So long, Mack! - Raglan Operational Support Unit

December 2012
K1
So
long,
Mack!
the New Zealand volunteer firefighter magazine
2
Twin brigades meant
turbulent beginning
for Thames
The Thames Volunteer Fire Brigade’s history
is as fiery as one would imagine, having
grown out of tough gold diggers and pioneer
businessmen.
Patch protection and local politics litter the
early stages of its 125 years with a frequency
and ferocity that would make the most
militant of us blush these days. Visionary
town investor Robert Graham saw the need
for a brigade and fire insurance back in
1870 and offered to supply a fire engine and
equipment.
Fortuitously, although gold had been
discovered there three years earlier, the tent
and wooden building town hadn’t suffered
any major fire damage. Contrary to most
brigades’ genesis, it was not till two years
after the formation of the Grahamstown (as
Thames was then known) brigade that the
first real reason for having a brigade occurred.
Sixteen buildings at the south end of Pollen
St (an area known as Shortland) were
The bare wood buildings of early Thames
were a conflagration waiting to happen.
K1
destroyed as the brigade did not get there
until the blaze was brought under control by
luck and a change in the weather. Then when
firefighters did arrive, their hoses were not
compatible with those of the Kauraeranga
Highway Board and water supply was a
problem.
There was the occasion when Brown Street
went up in flames and three shops were
demolished before the brigade even got
there. The stamper batteries had to be
stopped before the proper water pressure
could be reached and then the hose burst.
Being a tough mining town, the residents
weren’t slow in speaking their mind. Citizens
were outraged and called it a miserable
attempt at firefighting.
The town had two brigades – Grahamstown
in the north, Shortland in the south end of
town – and ‘independence’ was jealously
3
Superintendent J .
West – head of the
Thames brigade for
15 years, retiring in
1896.
protected. Between 1880
and 1886, the local council
had several attempts at
rationalising the situation
that even had brigades
competing for funding from
the local citizenry. There were
changes at superintendent
level, mass resignations and
reformation, until finally in
1887 the Thames brigade
was formed with a north and
south divisions, but under
one superintendent.
The brigade didn’t come together until 1912
when a central fire station was built and the
brigade’s first motorised appliance arrived
– a brand new Cadillac (pictured below on
the wharf In Auckland – just off the boat.
Ladders, etc were fitted in Thames). The new
appliance cost £518 .
New churn factor
Thames has a different type of churn factor
now – the huge and temporary increase in
population caused by Aucklanders breezing
in for a weekend or the invasion of the
Corormandel generally for the holidays,
particularly over Christmas–New Year. The
incidence of calls has corresponding risen
from 10-15 a year in the 1880s to 160-200.
When mines began to close around the
time of the First World War, times were
tough for Thames. In 1932 the town went
into receivership and a commissioner was
appointed to administer the borough council
funds. Money was tight but the brigade
survived with the generous help from the
citizens, developing a close relationship with
the public that survives through to today.
Funding was somewhat better when the Fire
Service Commission took over, and uniforms
and equipment were standardised.
During the war years, auxiliaries filled the
ranks depleted by those who enlisted for
overseas service. When the men returned
from war, many rejoined the brigade and
several went on to receive the Gold Star, the
first being awarded in 1910. Now the brigade
boasts 55 Gold Star recipients.
The early troubles resurfaced in 1977 with
a vote of no confidence in the then CFO
Callaghan. Thames DCFO and historian Jim
Maxwell says it became ugly and divided
the officers from the firefighters. “In the end
the Fire Service Commissioner stepped in to
resolve the issues: the DCFO resigned and the
CFO was dismissed, the brigade was wound
up and reformed under the control of a new
CFO. The brigade recovered from this set
back and has operated harmoniously since.”
Currently Thames Brigade has 30 members
and an annual turnover of about six
firefighters. The average service of the current
December 2012
brigade members is 9.5 years. These days
the fleet inlcudes a Type 1 Iveco, a Type 3
Mitsubishi and a Toyota Hilux 4x4.
