CFS for ongoingfinancial and emotional support in thecoming months.

On Tuesday 11 January more than2 000 volunteers across the State gavetheir greatest effort in fighting the manyfires that occurred in the most extremeconditions. Sixteen separate fires broke

out, with two that caused the mostdamage at Mount Osmond and theLower Eyre Peninsula. There werelosses but there were also some greatsaves. We need to focus on thesepositives and recognise that this was a very, very unusual day withhorrendous conditions. All CFSvolunteers and staff performed theirabsolute best. There was outstandingsupport and interagency cooperationwith SAMFS, SES, SAFECOM, SAASand SA Police to name a few. Thecommunity really does owe you all ahuge amount of gratitude.

CFS has received some not so positivepublicity following the Lower EyrePeninsula fire. This is not entirelyunexpected. After a disaster of thisimpact, many locals are understandablyshocked, angry and looking for answers.It is reasonable that they will askquestions of CFS, about how the firewas managed and what could havebeen done. It is important that we try toshare and understand the way the localcommunity is feeling in the fire-ravagedareas. This is a time for empathy andunderstanding, not public recriminationsand denials.

It has been reassuring to have thesupport of so many. During the week ofthe fires I met with, and toured the fireareas alongside our Premier, the Hon.Mike Rann MP and our Minister, theHon. Patrick Conlon MP. Both thePremier and the Minister were fulsomein their praise of the amazing work by allCFS and emergency services personnel.They also strongly reinforced that theGovernment were rock solid behindCFS and its people. We have alsoreceived a large number of phone, text,email, letters and cards of sympathyand support from the general public.Every State and Territory Fire ServiceChief has made direct contact with meto offer their material and moral support.The South Australian Premier, MikeRann, also wrote a letter in support ofCFS and its people.

Be assured, that the overwhelmingmajority of the community is behindCFS and respect that we have all givenas much as we possibly could. Let mequote one of the positive letters:

“This is to express my full support forand appreciation of the work of theCFS, particularly in the recent WestCoast fires. I condemn the carpingcriticism of a few malcontents – whoseem to have private agendas. Havingcoped with the worst bushfires for manyyears, neither you nor members of theCFS should be forced to defendthemselves from vicious and biasedcriticism. I believe my thoughts wouldbe supported by all who (like me) havehad first hand experience with bushfiresand the CFS.”

Her Excellency the Governor of SouthAustralia also wrote to say: “To the menand women of CFS. I’d also like topersonally thank all of you for thesteadfast support you have given tomyself and all those involved during this period of trial. Thank you.”

There will inevitably be issues that arisefrom these two fires. As with any majorbushfire, there will be lessons learnedwhich will assist us to identify, developand implement better processes. As alearning organisation, it is important thatwe embrace a ‘no blame’ attitude(blame never really achieves anything).

The process of debriefing and afteraction review, in conjunction with theCentre For Lessons Learned, isimportant. We need to identify thingsthat need to change, develop actionsand make those changes quickly. Weneed to make sure that we work WITHthose people, groups and bodies whowant to be involved in the solutions.

To identify and implement lessonslearned from the Wangary fire, I havecommissioned Project PHOENIX.Project PHOENIX will adopt theprinciples of:

• ‘No blame’;

• Lessons will always be learned from any event;

• CFS is committed to continuousimprovement;

• We will consult and engage keypeople and organisations in what we do; and

• We will keep the process simple.

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At the end of Project PHOENIX, it is myintention that CFS will have:

• Identified all the issues from theWangary fire;

• Accepted or rejected the issue andconsulted with those who may beinterested in the issue;

• Worked with those who areinterested in the solution to an issueto identify what we need to do toaddress the issue; and

• Either have fixed the issue, or havedeveloped a program (and allocatedresources) that will result in the issuebeing fixed.

As you would be aware, police are nowinvestigating the events and will preparea report for the Coroner. CFS welcomesthe Coronial Inquiry and is cooperatingfully with the police investigation. This isan opportunity for all the facts to bepresented in a fair and unbiasedmanner. It will also provide an avenue to better understand what happened onthat day and why.

We have nothing to fear in this process.CFS is constantly evolving and changingfor the better. This is evidenced by themany improvements by CFS and the fireindustry in a number of areas over theyears. Our attitude to change isembedded in our mission: “To protect lifeproperty and the environment from fireand other emergencies whilst protectingand supporting our personnel andcontinuously improving.” The CoronialInquiry will no doubt involve someaccelerated learning, but the outcomewill be better systems and processesthat will lead to a safer community.Importantly for all of us, CFS, its peopleand our systems of work, will be betterand stronger for the experience.

To each and every one of you, CFSmembers, their families, employers andsupporters – THANK YOU. It is difficult toexpress sufficiently, my appreciation, andthat of the community and thegovernment, for the wonderful service and support that you continue to provideto the community of South Australia. Keep focused on what we do best andkeep on doing what we are doing - safely.

Euan FergusonChief Officer

It’s been a devastating beginning to2005. On Boxing Day last year, 14 countries in South Asia felt theimmediate effects of an earthquakeunder the surface of the Indian Ocean.

This quake triggered a series ofmassive waves (tsunami), whichspread thousands of kilometres in justseven hours. US Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan described this event as an“unprecedented global catastrophe”which “required an unprecedented,global response.” Sadly, this disasterclaimed hundreds of thousands oflives, including those of Australians.

Our focus into the New Year wasdirected at this event with appeals andrelief funds being establishedeverywhere to assist those affected.Then on 11 January this year, there wasanother tragedy – this time a little closerto home. On that Tuesday, ‘BlackTuesday’ there were 16 separate firesthat occurred in South Australia. Themost devastating of those fires was onthe Lower Eyre Peninsula.

This bushfire tore through 82 752hectares of grass and scrub, sadlyclaiming the life of nine people,destroying 93 homes as well asdamaging dozens of properties. The whole situation was very surreal.

Many have been saying that a ‘bigone’ was due again, but it justhappened so quickly, with no warningwith such devastating outcomes.

The scale of this disaster capturednational and international audiences.Prime Minister, John Howard, said,“I want to praise the tremendous workof the South Australian fire fightingauthorities, police and emergencyservices.” SA Premier echoed thesewords by saying, “I want to say thankyou to the hundreds of volunteerswho’ve been out there fighting thesefires. There can be no higher act of citizenship.”

Now, we work as best we can to assistin the recovery of this incident andlearn from experiences. We rememberthose who have been deeply affectedand our thoughts and wishes go out toyou all. It’s really ‘Australian’ to see thecommunity band together, especiallyafter disasters such as this.

Sporting and community groups along with many businesses workedon ways to really help everyone on theLower Eyre Peninsula whose lives have changed.

Much of this edition of Volunteer hasbeen dedicated to the events of11 January. Have a flick to page 11 fora special report. After such tragedy, weneed to move forward. Positive eventsand news should not be overlooked sowe have also included articles on newstation openings, achievements of CFSvolunteers and give a pat on the backto those who have received medalsand commendations. Well done!

Lisa TenaceVolunteer EditorCFS Manager Public Affairs

Editor’s NoteLisa Tenace

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I’ll never forget the site of the bushfirezone when I arrived in the region theday after the fire. The trees in theairport car park were still smouldering –a scene that would be repeated manytimes throughout the next few days.

The major structural damage to homesand other buildings, and the thousandsof hectares of blackened farmland andscrub, reinforced the first-hand reportsfrom CFS volunteers about howfiercely and quickly the bushfire hadmoved through the region.

Hundreds of CFS firefighters fromaround the State battled the bushfire,and spent long hours in the days afterthe fire controlling hot spots andmopping up.

Each and every volunteer firefighterinvolved in the operation should be

The devastating bushfire that sweptthrough the southern Eyre Peninsulaon 11 January is a sober reminder ofthe dangers regularly faced by ourCountry Fire Service volunteersthroughout the State.

As the newest member of the CFSPublic Affairs Team, during the past fewmonths I have quite literally received abaptism of fire – pardon the pun!

To be honest, it’s been a real eyeopener and I know I’m not alone infeeling like that after recent events.

What’s literally blown me away andopened my eyes is the good nature ofthe organisation and the 16 000people who choose to play a part in it.

Krista’s ChatterKrista St John

A Message from the MinisterPatrick Conlon

extremely proud of their efforts. The skill and bravery display byfirefighters in the face of this firestormwas incredible. They are a credit tothemselves and their organisation.

Tragically, the fire claimed the lives oftwo CFS volunteer firefighters – TrentMurnane and Neil Richardson. I offermy heart-felt condolences to thefamilies and friends of both men.

They lost their lives trying to protecttheir community. Their community willnever forget them.

Hon Patrick ConlonMinister for Emergency ServicesMinister for Government EnterprisesMinister for EnergyMinister for Police

I remember the first third alarm Iattended at Ansteys Hill. Arriving at thefireground shortly after 5am, blearyeyed and in desperate need of acoffee, the scene in front of my eyesreally surprised me.

It wasn’t the smell of smoke or theresidents in their driveways in theirdressing gowns. It was the 200volunteers hard at work containing thefire as if it was the most normal thingin the world to be doing at that time ofthe morning.

These professional firefighters weresystematic and focused on the taskhaving been woken from their sleep bythe chirp of the pager.

The 200 firefighters were out there notbecause they were paid to be orbecause they were protecting theirown properties but, because theychose to be. This simply amazed me.

I’d heard about it, and even writtenmedia stories on it, but it wasn’t until Iwas actually out there (albeit on the

outskirts) did I gain a real appreciationof the saving role CFS volunteers have.

Despite the serious nature of theincident, there were still smiles onpeople’s faces, some “pleased to meetyous” and a cheeky “here’s trouble”greeting from some other volunteersI’d spent time with at Brukunga.

To people within the CFS, putting yourlife on hold to help someone else inneed is an everyday occurrence, butthose outside or new to theorganisation – it’s amazing, admirableand selfless act.

I can honestly say that I’m proud to beassociated with an organisation wherepeople give so willingly of themselvesto help the community.

And to those of you who gave me ahard time due to my new boots –they’re now considerably dirtier.

Krista St JohnVolunteer ProducerMedia Liaison Officer

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On Wednesday 12 January 2005, the dayafter the devastating bushfires on theLower Eyre Peninsula, I was listening tothe radio. A reporter was interviewing agentleman who had lost everythingexcept the clothes on his back. He losthis house, his machinery, and some ofhis stock.

The final question that the reporter asked the gentleman was “HOW DOYOU FEEL? Did he actually expect an answer?

Can we really expect a person to tell ushow they feel when their life has justbeen shattered by a bushfire, as was thecase for so many on ‘Black Tuesday’.Many people lost loved ones, theirhouses, their possessions and in somecases, their livelihood.

Even if you have had the terribleexperience yourself in the past, can weunderstand fully what the other person isgoing through, and are there enoughwords in the English language todescribe how they must feel?

Is there exasperation of whether theycould have done things differently andwould it have changed the outcome forthemselves and others?

Is there a feeling of helplessness, of notbeing able to do more before, during andafter the fire?

Is there anger, of again, that they orothers could have done things differentlybefore and during the fire to preventsuch devastation?

There would have to be physicaltiredness after the fire from the strenuousefforts of firefighting and the work ofgetting things back to normal and laterthere may also be tiredness from stressof financial worries.

Then there is the generosity of othershelping them to get back to normal andhow do they repay these people, eventhough they want no repayment.

There could be so many more feelingsmixed up inside, why would you ask“How do you feel?”

A better question to ask maybe “Howwould I feel if I was to go through thesame devastation?” or “How would Icope after going through the samedevastation?”

Immediately, so many thoughts comeinto your mind, but again would you beable to answer the question accurately.

After coming home from a four day visitto the Eyre Peninsula with the Executiveof the SAVFBA to visit and talk tovolunteer firefighters about the fires, mymind went immediately to how would MYhouse, farm, stock etc survive if we wereconfronted with the same type of fire.Although we do a reasonable amount offire prevention work around the farm, Idoubted whether it was enough to stop afurious fire when the Fire Danger Indexwas over 300.

As I have a work force of six to ten staff,depending on the time of the year andlive surrounded by National Parks, wehave a very stringent fire plan. But againI have decided that it would probably notcope with a fire of this magnitude.Property owners, whether farmers, smallbusinesses, homeowners or whoever,think about fire prevention at somestage, but actually doing somethingabout it is an entirely different thing.

We need to encourage all property ownersaround the State to prepare for a majorfire or disaster. It doesn’t matter that therehas not been a bad fire in the district for20 or 30 years, there may not be a badfire for another 20 or 30 years. But as theysay in the television ads “It will happen”and this will happen because peoplebecome complacent.

To everyone on the Eyre Peninsula thatwas affected by the fire you have mydeepest sympathy. To the firefighters youdid an outstanding job in the most

difficult and dangerous conditions. Toeveryone who has supported the victimsof the fires and the firefighters in anyway, thank you.

We, the SAVFBA will continue to supportthe volunteers of the SA Country FireService during the Police Investigationsand the Coronial Inquiry. If any firefightershave any questions at all, please do nothesitate to contact your local VFBADelegate, Wendy Shirley (VFBA EO) or myself.

Ken SchutzPresident SAVFBA

A Message from the VFBA PresidentKen Schutz AFSM

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NEW MINISTER FOREMERGENCY SERVICES

The SA Country Fire Service will now beanswerable to a new Emergency ServicesMinister following a minor Cabinetreshuffle in late March, after theresignation of Transport MinisterTrish White.

South Australian Premier Mike Rannannounced the appointment of CarmelZollo to the Emergency Services portfolioon 22 March with our former MinisterPatrick Conlon assuming the role ofTransport Minister. Mrs Zollo will now bethe third Minister in the Upper House.

Mrs Zollo was born in Tufara in theCampania region of Italy and migrated toAustralia with her family as a child in1957. She was the first Italian-bornwoman to be elected to the LegislativeCouncil, in October 1997. She is marriedwith three adult children.

Mrs Zollo was first elected to Parliament inOctober 1997 with her roles includingParliamentary Secretary to Minister forAgriculture, Food and Fisheries and MineralResources Development, Chair of IssuesGroup of Food South Australia, Chair of theMurray Mallee Strategic Task Force, Chair of the South Australian Wine Industryand most recently the ParliamentarySecretary assisting the Minister for Industryand Trade and Minister for MineralResources Development.

CFS welcomes The Hon Carmel Zollo asEmergency Services Minister and offersour support to her in the future.

We thank The Hon Patrick Conlon for hissupport during the past three years andwish him all the best in his future role.

The SA Country Fire Service will soon establish an online shop, available through the CFS website. All products will be available to CFS volunteers as well as the general public.

However, to ensure we have the ‘right stuff’, we’d like to get your thoughts on what you’ll like to purchase.

To assist with this, please complete this brief questionnaire and return it no later than 14 May 2005.Simply fold this page in half, lick the glued edges, seal and post. No stamp required.

The first 30 people who return their questionnaire will go into the draw to win a CFS winter prize packincluding a CFS polar fleece jumper, beanie and coffee mug to keep you warm for the cold weather.

QUESTIONNAIRE

1. I currently purchase CFS merchandise � Yes � No

2. I am looking to purchase more CFS merchandise � Yes � No

3. I would be comfortable purchasing CFS branded products through the internet � Yes � No

What sort of products would you purchase. Please tick appropriate boxes.

� t-shirts � mouse pads � key rings� polo-shirts � pens � torches� peaked caps � stubby holders � teddy bears� coffee mugs � plaques � flags

� Other – please specify ______________________________________________________________________

To be eligible for the prize draw, complete the details below (including name and phone number).

Name (optional) _______________________________________________________________________________

Phone number (optional) _______________________________________________________________________

My town or suburb is __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

I have been a volunteer for________________ years

BE QUICK – the first 30 people to return the questionnaire will go into a

draw to win the winter prize pack!

Special Report: Black Tuesday

There is no firefighting force in theworld that could have stopped the firein the conditions we experienced today

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In some areas white ash and stumps are all that remain.

On Tuesday 11 January 16 firesbroke out across the State. Themost devastating blaze occurredon the Lower Eyre Peninsula.South Australians were shakenby what unfolded that day.

For the past 22 years Australians haveremembered the destructive AshWednesday II bushfires, which rippedthrough parts of South Australia andVictoria on 16 February 1983. This fireclaimed the lives of 28 people anddestroyed 383 homes. About 200hectares in the Adelaide Hills and infarming country in the South East of theState were also affected. In addition,21 000 hectares of pine plantations wereburnt. The total cost of the damage toprivate property in South Australia wasestimated to be more than $200 million.

This year, on Tuesday 11 January theentire Australian community watched inhorror and disbelief as a tragedy wasagain unfolding. More than a dozenbushfires occurred that day, in SouthAustralia, with the most destructive onthe Lower Eyre Peninsula. This bushfirerapidly swept across 77 000 hectares ofgrass and scrubland and sadly claimed

the life of nine people, 47 000 stock(mainly sheep), destroyed 93 homes,237 sheds and damaged dozens ofcommercial properties and smallholdings. The damage bill is expected toexceed $100 million. The environmentalimpact is also substantial with anestimated $5 million loss in biodiversity.

“The heat from theflames turnedaluminium structuresinto melting blobs.”The enormity of this catastrophic eventsent massive shock waves throughoutthe entire community. It also shookhundreds of CFS volunteers and staff aswell as those from emergency serviceand other organisations involved inbattling the blaze.

That day the State was on high alertbecause of the predicted weather forecast.Winds were expected to exceed 60kph,Fire Danger Index (FDI) more than 100 andtemperatures were forecasted to reach 40Degrees. Total fire bans were declared forthe entire State of South Australia,something that doesn’t often occur.

An early morning briefing was called atCFS Headquarters for the entire Statewith a representative from everyoperational area involved. A short timelater a briefing at the State EmergencyOperation Centre (SEOC), was also heldwith representatives from CFS, MFS, SAPolice, SA Water, Department forEnvironment and Heritage (DEH) onboard for the discussion. Only two hoursafter this briefing ended, the SEOC was activated.

In the South East dozens of CFSvolunteers worked to tackle a fire atRendelsham, which had the potential toescalate. One hundred and sevenvolunteer firefighters and 29 appliancescontained this blaze to 12 hectares.

By 11am, the Mercury had risen to asweltering 40 Degrees Celsius. The FDIin the Lower Eyre Peninsula climbedtowards figures not previously recordedin South Australia. Winds of more than100kph were being experienced with thistreacherous combination only fanning thebushfire which was by now rippingthrough the area. The raging blaze torethrough the shortest of stubble leavingbehind a surface of sand.

A Day We’ll Never ForgetBy Lisa Tenace

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View over Boston Bay as the fire burns.

Lieutenant II of Port Lincoln Brigade,David Bryant, was one of the volunteerscalled to respond to the fire on Black Tuesday.

“As soon as I stepped out of the houseto respond to this fire I could tell thatthings weren’t right,” David said.

“The air was full ofsmoke and really thicksmoke. I thought tomyself, how are wegoing to confront what we see?”“Having been a CFS volunteer for35 years I’ve been to a stack of firesbefore but never one like this. The speed and ferocity of this fire was unbelievable.

“We rushed up to North Shields becausewe were told the fire was heading towardshouses there. There was so much dustand smoke, we just couldn’t see. With thefire racing so quickly we had to make ourway to Louth Bay, and there were timeswhere we were surrounded by flames andwe just hoped we’d make it.

“The fire was so ferocious andunpredictable there was no way to tell

where the front or flanks were. The safetyof those on the truck and others on thefireground was always running throughmy mind,” he said.

“The immense heat, noise and stress onthe ground was like nothing I or otherbrigade members had ever experienced,and hope to never again experience.

“Until you are out on the ground andfaced with this confronting anduncontrollable fire you don’t reallyunderstand the difficulty containingsomething like this. The fire was travelling so fast,” he said.

Even for those who have lived throughsuch tragic circumstances, it is beyondcomprehension that a fire could destroyso much in its path so very quickly.

“When we were on the ground we didn’tknow the full extent of this bushfire. Itwasn’t until crews relieved us from ourshift that we heard of the deaths anddestruction,” he said.

“It’s an absolute tragedy and I sincerelyhope no one has to go through anexperience like this again.”

Closer to Adelaide, more than 300firefighters rushed to the Adelaide Hillsfollowing reports of a major fire atMount Osmond and another break out at

Tumby Bay Group Officer, Quentin Russ, explained that this was no ordinary fire.

“I’ve been with the CFS for 22 years andthis was like nothing I have ever seen.One thing that we really need tounderstand is that this was a veryunusual day and a very different fire. The FDI was much greater thanpredicted, the weather conditions wereextreme and there is no way anythingcould have stopped it.” Quentin said.

“Our strike team was sent to Wanilla inthe morning and then we headed up toEdillilie. We had about four appliances atthe start of the day and by the end of theday we had collected seven or eight,” he said.

