Captains Message

Another busy and varied month has seen the brigade called to four incidents: ambulance assistance, animal rescue, smoke sighting and trees alight, as well as assisting owners with pile burns including a large agricultural burn. Large agricultural burns involving heavy fuel loads of dead, cured grass provide great experience and training for fighting grass fires. A crew was filmed during one large pile burn as part of a future documentary. 

Members also received training from one of our local ambos, Chloe. This training was centred around assisting paramedics, when they are busy tending patients, with tasks such as retrieving medical equipment from the ambulance, stretcher bearing, preparing helipads for helicopter patient transport and driving the ambulance when both paramedics need to tend to a patient en route to a hospital.

One of our deputy captains, Jamie Salkeld, is still in Canada assisting with their serious forest fires and erratic fire behaviour; not very high temperatures, but very low humidity. He is currently based in Alberta extinguishing hot spots and laying many metres of hose through remote bush.

The brigade’s AGM was held in early June with only a few changes to previously held positions. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those members who are standing down and have worked tirelessly in their elected positions over the last 12 months and to congratulate those that will continue or are newly elected.

Dusty Smart

 

Incidents for the month

  1. Trees alight near Bunkers Hill Road. Upon investigation a landholder’s earlier burn-off had ignited several trees on the creek line. A passer-by slowed the spread of the fire with creek water but was unable to extinguish it completely. Unfortunately, the two trees were badly damaged and were felled into open ground before putting out some embers still smouldering in the trunk.
  2. Smoke sighting near Carrington Road proved to be a false alarm.
  3. Assist a paramedic with a patient stretcher lift after a local had received an electric shock.
  4. Call to an animal rescue with a possum trapped in roof space. Thankfully stood down prior to leaving the station.

 

Becoming a member

There may be a perception that brigade membership is composed mainly of male retirees. However, the reality is that the local brigade has a strong and growing membership from all walks of life and generations. Ages for operational members range from 19 to 82 with the average age of a responding crew being 53 and reducing as new and younger members join. The brigade believes strongly in diversity and benefitting from the experience of members from all ages, backgrounds and physical abilities with operational and non-operational/support roles available for all. Junior membership (under 16) is available. We are seeing a slow increase in female members (currently five operational and others in support roles) and hope to see this trend accelerate. 

The brigade includes members with a variety of backgrounds including other emergency services, the armed forces, legal, IT, accountancy, electrical, farming and hospitality. All bring different skills to the benefit of the brigade. Becoming a member also provides opportunities to train for industry equivalent, RFS funded, qualifications. Skills include pumping, chainsaws, navigation, response driving, breathing apparatus, first aid, crew and incident supervision, as well as administration and operational support. 

An operational member can remain a Bush Firefighter (basic bush firefighting, first aid and safety skills) or voluntarily go through other more advanced firefighting paths or specialist roles such as aviation and operations. The brigade will assist with training goals and objectives to match the individual’s requirements and available time with those of the brigade and local district. There is a strong bond between members and with the community. The brigade and RFS provide support both socially and after any critical incidents. Whilst there are no mandatory responses or number of hours to commit, the brigade wants to encourage new members to join who wish to contribute to the safety and wellbeing of the local community and surrounding areas.

Is this something you would like to know more about? Complete the application online at https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/join-the-nsw-rfs to start the process. Existing members are always happy to have a chat with interested and potentially new members. Call the captain on 0412 865 638, email the brigade on (kangaroovalleyrfb@gmail.com) or call by the station on a Wednesday evening around 6pm.

 

Equipment update

The community donated PC has been upgraded with a set of sliding drawers. Prior to this installation all the equipment was just tied down in the ute bed; the new drawer set has helped secure and organise the safety kit, making it quick and easy to access as well as keeping vital equipment like the first aid kit and the defibrillator separate from damaging tools and fuel. It is thanks to generous donations like this that make responding quicker, simpler, and safer for the local crew members.

 

Pile burns and burning off

A fire permit is not required until the Bush Fire Danger Period restarts (1 September 2023, subject to change). Currently, the following tasks are mandatory prior to lighting up:

  1. You must notify the NSW RFS at least 24 hours before you light the fire. Notification methods include:
    1. Online: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/notify or via the QR code. 
    2. Phone: Shoalhaven FCC 4424 4424 between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
    3. Email: Shoalhaven FCC Shoal.Haven@rfs.nsw.gov.au.
  2. You must advise your immediate neighbours at least 24 hours before you light the fire. Immediate neighbours include those where you are separated by a road or water course.
  3. At least one responsible person must be present on site until it is extinguished.
  4. Check the upcoming weather conditions as the pile may continue to smoulder for days.
  5. If you believe that you cannot safely control the fire once it has been lit, dial 000 immediately.

Consider notifying your local WhatsApp Neighbourhood Group and ask the coordinator to share any plans with other group coordinators if expected weather conditions mean smoke is likely to travel some distance. Smoke does not respect property boundaries. 

Where the brigade is assisting local community members with burns, the responsibility for notifications remains with the property owner, but the brigade will attempt to post Facebook updates about planned brigade activities if there is a significant volume of smoke expected. Changing weather conditions may mean brigade updates are provided with short notice.   

If you have concerns about burning off yourself, please contact the local brigade or Shoalhaven Fire Control and we can possibly assist you with your pile burn or check your site for you. 

Compiled by Gary Matthews with input from Steve Bell and Dusty Smart