Thames has actively participated in hose
running competitions virtually since their
inception and in the early days had at least
one member representing New Zealand
in competitions against Australia. In more
recent years Thames competed successfully
in RCR challenges both home and abroad.
From the time when the brigade was formed,
up until the late 1970s, most responses were
to fire calls, says DCFO Maxwell. “Times have
changes and like all other brigades, actual
fire calls have reduced steadily over the
years and been replaced with ‘special service’
responses that can range from a cat up a tree
to a serious medical assist. “ He also observes
wryly that ‘one-in-a-hundred-year’ floods in
Thames have forgotten the rules.
Every brigade area has its special features
– around Thames you don’t go blundering
through the scrub and bush, chasing scrub
fires. You step carefully, remembering the
hillsides are riddled with long-abandoned
and overgrown mine shafts.
brigades
brigades
brigades
4
be evaluated at the hospital. The patient
was then transported by the medic unit
to the emergency department for further
evaluation.
Most of us by now have seen or used the
Kitchen Fire Demonstrator trailers that are
available throughout the various regions. A lot
of you – volunteer and career staff – reading
this have been trained in their effective use to
get the various messages about unattended
cooking and misuse of kitchen appliances
across to people at school fairs, station open
days and the like.
Great? Terrific?
Yes, but research in the US and UK has
recently recognised there is an another not
well appreciated side effect to kitchen fires
and associated incidents – what has become
known as ‘Teflon Flu’ or ‘Polymer Fume Fever’.
safety
safety
safety
Thornton, Colorado firefighter Mick Messoline
wrote recently about his crew responding to
a report of a chemical odour in an apartment.
They arrived to find the occupant feeling
poorly, reporting that she had boiled all of the
water out of a Teflon-coated pan, resulting in
the pan becoming severely overheated.
The caller was sitting outside her apartment
and explained she had fallen asleep while
boiling water on the stove. The water had
evaporated, and she thought she had burned
the Teflon from the pan. This had happened
about three hours before.
A strong chemical odour remained in her
apartment, so she opened the windows for
ventilation. Within the past hour, she noticed
that one of her birds was dead; she removed
a second live bird to another apartment.
The inside of the apartment was assessed
with the detectors the crew carried and
no hazards were found. The patient was
evaluated by fire EMS crew members
while additional investigation took place.
A dead bird was verified in one of the
bedrooms. A PPV fan was placed at the
front door for ventilation of the apartment.
It was recommended that the patient
K1
Polymer fume fever was first described
in 1951. It is also informally known as the
‘Teflon Flu’. It is caused by the inhalation of
fumes resulting from overheating a Tefloncovered pan. Products of pyrolysis released
at temperatures between 300°-450º C are
the most common cause of the condition. If
the product is heated to temperatures above
450º C, acute pulmonary injury is possible
(including non-cardiogenic pulmonary
edema and significant lung injury). Studies
have shown that preheating a Teflon pan can
create surface temperatures as high as 736º C
in as little as three minutes and 20 seconds.
Polymer fume fever is usually a self-limited
systemic illness, presenting with only minor
respiratory symptoms. Symptoms usually
begin well after the exposure. It is not
uncommon for delay of symptom onset to
reach the eight-hour mark. (1,3) The extent to
which the teflon was heated is a significant
determining factor of the extent and danger
of symptoms. The most common complaints,
however, are flu-like symptoms with typical
onset between four to eight hours after
exposure. (1,2)
Symptoms may include the following:
• fever • chills • nausea • eadache • fatigue
• muscle pain • sweating • cough • malaise
• joint pain • chest tightness. Symptoms
usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours. This
short duration results in many patients being
misdiagnosed and may result in multiple trips
5
to the emergancy department before a proper
diagnosis is reached. The incidence of Polymer
Fume Fever can be significantly higher in cigarette
smokers. In one case, a regular cigarette smoker
was transported 40 times over a nine-month
period for the same complaint. It was finally
determined that each incident was preceded by
an exposure to superheated teflon.