The principles of attacking the fire werehindered by the fire’s unpredictablebehaviour.

“It wasn’t like any ordinary bushfirewhere we could follow the principles. It really was a matter of where we feltsafe to have our appliances and people.Because we were faced with thisincredible fire we focused on assetprotection and survival…some of thecrews experienced burn-overs. When the fire came over it was pretty fierce,”Quentin said.

“I remember thinking that it was just toodangerous for appliances to head downcertain roads. We knew we could getthrough some areas and what made iteven more difficult from a coordinationpoint of view was that we just didn’tknow where fire the was going,” he said.

“We were given some good guidancefrom aerial spotters which was great…itwas just a very, very unusual day.”

“During this event I remember that thewhole community really banded togetherand we used what ever appliances wecould find.

“Everyone did everything asked of themand they were very disciplined. No onepanicked and really stuck together, nomatter which brigade they belonged,” he said.

“Having strike teams from all across theState was a huge relief. With these extraresources and the Incident ManagementTeams, it really took a load off and wecouldn’t have done it without them,”Quentin said.

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Aerial view of the fire on the Lower Eyre Peninsula.

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“Our brigade received a call to respondto the Mount Osmond fire and as weturned up the freeway there were dozensof semi-trailers, trucks and buses allstopped and banked up all the way to thetollgate. You know that it’s not goodwhen there’s a major arterial road closedfor that long, holding up that muchtraffic,” Kathy said.

"We were responded to the southernside of the fire and it was so hot, dry andwindy we had all been drinking litres ofwater even before we began firefighting.We could see embers travelling aboveour heads right over the freeway andcausing spot fires where they landed.Access to that area was narrow butthankfully strike teams from East Torrens,Sturt Groups and MFS managed to savesome houses, stock and sheds.

“At one point a dirt track leading to privatedriveways was clogged with fireappliances which meant we had to beorganised to get everyone in and out towhere they were needed quickly. We werealso tasked to protect other houses atEagle on the Hill and dog boardingkennels at Mount Osmond. We all spentthe afternoon and evening out in the heatgoing from one task to the next,” she said.

While more than 2 000 volunteers acrossthe State were busy on the front line,State Operations Centre Officers (OCOs)and State Coordination Centre staff were furiously keeping up with thehundreds of calls every hour forassistance and information.

OCO, Darren Van Ek, was one of threeoperators on day shift.

“I have been involved with some big firesboth as a volunteer and as an OCO butnever have I ever experienced a day like that.

“I remember we were taking hundredsand hundreds of calls from peoplepanicking because they could see flames.Our resources were fully committed. The simple reality is that we are not ableto send an appliance to every house,” he said.

“All we could do was stay calm on thephone and advise them to put theirBushfire Action Plan into place,” Darren said.

With the phones ringing off the hook andthe need to dispatch resources, Darrensaid all they were focused on was gettingthe job done.

“We didn’t have time to absorb themagnitude of the situation. It wasn’t untilmuch later in the day that I becameaware of the deaths and amount ofdevastation. I was really shocked to hearthis,” he said.

As the morning unfolded, reports werebeing received from the Lower EyrePeninsula of the tragedy occurring.

The fire, which broke out near Wangaryrapidly moved from the west to the east

Mount Bold. Traffic on the South EasternFreeway heading in and out of Adelaidewas diverted to give firefighters a chanceto get to the origin of the blaze. The fireat Mount Osmond was causing graveconcern because of the extreme weatherconditions. With smoke clearly visiblefrom the Adelaide CBD, Hills residentsbegan to head back to the area toprotect their homes. Trucks, buses andcars found their way along GreenhillRoad as the main arterial stretch wasblocked because of the severe danger.This in itself was of a huge concern withthere being no escape if the fire hadswept along this road.

The Mount Osmond blaze is believed tohave begun on the northern side of theSouth Eastern Freeway near GleneaglesRoad and quickly spread upslope in anortheast direction. The sweltering heat,humidity, wind and dryness were intenseand resulted in the fire spotting hundredsof metres across the freeway, causing ahuge fire in Leawood Gardens. Thepotential for Mount Osmond to escalateinto disaster was very real.

Athelstone Lieutenant, Kathy Burbidge,was one of the firefighters whoresponded as part of the East Torrensstrike team to this fire.

“One thing I remember about that daywas that even before dawn the air wasvery dry, hot and it was really windy.When conditions are so fierce so early inthe morning you sense that things justaren’t quite right.

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Mount Osmond resident coming to terms with the loss of motor vehicles valued at more than $60 000.

and swept through the small townshipsincluding Wanilla, North Shields,Poonindie, Louth Bay and Greenpatch.

For many of the CFS volunteers fightingfire across the other side of the State,the devastating news of the deaths cameas a real shock.

"There was one stage during the MountOsmond fire where I had an SMS fromanother firefighter with reports of thedeaths. We just couldn’t believe it. Atthat stage we didn’t know if they werefirefighters or members of the public. Thedeaths really put things into perspectivefor us and we seemed to just pulltogether and be even more protective ofeach other. I had messages from MountGambier, Millicent, my friends and lots ofother firefighters, even from New SouthWales and Victoria, urging us to becareful and come home safely. We justwanted to do the job properly withoutbeing injured," Kathy recalls.

With the drop in wind speed, change indirection, deployment of 992 volunteers,128 appliances and 72 brigades, theMount Osmond fire was thankfullycontained by late afternoon.

“I remember about 4pm that day, thewind dropped before the change, whichallowed firefighters a short time to collectand plan the next stage of attack to geton top of the fire. Then the wind pickedup and changed direction and so did thefirefight,” Kathy said.

About 120 hectares was burnt with threequarters of the burnt area resulting fromthe spot fires.

At this time the fire on the Lower EyrePeninsula was still burning and crewswere working so hard to contain the fire.As strike teams arrived, volunteers on theground were given a chance to rest andprepare for the next shift.

The fire continued to burn for the followingtwo days with a small section moving intodifficult terrain in the Koppio ConservationPark. The huge task of mopping upthousands of hectares was carried out formore than a week with the smouldering,especially of stumps, continuing for up toa month after the event.

About 149 appliances were at somestage assisting with containing and

suppressing the fire and 145 brigadeswere also deployed to the area.

CFS Chief Officer Euan Ferguson said the behaviour of this fire wasbeyond his experience and imagination.

“Fighting that fire in any capacity,whether on the front line or in planning orlogistics, was a huge and challengingtask. We have not seen this sort of firebehaviour in this State for at least 22years, or perhaps ever before.

“I have seen the devastation...this firewas ferocious, incomprehendable and itwas at the extreme of weather and firebehaviour and intensity, which made itextremely difficult to control,” Euan said.

A Coronial investigation will be carriedout into the nine deaths. A team ofinvestigators headed by a senior policeofficer will report directly to the Coroner.

“The full facts from this event are nowbeing gathered for police and will behanded to the Coroner. It’s going to be alengthy and in-depth process,” Euan said.

With the tragedy of the event, theCooperative Research Centre (CRC)based in Melbourne, was called upon for assistance.

“To help research the fire’s behaviour, I contacted Kevin O’Loughlin from the CRC.

“I wanted to seek expertise from theresearch centre and gather data on theground. It’s really important to get accessto the scene early to not only gatherfactual data, but to gain anunderstanding from the people involvedin this tragedy, their recollections of thespeed and behaviour of such adestructive and intense fire,” Euan said.

A team of scientists form the CRCtravelled to the Lower Eyre Peninsula todo just that.

The main focus of the research is on firebehaviour and property damage. Theteam will produce a post-fire reportwhich may be used in the ongoinginvestigation into the cause and ferocityof the fire.

Chief Executive Officer of the CRCKevin O’Loughlin said the tragedy mayeventually have benefits for otherthreatened communities.

“The need to gather information from the scene early is vital to understand fire behaviour.

“Jim Gould of the CSIRO’s FireBehaviour and Management Team willexamine the fire behaviour, especially therate of spread.

“Justin Leonard also of CSIRO willexamine how property damage occurredand why the fire affected some

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A long day for CFS volunteers who tackled blazes across the State.

properties and not others. A team fromGeoscience Australia are also assistinghim, using state of the art techniquesused after the Canberra fires to preciselymap the areas damaged.

“Alan Rhodes of the Victorian CFA and a part time researcher at RMITUniversity will look at communitybehaviour and understanding on theissue of deciding whether to ‘stay or go,”Mr O’Loughlin said.

In the days following the Lower EyrePeninsula tragedy, more than 2 000 callswere received on the West Coast Hotlineoperated by Centrelink staff. Around1 300 calls were received at CFSHeadquarters on 11 and 12 January.

Thousands of CFS volunteers and staffwere involved in some capacity on thatday – firefighting, planning, logistics,catering, radio operations, mapping,media liaison, hotline operations and callreceipt and despatch.

Across the State on Tuesday 11 January,the number of resources committed wasmassive. More than 2 000 volunteers,250 brigades and 300 appliances playeda huge role.

The recovery process has already beganand as part of that, the CFS StressPrevention and Management (SPAM)team has provided counselling andsupport to those involved.

The team, headed by Trudy Whelan and including CFS consultantpsychologist Jill Scott, Counsellor Jane

Abdilla and chaplain Jim Keatch, as wellas peer supporters from the CFS andState Emergency Service, worked aroundthe clock, supported by Adelaide-basedpersonnel to provide counselling servicesto firefighters and others involved in theLower Eyre Peninsula fire.

“It’s been very, hard going. We knew thiswould be an extremely busy time andhave dedicated many resources to therecovery process,” Trudy said.

“It was important to have the teaminvolved early in the piece becausevolunteers and staff have been placed inextraordinary circumstances, and theevents may leave scars in the memory of many.

“It’s important that a counselling serviceis provided to allow those who havewitnessed this to be able to grieve anddiscuss their feelings openly.”

Trudy said it was positive to see that somany had made use of the counsellingservices available to them, and this wasattributed to education provided tomembers in pre-incident trainingsessions as well as contact with SPAMover many years.

“Those involved in battling the blazemade use of our services and werewillingly approaching us for assistance indealing with this incident.

“The volunteers have had the chance tosee things with more perspective nowand the whole community is grieving forthe people and things they’ve lost.”

Trudy said counselling would be providedfor as long as it was required.

“We are here and ready to providesupport when needed, even if it’s monthsdown the track. What I stress is thattalking things over with a professionalcounsellor is very important in therecovery process so that people are ableto deal with issues which have arisenfrom this event, even months or yearsdown the track.”

For those wishing to contact SPAM,phone Trudy Whelan on 08 8463 4141 orpage Jill Scott on 08 8273 2399.

The CFS Board has recognised theenormous effort and would like to extend its gratitude to all CFS volunteersand staff. The following “Thank You” note was placed in metropolitan andregional newspapers across SouthAustralia in appreciation of theoutstanding commitment.

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Fire coming dangerously close to LeawoodGardens homes.

Cooling down after fighting the fire. Meeting the media at Port Lincoln airport. The d

WangaryFatalities 9 (including 4 children

and 2 firefighters) Area burnt 77 000 Hectares Homes Destroyed 93*Homes Damaged 11Sheds Destroyed 237*Sheds Damaged 79Commercial Properties Damaged 135Small Holding Damaged 100Farm Machinery and Implements Destroyed 139Fencing Destroyed 6 300 estimated Livestock:

• Sheep Destroyed 46 139• Cattle Destroyed 535• Goats Destroyed 63• Horses Destroyed 25• Pigs/Buffalo/Alpaca 18

CFS Statistics:• Total Number of Volunteers 1 098• Total Number of Appliances 149 approximately• Total Number of Brigades 145• CFS Volunteer Injuries 12 (5 hospitalised and 1 airlifted

to Adelaide)Transport Infrastructure 22 kms - Tod Highway damaged

2 kms - Lincoln Highway damagedBiodiversity losses estimated at $5 millionTotal Losses estimated at $100 million

Mount OsmondHomes Destroyed NilOther Building Destroyed 3Area burnt 120 HectaresAnimals Destroyed NilVehicles Destroyed 4Amount of Fencing Destroyed 4 KmCFS Statistics:

• Total Number of Volunteers 992• Total Number of Appliances 128• Total Number of Brigades 72

Rendelsham Homes Destroyed NilOther Buildings Destroyed NilArea burnt 12 HectaresAnimals Destroyed NilVehicles Destroyed NilAmount of Fencing Destroyed NilCFS Statistics:

• Total Number of Volunteers 107• Total Number of Appliances 29• Total Number of Brigades 15

* The figures listed above for houses and sheds destroyed, damaged and undamaged areestimates provided by the Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH) based on interpretationof pre and post-fire aerial photography of the area. This data has not been verified by ground -based surveys as yet.

Fast FactsConsolidated Losses 11 January 2005

“THANK YOU”Tuesday 11 January was a day SouthAustralians will never forget. The mostdevastating bushfire seen in this State since Ash Wednesday occurred on the Eyre Peninsula.

Our entire community was deeply affected.This included CFS volunteers who, in trueAustralian spirit, responded to the call forhelp from their neighbours and friends.

In addition to this bushfire, there were 15other difficult fires burning across the State.

Thousands of CFS volunteers from allaround South Australia were involved in firefighting and behind-the-scenes activities ofcatering, planning and logistics.

Individuals joined to work as one team withprivate farm units, personnel from otheremergency agencies, governmentdepartments, and members of thecommunity to battle the crisis. They werewilling and united, displaying remarkablefocus and cooperation.

These are extraordinary people whoworked tirelessly for one common goal –serving the community.

The CFS and its Board extends its sinceregratitude to each and every one of thesemen and women.

For your amazing efforts, we say ‘welldone and thank you’.

Ray DundonPresiding Member, CFS Board

Euan FergusonCFS Chief Officer

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devastated North Shields Caravan Park.

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Mount Osmond

The aftermath. Heli-tack aircraft refilling at Mount Osmond Golf Course.

Providing assistance to ground crews.

A Dangerous situation on Mount Osmond Road.

The fire moved so quickly. Working in tough conditions.

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EyrePeninsula

The surreal view.Three days later the skies opened. Volunteers fighting the fire.

The Poonindie Church still stands.Volunteers on their way to Lincoln to help. Melted trailer.

The fire burnt indiscriminately.

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Angela Whillas, Captain of Greenpatch CFS Brigade,shares her thoughts on 11 January.

Black Tuesday is a day that we wouldall like to forget, unfortunately, wenever will.

It was a day that took lives, devastated property, and changedpeople’s lives forever.

It is now a day that we re-live, reflectupon but also draw experience andlearn from.

There were some good things thatcame from the fire:

• The speed that strike teams fromother groups and Regions arrived to assist

• The teamwork and interaction fromall agencies and volunteers fromother areas

• The way communities reacted and worked together in the recovery process

• The huge task, Vincent Monterolaand his Recovery Committeeundertook and had in place so quickly

• The professional ability andcommitment of the SPAM team andthe time they devote

• The continuous support fromWendy Shirley and the VFBA

• The strength and support of CFS as an organisation

• The support and overwhelminggenerosity of Australia

During a devastating event such asthis, there’ll always be negatives butwe can only learn by experience.

There were some ugly things resultingfrom the fire including the loss of nineinnocent lives, the decimation ofdistricts with some people losing theircomplete properties and the traumathat people suffered through theirexperience of the day.

Time will lessen the trauma and healthe wounds and that were inflicted byBlack Tuesday but people need torealise that it will be a lengthy process.

On behalf of all the volunteers andcommunities on Lower Eyre Peninsula,we can’t express our gratitude enoughto everyone that has supported usthrough this time. It is a huge part ofour recovery.

Thank you

11 January 2005

Open Day Raises Thousands of Dollars

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Kym Dillon (Mix FM), Stuart Macleod (SES), Grant Lupton (MFS), Euan Ferguson(CFS), and SA Premier Mike Rann.

CFS Chief Officer Euan Ferguson with volunteers from the ClarendonBrigade captained by Glynn Williams at the Open Day.

An Open Day was held to raise money for those affected by the fire on the Lower Eyre Peninsula.More than 4 500 people attended the day with more that $76 000 raised. Thank you to the communityand the Clarendon volunteers who represented the CFS on the day.

Letters of Thanks to the CFS

Dear Euan,

I just wanted to write and express my sincerethanks to you and all of the dedicated CountryFire Service personnel who worked so hard tocontain and extinguish the terrible bushfires onthe Lower Eyre Peninsula.

I visited the region on Friday, 14 January and was greatly dismayed by the devastation caused.I was pleased, however, to observe the spirit ofthe local community and their heartfelt generositytowards those who suffered terrible loss.

Again, sincere thanks for your committed effortsto assist the community of the Lower EyrePeninsula.

Yours Sincerely,

Marjorie Jackson-NelsonGovernor South Australia

Dear Euan,

I wanted to ‘formally’ let you know howproud I am of the extraordinarily brave andselfless work of the CFS and its volunteersover the past few weeks.

As you know, I have been visiting the EyrePeninsula repeatedly since the devastatingand tragic fires on Tuesday, 11 January.

The day after – travelling up White Flat Roadand seeing dozens of burned out farmhouses and thousands of dead stock – I metwith a number of CFS crews. They hadtravelled more than 600km to support localCFS Brigades who had fought the infernoheroically the day before and werecontinuing to work tirelessly to get the fireunder control. And, of course, manyhundreds of CFS volunteers were outfighting major fires in other parts of our Statethe day before. Their magnificent effortssaved us from further tragedies.

As you know, I have had a long associationwith the CFS, yet I am still inspired by thecommitment of our volunteers. On the WestCoast, I heard stories about CFS firefighterswho fought to save lives and homes of bothneighbours and strangers – even thoughtheir own homes and farms have beendevastated.

There can be no higher act of citizenship.

I know you share my pride in the dedicationand courage of our firefighters who serve ourcommunity and put their lives on the line tosave others. I would be most grateful if youcould pass on this message to all our CFSvolunteers. Our State is proud of them.

Yours sincerely,

Mike RannPremier South Australia

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Judy Arthur, Manager OHSW gives us an update on OHSWfrom Black Tuesday.

On Black Tuesday firefighters either inCFS appliances or on private farmunits, were fighting serious fires on theEyre Peninsula, at Rendelsham, or atMount Osmond.

Several sustained injuries, some moreserious than others.

There were two reported burnovers,one in a private farm unit whichresulted in two CFS fatalities and theother in a CFS 2 4 appliance, resultingin two hospitalisations.

In total, 19 volunteers were injured on11 January. On the Eyre Pensinsulathere were two fatalities and 12 injuriesand at Mount Osmond sevenvolunteers sustained injuries.

Burns were suffered by five volunteers,heat exhaustion by eight, eye injurieswere sustained by five. One volunteerreceived a bee sting and another was affected by a pre existing medical condition.

Immediate Action TakenThe hospitalised volunteers werevisited to assess their needs andwhere relevant, to provide informationto their families about their condition.

The Stress Prevention ManagementTeam (SPAM) was activated andmobilised within 24 hours to providesupport and assistance to thoseaffected or in need. The team still hasa presence on Eyre Peninsula and willhave for as long as required.

Accident investigations were initiatedand workers compensation claims havebeen processed as quickly as possibleto minimise financial hardship.

The CEO and Presiding Member of theCFS Board visited the families of thefatally injured and offered support fromthe CFS organisation. A liaison personhas been appointed to facilitate thesupport and assist these familieswherever possible.

The BurnoversThere were two major burnovers reported.

Rural 2 4 Appliance

As the investigation is nearingcompletion, more information isavailable about this burnover.

The brigade was paged and with onlytwo volunteers available, theyresponded to the Group Base foradditional crew. The appliance did nothave any ration packs or water onboard. Once loaded with the additionalvolunteers, water and some lollies,they headed towards the area wherethe fire had started the night before.

They passed a large haystack and sawa fire burning in a stubble paddock.One of the firefighters quickly finisheddonning his PPE by doing up his collar,pulling his visor down and placing hisneck flap outside his collar. One of hisgloves was misplaced in his haste.

The second firefighter, donned in theolder style overalls with a low collarand no action back, was also wearinga helmet with a neck flap that did notcover his ears. He was wearing short

cuff rigger gloves. He went to the backof the appliance to turn the pump onand the throttle up.

The wind changed direction and thecabin crew felt concerned. The driversaw a gate into a paddock and turnedthe appliance 45º onto the road unsurewhether to retreat or continue. The large haystack was a concern ifthey retreated. Radio messages werebeing sent to and from the Sector Commander.

In the meantime, the fire was burningin big trees on either side of the roadand the rear of the appliance becameengulfed in flames.

