It is a fact that many of our volunteer firefighters are not okay, they are doing it tough. The reasons for this are many and varied. Some are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), many are being impacted by drought and other external factors.
Call a mate today and check on their welfare.
The VFFA supports of any initiative that gives volunteer firefighters a voice. You may have your own views about the lack of advocacy, so it is important that we cease all opportunities to highlight inefficiencies in the support of our volunteers.
Many NSW Volunteer Firefighters took part in last year’s national Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey, they are now invited to once again participate in the 2019 survey.
A VFFA Annual General Meeting is being held at the Parkview Hotel, 281 Summer St, Orange NSW on Saturday August 10th, 2019 from 10.00am to 11:00am.
It will be followed by an ordinary meeting from 11.00am to 5.00pm at the same venue with a lunch break from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.
The VFFA would love to see our members, supporters and special guests attend this important event.
The title of this post is nothing new, it is also the title from chapter 2 of the report on the inquiry into bushfires that was put together by the House of Representatives, Select Committee into the Australian bushfires in 2003.
Criticisms of land management practices and policies were received from representatives of volunteer fire brigades, individuals and organisations with experience in public and private forestry industries and land holders from bushfire affected areas. These criticisms focused primarily on national parks but included reference to state forests and private property.
The Lucknow brigade of the Rural Fire Service is often first on the scene at crashes on the Mitchell Highway and have been given cuddly helpers for traumatic situations.
Recently the volunteer brigade was given five Gentle Bears to put in their two fire trucks so they can give them to people at car crashes, fires and other traumatic incidents.
The bears were among 50 that were presented to branches of the Canobolas Zone of the RFS and there were 2500 that have been distributed to 46 RFS stations across the state by Insurance and Care NSW, icare, and Gallagher Bassett.
The VFFA are concerned that the Emergency Leaders for Climate Action are overlooking key elements of land management practice.
Climate change or variability impacts upon many factors relating to wildfire, but we are all at greater risk because we have neglected our bushland for way too long and the problems associated with fuel loads are becoming worse. Climate change is not the culprit, poor land management and bureaucratic fire service mismanagement is more to blame.
This web site has a plethora of stories relating to improved land management practices based upon Indigenous burning and the practices used by Australian bushmen, foresters, farmers and graziers in decades past.
You may have read press releases or the statement from this group of retired Australian Fire Chiefs claiming that the current bushfire problem in Australia is the result of climate change.
The Emergency Leaders for Climate Action group is pressing for action on climate change to prevent bushfires, protect our communities and firefighters.
This campaign is being spearheaded by Mr Greg Mullins, former Fire and Rescue New South Wales Commissioner who is now a Councillor with the Climate Council, an organisation dedicated to the idea that disastrous climate change is already upon us and will get worse unless action is taken. The proposed action is mostly related to reducing or ceasing emissions of carbon dioxide.