With limited exposure, treatment should be
supportive, addressing the presenting symptoms.
In higher temperature exposures that result
in significant symptoms of pulmonary injury,
a patient may present with non-cardiogenic
pulmonary oedema. In these situations, treatment
is focused on the presenting condition; follow
local treatment guidelines.
Though the incidence of Polymer Fume Fever is
low, it is always wise to have a little additional
information available when the situation arises.
Incidents involving a burnt pot may not appear
to require respiratory protection. However,
subsequent flu-like symptoms in crew members
should be considered signs and symptoms
associated with exposure.
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This is yet another example of the dangers
associated with a ‘food on the stove’ scenario.
*While stocks last*
Special regard must be paid to the NZFS SOPs
regarding breathing apparatus and PPE wearing
when attending any of these types of incidents.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW UPGRADED WEBSITE www.firemaster.co.nz
Further information can be found on:
1. Rask-Anderson A. Inhalation Fever. www.hazmap.com/inhalati.htm.
2. Right Diagnosis. Polymer Fume Fever.www.
rightdiagnosis.com/p/polymer_fume_fever/intro.
htm.
December 2012
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or email your order to
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safety
safety
safety
6
Bronto 6 replacing
Aerialscope
Auckland City’s iconic old Mack Aerialscope
will soon be retired and replaced by a brand
new Bronto Type 6.
Traditionalists will no doubt mourn the
passing of the singular 1981 Mack CF612
Aerialscope that is believed to be the only one
to see service outside the Americas. Apart
from that, it is also unique in that it is fitted
with it’s own pump, a 6000 lpm Darley that
supplies water to the basket monitors, pump
outlets and hose reels.
Heads turn in Queen St when the Mack makes
an appearance, it being visually that different
to other NZFS fleet. At nearly 10.5 m in length,
the Type 6 will make it own impact, with a
very business-like heavyweight appearance,
accentuated by the tri rear axle.
The 6 has a crew
of four, a Darley
single stage pump
rated at 5700 lpm,
but during tests,
the twin basketmounted monitors
have been putting
out 6100 lpm (see
photos below).
Other specs:
Cab/chassis
Scania P400
LB8X4/4MSA CP28
Crew cab.
Aerial Bronto Skylift F32RLX 32 meter
reach and fitted with two cage-mounted
water monitors.
Body Aluminum with alloy roller doors.
Tank 400 litre stainless steel.
Tare weight 23870 kg.
Travel height 3.63 metres.
Power plant Direct injection
diesel 400hp 12.7 litre Allison
automatic transmission. Euro 5
emission rating using the EGR
method.
The Type 6 can also supply four
ground deliveries.
trucks
trucks
trucks
The business end. 111 Emergency.
K1
Testing the gear.
111 Emergency.
When it’s one
of your own …
If you stay in the service for a few years, the
odds are that at some stage you will extract
a good friend, parent, partner, or a fellow
member of the brigade out of a wrecked car,
or attend a medical for one of them. Every
so often that person will be deceased on the
brigade’s arrival, or shortly after.
If you live in the country, the odds are
exponentially higher, given New Zealand’s
two degrees of separation. The latest
tragic incident was the fatal electrocution
of linesman and Mossburn DCFO Stuart
Kenning. CFO Lance Hellewell, working just
around the corner from the incident, was
one of the first to the scene and put in a stop
message before the brigade arrived on the
scene.
“They didn’t need to be there. There was no
need for the brigade to see their colleague
in that way,” said Southland area commander
Bruce Stubbs. The Kennings have been an
integral part of the brigade with Mrs Kenning
the station administrator for about 16 years.
Individual firefighters deal with the situation
differently, depending on their makeup
and it is something all brigade members
need to be aware of, and help their mates
deal with – it is not exclusively an executive
responsibility. Some will tough it out (at least
7
•
Last call
•
Physical – chest pains, lack of energy,
headaches, fatigue, vulnerability.