Both of the firefighters on the rearcrouched down between the crewhaven and the water tank while theflames roared overhead. At the firstopportunity, the two firefighters undidthe crew haven curtain, albeit with somedifficulty, as the Velcro straps werepartially melted. The studs were brokenand they scrambled into the crew havenwhich was secured using the esky andtheir feet. The crew haven seat was laterfound to have been affected by heat.They made contact with the cabin crew,again with difficulty, because of thenoise of the fire and stated medicalattention was required.

The Sector Commander advised thecabin crew to keep coming as therewere four appliances, a grader and theGroup Command Vehicle only about200 metres away.

When the crew in the haven thought itwas safe, they dampened themselvesdown to cool their heads and burntskin. One firefighter used his helmet tosoak his hand, which had not beencovered by a glove.

After a few delays, further radiocommunication and licks of flame, theCummins Hospital was contacted forassistance. The Director of Nursingmet the Group Vehicle and transferredthe injured firefighters to the hospital.

Later one was transferred to the RAHafter being diagnosed with inhalationburns and third degree burns to onehand. He was treated in the IntensiveCare Unit because of the risk from his

Health Safety and Welfare

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Lessons LearnedIt is important to learn from anyincident where an injury or nearmiss has occurred. Here are someof the ‘lessons learned’ from11 January.

• The importance of correct PPEbeing worn at all times.

- The firefighter with burns to hishands will say never again willhe be caught without his gloves.

- Short cuffed riggers do notprovide sufficient protection forwrists, especially with the olderstyle PPE. Long cuffed glovesare available.

- The older style PPE does notmeet the current AustralianStandard and creeps up aroundthe wrists when arms arestretched. There is also tensionacross the elbows where the fit is firm. This resulted inradiation heat burns. Old PPEmust be replaced with the PPE that meets currentAustralian Standards.

- The originally supplied neck flapdoes not cover the ears. Acommuniqué was distributedabout this with advice toreplace it with the wider flapthat covers ears some time ago.

No matter how goodthe old PPE is, pleasereplace it with thecurrent AustralianStandard PPE.

• The fire danger index on the daywas reported to be more than 300.Information about the impact ofthis will be forthcoming from theCSIRO and the CRC investigations.

• The CFS has issued theFirefighters Watchouts and arecent edition of the Volunteer hada two page spread detailing these.All CFS volunteers need to readand understand these.

• The 10 Standard Fire Orders havejust been released in a pocket cardform. All CFS volunteers shouldhave a copy and understand them.

• These firefighters were maintainingcontact with their supervisor. Theywere alert to the danger.

• The fire changed within a couple ofminutes and was unpredictable.Events changed quickly. TheCSIRO will have information whenits study of the fire behaviour andthe speed of the fire is completed.

• A red flag warning about theimminent wind change was issuedover the GRN radio. This was thefirst time some had heard such awarning. (See article under General News).

• The CFS will review thecommunication systems betweenthe front and back of appliances.

• A burnover procedure needs to bedeveloped by the CFS andpractised by brigades.

• All group brigades should beencouraged to integrate BushfireFighting 1 into their trainingprogram to ensure they are up todate with the latest.

• Consideration may be given tohaving a first aid kit in the crewdeck area, not only in the outside lockers.

• Water should be available on theappliance for washing eyes,treating burns etc.

• The use of Burnaid dressingsneeds to be evaluated.

• Ensure adequate water and rationpacks are available for incidentresponses at all times.

• Once an appliance is involved in aburnover, its suitability and safetyfor immediate service needs to becarefully evaluated.

• Firefighters need to be ready tocombat an incident as soon asthey leave the station.

inhalation burns, before being movedto the Burns Unit within a few days.

The other firefighter was treated at theCummins Hospital for burns to hisface, wrists and elbow.

Private Farmer’s Fire Unit

The burnover of the private farmer’s unit, which resulted in thefatalities, has devastated two families,their relatives, friends and the CFS organisation.

At this stage, an investigation is beingconducted by the Coroner and theCFS, with the latter focusing on anOHSW perspective. The SAFECOMHealth, Safety and Welfare Branch,CFS personnel and Workplace Servicesis conducting this investigation, whichwill be released at a later date.

Investigations are always conducted todetermine the contributing and causalfactors, with a view to preventing arecurrence, not to lay blame.

Our sincere appreciation goes tothese firefighters who have allowedtheir story to be told, so we can alllearn from their experience.

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Our localfirefightersdeserve a medal…

Dropping their jobs and leavingtheir families as short notice,dozens of volunteers from across

With ThanksRegion 2 headed for the EyrePeninsula last Tuesday andWednesday, risking their own livesto save the homes and livelihoodsof others.

Among them were volunteersfrom Gawler River, Two Wells,Roseworthy, Greenock, Freeling,Angaston, Tanunda, Nuriootpa,Owen, Hamley Bridge, Dalkeithand One Tree Hill.

Their selfless response andwillingness to help complete

strangers in a time of hardshipepitomises the Australian spirit.

Much criticism has been levelledat the Country Fire Service forfailing to contain the blaze early,along with threats of a class action.However it should be rememberedthey are volunteers who have donethe people of that region a greatservice. They deservecongratulations.

Gawler Bunyip, 19 January

‘What if’ thevolunteers weren’t there?

It was the Asian tsunami disasterthat tested our generosity, and nowthe Eyre Peninsula bushfire that hasshown again that South Australia’sfierce community spirit is not justalive in rural South Australia – it’soverflowing.

No sooner was the word out thatEP farmer’s hour of greatest needhad arrived than the donationsstarted pouring in.

Farmers around the stateremembered and returned favoursfrom 22 years ago during AshWednesday. Some pledged specificitems, such as hay, pipe, transportand stock, while others said ‘whatdo they need and I’ll get it for them’.

It was made even more poignantby the fact that many farmers hadnot experienced the most profitableyear but still set aside something tohelp those in a worse situation.

But like the tsunami victims, EPfarmers are going to need ongoinghelp and support. They will not bealright once the media spotlightfades – the help SA provides shouldbe more like a marathon, not a 10second sprint.

If time heals all wounds, then itwill take just as long to rebuild.

Everyone is struggling tocomprehend how what had taken alifetime to build could be destroyedin a few minutes. But this onlyhighlights that EP people have theirpriorities right: helping each other,rather than laying blame for the fire.

This is why recent reports wereespecially disturbing of the ‘what if’scenarios that emerged in theaftermath of the fire.

Attacking the Country FireService for its actions during whatcan only be imaged as a nightmarishexperience trying to extinguish ablaze travelling as fast as its trucks isa low blow.

These are the volunteers whosacrifice their time to protect peopleand property. They deserve all theaccolades we can offer.

Volunteers are a valuable andstrained resource and questioningthe actions of those who risked theirlives last week is shameful.

Do the accusers honestly thinkthose volunteers would have notdone everything in their power to putthe fire out before it killed anymorepeople or destroyed anymoreproperty? Those volunteers also willgrieve their losses along with therest of the community.

Investigators are at present piecingtogether how the fire unfolded andassessing the response. The inquiryshould do the finger pointing – if itis necessary – not ill-informedbystanders who underestimate thestrength of the CFS, its volunteersand the EP community.

The Stock Journal,20 January

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Terror thensaved by the CFS

They saved our bacon, thevolunteers of the Country FireService. As a resident ofGleneagles Road, Mount Osmond,I had five hours of near terror onTuesday wondering when the fireswould engulf my house.

It was only after the danger haddied down and we made a short tripdown the road that we could seethe dozens of brigades that hadresponded to our plight.

They came from miles away –Murray Bridge, Yankalilla, Paraand Cape Jervis to name a few.

We also had good representationfrom the Metropolitan Fire Serviceand the water bombers.

Great work guys and ourneighbours owe you a huge debt.Not one house was harmed.

Gleneagles Road and LeawoodGardens residents thank you fromthe bottom of our hearts.

Mac Benoy, Mount OsmondLetters, The Advertiser 13 January

Back toreality

While we concentrate onobtaining money for the Asiantsunami crisis, unfortunately thefires in South Australia have onceagain brought us back to reality inour own backyard.

Thank goodness for our CountryFire Service.

Raymond Tanner, Aberfoyle ParkLetters, The Advertiser, 14 January

Sympathyand praise

I address my remarks to all theresidents of towns on the EyrePeninsula who were affected by thedevastating bushfires.

I would like to pass on mysympathy to those who lost familymembers.

To all emergency servicepersonnel, “well done” under suchhorrible conditions

Robert Shammall, Bull Creek WALetters, Advertiser, 14 January

A jobwell done

Too often it is too easy to criticise.So let’s set the record straight.

The volunteers and firefightingagencies did a brilliant job in therecent bushfires across the EyrePeninsula.

They helped to save lives andprotect property – and did it allwith little regard for their ownsafety, time or comfort.

They did it in extreme weatherconditions that were demonstrablyworse than on Ash Wednesday,22 years ago, and they did it withlittle fanfare or fuss.

From everyone affected by thefires – thank you.

Thank you also to those agenciesand organisations which haveperformed so well in the days anweeks since the fire.

The State Government andPrimary Industries and ResourcesSouth Australia were immediatedecisive and effective with theirsupport.

Likewise, the SA FarmersFederation performed what canonly be described as a Herculeaneffort in coordinating aid effortsfrom across the State and nation.

SAFF staff – and a loyal willingband of volunteer’s performed aservice that saw (and will continueto see) relief and assistance forthose caught in the tragic events ofa fortnight ago.

It was an effort that reminds usall what it means to be part of therural community.

Stock Journal, Thursday 27 January

Thank you,CFS

The fire through the AdelaideHills on January 11 was the firstthat we had been involved in.We thank all of the Country FireService who were involved, inparticular those who fought sohard to defend our home

Having been a resident inLeawood Gardens for only threemonths, one of the things weasked our landlord was whatplans he had in place in case of bushfires.

He assured us that there wereplenty of hoses that reached theentire length of the house, boreand rainwater was available inplentiful supply, trees werelocated a safe distance from thehouse and there were easilyaccessible fire tracks.

Little did he or we know howsoon this information would be required.

Greg and Deana Mildren,Leawood Gardens

Letters, The Advertiser, 22 January

Have you ever tried driving your carlooking in the rear vision mirror ratherthan through the front windscreen?Not the most successful approach todriving. In no time at all, you’d likelycollide with something in front of you.However, a rear vision mirror iscompletely necessary for the purposeof driving - glancing back andobserving what’s happening aroundyou. But in order to move forward in avehicle one must drive looking ahead,not to what’s happening behind.

RuminationsBrenton Ragless

I’d like to think that the SA CountryFire Service is an organisation movingforward. Yes, looking back at lessonslearned from previous experience iscompletely necessary but do we reallyapply what we learned and use it toprepare us for what potentially couldcome next. Our society moves forwardwith such momentum that to stand stillis to go backwards.

As I write this, it’s two months since thetragic bushfire events of 11 January. Nota day has gone by without a member ofthe public or a representative of themedia challenging our current approachto bushfire management.

I’m probably one of the few CFSmembers that saw what occurred on11 January at both Mount Osmondand the Lower Eyre Peninsula, both onthe fireground and inside the Adelaideand Port Lincoln CFS headquarters.Everyone worked above and beyondthe call of duty.

An entire generation change hasoccurred since the tragic bushfires of Ash Wednesday in 1983. On 11January it was the first time many CFS members experienced suchdevastation caused by bushfire. On that day and those that followed –the CFS were ordinary people under

extraordinary circumstances. No superheroes, just everyday human beingswho thought about the needs of othersahead of their own.

The fires on the Lower Eyre Peninsulaattracted international, national andlocal media attention. I rememberhaving a discussion with a reporter fromthe BBC who was dumbfounded tohear that CFS firefighters are actuallyvolunteers. “You mean they risk theirlives for free?” she said. “I know, it’squite remarkable isn’t it,” I replied.

We still have a lot learn about theevents of 11 January. But they’re nowin the rear vision mirror. We still needto look back and see where we’vecome but our focus must now be onthe road ahead. It’s long, steep, windy,and is subject to severe weatherconditions. If we glance back for toolong, we may have to respond one ofour own Road Crash Rescue units tofree us from a dire situation!

Brenton RaglessCFS Media Liaison Officer

PS. Dad hopes to have his ‘1964International’ fire engine on the road intime for the ‘Bay to Birdwood’.Ironically, he hasn’t fitted a rear visionmirror yet.

Brenton Ragless coordinates media traffic at Port Lincoln Airport.

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Regional Round Up

Seppelts Winery fire.

Clarendon CFSCelebrationsHarry Cummings, Clarendon CFS

Lights were flashing and camerasclicking at the Clarendon CFS stationon the evening of Monday 13December. The occasion you ask?

To pay tribute to a group of volunteerfirefighters who spend their time savingpeople and assets from fires and otheremergencies, and who between themhave served a more than 120 years inthe Clarendon Brigade.

Those receiving both life membershipcertificates (for 20 years of service)and the National Medal (for 15 years of service) were:

Mike Guilfoyle (Vice President, Past Captain and Training Officer)

Murray Deer (Group Equipment Officer)

Phil Scroop (First Lieutenant)

Recipients of the 15 year nationalmedial were:

Glynn (Will) Williams (Captain and Ex Training Officer)

Mick Bulman (Admin Officer and Ex Captain)

Phil Gray (Past Vice President andTraining Officer)

Wayne Merchant (Past First Lieutenantand Training Officer)

The guest of honour making thepresentations was Andrew LawsonAssistant Chief Officer and ManagerStrategic Services SA. Other guestsincluded Mawson Group Officers,Peter Venning, Ian Taverner, DavidBradley and Noel Sibley.

Past life members Tom and Faye Millerand Bill and Laurel Jarrad werepresent as were loyal supporters Grantand Maria Ellard from the local bakeryand Greg and Kath O’Malley from theGeneral Store.

It was good to see more than 35partners and children at thecelebrations. Their continuing supportand loyalty helps form the backbone ofthe brigade.

It was a most enjoyable evening withplenty to sip and sup and providing asplendid opportunity for teamphotographs with our new 2 4P fire appliance.

Sincere thanks is extended to all whocontributed towards such amemorable evening.

Cleland ConservationPark fireMore than 60 SA Country Fire Servicevolunteers and personnel from theDepartment for Environment andHeritage spent Sunday 2 Januarybattling a blaze burning in denseterrain in the Cleland ConservationPark in the Adelaide Hills.

The fire reported about 3.30pm burntmore than 15 hectares of scrub andgrassland in this popular tourist park.

Ground crews worked in difficult andwarm conditions for several hours tocontain the fires with three waterbombing aircraft called in to provideassistance to the firefighters.

A Phase One Bushfire warning wasissued to alert residents in the area ofthe fire, however no homes, propertiesor lives are were endangered.

It’s believed the fire started afterburning embers fell from a tree whichwas on fire in the area

Region 1 Round Up Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island

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Volunteers on the ground at Cleland.

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Clarendon volunteers with their awards.

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New Warning Sign forFreeway CommutersCommuters travelling along the SouthEastern Freeway will have no excusefor ignoring advice of Total Fire Bandays, with a joint initiative between theSA Country Fire Service and theDepartment of Transport and UrbanPlanning resulting in a permanent signposted along the roadway.

The introduction of the electronicallyactivated tri vision sign, located on theAdelaide bound side of the SouthEastern Freeway, near the Carey GullyBridge, will be activated on days ofTotal Fire Ban during the Fire Danger Season.

Regional Commander for the MountLofty Ranges and Adelaide Hills area,Mark Thomason, says the sign will bevisibly marked so that motorists canclearly read the warning.

“The community, especially thoseliving in high fire risk areas such as theAdelaide Hills, need to be aware of thedangers associated with summer and

Mosquito Hill Road ‘Bites’Shortly after 1:30pm on Tuesday 14 December, about 20CFS volunteers from the Victor Harbor group respondedto a fuel tanker rollover near Victor Harbor.

The fuel tanker rolled on its side on the Mosquito HillRoad, 7km to the north of Victor Harbor closing the roadfor several hours. The tanker carrying both diesel andpetrol was only half full at the time of the incident anddeveloped a leak.

CFS volunteers provided fire cover, undertook trafficcontrol and assisted with decantering the leaking fuel.

A Family AffairNairne CFS is big on family involvement with threegenerations of the one family volunteering.

Grandfather firefighter Rob Liebelt, father Nairne CaptainRory Liebelt and Cadet Tannicka Liebelt all suit up inyellows. Whilst mother, Lyssa Liebelt also volunteers her time at the station as a radio operator and proudlytells us:

“My daughter Tannicka was always chomping at the bitfor her chance to become a CFS cadet, going to trainingevery week with the brigade and attending the station tolend a hand in the radio room with call outs”.

Region 1 Round Up Mount Lofty Ranges and Kangaroo Island

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Taking a breather from duty. CFS volunteers at scene of fuel tanker rollover.

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Amy Seymour-Walsh with new freeway sign.

bushfires and take action now andbegin their preparation work aroundtheir properties,” said Mark.

The sign also reflects the SA CountryFire Service’s aim in empowering the

community to make educated decisionabout their personal safety.

Thankyou to Bridgewater CFS brigadefor attending the launch.

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Ardrossan House FireOn Tuesday 4 January Ardrossan CFSreceived a call around 9am following a smoke alarm sounding and the smell of smoke at a home on theEsplanade, Ardrossan.

On arrival, the crew of four volunteersfound smoke seeping from thebuilding and the smoke alarmsounding hammer and tongs.

The Brigade Captain then immediatelycommitted a BA crew, with theirprimary task to locate the smokesource and to extinguished flame,using the side line hose from Ardrossan2 4P. 34 arrived soon afterwards andconnected to a street hydrant andcommenced to make connection toARD 2 4P acting as a relay pump incase things went horribly wrong.

The two BA Operators, Brenton Phillips(BJ) and Stuart Lee (a newly qualified BAoperator) gained entry to the house andcommenced a search of the building,before discovering smoke coming frombehind a closed bedroom door.

Calling on his previously completedcompartment fire training, BJ checkedthe door for temperature, slightlyopened it and put a find cone spray intothe room, before closing the door andafter 20 seconds repeating the process.

BJ and Stuart entered the room andfound smoke down to the top of thebed and flames were almost reachingthe ceiling.

With the heat in the room diminishingbut still around 300 degrees, the BAcrew applied a very small amount ofwater to the seat of the fire and madea thorough search of the bedroom.They located an occupant with a leg ateach corner, a tail and a fortunatelystill wet nose. A further search of thehouse revealed no casualties and thestructure was ventilated.

The Port Clinton 3 4 and CommandVehicle arrived and a second BA crewwith Ian Hicks from Ardrossan andDave Birkin (Port Clinton Captain) werecommitted following the discovery thatanother four-legged friend stillremained in the house. Following strictinstructions to ensure the fire wasextinguished and locate the puppy, thecrew entered the house.

The second puppy was found behindthe toilet pan and was a littleapprehensive about being rescued bysomeone looking and sounding likeDarth Vadar from Star Wars.

Thank you to so many people for theirassistance with this job.

Region 2 Round UpMount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula and Lower North

Playing with TrainsThe evening of Tuesday 18 January saw30 CFS volunteers and 12 MFSfirefighters fight a blaze burning in adisused Commonwealth Railways breakvan at Dry Creek, north of Adelaide.

Donning breathing apparatus, thevolunteers from One Tree Hill, Salisburyand Dalkeith brigades spent around anhour fighting the fire. Volunteers wereforced to call additional appliances tosupply more water and used acombination of foam and water toextinguish the blaze.

The fire left around $5 000 damage andwhilst the cause of the fire is unknown,it is expected to be suspicious.

Firefighters extinguishing fire.

The lucky four-legged survivors.

Semi Trailer Runs off the RoadWednesday 9 February, saw anotherearly morning start for CFS volunteers,when they responded to a semi trailerincident on Port Wakefield Road,around 10 kilometres north of Dublin.

Reported to CFS shortly after 4am thesemi had crashed through 169 metresof scrub before coming to rest andsustaining a fuel leak.

Three vehicles from Dublin worked toclear the debris, which includeddamaged fence line. The driver of thesemi trailer was taken to hospital withminor injuries.

The northbound land of Port WakefieldRoad was closed for some time whilethe truck was recovered and crashinvestigators surveyed the scene.Damage to the semitrailer wasestimated at $50 000.

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The semi was lucky not to overturn.

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when the tragic fires occurred in PortLincoln, the planning committeedecided to split the funds raised fromthe quiz night to allow funds to go toboth causes.

Held in the Cudlee Creek SoldiersMemorial Hall, the night was a roaringsuccess! All tables were booked out aweek before, with an overwhelmingresponse from the community.

Quizmaster Kevin Ryan kept everyoneentertained and contributed to thesuccess of the night. The eveninginvolved a range of games includingheads and tails, north and south,raffles, auctions, pick the face and evena competition for the best paper plane!

Brigades within the Gumeracha Groupfought a fierce ‘Battle of the Brigades’,with Hermitage CFS the victors withthe highest score.