Behaviour – over-reaction, hypersensitive, running, sleeplessness,
isolation, need to re-live the death.
publicly), others will fold in the instant but
emerge stronger, and others will go quiet
and introspective. All these reactions are
indicators of how a brigade needs to deal
with the individual.
During the time of adjustment:
• Emotion: taking responsibility,
reconstructing your life.
• Physical: looking forward, doing things
for oneself.
• Behaviour: exploring new interests,
personal growth.
K1 asked NZFS chaplain Father Peter Roe
for some general advice of dealing with the
situation. He says it is important firefighters
don’t try to ‘tough it out’. It can be a long,
drawn-out process, especially as each callout
after a brigade death can be a reminder that
Johnny is no longer driving the truck.
“Remember everyone’s reactions and grief
are different. The biggest, beefiest guy could
be the most vulnerable. The above is only
a guide and must not be considered allinclusive But look out for the symptoms and
help you brigade mates.
“Reaction to the death will depend on
the circumstances – whether called to an
accident, or you might be the survivor from a
job gone wrong. Don’t be afraid to talk about
it – it helps you accept what has happened.”
Father Roe says immediate reactions in the
first few weeks following a death encompass:
• Emotion – shock, relief, release.
• Physical – numbness, shortness of
breath, heavy chest, empty feeling.
• Behaviour – denial, disorientation,
crying, listlessness.
Reaction after the shock wears off can
include:
• Emotion – anger, fear, guilt, panic,
loneliness, depression.
December 2012
“If you are in doubt about some of your
reactions, or those of another brigade
member, consult your doctor (most brigades
will have a local doctor who does most of
your health checks). Everyone needs support.
There could be a good close friend or a
family member you can talk with, or even
the support networks that organisations like
NZFS can offer.”
Keith Harris
Pongaroa and OS Dannevirke
Lou Keefe
Pureora Forest & SO Helensville
welfare
welfare
welfare
8
New disaster welfare
trucks for Red Cross
The New Zealand Red Cross is developing
a fleet of five specially-designed disaster
response trucks, each with enough welfare
supplies to shelter 140 people and feed
volunteers for several days.
Building on the lessons learned during
the Christchurch earthquake, Red Cross
has invested $1.5 million in donations into
equipping the trucks, which will be based in
Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch
and Dunedin.
our existing capability to be able
to support a national response to a
disaster anywhere in the country.”
Container-based for quick and efficient
set-up, the trucks are ‘pop-up’ relief
centres.
The first truck was unveiled in Auckland
in October, and the remainder will be
operational by early next year.
The equipment they carry will be used to
set up welfare centres, including stretchers,
mattresses and blankets for 140 people,
a couple of days’ worth of basic food and
toiletries for volunteers, medical supplies,
a defibrillator, hygiene sets, lighting and
telecommunications equipment. Once
empty, the trucks themselves also provide
room for emergency personnel to perform
mass casualty triage and emergency first aid.
Operations manager Andrew McKie said the
New Zealand Red Cross has increased its
focus on response capability over the past
two years, with trained volunteers and the
ability to move equipment from non-affected
parts of the country in case of a disaster.
trucks
trucks
trucks
“These trucks, along with our newly-formed
national disaster response team, complement
K1
9
Cheviot VFB:
Protecting 860 sq km
With an old truck, a motor and pump, and
some basic equipment, Cheviot County
Council workers created the Cheviot rural fire
party in 1957 and 55 years on, the Cheviot
volunteers celebrate their foresight.
2011 that has grown to 68 calls with about
half being MVAs on SH1. Other calls were
to house fires, tree fires, general rural fires,
chemical spills, power-lines down, the
Christchurch earthquakes and railway fires.
With the increase in population, road/rail/
air traffic, agriculture and horticulture in the
district, locals formed a fire committee and
then developed a full volunteer brigade in
1962. Now celebrating its golden jubilee, the
brigade has answered over 1500 calls.