The Honourable Alexander Downer ourMP and Minister for Foreign Affairsattended the night, sharing with us hispersonal experience of the Tsunamidevastated areas. His speech gavethose present a heightenedappreciation of how funds raised willbenefit the devastated communities.

The amount of money raised on thenight, exceeded our expectations, anda total of $531 has been donated to thePort Lincoln bushfire appeal. A RedCross representative visited theCuddlee Creek CFS Station on 1 Marchand accepted a cheque for $2 125 forthe Tsunami appeal.

Prizes for the night were kindlydonated by businesses from CudleeCreek, Gumeracha and Lobethal. Onbehalf of the organising committee I’dlike to thank the businesses who madethese donations for their support. I’dalso like to thank the quiz nightparticipants and everyone who kindlydonated both their time and money.

The support from the communityenabled the night to be a greatsuccess with everyone pulling togetherto raise much needed funds for both aworld and local disaster.

The organising committee for the eventincluded; Rebecca Hawkins (quizcoordinator), Melissa Hawkins, Tysonand Jasmine Obst, Sue and Ian Baines,Terry and Fran Dymond, and MargotRadford from Cuddlee Creek CFS.

Region 2 Round UpMount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula and Lower North

Raising Funds for a Worthy Cause By Rebecca Hawkins, Cudlee Creek CFS

Cudlee Creek CFS held a quiz night onthe 12 February raising a total of$2 656 for the Australian Red CrossAsian Quake and Tsunami Appeal andthe Port Lincoln bushfire appeal.

With the planning process for theTsunami fundraiser already underway

CFS volunteers present cheque toRed Cross Representative.

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A Narrow Miss at AuburnFive CFS volunteer brigades, SEScrews and volunteer ambulanceoperators responded to a truck crashnear Auburn on 20 December.

The refrigerated truck travelling eastalong Port Road, missed the MainNorth Road intersection beforecrossing Main North Road and downan embankment around 2am.

The driver of the truck was lucky toescape without injury, as the vehiclecame to rest, wedged against a treearound half a metre from a gas bulletat a local service station.

The truck narrowly missed servicestation petrol bowsers and a nearby house.

CFS crews were required to undertakefire protection and assist with cleaning

up around 500 litres of diesel leakingfrom the trucks ruptured fuel tank.

The incident saw Main North Roadclosed for around eight hours.

In attendance were volunteers fromWatervale, Saddleworth, Clare, Auburnand Riverton brigades

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Truckworks removing the truck with CFS assistance.

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Letter of Thanks -Seppelts Winery FireI write on behalf of my father Karl, motherLotte and brother Peter, to convey ourthanks for the efforts the CFS crewsmade in minimising the damage causedby the fire in the workshop and winery atKarl Seppelts Grand Cru Estate onSunday 7 November 2004. Although welost a great deal, we are aware of thelevel of destruction caused by the longduration of fire development prior to thearrival of the first CFS crews. I mustcongratulate the first crews on scene forsaving the winery structure and the floorabove the winery under the roof space.This prevented several tonnes of stored material from collapsing into theground floor and destroying some veryimportant fermentation tanks and grapecrushing equipment.

I have spoken to the Officers from Mt.Pleasant and know of the dangerousconditions prevailing in the roof space,and appreciate from experience, the riskstaken by the firefighters who entered andsuppressed the fire in this area.

I arrived toward the end of thesuppression activities to find a scene ofdestruction. You can imagine how thisscene would upset any person directlyinvolved. I must say I was immediatelygiven confidence to deal with the

situation with the expressions ofempathy being shown toward my familyand especially my mother, my son, nieceand nephew by all CFS personnel theyspoke to. I was very pleased to watchthe manner in which the crews wereorganised, and grateful for the extraeffort they made in overhauling the storein the roof space.

On a personal note, I thank those whoknow me well and had personal words ofunderstanding to extend to me.

If it is possible, I would ask if you couldconvey our thanks to the personnelwho were involved. No amount ofthanks is truly enough in light of theefforts made by these crews. Ipersonally congratulate them for theirprofessionalism, firefighting skills, andunderstanding of the stress my familywere experiencing. All the firefighterswho attended brought credit uponthemselves and the CFS organisation.

On behalf of the Seppelt family, to thosepersonnel who attended, thank you all foryour efforts.

Gerold SEPPELT

Please forward these sentiments to thefollowing Brigades. Mt. Pleasant,Springton, Eden Valley, Birdwood,Lyndoch, Williamstown, Concordia and Paracombe.

Region 2 Round UpMount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula and Lower North

Para Wirra FireShortly after 6:30pm on 8 January,firefighters from the SA Country FireService and the Department forEnvironment and Heritage (DEH)responded to two deliberately lit fires atthe Para Wirra Recreation Park.

Both fires were going well when CFS andDEH appliances arrived with the larger ofthe two fires burning at Devils Nose in theRecreation Park. The smaller of the fireswas burning along the edge of the park.

More than 30 appliances and 300firefighters from CFS and DEH fought thefires, burning in scrub and grass.

Aerial water bombing aircraft were calledin to drop water onto the fire, providingassistance to ground crews who wereworking hard in extremely steep terraincovered by thick scrub.

Although the night was relatively cool, thewind, gusting up to 15kph caused somedifficulty as it helped the fire to spread.

No homes were threatened, and the fireswere contained shortly after 8:45pm.

The fire burnt a total of seven hectares.

Several appliances and crew spent thenight patrolling and mopping up at thefire ground, with additional crewsreturning the following morning to assist.

CFS volunteers fighting blaze at Seppelts Winery.

Volunteers mopping up at Para Wirra.

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Region 3 Round UpMurraylands and Riverland

Driver Shaken in Road AccidentBryan Jenke, Waikerie CFS

Shortly after 6:30 am on 1 December2004, 16 CFS volunteers from Waikerieresponded to a semi trailer rollover onNational Highway One.

The fully loaded ‘B’ Double carryingempty champagne bottles overturnedat a notorious “S” bend giving crewsan early start to the morning.

The driver received minor injuries andwas taken to Waikerie hospital whilevolunteers spent a good portion of theday cleaning up the area.

Overturned on National Highway One.

A mess for volunteers to clean up.

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Cambrai and Sedan CFS BrigadesClose the TownCourtesy of River News, 9 February 2005

Held on Sunday 23 January, theCambrai and Sedan CFS EyrePeninsula Fire Appeal was a hugesuccess. The town of Cambrai was abuzz with activity, with a partialroadblock, stopping motorists, askingfor donations.

Both ends of the town were markedwith a round bale of hay, and two Semi trailers loaded up with 30 roundbales of cereal hay ready to bedelivered to the victims of the recentWest Coast fires.

It was a combined effort between theSedan and Cambrai communities, withlocal truckers Louie Seidel, CraigSchultz, Alex McGorman and KymSimounds donating their trucks andtime to deliver a load of 30 bales each,with another 90 after the fundraisingevent still to go. Local hay producersdonated the bales as Cambrai Hotelproprietor Pam Graetz credited PaulWiencke and Louie Seidel for roundingup all the hay from everybody.

The event jointly organised by CFSmembers and Pam Graetz was heldoutside the hotel in the street. Pamsaid, “it was great with everybodysitting out the front, having the JohnThomas band playing on the back ofthe truck really added to theatmosphere”. The Grieger family ofSedan kindly donated this truck for the day.

A sausage sizzle hosted by CFSmembers helped to keep everybodyhappy, as did the Black Hill CWA stallselling cakes, home produce and luckydip prizes for the children.

Entertainment was provided by thelocal band and also by Maurice Rogersand Graham Tremaine. Maurie broughtalong his vintage and classic cars, andGraham his Harley Davidson, bothgiving rides for people during the dayfor a gold coin donation for the cause.

Later in the day an auction was heldselling donated goods, which raisednearly $3 000, the CFS traffic patrolraised $600. All stalls sold out and withtheir proceeds, and some previousdonations including a percentage ofthe hotel’s takings over the bar, addedto the other monies raised on the daycame to a total of $5 900.

“It was a very good job done by all,and especially by the community fortheir support and help, for withoutthem the day wouldn’t have goneahead at all”, stated Pam.

Supplied by Mardi Wiencke

Region 3 Round UpMurraylands and Riverland

Cliff Rescue Near BlanchetownAn adventurous climbing teenagerstuck up a cliff saw CFS and SESvolunteers gather their climbing gear toperform a high angle cliff rescue on 30 December.

Shortly after 10am, the male teenagerclimbed 70 feet up a cliff face justbelow the Blanchetown lookout offSwan Reach Road in the Murraylands.

Feeling unsafe to venture any furtherupwards, the boy stopped 30 feet fromthe lookout and requested help fromfamily nearby who called EmergencyServices for assistance.

In scenes reminiscent of MissionImpossible, CFS volunteers fromBlanchetown and Waikerie and SEScrews abseiled down the cliff andsecured the boy before he was lifted to safety.

The teenager was not injured but alittle shaken by the experience.

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Local residents stopped traffic to collectdonations.

Donated bales of hay ready to go to Eyre Peninsula.

Keep an eye on Those Chips!Volunteers from Coober Pedy CFStravelled around 110km to the north ofCoober Pedy to respond to a caravanfire on 19 January 2005.

When volunteer firefighters arrived, thecaravan, parked in a bay along theside of the Stuart Highway, had beencompletely destroyed.

It is believed that the owner of thecaravan had been cooking lunch at the time of the incident and had left it unattended.

Southern FlindersRanges are Now on the MapThe SA Country Fire Service hasreleased another Regional Map Bookas part of a series, which will covermuch of regional South Australia.

The latest release, which focuses onthe Southern Flinders Ranges is thesixth book released in the series,which already covers the Lower SouthEast, Mt Lofty Ranges, KangarooIsland, Riverland and Murray Mallee,Yorke Peninsula and mid-North andnow the Southern Flinders Ranges.

CFS Regional Commander for the MidNorth and Flinders region, Mick Obstwelcomes the publishing of this bookand is in the process of issuing it toeach CFS Brigade in the Region.

“This map book is a wonderful tool forour volunteer firefighters to use. We’vealways had the traditional mapshowever they can be cumbersome andoften start to get tired and rip afterfrequent use, these books are moreuser friendly,” Mick said.

“Maps in this book cover an area, fromits northern point at Oraparinna

Wilpena, south over the southernFlinders Ranges to just east of Hallettin the Mid North Region. In total anarea of approximately 32 000 squarekilometres,” he said.

The map book is currently available tobrigades through the CFS and will beavailable to the general public throughbookshops and upon request fromCFS brigades within a few weeks.

Region 4 Round UpFlinders, Mid North and Pastoral Areas

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Ouch That’s Hot!Shortly before 3am on Friday 28January, Coober Pedy CFS respondedto a fire involving a Mack Truck.

The Mack Truck was seriouslydamaged and the intense heatgenerated by the fire melted theplastics of another vehicle parkedaround a metre away.

Four volunteers attended the firewhilst another assumed acommunications role.

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All that remains of the caravan.

Melted by theheat of the fire.

The damaged Mack Truck.

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Region 5 Round UpSouth East

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New Volunteers for Region 5By Bill Corcoran,Naracoorte CFS Brigade

An overwhelming demand for newmembers to be trained in BFF1 thissummer led to two courses being heldin Region Five, one in Mount Gambierand the other making use of the TrainingCentre located near Naracoorte.

Some 30 new members attended thecourse, run from Friday night throughto late Sunday night with the course agreat success.

The new members from CFS andnational parks have completed theirtraining and are now back at theirbrigades readily waiting to respond to calls.

These welcome new members are ableto bolster the numbers of volunteers insome brigades that were fairly low innumbers, allowing the CFS to yetagain serve the community.

A big thank you must go to ourvolunteer instructors and the staff fromRegion Five HQ. These courses couldnot have been run without their helpand dedication.

Hay – It’s a Fire!Late November saw two separatehaystack fires occur in the State’sSouth East with the most serious of thetwo incidents occurring north east ofNaracoorte. The fire resulted in morethan 200 bales of hay being destroyedby fire on Saturday 27 November.

Three CFS appliances crews arrived atthe farm to find the hay bales ablaze.The crews worked quickly to provideasset protection to the property andcontain the blaze which caused anestimated $25 000 damage in lost hay.

The other incident, near Keith, wasfortunately detected before fire totallydestroyed any hay bales after a farmerdiscovered some internal smoulderingin a haystack and quickly, worked toprevent the bales igniting.

New volunteers being trainedin the South East.

$25 000 damage caused by haystack fire.

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Region Farewells aRespected CommanderOn Saturday 12 February, volunteersfrom Region 5 held a barbecuefarewell for Rob Sandford. Thefunction was held at Pioneer Park inNaracoorte and co-ordinated byMr Rex Hall on behalf of the VFBA.

Around 60 volunteers attended, withrepresentation from each of the groupsin Region 5.

Special guests included representativesfrom other emergency service agencies.George Rodis (MFS), Dale Russel (CFA Region 17), Dennis Page (SA Forestry) and local CFA Volunteers.An apology was received from PeterCreak (CFA Region 4) and GregMalseed (SES Regional Manager).

The guests gave thanks to Rob for hiscommitment and enthusiasm to the

role of Commander and all believedthat the relationship has grownbetween all services during Rob’s termand hope that it continues to flourish.

Rob left with several mementoesincluding a new red gum coffee tablepresented by Rex Hall on behalf of thevolunteers from the South East.

Rex went on to describe Rob’s time inthe region as outstanding and thankedhim on behalf of all the region’svolunteers wishing him well in hisappointment as Manager ofOperations Planning

The volunteers and staff thank Roband wish him well for the future.“HONK HONK”

Phil McDonough and Rex Hall

Region 5 Round UpSouth East

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Re-Usable 1000 Litre Bulk ContainerThread Adaptors to BSP Camlock

Answers to most problemsSee your local fire equipment dealer

Stowage problems?

Canadian Forestry (Wajax) Equipment Holders

64mm SAFB Equipment Holders

SAFB x 3” BSP Portable Pump Set

Volunteers and staff wished Rob well for the future.

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Naracoorte Blessing of the FleetBy Rex Hall, Naracoorte CFS

Naracoorte CFS Brigade recently heldtheir annual blessing of the fleet.

This annual breakfast is held just priorto the start of the fire season andbrings volunteers and their familiestogether as a thank you to the familieswho give so much during what isusually the busiest time of the year.

This year the blessing of the brigadeappliances and members was carriedout by Naracoorte brigade memberGraham Dixon, a Lay Assistant in theAnglican Church of Naracoorte. ‘Dicko’as he is affectionately known, gave amoving talk on fire brigade families,and completed the service by leading the brigade in the Fireman’s Prayer.

Region 5 Round UpSouth East

A Combined 1345Years of ServiceRecognisedOn 15 October 2004, the PortMacDonnell Group invited ChiefOfficer Euan Ferguson to presentNational Medals to eligible members.In addition to this, the Group alsopresented long service awards to thededicated volunteers of the Group.

Invited Guests included Rory McEwin,MP, the Mayor of the District Councilof Grant, Don Pegler (a long servingmember of the Group), as well asActing Regional Commander, PhilMcDonough. MC for the evening wasJohn Probert.

The Guest Speaker for the night wasBob (Dogs) Kearney, who gave ananimated speech which was to beonly 15 minutes long, but theaudience was so captivated that theydid not notice the 40 minutes slip by.

The Group also used the night torecognise the significant contribution

of Eileen Blacksall, and Bill and IreneDihm, who have been long servingauxiliary members and always readyto help in any way.

The 18 months of planning by thehard-working committee culminated inan excellent evening, with 67 peoplebeing recognised for their CFSvolunteering service. In total, therewere 1345 years of combinedexperience awarded on the night.

And they said it was only water.

Award recipients.

Naracoorte CFS volunteers receive pre fire season blessing.

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Region 6 Round UpEyre Peninsula and West Coast

New Fire Station forElliston CFSMore than 130 people attended theopening of the new Elliston CountryFire Service station, including severalformer firefighters who returned to thedistrict for the event on 28 January.

Attending the opening wereEmergency Services Minister,Pat Conlon, CFS Chief OfficerEuan Ferguson, Member for FlindersLiz Penfold, as well as CFS GroupOfficers from all over Eyre Peninsula.

Elliston Group OfficerLes Kammermann welcomed andintroduced the speakers who includedMr Conlon, Mr Ferguson, as well asElliston District Council Chairman MikeWandel and Elliston Brigade CaptainGraham Meyers.

Mr Wandel, who currently serves withthe Sheringa Brigade, said firefightersin the district had waited a long timefor their own facility. When he firstjoined the Elliston Brigade 30 yearsago, the members were housed in a

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Mr Patrick Conlon, Euan Ferguson and Elliston volunteers officially open the new fire shed.

CFS Volunteers Receivetheir National MedalsOn Friday 5 November 2004, theLeHunte CFS Group in Region 6, had apresentation evening at the WudinnaHotel to recognise the service to the CFSby members of the group.

National Medals were presented to eightCFS volunteers from Minnipa, Wudinna,Mount Damper and Warramboo.

Keith Foale was presented with a GoldStar for 45 years Long Service. A memberof Warramboo CFS since 1953.

Andrew Lawson, AFSM, ManagerStrategic Services, presented NationalMedals for 15 years of diligent service by Fire Service members to the following people:Donald Bartley, Wudinna (1984)Brian Hampel, Wudinna (May 1984)Bryan Oswald, Mt Damper and Wudinna(1979 and 1981)Neville Scholz, Wudinna, (1967)Barry Franklin, Minnipa, (1974)Christopher McBeath, Mt Damper, (1977)Darrell Tree, Mt Damper, (1977)Leighton George, Minnipa, (1974)

First Clasp for additional 10 years servicewas awarded to:Barry Franklin, MinnipaChristopher McBeath, Mt Damper, Darrell Tree, Mt DamperNeville Scholz, WudinnaSecond Clasp for a further 10 years’service was awarded to Neville Scholz

National Medal RecipientsBack Row left to right: Donald Bartley, BarryFranklin, Christopher McBeath (partially hidden),Leighton George.

Front: Darrell Tree, Bryan Oswald, Brian Hampeland Neville Scholz

small shed at the Waterloo Baycaravan park.

When the fire engine outgrew thatshed, a bigger district council shedbecame the CFS shed for the next 15years. Mr Wandel said the new shedshowed the Emergency Services Levywas being put to good use and theGovernment should be commendedfor providing the purpose-built facility.

“Having somewhere to put the radios,somewhere to get changed and take ashower makes a big difference for thefirefighters,” Mr Wandel said.

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Region 6 Round UpEyre Peninsula and West Coast

Road Crash Rescue at MinnipaShortly after 6am, on 10 February a semitrailer carrying freight left the EyreHighway, around 4km out of Minnipa.

The vehicle travelled a reasonable distancefrom the road before overturning.

CFS volunteers from Wudinna, Minnipaand Wirrulla responded to the incident andfound the driver of the vehicle, awkwardlytrapped in the vehicle.

Crews used heavy rescue equipment tofree the driver who was then placed in thehands of medical staff.

The truck was recovered, with theassistance of a local farmers tractor.

Ask about the Latest

Release from Black

Duck Motor Vehicle

Bug Screens.

A lucky escape for the driver.

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General News

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44

The SA Volunteer Fire BrigadesAssociation (SAVFBA) releasesit’s Strategic Plan and unveilsa free offer to it’s members.

Your brigade should have received apackage last month from the VFBA.

This package included a copy of ourstrategic plan brochure in which wehave set out the goals and objectives ofthe Association for the next six years.

The colourful brochure would look greaton the station notice board for allvolunteers to see.

Also included was a copy of themember’s brochure. Bulk copies of thisbrochure are now being distributed tobrigades for handing out to both currentand future members. It includes detailsof your local VFBA Branch, with contactnumbers and meeting information.

The 2005 raffle is well underway, andflyers for application for tickets havebeen posted to brigades. Last monthwe contacted those supporters whopurchased tickets in last years raffle,and have had a pleasing response. Theprizes are great – first prize is a HoldenAstra Hatchback , and the second is ahome theatre package, plus there aresix other very nice prizes.

A feature of the raffle is a $2 000donation to the CFS brigadenominated by the first prize winner!So buy your tickets today, and betteryour brigade’s chances of receiving$2 000 cash!

All tickets are sold through our office. Ifyou would like to make a purchase,telephone us on 8244 6500. Or you canpost back or fax the tear off slip at thebottom of our full page advertisementon Page 51.

A new product called “Home Asset List”is featured in this issue of Volunteer. Thisproduct allows subscribers to list theirassets on the internet in a very securesystem for insurance purposes. HomeAsset List.com is offering 4 545 freesubscriptions (valued at $22 each incGST) to CFS volunteers. Thesubsequent annual fee to continue theservice is $11 inc GST. If your brigadehas not yet received information about

this offer, please ring Wendy on8244 6500. A further feature of this offeris a $2 donation to the VFBA for everysubscription sold in South Australia (thisof course does not include the freesubscriptions to CFS volunteers).

The Association is currently negotiatingwith “Top Gear” to supply models ofWW2 Blitz fire fighting trucks for sale tocollectors and the public in SouthAustralia. This will be a fundraiser forbrigades, with all purchasers nominatinga brigade of their choice to receive a$50 donation. The model sells for $99inclusive of the donation. This offer willcommence in May, and moreinformation will be sent out to yourbrigade at that time.

SAVFBA UpdateBy Wendy Shirley

Free Promotion Offer to all SAVFBA MembersThe SAVFBA Management and www.homeassetlist.com have partnered toprovide 4 545 free subscriptions (approximately $100 000) to our members.The normal retail joining fee is $22 GST inc. for each subscription – this iswaived for our members for one year.

www.homeassetlist.com is a web site designed to assist subscribers torecord their assets and reduce the stress associated with events such asfire or theft, by having a detailed off site record of items owned. We feel thesite is one of the truly valid uses of the Internet and is of merit to ANYONEthat owns anything of value. It can help with valuing your assets foraccurate insurance coverage, bank loans, keeping details of warranties onitems etc. It is secure and does not record subscriber names oraddresses to protect asset owners.

Should a disaster occur, logon to www.homeassetlist.com from anywhere inthe world (home, office or café ), type in your secure account no andpassword, print out or e-mail the list of assets with all relevant informationto your insurance company, police, and any other required sources! Forexample: for an Insurance claim in the event of theft or fire, speed up theclaim process and possibly provide the best $ return for you by providingaccurate details on all of your assets!

And what’s in it for www.homeassetlist.com and SAVFBA?

Volunteer firefighters do a massive amount of good for all members of thecommunity and on that basis they deserve to be recognised. The provisionof the free subscriptions goes part way to doing this. As well there is astrong correlation to the impacts of a fire and the benefit of this web sitebeing “off site” storage of information, should such a catastrophic eventoccur to a subscriber.

Each brigade leader will receive a list in March containing the accountnumbers/password for the members assigned to that brigade, please selectan account, logon and change the password supplied immediately, enteryour asset details then or over a period of time.

Encourage your family and friends to join this useful service and theSAVFBA will receive $2 from www.homeassetlist.com for each new SAsubscription. That way everyone wins!

45

Peace of Mind = www.homeassetlist.com

24 Hour access in time of need! Fire, Theft etc plus it stores your warrantydetails as well! (along with any notes about that item).

No more looking for that lost receipt. www.homeassetlist.com allows youto record purchase, warranty, expiry date and where you put the receipt!

How much are your assets worth? www.homeassetlist.com totals it so youcan insure for the true value. Don’t find out the hard way that you haveunder insured or suffer the hassle of trying to remember what was in thatroom that was burgled! It is secure and does not record subscribernames or addresses to protect asset owners.

www.homeassetlist.com has provided 4 545 free subscriptions to ourmembers (approximately $100 000 value).

Encourage your family and friends to subscribe to www.homeassetlist.com

for only $22 and

$2 for every new subscription in SA will be donated to SA Volunteer Fire Brigades Association

Fire…Flood…Storm…Earthquake…TheftDestroys all Records

www.homeassetlist.com is a web site designed to assist subscribers to record theirassets and reduce the stress associated with events such as fire or theft, by having adetailed off site record of items owned. We feel the site is one of the truly valid uses ofthe Internet and is of merit to ANYONE that owns anything of value. It can help withvaluing your assets for accurate insurance coverage, bank loans, keeping details ofwarranties on items etc.

www.homeassetlist.com is SA owned and operated.

1st year subscription of $22, ongoing $11 per annum.

By Tim Davis, Manager Bushfire Safety

The report highlights the need for acommon understanding and approachto bushfires throughout Australia.

COAG focuses on an opportunity toenhance national cooperation andachieve best practice in response tothe 2003 bushfire season. One of thethemes of the inquiry is that Australianeeds to learn to live with the risk ofbushfires.

Interestingly, the COAG report alsoemphasises that there is no way wecan fire proof Australia, but insteadneed to better prepared and learn tolive with fire.

Why was the reportcommissioned?On 10 October 2003 the Prime Ministerannounced an Inquiry into BushfireManagement in Australia. This Inquirywas commissioned following the lossof four lives and around 500 homes inthe ACT and the Victorian Alpine firethat occurred during the 2002-03 FireDanger Season.

The essence of the inquiry was to addvalue to the work already occurring inthe state and territory jurisdictions byconsidering issues and identifyingsituations where there may beopportunities to enhance nationalcooperation and achieve betterpractice. The final report was deliveredto the Prime Minister on 2 April 2004with release to the public occurring on24 January 2005.

Who conducted the Inquiry? The Inquiry was completed by a panelof experts on behalf of (COAG). FormerSA Country Fire Service CEO Stuart Ellisheaded this panel. The panel gatheredinformation related to the Inquiry Termsof Reference from each agency withinvolvement in Bushfire Mitigation andManagement in Australia. Anyone wasinvited to make submissions forconsideration by the panel. Once thisinformation was collected, an analysis

was made and recommendationsproposed in the final report.

CFS had a high level of involvement inthe preparation of information and therecommendations that have evolved.In particular the work completed fromthe Premier’s Bushfire Summit in 2003was highly regarded.

What were the Terms of Reference?The Inquiry’s terms of referencefocused on the current state of bushfiremanagement in Australia, including:

• Risk factors contributing to bushfires,including deliberate fire lighting

• Bushfire mitigation strategies innational parks, state forests, otherCrown land, other open space areasadjacent to urban development andprivate property

• The impacts of bushfires on theenvironment, human life, propertyand the economy

• The impacts of fire mitigationstrategies, such as hazard reduction,on the environment, human life,property and the economy

• The adequacy of infrastructure and human resources for firemitigation purposes

• The use of existing firefightingresources, including an examinationof the efficiency of resource use andco-operation between agencies andbetween jurisdictions and

• The identification of best practicenational measures, cooperation andstandards that can be undertaken byall levels of government, industry andthe community, and the economic,social and environmental costs andbenefits of such measures.

ReportRecommendationsThe COAG report made 29recommendations. Eight of theserecommendations have been actedupon including, the National AerialFirefighting Strategy and agreementwith ABC on the broadcast of warnings.

Fourteen recommendations needfurther work including fire regimemapping, land use planning issues,zoning approach to fuel managementand operation response matters.

The remaining seven recommendationsrelate broadly to ongoing researchneed and data collection.

The COAG report provided someimportant recommendations for the CFS.

COAG National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management

January 2004 saw the release of the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) report on the National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management.

46

These include:

• Develop and implement nationaland regionally relevant educationprograms about bushfire, to bedelivered to all Australian childrenas a basic life skill. These programsshould emphasise individual andhousehold preparedness andsurvival as well as the role of fire inthe Australian landscape.

• Formalise non-exclusiveagreements with the AustralianBroadcasting Commission (ABC) asthe official emergency broadcaster,providing an assured standingarrangement. Similar protocols withcommercial networks and localmedia should also be established.

• Adopt and continue to use theAIIMS Incident Control System in accordance with Australasian Fire Authorities Council guidanceand policies.

• The Inquiry endorses therecommendations on warningsystems in the report NaturalDisasters in Australia. In addition, itrecommends as follows:

- That all fire ban advice andsubsequent ‘bushfire threatwarnings’ related to specific firesbe conveyed consistently in allstates and territories, includingthe use of the StandardEmergency Warning Signal whenlives or property are threatened.

- That the final structure of thewarnings be based on thefindings of the BushfireCooperative Research Centre’sproject Communicating Risk toCommunities and Others.

The Inquiry recommends as follows:

• That the approach that givesresidents the option of leaving whenconfronted by a major bushfirethreat or making an informeddecision to stay and defend theirhome or property be adopted as acommon national policy.

• That implementation of a ‘go earlyor stay and defend’ policy must befully integrated, with effectivecommunity education programs to improve preparedness andsupport timely and informeddecision making.

• Provision of training for fire, policeand emergency services personnelin the application of the ‘go early orstay and defend’ policy is essentialif this approach is to be appliedsafely—with particular emphasis onminimising evacuations at theheight of fire events. This should besupported by formal agreementsbetween the relevant authorities.

• Australasian Fire Authorities Counciland Emergency ManagementAustralia—in partnership with stateand territory agencies and othereducation and research institutionscoordinate a national program ofprofessional development focused onbushfire mitigation and management.Under the program, partners woulddeliver nationally coordinatedprofessional development services toall jurisdictions.

• COAG support and fund theestablishment of an AustralianCentre for Bushfire Lessons Learnt,for an initial period of five years.

• COAG adopt a statement of nationalprinciples as the framework for thefuture direction of bushfire mitigationand management in Australia.

What are the next steps forimplementation?Progress has been made on many ofthe recommendations of the Reportwith the Australian, State and Territory governments.

COAG has developed an action planfor the implementation of theremainder of the recommendations.Many of the recommendations will beactioned by the Australasian PoliceMinisters Council acting on the adviceof the key agencies.

From a South Australian perspectiveCFS and others will be briefing theMinister for Emergency Services andthe Minister for Police on the directionof any of the recommendations orresulting initiatives.

It is important to note that some of therecommendations are of a strategicnature and will need to be progressedover the long term.

More information on the Inquiry can befound at the COAG Websitewww.coagbushfireenquiry.gov.au

COAG National Inquiry on Bushfire Mitigation and Management

47

By Brenton Ragless

While many Australians made the mostof the Public Holiday on 26 January,about 300 SA Country Fire Servicevolunteers gave up their day off workto combat fires across the State.

Thousands of lightning strikes occurredprior to Australia Day causing manyfires to break out in grass and scrub.

The worst hit areas were the Riverland,Murraylands and South East where CFSvolunteer firefighters actively foughtgrass and scrub fires ranging in sizefrom 20 square metres to 250 hectares.

However, it was once again theNgarkat Conservation Park that wasthe biggest blaze.

Locals were not surprised when theyawoke from a night of heavy lightningactivity to find plumes of smoke risingfrom the scrub. Ngarkat ConservationPark has a history of devastating fireevents caused by lightning, whichhave impacted on the communitythrough loss of both environmentaland built assets.

After aerial observers confirmedreports of fire activity within the park,local CFS Brigades together withcrews from the Department forEnvironment and Heritage went intoaction and planned their attack. Manyof the firefighters and incidentmanagers had just returned fromassisting the firefighting effort on theEyre Peninsula. With the fire burningthrough dense, inaccessible scrub, thecrews knew this would not be a shortjob and preparations were made for aweek long combat.

Originally two fires were reported. Oneof the fires commenced burning in anarea known as Rabbit Island on thesouthern boundary of Ngarkat. About100 firefighters on the ground, togetherwith the assistance of three aerialwater bombers, concentrated theirefforts on extinguishing the southernflank of the blaze as it broke free fromthe scrub. Another fire burned throughinaccessible scrub in an area knownas Jimmy’s Well.

While the fires posed no threat tohomes, they produced significantamount of smoke, which slowed trafficon the Dukes Highway and affectedthe areas of Keith, Bordertown,Naracoorte, Lucindale, and Kingston.

Nearly four days after the fires hadstarted, the two separate fires spreadin size and joined together to form onelarge blaze.

It was as a result of a major fire in thepark in 1999, which burnt more than100,000 hectares of heritage scrub,that prompted the Tatiara CFS Groupto create a dry firefighting strategy.This involves using heavy iron bars inthe shape of an ‘A’ frame draggedbehind a tractor to flatten and pushover the scrub, leaving a fire break inhope of reducing the fire spread.

It was this strategy that recently wonthe Group, an Australian SaferCommunities Award from EmergencyManagement Australia. The ‘A’ framewas once again put to good use increating fuel breaks working along sidemany other earth moving appliances.

In total, more than 400 firefightersworked around the clock to bring theblaze under control. Many hours werespent back burning establishingcontainment lines ahead of the fire’sperimeter. Five aircraft, including aerialintelligence and water bombingaircraft, were also used to providevisual assessments to crews workingon the ground.

The mammoth effort was finallybrought to a close as favourableweather conditions caused the fire todrop in intensity allowing crews tocontain the blaze on Wednesday,seven days after the fire was firstreported. In total, the fire burnt 26 821hectares of heritage scrub. Fortunatelyno homes were homes were affected.

The Nature of Ngarkat

48

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The intensity of the fire was immense.

Ash WednesdayMemorialWednesday 16 February marked the22nd anniversary of the devastatingAsh Wednesday bushfires of 1983.

To remember the 28 people who losttheir lives, including three SA CountryFire Service volunteers, a specialmemorial service was held at theMount Lofty Summit at 3.30pm –the same time fire swept across thesummit destroying the kiosk.

The service not only remembered theAsh Wednesday II victims but all CFSvolunteers who have lost their lives inthe line of duty.

SA Premier Mike Rann made specialmention of the two CFS volunteerswho lost their lives in the 11 JanuaryEyre Peninsula Bushfire – TrentMurnane and Neil Richardson

A total of 13 volunteer firefighters havedied in action while serving in the CFSbetween 1979 and 2005.

The Ash Wednesday II fires saw thelargest number of volunteers called toduty from across Australia at the sametime – an estimated 130 000firefighters and support crew.

In South Australia alone more than1 587 square kilometres was burnt,257 350 farm animals perished,564 vehicles were incinerated and 312homes destroyed – a total damage billof $400 million.

New State TrainingOfficer for Built EnvironsThe CFS State Training Centre atBrukunga has welcomed a new memberto the team. Brett Pollini is the new State Training Officer for BuiltEnvirons. Brett has an extensivebackground in the military as a firefighterwith both the Navy and Air Force. In1997 Brett left the Defence Force to takeup a position as a firefighter with theNorthern Territory Fire and RescueService. After reaching the rank ofStation officer within the Education andTraining Department, he then moved toHamilton, Victoria in 2002 as a structuralinstructor for the Country Fire Authority.

In November last year, Brett moved toAdelaide with his wife and two childrento take on his current role at the CFSState Training Centre. Brett’s projects will

Training

49

include the development of courses incompartment fire behaviour training,tactical ventilation and vertical rescue. A long-term project for him will be toestablish a CFS Marine Response Unit.

Welcome aboard Brett!

Remembering Ash Wednesday.

Have we lost you?

If you have changed address please notify your brigade administration officerso that your address can be updated onCFS records.

CFS Public Affairsarrive in your RegionAs of April 2004, members of CFSPublic Affairs team will be arrivingin your Region as part of a newprogram designed to enhancerelationships between newsmedia, volunteers and staff.

The first rotation of the medialiaison program begins in earlyApril in Region 4 with Region 2 tofollow, then Region 6, Region 1,Region 3 and Region 5 in June.

It is planned that a media liaisonofficer will spend a week in eachRegion to ‘meet and greet’ withvolunteers and staff, attend Groupmeetings, deliver media awarenesstrainings, participate in a brigadetraining nights and generally gain abetter understanding of each area.

The also program also aims to:

• Keep CFS volunteers and staffinformed of each region’sactivities and achievementsthrough communication toolssuch as the Volunteer magazineand Firefront

• Improve the accuracy,timeliness and consistency ofinformation to the media

• Create awareness amongvolunteers and Regions of the role of media through media training

• Provide volunteers and regional staff with informationon how to create newsworthystories within their regions toincrease profile

• Gain a greater understandingand knowledge of issuesspecific to each region.

The program will be reviewed afterthe first rotation and hopefullycontinue each year.

An interesting read inthe Daily TelegraphBurning desire for pizza

By Simon Benson

7 February, 2005

To the ordinary person, it wouldappear to be a fire engine. But to onefirefighter at the Maroubra fire station,it’s a pizza delivery van. So when a firealarm was activated at the EasternSuburbs station three weeks ago, aproblem arose. There was no truck.

“Apparently the firefighter decided totake the pumper to a pizza shop atMaroubra Junction for a bite to eat,” arelieving fire officer said in a letter ofcomplaint to Emergency ServicesMinister Tony Kelly.

The letter, obtained by The DailyTelegraph, describes the ludicroussituation in detail. A firefighter has sincebeen suspended over the incident.

“Whilst at Maroubra Junction, thefirefighter met some friends anddecided to take them for a joyride,”the officer wrote.

“In the meantime, SydneyCommunications Centre activated thefire station’s alarm system to respondto a call.

“Obviously the crew at the stationcouldn’t respond because the pumperwas being unlawfully used to takecivilians for a joyride.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t a triple-0 call to aburning house.

“On returning to the station to pick upthe crew, the civilian joyriders were stillon board the pumper,” he went on.

“The relieving officer in charge of thestation challenged the AWOL firefighterregarding his behaviour and why hehad civilians on a brigade vehicle. Hewas told to ‘Go and get f....d.”’

A series of incidents three weeks agoat the station - which only has onepumper - are being investigated by theNSW Fire Brigade.

The whistleblower also claimed thestation had failed to respond to a

“white powder” alarm aboard a VirginAirlines plane at Sydney Airport inAugust last year because a change ofshift was imminent.

“We can confirm there was an incidentat one of our fire stations and afirefighter has been suspendedpending the outcome of an internalinvestigation,” a NSW Fire Brigadespokeswoman said.

“It would be inappropriate and unfairto the parties concerned to make anypublic comment about the incidentwhile it is under way.”

Opposition emergency servicesspokesman Andrew Humpherson saidit was “deeply alarming” that fireengines had not been able to respondto emergency situations.

“The fire brigade is a public service.This inquiry needs to be public, and all circumstances andrecommendations released.

“This is about the public being able tobe confident that an emergencyservice such as a fire brigade is able torespond to save lives and property ...as a priority over pizzas.”

Mr Kelly’s office confirmed it hadreceived the letter.

Around the Traps

50

Helibase at Brukunga at full capacity.

51

52

SA Fire ServicesLaunch MajorCigarette ButtCampaign Australian smokers now litter sevenbillion cigarette butts every year.

In South Australia last year, cigaretteswere the cause of about 8 per cent ofstructure fires and 2.5 per cent of all bushfires.

To combat this, the SA Country FireService and SA Metropolitan FireService joined with Australia’s leadingenvironment groups to launchAustralia’s biggest ever campaignagainst cigarette butt litter on21 February.

In South Australia almost 400 fires arecaused each year by cigarettes andsmokers’ materials. Across Australiathat figure is around 4 500.

Carelessly discarding cigarette buttscan also be attributed to starting anunknown portion of the 78 894 firesnationally where the origin cannot be determined.

“As litter, cigarette butts can be aserious threat to people and theenvironment,” CFS Chief OfficerEuan Ferguson said.

To help solve this problem, PlanetArk, Clean Up Australia and Landcarehave just distributed half a million ‘Go Green’ pocket ashtrays into 1 000Coles Myer retail stores. Reusableand fire-resistant, the pocket ashtraysare designed to make it easier forsmokers to do the right thing withtheir old cigarette butts. The potentialfire danger of cigarettes is a keyreason why the South Australian fireservices are backing the campaign.

Nationally 14 people die each year from cigarette-caused fires.Smoking -related fires also cost thecountry tens of millions of dollarsevery year.

“With a little bit of care, however, allof these fires are preventable,” Mr Ferguson said.

Research shows that many new carsno longer have ashtrays, so moresmokers are throwing cigarette buttsout of car windows where they canpotentially cause roadside fires giventhe right fuel and weather conditions.A solution to stop cigarette buttsbeing thrown out the car wind is forsmokers to carry pocket ashtrays with them.

The $1.59 ‘Go Green’ personal ashtrayare available from today in 1 000Coles and Bi-Lo supermarkets andselected Coles Express, Liquorland,Theo’s and Vintage Cellars retailstores. Ten cents from each ashtraysold will be given to the environmentgroups supported by the Coles Myer‘Go Green Environment Fund’.

The new ‘Go Green’ pocket ashtray.

Is there somethinghappening in yourbrigade?Wherever possible Volunteermagazine includes contributionsfrom volunteers and stories onbrigade events, incidents orgeneral happenings.

This includes incident reports,thank you letters from thecommunity, information aboutaward winners or significantanniversaries for brigades or groups.

So send in those photographsand stories and help us tospread the word of thewonderful role your brigade isundertaking in the community.

in working order means testing themregularly and changing the batteriesonce a year. A $5 battery for yoursmoke alarm is the cheapest insuranceand will provide the best early warningsignal of a fire for your family. Using a long-lasting alkaline battery providesyear-long protection so you only needto change your smoke alarm battery annually.

Easter Sunday is the end of daylightsaving which marks the beginning ofthe smoke alarm campaign. Thelaunch for this event was held onSunday 13 March with activitiesoccurring right across the State.