But the brigade hasn’t lost its rural focus,
undergoing regular training for one-storey
homes and farm buildings, woolsheds and
haybarns, plantations and shelterbelts, and
stubble and scrub burn-offs. Like many other
brigades there is now a greater emphasis
on first-aid and extractions from crashed
vehicles.
In the early years it was a fire-only brigade
attending a mere 10 calls in 1963 but in
Smoke alarms saved the occupants, but not the house – dampening down
after a vermin-inspired electrical fault blaze.
Cheviot has
a huge rural
fire district of
approximately
860 square km.
There are about
70 kms of SH1,
the Main Trunk
Railway and
often rugged
coastline to
protect, and
events in these
areas require
different
responses.
The brigade
is often called
out to railway
December 2012
Cheviot’s first appliance was a K5
International built by the brigade from
an old council shingle truck.
fires and crashes, missing persons and
boating accidents on the coast. The famous
Canterbury nor’wester causes serious
problems with both fire and high-sided
vehicles.
CVFB converted an old County shingletruck into its first appliance – a 1947 K5
International. The hoist and tray was sold off
and after long hours of work, the machine
was painted and presented to the Cheviot
public at the annual A&P show in 1963. Many
locals were amazed at the transformation of
an old truck into a very practical (but slow!)
appliance.
Today it runs twin Mitsubishi FK160
appliances, 65-1 a fire-truck and 65-7 a
rescue/fire truck, and an N-series Ford watertanker.
Recruitment has been successful over the last
couple of years with several younger men
and women joining up. The brigade also has
the benefit of the experience of several longserving members. Current establishment is
21 members, three of whom are operational
support.
brigades
brigades
brigades
10
Register for
Feilding’s 125th
Two FDNY trucks rushing to a fire
along converging routes, collided at
an intersection recently, injuring 11
firedfighters, four of them seriously.
Both trucks crashed through a brick
wall of a two-family house at the
corner. One slammed into a parked
yellow cab before going through
the wall. One driver was pinned
unconscious inside his cab and was
extracted after the Jaws of Life were
employed.
Courtesy of the New York Post.
Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade celebrates
its 125th Jubilee over the weekend of 10–12
May, 2013 and invites past members and
friends to join in a weekend of activities in
Feilding.
To receive events and registration
information please contact the brigade
secretary to go on our mailing database:
John Bongenaar
Feilding Volunteer Fire Brigade, PO Box 444,
Feilding.
Ph 06 323 3942, or 021 702 110
feildingfire125jubilee@gmail.com
Los hechos desnudos
Eight Spanish firefighters stripped naked in Mieres, at
eight o’clock, when their shift changed, to highlight their
opposition to funding cuts.
The action was also in support of all public administration
employees who face swinging cuts, or recortes, to pay and
benefits, as part of the latest austerity package that was
unveiled by the right-wing government of Mariano Rajoy.
news
news
news
“Governments know only how to raise money from our
pockets in response to an economic crisis that no worker,
public nor private, has caused,” they said. (Translation of the
sign makes interesting reading!)
K1
Master Piece Ltd
suppliers of fire brigade badges and memorabilia
Ph or fax:
09 483 6607
keith.seabourn@xtra.co.nz
Master Piece Ltd can supply brigade-customised badges and memorabilia in
consultation with individual brigades.
Gold antique helmet plaques engraved to order. Talk to us about desk sets, cuff links,
key rings and other memorabilia for special occasions such as retirements, Gold Star
or long service extras.
We currently supply standard rural logos and badges in several forms.
Also agents for Vetter Rescue Lifting Bags and Emergency Equipment.
www.inflationcontrol.co.nz
12
Old stations never die …
Given the average firefighter’s aptitude to
tuck away ‘three squares a day’ and then
look around for anything left over, it’s
perhaps not surprising that Ponsonby’s
survivng past fire stations have had other
lives as restaurants in that trendy area of
Auckland.