Around the Traps

53

Smoke AlarmsEvery home in Australia is nowrequired by law to have a smokealarm. To increase communityawareness in maintaining these, theSouth Australian fire services, alongwith Duracell, are once again runningtheir ‘Change your clock, change yoursmoke alarm battery’ campaign.

Research shows the majority of SouthAustralian homes have battery-operated units. But according to SouthAustralia’s fire services many are not inworking order because batteries havebeen removed or have gone flat.

This message of the campaign issimple – only working smoke alarmscan save lives. Keeping smoke alarms

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From the Rocky Mountainsto the steady slopes - USfirefighter has a taste ofSA’s Fire Danger Season

Howdy! My name is Brenna Dill and yes;my last name really is ‘Dill’. I marriedinto the name but I never knew it as ajoke until I came down under.

I am a member of the Golden FireDepartment (GFD) in Golden, Colorado.With a community of about 18 500people and a daytime population that canswell to nearly 50 000 due to commutersworking in and around the city, Golden islocated just outside Denver in the foothillsof the Rocky Mountains, 6 500 feet abovesea level. Last year the GFD respondedto 1 400 calls.

My department has an average base of55 volunteers, supported by six paidstaff. GFD covers an area ofapproximately 13 square kilometres,with four stations divided into twodistricts. We also service a section of awinding road that travels along a riverwith high canyon walls, and respond toincidents on an adjacent majorinterstate highway. You may recall fromlast year a story that gainedinternational coverage about the ‘Post’family who lost their lives after a bridgegirder came loose and fell on their car.That tragic incident occurred on oursection of highway.

I have been an operational volunteerfirefighter for more than five years andhave an extensive background inCommunity Education. GFD’scommunity education programs includethe Fire Wise Program, which focuseson wild land fire mitigation and isdelivered to over 6 000 year sixstudents each year.

A relatively recent innovation is thedelivery of Fire and Life Safety programsthrough puppetry and clowningcharacterisation. Additionally, GFDprovides a range of Fire and Fallprograms to Golden senior citizensusing various delivery methods, with themost recent being a cooking show airedtwice a day on the local televisioninformation station.

GFD also provides the Goldencommunity with a Child Passenger Seat

(CPS) installation program supportedwith a series of ‘check-up’ events. This program involves certifiedfirefighters installing and/or checkingchild passenger seats.

Another very successful program is EveryFifteen Minutes, which focuses on theproblems of teenage drinking and driving,targeting high school level students, anduses a collaborative approach betweenpolice, ambulance and fire.

The Juvenile Fire Setters program (JFS)has GFD firefighters assisting otheragencies in the assessment process ofyoung arsonists.

During Home Safety Surveys, GFDpersonnel visit residential homes andadvise on every aspect of fire, life andfall safety including offering advice onthe safe storage of chemicals andpoisons to parents with young children.

The File of Life program is based onproviding Golden residents with amedical information card, whichcontains all of a person’s pertinentmedical information. The card slides intoa red sleeve with a magnetic back andis placed on the fridge. It is thenavailable for quick and easy access byemergency responders so that they canidentify a person’s medical history.

Like most volunteer fire departments,fundraising is always important and theGFD holds a Pancake Breakfast everyyear in the summer and a fundraisingdrive in autumn. Both have enormoussupport from the community.

All GFD members are required toundertake a five-month part-time(around 48 hours per month) trainingprogram at the academy once they arevoted into the department. One of themonths includes a comprehensivemedical First Responder course.

GFD responds to a wide range ofincidents including wildland, structureand industrial fires, road crash rescue,swift water rescue, ice rescue, highangle rescue, hazmat, as well as generalmedical emergencies.

I am currently working under a three-month contract with the SA Country FireService in the area of communityeducation, in anticipation of acquiringan assortment of new programs and

ideas to be incorporated into Golden’scommunity education curriculum as wellas other neighbouring departments.

I arrived in SA on 5 January, began workon 11 January and was thrown directlyinto the firing line (so to speak) of theWangary fire. I spent a week and a halfworking with the CFS/CSIRO/CRCinvestigations team over on the EyrePeninsula. This trip proved to be a bit of acrash course and an extremely graphicand educational experience into thedevastating impact bushfires can have in SA.

I appreciate the generous SA hospitalityI have received since my arrival. I havemet a number of helpful, friendly folkwho have assisted me in making mystay ‘down under’ very enjoyable.

I will have nothing but good stories totell my work associates and friendsback home.

One final comment, however - I won’t saytoo much about the courteous drivers outon the roads, and one question - “whatdo you mean I can’t turn left on a red?”

US firefighter experiences SA Fire Danger Season

54

Brenna Dill.

Clowning around as part of Fire and LifeSafety programs.

By John Gawen, CFS Prevention andCommunity Awareness Officer

The 2004/05 Fire Danger Seasonmarks the 7th year for the CommunityFire Safe program. Each year offersnew challenges for the program. Thebalance of supporting communitygroups formed in previous years andassisting the development of newgroups remains a key issue as theprogram grows.

Assistance from Bushfire Blitz and newapproaches in delivering fire safety andproperty planning information aim tomeet the increasing demand forbushfire education.

Community Fire Safe Facilitators JeffAyres , Shirley Smith, David Goodwin,Terry Hassam and Fiona Dunstan arejoined this season by Rowena Morris.The team has a great mix of skillsrelating to fire knowledge, facilitationand community development as wellas a good mix of experience with thefire safe program.

Bushfire Blitz Officers Natasha Burtonand Justin Baxter will be taking themessage to more residents in highpopulation density areas throughoutthe Mount Lofty Ranges and linkingtheir activities with the Community firesafe efforts.

New initiatives such as Bushfire Safetyand Planning Workshops have enablededucation about bushfire safety toreach more people living in bushfirethreat areas beyond that targeted bythe Community fire safe and Blitzprograms. Workshops target ruralcommunities and offer a moreconvenient approach to learning aboutbushfire safety and preparedness.

All CFS community education initiativeshave a common aim; to increaseawareness and understanding of howbushfires occur, how they can impacton us personally, on our livelihoods andon the community and most importantlyhow we can reduce the impact andthreat of a bushfire occurring.

Volunteers in Prevention In partnership with the Grant DistrictCouncil and CFS Region 5 a group of

dedicated volunteers have beenactively spreading the fire safetymessage to the community.

The Volunteers in Prevention Teamlead by Ron Telford include JennyNewlyn, Richard Harry, John Beimansand Graham Hughes. With assistancefrom CFS brigades in the Grant Districtthe team have visited schoolsdelivering life saving bushfireinformation to over 800 students.

The program aims to capture theefforts of Ron’s team including howmany hours they dedicated toproviding the service to the communitythrough to the type of resourcesrequired and cost of maintaining thevaluable service.

With a better understanding of what isrequire to support efforts like those ofRon and his team, the CFS Preventionunit is better able to develop resourcesand training that could assist othervolunteers that undertake similaractivities in their community.

Chaffey Group ContinueFire Safety Efforts Trevor Pryse from Chaffey CFS Grouphas continued to teach hundreds ofstudents about the CFS and fire safety.

“It’s a job I feel that has to be done”,Trevor said.

“We often hear how the kids of todayare the future and for the CFS this iscritical. The kids I meet today couldwell be our volunteers of tomorrow.

“Most importantly however, is theinformation we can teach the kidsabout fire safety. Not only could theinformation we teach prevent them ora family member from injury from a firenow but also what the kids learn willbe with them for life,” Trevor said.

Trevor has a team of volunteers to helpspread the fire safety message.

“Without the dedication of GilbertPilgrim, Tanya Everarts and PhilipHeading. I would not be able to reachthe number of students we have.

“Like all things in the CFS it’s a teameffort. We’re a small team with a hugeamount of dedication,” Trevor said.

“It’s seeing the fun the kids are havingas they learn and knowing that even ifwe only save one child from burningthemself, it’s all worthwhile and younever know we just might inspire someof them to one day become ChaffeyGroup volunteers.”

Community Bushfire Safety

55

Working with the community.

The Emergency Management Act wasproclaimed on 25 November 2004 toprovide greater flexibility for emergencyservices in dealing with emergencymanagement. This Act supersedes theprevious State Disaster Act.

Emergency Management involves amuch broader range of issues andstrategies than those generally linkedwith the management of day-to-dayemergencies. These include the use ofprevention (mitigation) and recoverystrategies and functions.

Due to the complex nature of anemergency, a higher level of responseis required than is for the managementof day-to-day emergencies, such asthe incidents that CFS volunteersattend on a day to day basis.

Emergencies due to their wide spreadimpact, involve a wider and morediverse range of agencies and interests,e.g. Treasury, Health, CommunityServices, Engineering, Agriculture,Transport, Community-based serviceagencies, Commonwealth supportprogrammes such as Natural DisasterRelief Arrangements and industry and commerce.

While the new Act has very little directeffect on the everyday operations ofthe CFS, there are a few changes toEmergency Management arrangementsthat CFS volunteers should be familiar with.

Identified MajorIncidentsBlack Tuesday saw the firstimplementation of the EmergencyManagement Act since its proclamation.Mal Hyde, SA Police Commissioner,took the role of State Coordinator.

Had the Emergency Management Actbeen proclaimed some years ago, thefollowing incidents may have beenclassified as Identified Major Incidentsand covered under the Act.

• William Creek bus crash

• Tulka bushfire

• Salisbury rail crash

• Burton chemical incident / fire

• Eastern water crisis on YorkePeninsula

• Glenelg flood

Emergency Management ActThe introduction of the Emergency Management Act

What is an Emergency?Section 3 of the Act determines anemergency as an event that causes orthreatens to cause:

a) the death of, or injury or otherdamage to the health of, anyperson; or

b) the destruction of, or damage to,any property; or

c) a disruption to essential services orto services usually enjoyed by thecommunity; or

d) harm to the environment, or to floraor fauna.

This is not limited to naturallyoccurring events.

SAPOL is the coordinating agency forall emergencies (not just declaredemergencies) unless the StateEmergency Management Plandesignates it to a different body. This change of coordinating agencymay occur if the emergency is of aspecialised kind.

In an example of a bushfire, CFS is thecontrol agency and SAPOL is thecoordinating agency. The role of thecontrol agency and coordinating agencyexists regardless of any declaration.

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Salisbury rail crash may have been declared a major incident.

11 January saw the Emergency ManagementAct implemented.

Emergency Management ActThe introduction of the Emergency Management Act

Some TerminologyClarifying the Control Agency

Where two or more persons oragencies are assigned the controlfunction; or where it is unclear whichperson or agency is in control; orwhere no person or agency has thecontrol function, then the controlagency for that emergency will be aperson or agency determined by thecoordinating agency (SAPOL).

Command

‘Command’ is the direction of anorganisation’s members and resourcesin the performance of that organisation’srole and tasks.

Authority to command is established in legislation of by agreement withinthe organisation.

Command related to individualorganisations and operates verticallywithin the organisation as per theirorganisational hierarchy or chain of command.

Control

‘Control’ is the overall direction ofemergency management activities inan emergency disaster situation.

Authority for control is established inlegislation or in an emergency plan,and carries with it the responsibility fortasking and coordinating otherorganisations in accordance with theneeds of the situation.

Coordination

‘Coordination’ is the bringing togetherof organisations and elements toensure an effective response and is

primarily concerned with thesystematic acquisition and applicationof resources (organisations, personneland equipment) to meet the potentialor actual need as determined by thethreat or impact of the emergency.

Coordination relates primarily to themanagement of resources andoperates through an organisationschain of command or horizontallybetween organisations as a function ofthe authority to control.

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Interagency cooperation at truck rollover at Birdwood.

Incident AgencyAircraft accident No specific agency Animal, plant and marine disease PIRSABomb threat and incident SAPOLEarthquake No specific agencyEvacuation – Public areas and mass SAPOLFire SACFS or SAMFSFlood SASESFood/drinking water contamination Department of HealthFuel, gas and electricity shortages PIRSAHazardous material emergencies SACFS or SAMFSHostage SAPOLHuman epidemic Department of HealthIncidents where primary requirement is SAASpara-medical patient careMarine transport accidents DTUPOil spills - marine and inland waters DTUPRail accident No specific agencyRiot SAPOLRoad / transport accident No specific agencyRoad crash rescue SACFS, SAMFS or SASES as per

the Road Rescue Resource DirectorySpace re-entry debris SAPOLSearch and rescue – land and sea SAPOLSearch and rescue – structure (USAR) SAMFS, SASES or SACFSStorm / Tempest SASESTerrorist incident SAPOL

What does this mean for CFS?The everyday management of anincident by the CFS is not directlyaffected by this new Act.

The CFS are the control agency asdesignated in the table on this pageand the CFS Incident Controller isstill at the top of the chain ofcommand at incidents where CFSare the controlling agency.

The CFS Standard OperatingProcedures, the Chief’s StandingOrders and relevant legislation stillgovern CFS operations.

Should an emergency be declaredunder the act the PoliceCommissioner will take on the roleof State Coordinator.

The State Coordinator will workwith CFS to resolve any incident,however the on ground firefighterswill continue to receive anytaskings in the normal manner.

Higher level command and controlat Incident Controller level andabove will continue to be thesubject of multi-agencydiscussions so as to getagreement in as many areas aspossible before any event.

To assist in this staff from allagencies must continue to activelywork together and report anyissues through their chain ofcommand for addressing at thevarious multi agency committees.

The state Emergency ManagementPlan is currently being reviewed.CFS will be actively involved inthat review.

Emergency Management Act

58

Control Agency

The term ‘control agency’ replaces the term ‘lead combatant agency’ and identifies the lead agency for certain incidents.

The control agency is assigned the function for exercising control of persons and agencies involved in response operationsrelating to emergencies.

The control agency for various incidents is set out in the Emergency Management Plan. Some of these roles have only recentlybeen identified and formal procedures have yet to be implemented.

Identification of control agency for various accidents under the Emergency Management Act.

By Rob Styling, Salisbury CFS

During December 2004 I was fortunateto be sponsored by the VFBA toattend the Australasian Fire AuthoritiesCouncil Volunteer Leaders Program atthe Australian Institute of PoliceManagement in Manly NSW.

The course was a five day residentialprogram and included participantsfrom all mainland States andTerritories, including one from PalmIsland Qld. The program was intenseas one would expect and covered avariety of topics relating to leadership.

The program covered areas includingmedia presentations by a former ABCpresenter, the analysis of ourleadership styles and looked at thedecision making process, particularlyfocusing on stressful situations.

The highlight was a team buildingsession that had us sailing a tall shiparound Sydney Harbour. It certainlymade us realise very quickly just howhardy those sailors, who sailed fromEngland over 200 years ago, musthave been.

The course highlighted for me theimportant differences betweenmanagement and leadership.Management is about systems,controls, policies and procedures andstructure, whereas leadership is abouttrust and integrating your people intothe management processes.Management focuses on efficiency andleadership focuses on effectiveness.

One particular subject that interestedme was covered as a team project. Itwas Crew Resource Management. Theconcept was developed by the airlineindustry in originally dealing withemergency situations in the air, but hasnow broadened from that considerably. On the surface it appears to have somebenefit in our service and I intend toresearch the subject in greater detail.

It is based on the fact that inemergency situations it has beenproved that democratic aircraftCaptains get better outcomes.

These Captains involve all crew in thedecision making process and do notmake unilateral decisions. They takeinto account the differing levels ofexperience of the crew’s and theirdiffering views of the situation. Thisrecognises the valuable input crew canhave in the decision making process.

This does not mean the leader doesnot make the final decision and is notaccountable for it. Rather it enables adecision based on a broaderunderstanding of the situation to bemade to achieve a suitable outcome.

We also analysed the Black Hawkhelicopter crash and the more recentACT fire as well as the exploits of

the explorer Shackleton. All were

valuable in hopefully making us better

decision makers.

I would encourage anyone who holds

or aspires to a leadership role in the

CFS to apply for this course if it is

offered in the future. It is very

worthwhile, not only for self

development but as a life experience.

AFAC Volunteer Leaders Program 2004

‘Blind man’s’ tent assembly.

Rob Styling (Salisbury CFS) and Jeanette Lindsay(Inman Valley CFS) on board tall ship SVANEN onSydney Harbour.

AFAC VLP 2004 Course photo with Mick Kelty, Australian Federal Police Commissioner and instructors.

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60

Safety

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By Paul Sargent, Asset Services

The SA Country Fire Service and StateEmergency Services have employedJTA Risk Management Pty Ltd toundertake asbestos audits for allrequired stations (approximately 285stations) to ensure we meet our legalobligations. Inspections commenced on23 February 2005 and are anticipatedto be completed by mid April.

Occupational Safety and WelfareRegulations have a number ofrequirements that owners andemployers of all workplaces must followin order to comply with the legislation.

These requirements include:

• The need to inspect buildings todetermine if any asbestos is present;

• The need to conduct a riskassessment to ensure that theasbestos is in a stable conditionand presents no risk to the healthand safety of employees or peopleentering each building;

• The need to have an asbestosregister on each site that is readilyavailable for any people who maybe working on the building (ie. builders, electricians etc).

• The need to label (where practicable)any identified asbestos materials.

Labelling of asbestos materialsserves as an indicator to warnpeople of its presence and toensure the materials are notdisturbed. It also alerts anycontractors installing powerpointsor conducting minor works on abuilding of the materials they areworking with and ensures they takethe necessary precautions.

The asbestos materials identifiedand labelled are not harmful tobuilding occupants performing theirnormal duties.

Asbestos Audits and Labelling

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Join the RSL now…As a CFS Member you are eligible to be an Affiliate of the

RETURNED & SERVICES LEAGUE of AUSTRALIAThe RSL is a National Organisation, which is committed to helping Serving, and Ex-Service personnel of theAustralian Defence Forces and the Local Community.

Over the years local RSL Sub-Branches have been a focal point in most Country Communities, with many ofits members serving with the SA Country Fire Service.

The tradition of the CFS “To protect, life, property and the environment from fire and other emergencies” is similar to that of the Armed Forces “To protect our Nation”.

By being a member of the RSL you would ensure the continuation of the Australian way of life,“To support a mate” and uphold the ANZAC tradition in your local community.

During the recent West Coast Disaster the RSL Sub-Branches in the area supported the volunteers. Tumby Bay RSL clubrooms were used as an R&C centre and with the aid of the community supplied more than 8,000 meals.

For more details including Sub-Branch membership fees please contact your nearest RSL Sub-Branch

or telephone RSL Headquarters on 08 8232 0322 or Email: admin@sa.rsl.org.au

Download application forms directly from the RSL website:

www.sa.rsl.org.au

At any incident, safety messages mayneed to be issued to ensure all CFSvolunteers and other personnel on theincident ground are made aware of apotential safety risk or danger.

These messages are known as ‘RedFlag Warnings’ and replace thepreviously used ‘Safety Message’ asdocumented in the Chief Officer’sStanding Orders and StandardOperating Procedures (SOP’s) issuedin November 2004.

Red Flag Warnings may be issued atany incident from bushfires to motorvehicle incidents and are distributedthrough the Chain of Command.

Recent Red Flag Warnings relate tofalling trees, disturbed bee hives,falling rocks and sharp objects.

Red Flag warnings can also be used tonotify firefighters of:

• Fireground wind changes

• Other changes to actual or forecastconditions which may adverselyeffect the safety of personnel

• Aerial fire bombing activity in the area

• Critical incident information

• Emergency withdrawal.

CFS Sector Commanders, DivisionalCommanders, Operations Officers,Incident Controllers, RegionalCoordinators or Regional Duty Officersmay issue Red Flag Warnings,however any volunteer who observespossible dangers such as erratic fire orweather behaviour should notify theirofficer-in-charge immediately.

How do I know a Red FlagWarning has been issued?

All Red Flag Warnings, no matter howconveyed, will be preceded by thewords ‘Red Flag Warning’.

When conveyed by radio, Red FlagWarning transmissions will take priority over all traffic other than“MAYDAY” transmissions.

The transmission, receipt andacknowledgement of a Red FlagWarning will be logged at each levelwithin the Chain of Command. RedFlag Warnings MUST be passed toevery individual at the incident,including those from other agenciesand private individuals.

These messages must be brief, precise and must convey the criticalinformation and will be passed throughthe entire incident Chain of Commandby any appropriate means availableincluding in person, by radio (specificor general broadcast), telephone, fax,pager or in writing.

Paging is not acceptable as a primarymethod of conveying safety messagesand may only be used as a back up.

Red Flag Warnings are covered underthe Chief Officer’s Standing OrdersNumber 13.

Red Flag Warnings

If the asbestos is in a stable conditionand not crumbling apart, then it is nota risk to your health.

If at any time asbestos is identifiedas being in poor condition andrequiring attention. Please report thematter to the CFS Manager AssetServices (Phone 8463 4097) who willensure the necessary action is takento rectify the situation.

As part of the legal requirements anannual inspection of sites whereasbestos has been identified will beundertaken and recorded in theasbestos register.

An Asbestos Register and displayfolder will be distributed to eachbrigade as soon as possible followingthe completion of the inspection bystaff from JTA.

Relevant brigades have beencontacted and provided the dateinspections are likely to occur.Updates of the time will be providedcloser to the inspection beingundertaken.

If you should have any queries orconcerns about asbestos or theinspections please contact

Paul Sargent, Manager Asset Services

Phone 8463 4097

Fax 8211 9555

Mobile 0427 822 131

Email sargent.paul@cfs.org.au

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64

The Dead Man Zone Predicting Rate of Spread of Forest Fires

The 2001 CSIRO Project Vestabushfire experiments have unearthedsome new, critical information relevantto anyone who is involved in forestfirefighting (including scrub, bush andplantation firefighting).

The Project Vesta research has shownthat there is a common tendency bypersonnel to overestimate thedistance to a fire when observingthrough a forest.

Wind changes and TheDead Man ZoneFollowing a wind shift, a line of fire willburn at its potential rate of spreadimmediately and extreme conditionscombined with wind shifts have alsoshown that fire will travel up to threetimes faster than previously thought.

If firefighters do not take these windchanges into account in relation toslope and the resulting headfire widththey may find themselves lulled into afalse sense of security and in The DeadMan Zone.

It’s important to remember that visualindicators which often provide anindication of a coming wind changeare not easily observed in a forest.

If firefighters get too far away fromthe safety of burnt ground, they may

find themselves in The Dead ManZone, where there is not enough timeto return to a safety zone.

The Forest Fire MeterUNDER ESTIMATESrate of spread:Project Vesta research has providedstrong evidence that the table of firespread given on the Mark 5 Forest FireDanger Meter, (McArthur 1967),seriously underestimates the rate ofspread at all fire danger indices andfuel loads.

CSIRO recommendations state thatthe rates of fire spread calculated fromthe Mark 5 Forest Fire Danger Metershould be trebled (ie: X 3) to ensuresafety of personnel on the fireground.

Safely Fighting Forest FiresCSIRO reinforces that the safest methodfor attacking a forest fire is throughdirect attack (that is; on the very edge of the fire) or working from a burnt areawithin the fireline (that is; staying ‘on the black’).

If a wind change occurs, and you aredownwind engaged in indirect attack(that is; working away from the edge ofthe fire), YOU MUST abandon yourtask and go immediately to a safety

zone without waiting to see what thefire is going to do.

Fire operations and planning personnelshould take these findings intoaccount when developing forest firebehaviour predictions and whendeciding on tactics and strategies forforest fire control.

These findings reinforce the need forpersonnel who are involved in forestfirefighting to be aware of LCES:

Lookouts: Establish lookouts and taskall members to be alert to changes infire behaviour.

Communications: Establish and testclear lines of communications.

Escape routes: Identify escape routesand make them known to everyone.

Safety zones: Identify safety zonesand make them known to everyone.The best safety zone is previously wellburnt over ground. Using the directattack method means that firefightersare immediately adjacent to the safetyof burnt ground.

More details of the CSIRO research canbe found on the CSIRO website at:www.bbm.csiro.au/vesta/deadman

Equipment

65

By Sandy Paterson

This financial year CFS is purchasing arange of new appliances, including:

• Two Light Rural

• Eight 1 4’s

• Nine 3 4’s

• Eight 3 4P’s

• One Medium Urban Pumper.

Light RualThe two Light Rurals (LR) are based onToyota Land Cruisers with anupgraded chassis Gross Vehicle Mass(GVM) of 3.7 tonne. One of these willbe fitted with a Quik Spray highpressure pump and hose reel system.

This concept has been developed toreduce the volume of water used whenfirefighting and is fitted as a prototypefor CFS.

The other unit will be equipped with aconventional pump and hose reelsystem. At the time of preparing thisarticle the design and layout of thebody work is yet to be finalised.

1 4The 1 4’s are built on Mitsubishi Cantercrew cab chassis’s with a Hale BB4pump driven by a Briggs and Stratton18 HP petrol engine. The bodyincludes a rear facing single hose reelwith 30 metres of 25mm rubber hoseand a 900 litre capacity water tank.

The general layout of the body is verysimilar to previous model 1 4’s built in2000 and 2001. The new models willincorporate a crew protection awningsimilar to the system fitted to the 3 4’slast year.

3 4The nine 3 4 type tankers will be verysimilar to last year’s models. Based oninformation provided throughconsultation and feedback fromvolunteers this year, the 3 4’s will befitted with 60 metre hose reels andthese will be fitted above the tray.

With the exception of a fibreglasswater tank, all bodywork will beconstructed from aluminium. As with last year, Moore Engineeringare constructing the 3 4’s and theyalso have the contracts for the 1 4’sand LR’s.

The chassis and pumps are the sameas last year. The chassis is an IsuzuFTS750 crew cab 4X4 and the pump isa Waterous CPT-2 driven by a DeutzF4L2011 air cooled diesel motor.

3 4PThis year CFS has managed todevelop the “3 4P”. This is due to theGVM of the cab chassis beingincreased to 13.7 tonne, up from theprevious 13 tonne, and this increasehas allowed for a 3 000 water tank tobe installed instead of the previous2 000 litre tank. These will be fittedwith Darley HE500 pumps driven byDeutz BF4L2011 air cooled motors.

One of the eight 3 4P’s will be aprototype with a PTO driven mainpump and a small engine drivenauxiliary pump. FESA in WA have beenusing this format for a couple of yearsnow with good results.

These appliances are currently underconstruction at SEM Fire and Rescuein Ballarat.

New Appliances for 2004/05From Technical Services

3 4. These images are for example only and thecompleted appliance may differ in some way.

3 4P. These images are for example only and thecompleted appliance may differ in some way

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A new 1 4.

Medium Urban PumperThis year will see another urbanpumper of the NSWFB “Type 2” designcome into CFS. This design has beenvery successful with agencies inNorthern Territory, Vic and SA, as wellas NSW operating them.

There are currently two of theseappliances in CFS, at Nuriootpa andMillicent and feedback from thesebrigades has been very positive.

SEM Fire and Rescue are also buildingthis pumper for CFS as part of a muchlarger contract with NSWFB.

This appliance is based on an IsuzuFTR900 4X2 crew cab chassis and isfitted with a rear mounted RosenbauerNH30 pump capable of 3 000 l/min at1 000 kPa and with the separate highpressure stage engaged, 400 l/min and4 000 kPa.

The long awaited refurbished Dennispumper from the UK has been deliveredto CFS. The appliance is currently beingfitted with communications equipmentand undergoing final testing prior tobeing handed over to Mount BarkerCFS brigade.

The pumper is based on a Dennis RSmodel chassis with a 4 500 l/minGodiva pump with a separate high-pressure stage that provides 500 l/minat up to 3 500 kPa to the two 60 metreside facing hose reels.

The Dennis has been a long timecoming due to various delays includinga ban applied by the UK firefightersunion in 2002 which delayed thedeparture of the appliance out of theUK and a very steep learning curve forthe NZ supplier and CFS regarding theprocess to certify the appliance asbeing compliant with appropriate ADRs.

The ADR certification was a very bigchallenge that has now been overcome.Any future RS model Dennis’s will havea more rapid path into Australia.

This allows future possibilities forintegration of worldwide resources intothe CFS fire appliance program.

The appliance is powered by a sixcylinder turbo charged Cumminsdeveloping 169 kW of power. Thetransmission is a five speed Allisonautomatic with a PTO attached todrive the rear mounted pump.

Other features include –

• Full air braking system with ABS.

• Air conditioning for the crew cab.

• Four CABA seats in the rear of the cab.

• Roller shutter lockers providingample stowage space.

• Air operated lighting mast fitted withthree 500 watt, 240 volt lamps.

• Air operated hose reel rewindsystems.

• Excellent on road performance forthe hills around Mount Barker.

Dennis Arrives

67

Mount Barker volunteers inspecting their new appliance.

68

BATTERY SPECIALTIES (GROUP)Wholesalers and suppliers of

LONG LASTINGPOWER

For Ordering:Contact Frank CairoPh: 08 8346 5021Fax: 08 8340 2750

Email: cairof@batspec.com.au

A Job Well Done

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70

Craig Holt

Burnside CFS, Australian Fire Service Medal.

Craig originally joined the Hope ValleyEFS Unit in 1974 before moving toBurnside CFS Brigade in 1978. AsCaptain of the Brigade his passion hasbeen to see the younger recruits reachtheir full potential as firefighters. Theenthusiasm of Brigade members reflectsthis passion and is testament to Craig’sattitude to serving the community.

Craig is highly respected within CFScircles with a number of specialistqualifications including multi agencyresponse. He’s also been on threeinterstate deployments includingVictoria in 2003, and New South Walesin 1994 and 2002. Outside his valuablecontribution to the community, Craigcontinues to build the family business,H Holt & Sons, in furniture upholstery.His ambition is to piece together someof the memorabilia of the BurnsideBrigade which celebrated it’s 70thAnniversary last year.

Peter Smallacombe

Bundaleer Group, AustralianFire Service Medal.

Peter became a member of theGladstone EFS Brigade in 1978. He’s been a Group Officer since 1994 –originally with the Rocky River Groupbefore it amalgamated with Jamestownto become the Bundaleer Group.

It’s not the first time Peter has beenrecognised for his contribution to theCFS – In 2003 he was awarded aMinisterial Commendation.

Peter says the only reason he’s beenable to contribute to the CFS isthrough the valuable support from hisfamily and employment at the LauraHospital. He’s been on two interstatedeployments including Victoria in 2003and New South Wales in 2002.

Peter has an excellent reputation in thecommunity and is keen to expand hisCFS involvement in other areas suchas incident management.

Peter Hammond

Echunga CFS, Medal (OAM)of the Order of Australia.

Peter has been a CFS volunteer withthe Echunga Brigade for 25 years, andthe last 14 of those as Captain.

Peter is well respected within thecommunity and was awarded the Medalfor his significant contribution to thegrowth and leadership of the Brigade.

Australia Day Awards

The contribution volunteers make to the community through their CFS involvement is recognised in many ways.

Through letters of thanks, a carton of beer dropped off at the fire station, to medals and ministerialcommendations or even just a simple thank you.

Although the prime motivator for many volunteers isn’t recognition, a pat on the back and thanks every nowand then doesn’t go astray.

This section highlights awards given to CFS volunteers and expressions of thanks from the community.P

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SA Emergency ServiceMedals and MinisterialCommendations 2004In November 2004, Minister PatrickConlon awarded eight CFS volunteerswith the Emergency Service Medal andMinisterial Commendations inrecognition of their outstandingcontribution to the CFS and in turn the community.

All volunteers are exceptional people,going out of their way to assist thecommunity, however these eight havebeen recognised in this way

Ronald TelfordGroup Delegate, Bushfire Prevention Committee, GrantDistrict Council – SACFS

Joining the CFA at Nelson in 1957, Ronwas instrumental in the establishmentof the Emergency Fire Service atDonovans in the South East in 1963.

In 1969 Ron joined the WandiloEmergency Fire Service and receivedan Outstanding Community ServiceAward from the Mount Gambier RotaryClub for his involvement in the AshWednesday fires in 1983.

In recent years Ron has undertaken avariety of community fire safetyprograms and represents the DistrictCouncil of Grant in a number ofcommunity fire safety areas.

Ron was a driving force behindorganising the Jubilee 150 Fire Paradeand wrote a book, “Bushfire, Bags andBeaters” in 1988, about the history offire fighting around the Mount GambierDistrict. He also participated in thePremier’s Bushfire Summit in 2003.

Ron’s involvement in a number ofinitiatives within the CFS over a longperiod of time is testament to hiscommitment to the organisation.

Robert ChambersGroup Officer – Lower EyrePeninsula Group – SACFS

With a large fire threatening PortLincoln, Robert followed a familytradition set by his father and uncle andjoined the CFS when he was 16 yearsold. He is currently the Group Officer forLincoln Brigade.

His interest in the welfare of hiscolleagues has lead him to becomingGroup representative to the EyrePeninsula Branch of the SA Volunteer Fire Brigades Associationand representative at the State general meetings.

He has assisted at Lake Gairdner (SA),as a firefighter at the Dry Lake Racing,went to Sydney in December 2001,December 2002 and in January /February 2003 and to Victoria twice toassist with bushfires. At home he willalways be among the first to volunteerto go on a strike team within the statewhen it is required.

Robert works as an instructor and hasalso represented the region at thePremier’s Bushfire Summit and otherconferences relating to fire prevention.He encourages the younger members totake on roles of responsibility and isalways willing to help and guide them.He has a firm belief in not askinganyone to take on a task that he himselfwould not undertake and this hasearned him respect from many quarters.

On Australia Day in 1988, inrecognition of his commitment toyoung people and his long service withthe Naval Reserve Cadets, he wasrecognised as Citizen of the Year byPort Lincoln City Council.

Robert DavisBrigade Captain – Mount Gambierand Port MacDonnell – SACFS Groups Operational andLogistics Brigade

Robert (Bob) started his career with theOB Flat Emergency Fire Service in 1965and became Group Officer for theMount Gambier Group in 1976. In 1999Bob became Brigade Captain of theMount Gambier and Port MacDonnellGroup Operations Support Brigade andit is in this capacity that Bob hasworked tirelessly in the backgroundgiving operational support to MountGambier and Port MacDonnell groups.

In more recent times Bob has embracedthe new Government Radio Network(GRN) communications system. Heconducts all GRN training in the MountGambier and Port MacDonnell Groupsand works closely with Forestry inproviding GRN training to their crews.Bob often takes a role at large incidentsin the Forward Command structure andis a valuable member of any IncidentManagement Team.

Bob also attends and activelyparticipates in Regional DisasterCommittees (G3) and holds theposition of Fire Intelligence Officer.

Bob’s commitment within the CFS hasbeen of significant benefit to theorganisation. He is willing toparticipate in a wide range of forums,beyond that which is expected of avolunteer member.

Roger GriggGroup Officer – Barossa SACFS

Roger has been in the CFS for about27 years. In that time he has beeninvolved with Coonalpyn, Darke Peakeand Kimba brigades before joining theMt Pleasant brigade approximately 22 years ago. He has worked his waythrough the ranks and is currently theGroup Officer for the Barossa.

At Mt Pleasant he worked with variouscommunity bodies and schoolspromoting home fire safety and withfarmers on fire suppression. Rogeralso became one of the first in the area

Medals and Commendations 2004

72

to become a BA operator in the late80s before going on to become aState BA instructor in 1993 until 1998.

Roger was instrumental in getting thebrigade trained and resourced in RoadCrash Rescue and in starting a Cadetprogramme. He was a member of theRegion 2 Training Committee and anorganiser of the Region 2 field day forseveral years. Recently Roger hasworked with local residents in settingup a community fire safe organisation.

Karl KehlBrigade OH&S Representative –Pinnaroo SACFS

In 1969, at the age of 18, Karl joined,what was then the Emergency FireService, as a firefighter. He progressedthrough the ranks to become DeputyGroup Officer for the Mallee CFSGroup, a position he has held for16 years.

Over the years, Karl has completed alarge number of courses and servedon a variety of committees. Heattended the 1994 New South Walesbushfires as part of a Strike Team.

Karl is a willing person who assists inany way he can and happily providesnew recruits with information about theservice and makes them feel involvedwithin the brigade. He willinglyparticipates in a wide range of forumsbeyond that expected of a volunteer.

John ProbertFormer Volunteer Support Officer –SAFECOM Office

John was appointed to the newlycreated position of ESAU VolunteerSupport Officer for the South East inOctober 1999. A total of 3 000 CFS andSES volunteers were supported by Johnin the areas of recruitment/retention,conflict resolution, workplace dignity,leadership, youth programs andvolunteer administration. John gavedistinguished service in this positionmeeting the needs of volunteers andRegional staff, his commitment invisiting Brigades and Units both at nightand weekends has been recognised byboth CFS and SES Regional

Commanders and Regional Managers.Of particular note has been John’scommitment to assisting the Volunteerassociations and his support for theprograms in the South East.

John was always available to assistmembers of the Volunteer ManagementBranch with timely advice and hasdone so in a willing and cooperativemanner. John has demonstrated acommitment to serving volunteers andhas been a member of the SES for 24years and is currently a CFS memberas well. John transferred to the CFSposition of Regional OperationalPlanning in October 2003.

David PrzibillaGroup Officer – Kyeema SACFS

David Przibilla has been a member ofthe SA Country Fire Service for morethan 40 years and for the last 20 yearshas held the position of Group Officer.

David is held in enormously highregard. His understanding of thebigger picture, when handling bothlarge and small incidents isunsurpassed. He has a highlyprofessional approach and empathyfor those needing assistance andthose who provide it, whatever theincident. He also has the rare ability tounderstand the needs of all membersunder his control however Senior orJunior, which means they arecomfortable in talking with him,expressing their views and afford himthe respect his rank deserves. Hisquiet manner exudes calm, enablingothers to react in a similar mannerwhen faced with a serious situation.David has an ability to direct in aprofessional manner and a recognisedpractical knowledge from theexperience he brings to all incidents.

David has given selflessly to hiscommunity and continues to be ashining example within the CFS for all to see.

John SavageBrigade Captain – Seaford SACFS

Thirty six years is a long time to be avolunteer firefighter. As a 27-year-old,John joined the urban CFA in Scorsebyin Victoria. Relocating to SouthAustralia, he joined the Port NoarlungaEFS in 1971 and went on to becomeBrigade Captain.

In 1980 and 1982, John was heavilyinvolved in combating the fires of bothAsh Wednesdays. He was also thedriving force to build up theInternational Acco’s purchased fromSANTOS and Woods and ForestsDepartment in 1985 and workeddiligently towards the relocation in1995 of the Port Noarlunga EFS.

John has had the support of a loyaland loving family and as a father offour sons has been actively involved inschool soccer. His two eldest sonshave followed in their father’sfootsteps and are involved with theCountry Fire Service.

Medals and Commendations 2004

Since August 2004, there have been 392 medals awarded through the Volunteer Management Branch. These medalsrecognise service to the CFS as well as award life memberships.