The second station – built in
the 1890s on St Mary’s Rd –
became a tea business after
decommissioning and has since
hosted a variety of restuarants,
currently The Japanese Garden.
The third station – on
Williamson Rd – was
also the borough
council offices, and
is now Williamson
restaurant.
Photo:
Bayleys
K1 is an independent magazine produced by the K1 Group.
Editors: Ross Miller and Russell Postlewaight.
All correspondence to: k.1group@ymail.com
All material in this publication is copyright and permission must
be sought before reproducing, other than for brigade members’
perusal. Comment in this publication does not necessarily reflect
proprietor opinion.
ISSN 1179-982X
stations
stations
stations
K1
Gold-plated brigade
When a brigade has 12 serving Gold Star
members still riding the trucks, the recurring
recruitment hassles are one aspect the
executive doesn’t have to fret about.
Ashburton chief Alan Burgess thinks his
good fortune is a slight case of isolation
and a callout rate of around 340 that keeps
everyone active and interested. There are
certainly enough rides to go around.
Ashburton is a very active brigade in all
aspects of the service. With Chris Price
stepping down at the Taranaki conference,
Ashburton now has two serving officers
who have headed the UFBA – the other
being CFO Burgess. It has been very active
in the challenges for many years and took
to combat challenge with equal enthusiasm
to the degree of hosting the nationals this
year, and brigade member Warren Maslin
representing New Zealand at the Worlds.
It finds itself responsible for a huge chunk of
territory – 18km north and about 30km to
the south and inland halfway to Methven,
including a town of 18,000 people with
some industry and a hospital. There is no
immediate back-up with Methven and Rakaia
brigades being 30 minutes away. But it has
considerable firepower with two Type 1s
and a Type 2, and a tanker supplied by the
Ashubrton Council.
“We have a big variation in calls as a result.
There are several rural units within our
area and we work closely with them. Local
councils have been proactive and the rural
brigades are strong.”
Unlike a lot of brigades, Ashburton is yet
to see the marked swing in medical calls,
although Chief Burgess says it has picked up
in recent years to about 5% and it has had
the occasional CPR. However, across the back
fence is a career ambulance station with fulltime staff backed by volunteers.
Despite the rosy retention stats, Ashburton
is beginning to see the modern trend of
difficulty with workday calls as firefigthers
are working further away from the station.
“We’ve got a wide range of occupations here
13
fron bank employees to motorcycle franchise
owners and all the trades, except a plumber –
we could do with one!”
SH1 runs straight and true through Ashburton’s
district with the occasional crossing of the
main trunk railway line to run straight and
true down the other side of the rail – a feature
seemingly designed to keep motorists awake,
or to make them slow down. It’s always been
a drag strip highway and Chief Burgess says
when the MVAs go bad down there, they get
really nasty.
He says the dynamic of the countryside has
changed in recent years – where before it
was the grain bowl of the south with the
consequent tinder-dry landscape, it’s now
rapidly changing with dairy conversions.
“Trees are out and irrigators are in. Where we
had quick-moving vegetation fires before,
we now have quad bike accidents and
fire safety issues with a rapidly increasing
migrant worker population. We are working
hard on addressing the issue of fire safety
with people from Asia, South America,
Europe …”
Ashburton has gone quickly from being
predominately European to a very diverse
ethnicity. “ It’s a different town these days,”
said Chief Burgess.