Name Region Issued Certificate Years GSBAlistair Crooks 1 Dec-04 LifeAngus Archibald 1 Aug-04 LifeAnnette McDougall 1 Dec-04 LifeBradley Ross 1 Nov-04 LifeBronte Richter 1 Nov-04 LifeChristopher Cotton 1 Sep-04 LifeColin Craig Holt 1 Oct-04 LifeDavid Dearman 1 Sep-04 LifeDavid Foreman 1 Nov-04 LifeDavid Wilson 1 Oct-04 LifeEric Harvey 1 Oct-04 LifeGary Candy 1 Nov-04 LifeGreg Richter 1 Nov-04 LifeGregory Heyer 1 Dec-04 LifeHugh Stewart 1 Dec-04 LifeJeanette Dallwitz 1 Dec-04 LifeJohn Dillon 1 Nov-04 LifeJohn Lees 1 Nov-04 LifeJohn Long 1 Nov-04 LifeJulie Lovett 1 Oct-04 LifeKevin Harvey 1 Oct-04 LifeKingsley Sutton 1 Aug-04 LifeLenard Brooks 1 Nov-04 LifeLes Falkai 1 Oct-04 LifeMalcolm Yeates 1 Nov-04 LifeMark Thomason 1 Sep-04 LifePhilip Zanker 1 Oct-04 LifePhillip Schultz 1 Sep-04 LifeRobert Cross 1 Oct-04 LifeRobin Holmes 1 Oct-04 LifeRonald Liebelt 1 Nov-04 LifeRory Liebelt 1 Nov-04 LifeRussell Hassam 1 Oct-04 LifeSamuel Thornton 1 Aug-04 LifeWayne Altmann 1 Sep-04 LifeWayne Savage 1 Nov-04 LifeWilliam John Richardson 1 Oct-04 LifeAileen Pederson 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeAlan Jordan 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAndrew Grocke 1 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAngus Archibald 1 Aug-04 Long Service 25 SilverAnnette McDougall 1 Dec-04 Long Service 35 GoldAthol Rayson 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeBarbara Brock 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverBarry Graham 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeBarry Langbein 1 Nov-04 Long Service 35 GoldBrian Brock 1 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldChristopher Pederson 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeColin Craig Holt 1 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverCraig Fox 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeCraig Shepherd 1 Dec-04 Long Service 17 BronzeDaniel Austin 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDaniel Wright 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDarren Fox 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDarryl Van Heythuysen 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 Bronze

Service Awards

73

David Osborn 1 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverDavid Treen 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDavid Wilson 1 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverDonald Herrmann 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverEdna Winkles 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverGarrick Lehmann 1 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGary Candy 1 Dec-04 Long Service 25 SilverGraham Lovell 1 Sep-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGrantley Wood 1 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeHugh Stewart 1 Dec-04 Long Service 25 SilverIan Dolman 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeIan Taverner 1 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldJason Stichel 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJason Wright 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJoan Herrmann 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverJohan Hoogland 1 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverJohn Dillon 1 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverJohn Marshall 1 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldJulie Lovett 1 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverKarel Jansen 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeKathryn Seyfang 1 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeKylee Merritt 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeLorraine Hammond 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeLynette Jane Burbidge 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeMalcolm Dallwitz 1 Dec-04 Long Service 35 GoldMalcolm Stanbury 1 Nov-04 Long Service 35 GoldMargaret Wright 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMartin Downing 1 Aug-04 Long Service 35 GoldMatthew Davis 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMilton Prosser 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeNick Papavasiliou 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzePamela Schultz 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverPatrick John Forster 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzePeter Hammond 1 Jan-05 Long Service 25 SilverPhilip Roberts 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzePhilip Schmidt 1 Jan-05 Long Service 15 BronzeRichard Hennig 1 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverRobert Hay 1 Dec-04 Long Service 19 BronzeRobin Connerty 1 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeRobin Holmes 1 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverShirley Standbury 1 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldTerence Sweetman 1 Sep-04 Long Service 15 BronzeValerie Cavies 1 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverWayne Hobby 1 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAlistair Crooks 1 Dec-04 Standard 20Andrew McKenzie 1 Dec-04 Standard 10Angus Archibald 1 Aug-04 Standard 30Barry Graham 1 Jan-05 Standard 20Brenton Wood 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Brett Merritt 1 Dec-04 Standard 20Brett Sedunary 1 Jan-05 Standard 10Bronte Hanam 1 Nov-04 Standard 10Cameron Garner 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Christopher Cotton 1 Sep-04 Standard 20Colin McPHerson 1 Sep-04 Standard 10Craig Paschke 1 Nov-04 Standard 20Daryl Stichel 1 Nov-04 Standard 15Daryl Stichel 1 Nov-04 Standard 10David Baker 1 Oct-04 Standard 10

Service Awards

74

David Bradley 1 Aug-04 Standard 30David Coates 1 Jan-05 Standard 10David Doyle 1 Nov-04 Standard 10David Frahn 1 Oct-04 Standard 10David Hollamby 1 Oct-04 Standard 10David Page 1 Aug-04 Standard 10David Treen 1 Nov-04 Standard 10Debra Parker 1 Dec-04 Standard 13Elaine Polomka 1 Dec-04 Standard 30Eric Harvey 1 Oct-04 Standard 30Eva Treen 1 Nov-04 Standard 10Garrick Lehmann 1 Aug-04 Standard 10Garry Holder 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Gary Parker 1 Dec-04 Standard 12Gideon Douglas 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Glen Roberts 1 Sep-04 Standard 10Grantley Wood 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Gregory Lowe 1 Nov-04 Standard 10Harold Gelzinis 1 Nov-04 Standard 10James Drummond 1 Nov-04 Standard 30Jason Carroll 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Jeanette Dallwitz 1 Dec-04 Standard 30Jeffery Anderson 1 Aug-04 Standard 20Jeffrey Langbein 1 Nov-04 Standard 10John Dillon 1 Nov-04 Standard 20John Follett 1 Dec-04 Standard 20John Mashall 1 Sep-04 Standard 30Julie Holt 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Julie Lovett 1 Oct-04 Standard 30Kathryn Seyfang 1 Aug-04 Standard 10Kelly Wing 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Kevin Harvey 1 Oct-04 Standard 30Kevin Van Heythuysen 1 Nov-04 Standard 40Klaus Stichel 1 Sep-04 Standard 30Lee Filz 1 Aug-04 Standard 10Lorraine Hammond 1 Jan-05 Standard 20Louise Dearman 1 Sep-04 Standard 10Lynette Jane Burbidge 1 Jan-05 Standard 20Malcolm Yeates 1 Oct-04 Standard 20Margaret Dearman 1 Sep-04 Standard 20Martin Downing 1 Aug-04 Standard 30Michael Holt 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Michael Rossi 1 Dec-04 Standard 20Michael Watts 1 Aug-04 Standard 30Paul Schmidt 1 Jan-05 Standard 10Philip Roberts 1 Jan-05 Standard 20Philip Schmidt 1 Jan-05 Standard 20Philip Zanker 1 Oct-04 Standard 20Phillip Schultz 1 Sep-04 Standard 20Rainer Kiessling 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Raymond McVey 1 Nov-04 Standard 10Robert McDougall 1 Dec-04 Standard 40Robert Squired 1 Sep-04 Standard 10Robin Connerty 1 Nov-04 Standard 20Samuel Thornton 1 Aug-04 Standard 20Shirley Stanbury 1 Sep-04 Standard 40Simon McDougall 1 Dec-04 Standard 10Simon Owler 1 Aug-04 Standard 10Stephen Williams 1 Dec-04 Standard 10

Service Awards

75

Tanya Wutke 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Veronica Hollamby 1 Oct-04 Standard 10Vivienne Williams 1 Dec-04 Standard 10Wayne Altmann 1 Sep-04 Standard 20Andrew Murphy 2 Aug-04 LifeBrenton Henschke 2 Aug-04 LifeDavid Youl Freebairn 2 Sep-04 LifeGeoffrey Sawgenschnitter 2 Oct-04 LifeGerald Thomson 2 Aug-04 LifeGraham Charles Pontt 2 Sep-04 LifeHarold Bryant 2 Dec-04 LifeJeffrey Kernich 2 Oct-04 LifeJohn Sydney Freebairn 2 Sep-04 LifeKathleen Sandford 2 Nov-04 LifeMatthew Bain 2 Aug-04 LifeMichael Allen 2 Dec-04 LifeNoelene Hunt 2 Aug-04 LifePeter Ashcroft 2 Sep-04 LifePeter Kemp 2 Sep-04 LifeRaymond Owers 2 Aug-04 LifeVaughn Charles 2 Aug-04 LifeAndrew Hogg 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAndrew Stewart 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAnthony Costello 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeBenjamin Griggs 2 Dec-04 Long Service 25 SilverBrenton Rodda 2 Aug-04 Long Service 25 SilverBronwyn Starr 2 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeChristopher Cowan 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverColin Milton 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverColin Steward 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverDarren Cox 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDavid Sagenschnitter 2 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDavid Youl Freebairn 2 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldDean Rodda 2 Aug-04 Long Service 25 SilverDouglas Clark 2 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGarry Davies 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGary Hicks 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGraham Sobey 2 Aug-04 Long Service 35 GoldJeffrey Miller 2 Aug-04 Long Service 25 SilverJenice Stewart 2 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJohannes Nederpel 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJohn Sydney Freebairn 2 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldJoylene Milton 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverKatrina Milton 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeKevin Julyan 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverLex Phillip Robertson 2 Sep-04 Long Service 35 GoldLyle Walter Rohrlach 2 Nov-04 Long Service 35 GoldMark Goold 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMartyn Bell 2 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMichael Boehm 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverMichael Edwards 2 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMichael Toole 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMuriel Griggs 2 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeNeil Fisher 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverNigel Charles Krollig 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverPasquali Cannizzaro 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 SilverRichard Gregory 2 Jan-05 Long Service 25 SilverRobin Phillip Falkenberg 2 Nov-04 Long Service 35 GoldRussell John Butler 2 Nov-04 Long Service 25 Silver

Service Awards

76

Shaun Phillip Falkenberg 2 Nov-04 Long Service 15 BronzeShirley Morgan 2 Aug-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAdrian Shepherd 2 Nov-04 Standard 10Alfred Buttery 2 Dec-04 Standard 40Carol Clark 2 Nov-04 Standard 10Colin Stewart 2 Nov-04 Standard 30David Bussenschutt 2 Aug-04 Standard 20David Materne 2 Oct-04 Standard 20David Proeve 2 Dec-04 Standard 10David Tillson 2 Nov-04 Standard 10Douglas Clark 2 Nov-04 Standard 20Fred Munzer 2 Aug-04 Standard 30Geoffrey Saegenschnitter 2 Nov-04 Standard 30Jeffrey Clark 2 Dec-04 Standard 30Jeffrey Kernich 2 Nov-04 Standard 30Jenice Stewart 2 Nov-04 Standard 20Kevin Parker 2 Dec-04 Standard 10Linda English 2 Dec-04 Standard 10Mark Andrew Hoffmann 2 Nov-04 Standard 10Michael Shane Furnell 2 Nov-04 Standard 20Neil Fisher 2 Nov-04 Standard 30Peter Rehn 2 Sep-04 Standard 30Reginald Webb 2 Dec-04 Standard 10Richard Gregory 2 Jan-05 Standard 30Richard Jones 2 Dec-04 Standard 10Shane Atze 2 Nov-04 Standard 20Troy Darren Rohrlach 2 Nov-04 Standard 20Raoul Henri Otto de Grancy 3 Nov-04 LifeAnthony Craig Wachtel 3 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeBarry Gowling 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeBarry Manuel 3 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverDoug Parker 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeFrank Griffiths 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGavin Durdin 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGeoffrey Redden 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGrant Dixon 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJeffrey Pfitzner 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJohn Berger 3 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverNeville Lines 3 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverPatricia Lines 3 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverPeter Arthur Lutz 3 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzePeter David Smith 3 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeRandall Smith 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeTerry Neil Wundenberg 3 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeTrevor Kerley 3 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAdam John Lee 3 Dec-04 Standard 10Bevan Schubert 3 Oct-04 Standard 10Darren Mark Schubert 3 Nov-04 Standard 10Dave Simpson 3 Oct-04 Standard 10Harold William Pope 3 Dec-04 Standard 20John Kain 3 Oct-04 Standard 10John Nash 3 Nov-04 Standard 10Katherine Finlayson 3 Oct-04 Standard 20Laurence Keith Pope 3 Dec-04 Standard 20Michael Smith 3 Oct-04 Standard 10Robert John Pope 3 Dec-04 Standard 20Rodney Pridham 3 Oct-04 Standard 10Thomas Graeme A Wachtel 3 Dec-04 Standard 30Frank Wallace 4 Aug-04 Long Service 15 Bronze

Service Awards

77

Michael Wood 4 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzeKathleen Marshall 5 Sep-04 LifeRex John Hall 5 Sep-04 LifeShane Francis 5 Sep-04 LifeAlan John Hall 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverBarry Kelvin Schriever 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeBrian Arthur Joseph Vawser 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeCathleen Lorraine Cottier 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDennis Allen Merrett 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeDrew Pegler 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverGarry Edward Talbot 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGarry Edward Talbot 5 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverGlenn Charles Leggett 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGraham Clifford Lucas 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGraham John Hutchesson 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGraham John Hutchesson 5 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverGraham Jones 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeGregory Wayne Bowering 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeJeffrey Ellis 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverJohn Wayne Holland 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeKenneth Taylor 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverLeonard Maurice Laslett 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeLesley Smith 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverMalcolm Unger 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverMalcolm Unger 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMark Anthony Swaffer 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMax Clarence Carrison 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeMichael Anthony Geraghty 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeNeville Robert Telford 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzePeter David Lucas 5 Dec-04 Long Service 15 BronzePeter William Laslett 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeRobert Craig Rowley 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeRobert John Cottier 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeRobert Ratcliff 5 Sep-04 Long Service 25 SilverTerry James Smith 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeThomas Bertram Megaw 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeTrevor John Coutts 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeTrevor John Coutts 5 Oct-04 Long Service 25 SilverTrevor Leslie Jones 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeTrevor Neil Ashby 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeVictor Clarke 5 Sep-04 Long Service 50 GoldWalter Winston Jenkin 5 Oct-04 Long Service 15 BronzeAnthony Noble 5 Dec-04 Standard 10Barry Kelvin Schriever 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Beverley Ellis 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Brian Arthur Joseph Vawser 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Bronwyn Rapp 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Cathleen Lorraine Cottier 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Cathleen Lorraine Cottier 5 Oct-04 Standard 20Corrine Tedham 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Craig Robert Perrryman 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Dale Brant 5 Dec-04 Standard 10Darren Craig Berkefeld 5 Oct-04 Standard 10David Moreland 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Dennis Allen Merrett 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Evelyn Jackway 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Garry Edward Talbot 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Geoffrey David Johnson 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Glen Charles Leggett 5 Oct-04 Standard 10

Service Awards

78

Graham Clifford Lucas 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Graham Gordon 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Graham John Hutchesson 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Graham Jones 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Graham Leslie Fartch 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Gregory Wayne Bowering 5 Oct-04 Standard 10John Holland 5 Oct-04 Standard 10John Wayne Barnes 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Joseph Lapatha 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Klaus Kanahs 5 Dec-04 Standard 20Leonard Maurice Laslett 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Lynne Roberts 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Malcolm Unger Unger 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Mark Anthony Swaffer 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Maxwell Clarence Carrison 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Michael Anthony Geraghty 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Neville Robert Telford 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Nola Howe 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Paul Juurt Pannenburg 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Peter David Lucas 5 Dec-04 Standard 20Peter Rapp 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Peter William Laslett 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Peter William Laslett 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Richard Sage 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Richard Sage 5 Oct-04 Standard 20Robert Craig Rowley 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Robert John Cottier 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Russell Mackenzie 5 Sep-04 Standard 20Shane Edward Smith 5 Sep-04 Standard 20Terry James Smith 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Thomas Bertram Megaw 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Trevor John Coutts 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Trevor Leslie Jones 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Walter Winston Jenkin 5 Oct-04 Standard 10Wanda Osis 5 Sep-04 Standard 10Wayne Busbridge 5 Dec-04 Standard 30John William Zerk 6 Oct-04 LifeKeith Foale 6 Oct-04 LifeJohn William Zerk 6 Oct-04 Long Service 35 GoldKeith Foale 6 Oct-04 Long Service 45 GoldBrian Leo Nagel 6 Oct-04 Standard 10

Service Awards

79

80

FloodThanks

We would personally like to thankall the CFS and emergency personnelwho pumped many thousands ofgallons from our property after theflash flooding.

You took away our despair and gave us hope and chance to return tosemi-normality.

Your efforts were very muchappreciated

Carlene and Colin Strauss,Murray Bridge

Murray Valley Standard, 23 December

HelpAppreciated

We were called home from ourweekend away to a different yard thanwe had left it in due to the freak stormon Satuday, December 11.

We would like to thank our closeneighbours and friends for helping ourson Chad lift valuables off the groundbefore too much got damaged, alongwith blocking up the doors.

A special thank you to all CFS andSES crews for their help in pumpingout the water from our damaged areas.

It is very much appreciated.

We wish all the surrounding homesthat were damaged well with theirclean up.

Doug, Jill and Chad McMartin,Murray Bridge

Murray Valley Standard, 14 January

With Thanks CFS

Thank youTo all those who will work through

Xmas day, thank you. To those whowill keep our communities safe, helpthe sick and provide a hand to those inneed tomorrow, thank you. To the CFSand SES volunteers who will be thereat a moment’s notice, including thosewho will be working communicationscentres and fire towers, thank you, forkeeping us safe.

Sharon, Aldgate

The Advertiser, 20 December

CFS VolunteersThe role that volunteers play within

communities is invaluable and we needonly look at the recent devastatingEyre Peninsula fires.

Our local community has somewonderful volunteers we would like to mention.

We were unfortunate to have a firestarted by the Australia Day lightningstorm and are so thankful for theassistance of the Karoonda, Halidon,Brown’s Well and Wunkar CFS crewsthat attended the fire.

These volunteers spent all night andthe next extremely hot day containingand mopping up the blaze.

We also thank our neighbours, whoalerted us and gave much assistance,along with their time.

What wonderful people. We want tosay a very greatful thank you

Mac and Pam, Gary and Jull ObstWanbi / Mindarie

Loxton News, 2 February

Well Done Greenock CFSDear Sir,

Well done to the Greenock CFS forhalf a century of service in theGreenock area and the opening of thenew amenities block both of whichwere celebrated at the GreenockTavern on November 20.

Mr Geoffrey Saugenschnitter and MrJeffery Kernich both received LifeMemberships and Captain DavidMaterne received an award for histwenty years of service to theGreenock CFS. All well deserved.

The highlight of the evening for meat least was Mr Raymond Obst’sreminisces of the past fifty years of theGreenock CFS, recalling names like“pinger” Gottwald, Albert Kernich,Gordon Handke, Norm Krollig andmany many others.

In a world that has become more andmore self-obsessed, it was good to bein a room crowded with people whogive up their time and energy to thecommunity, quite often doing jobs thatmany of us could not do.

Again, well done to those involvedin the Greenock CFS, past and present

Michael Schluter, Greenock.

Barossa Valley Leader, 1 December

John Bell Kidd, Seaford CFSJohn Bell Kidd, dedicated and lifemember of the brigade, passedaway on 9 January 2005 as anactive auxiliary member aged 73.

John joined the brigade (FormerPort Noarlunga / Christies Beach)in 1961 and was fully committed tothe brigade and community.

John held several positions, bothoperational and managerial withthe brigade and gained lifemembership in 1981.

Our sympathy is with wife Ann andfamily and David (Mouse) theireldest son who is an activemember of the Seaford brigade.

Submitted by Seaford CFS

Brian Dalling, Corny Point CFS Corny Point Brigade Captain, BrianDalling, passed away suddenly on30 December, 2004.

Brian joined the Country FireService at Corny Point in 1994,and was Brigade Captain for eight years.

An extremely dedicated CFSmember, he was also SouthernYorke CFS Group EquipmentOfficer for six years.

Well respected by fellowvolunteers and staff, 60 uniformedfirefighters formed a Guard ofHonour at his funeral service.

Greg ButlerGroup OfficerSouthern Yorke Group

Wangary Fire FatalitiesTwo registered firefighters fromRegion 6 died in the 11 Januaryfires at Wangary on EyrePeninsula.

Neil Richardson, a member of theUngarra Brigade, and TrentMurnane, from Cummins Brigade,were travelling to assist with thefire efforts when tragedy struck.

Trent Alan Murnane,Cummins CFSTrent “Wig” Murnane, was a wellrespected, popular and activemember of the Cummins Brigadesince joining in 1992.

A competent CFS volunteer, Trentcompleted training in Road CrashRescue, CABA and many other firefighting activities and as well astravelling to New South Wales forthe 1994 fires.

Trent operated his own agriculturalspraying business and was alsoactively involved in the localfootball club as well as many othercommunity clubs.

Trent, the son of Lorraine andBarry Murnane, is survived by hiswife Paula and their one year olddaughter Chloe.

Neil George Richardson,Ungarra CFSNeil “PeeWee” Richardson joinedthe Country Fire Service as avolunteer in 1977, initially as amember of the CockaleechieBrigade. When the Brigade wasclosed, Neil’s membership wastransferred to the Ungarra Brigade.

He was an active member of theCockaleechie and Cumminscommunities and was a talentedsportsperson who excelled atFootball and Cricket, havingplayed football for Sturt in the SANFL.

Neil is survived by his wife Judithand children Mark, Kate and Lisa.

Obituaries

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Phamous Photos

Heli-tack launch.

Evan Higham

Fire and Ice

Photo taken on 5 June 2004 atBrukunga while Region 6 crewswere training on the hotfire pad.This is one of the training propsand the LPG is frozen.

Kylee Merritt, Meadows brigade

Heli-tack water drop.

Anonymous

My two week old daughter, CassandraJoy Letcher wearing her first CFSuniform (borrowed from a trauma bear).

Ann Letcher, Lincoln brigade

That’s one way to fill a birdbath.

Anonymous

Tim Wilson, the Two Wells brigade training officer, showing off his handiwork at beach driving.

Kev Shortt, Two Wells brigade

Conditions of entry:1. The competition is open to amateur photographers only.2. Photographs may be of any subject but must either include CFS personnel in turnout gear or uniform, or include CFS events or incidents

attended by CFS brigades.3. Photographs must have been taken by the entrant and the photograph or its negative must not be enhanced by computer or other

means.4. The size of each photograph must not exceed 210 x 295mm (A4 size).5. Only one entry per person per quarterly competition.6. All entries become the property of the CFS. The CFS may use the entry for any of its non-profit publications or displays with due

acknowledgment made of the photographer.7. Please enclose your name, address, brigade (if applicable), telephone number and a description of the photo on a separate sheet of paper.

Send your photos to:VOLUNTEER Photo CompetitionSA Country Fire ServiceGPO Box 2468Adelaide SA 5001

You can win a $50 James Place Cameras gift voucher by entering the VOLUNTEER photo competition. The competition is open to amateur photographers, with the

winner from each edition eligible for the annual grand prize of a $100 gift voucher.

Keep those camera shutters snapping!! Send us your photos for the Volunteer photo competition or any others you feel will raise a laugh.

Winner!