The brigade’s 12 Gold Stars are: CFO Alan
Burgess, DCFO Graeme Baker, SSO Alister
Kenny, SO Murray Cairns, SO Chris Price, SO
Robbie Maw, SFF Phil Kenny, SFF Bill Clark,
SFF Paul Lane, SFF Jeff Marshall, SFF Wayne
Stevens and SFF Simon Chamberlain.
brigades
brigades
brigades
14
15
Gold Stars
Gold Stars for October and November were:
Michael Scott
Arrowtown
Gavin Dennis
Matata
Noel Mingins
Feilding
Jeffrey Parker
Kawerau
Derek Collier
Whitianga
Tony Merrin
Brooklands
Wayne Stevens and
Simon Chamberlain
Ashburton
John Jebson and
Keith Taege
Sheffield
John Searle and
Stephen Shaw
Cromwell
Michael Dombroski
Inglewood
Neil Brown, Peter Margerison
and Patrick Theobold
Opotiki
Dave Beeching, Charlie Lampitt
and Tim Meadows
Whakatane
Owen Hunter and
Darryl Smith
Fairlie
John Lane
Napier
Peter Redwood
Russell
Robert Graham
Ranfurly
Kerry Ealam, Ian MacIntosh
and Hamish Peter
Rangiora
William Thompson and
Ross Matheson
Kohukohu
Roy Smith
Hikurangi
Lloyd Matthews
Houhora
PSL Fire & Safety would like to
wish all K1 readers a very
Merry Christmas and a
Safe and Happy New Year.
We thank you for your continued support and
look forward to working with you all in 2013.
CHECK OUT OUR NEW UPGRADED WEBSITE www.firemaster.co.nz
To take up this incredible offer either contact
Customer Services on 09 818 8048
or email your order to
sales@firemaster.co.nz
Cover photo
The retiring Mack Aerialscope
stretching at Auckland’s City station.
Photo: Josh Thompson, Deals on
Wheels.
www.firemaster.co.nz
December 2012
service
service
service
16
Top shelf
Tactical perspectives 2 : fire
attack (DVD, 23 minutes)
Frank Ricci and Chris Pepler
(Tulsa, Ok. : PennWell Corporation, 2011 )
Summary: Using real fire footage, as well
as 3-D graphics, Lt. Ricci and firefighter
Chris Pepler take you through fire attack.
They outline the importance of size up by
the engine company, choosing the correct
hoseline, and selecting the proper water
supply. They then review the issues involved
in a room-and-contents fire, an attic fire, and
a basement fire.
Collapse operations for first
responders (book)
by John O'Connell
(Tulsa, OK: PennWell Corporation, 2012)
Summary: A practical, hands-on guide to
operating safely and effectively in collapsed
buildings when rescue is required. Covers
various types of shoring and cribbing
techniques, void size-up, safety, tools
used in voids, and SOPs. Has pictures
and photographs of key techniques. This
was written as guidance for smaller North
American brigades with limited resources. It
complies with NFPA standards.
Chch
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Chch rescuers faced
dual jeopardy
University researchers have gone into
bat for emergency service rescuers at the
Christchurch earthquake, feeling they have
had a bad press.
Frontline rescue workers did their very best
to save lives in the aftermath of Christchurch’s
earthquakes, often putting their own needs
and those of their families aside, according to
early results from a University of Otago/AUT
University study of 600 frontline rescuers in
Christchurch.
The study is not due to be completed until
2015, but the researchers said they were
concerned the representation of emergency
workers to date has been narrow, lacking
perspective and potentially undermining for
those involved.
Associate Professor David McBridge said
frontline workers, and those who flew in to
help them, saved many lives. “This should be
acknowledged and remembered.”
Otago researcher Dr Kirsten Lovelock said
all of the workers she spoke to responded to
the best of their ability. Many experienced
‘dual jeopardy’ where they had no time to
contact their families, lost their homes and
workplaces and may have had family and
friends who were injured, but still continued
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to respond to the disaster and a range of daily
emergencies, she said.
Frontline workers were vulnerable to a variety
of occupational health conditions because of
the risks they faced in their normal working
lives, and responding to disaster was known
to impact on health.
She said it would be a shame if criticisms
made to improve the emergency response
to disaster, overshadowed what the frontline
workers did achieve. ‘’While it is important to
consider how things can be improved, it is
also very important to remember this was a
natural disaster and frontline workers worked
very hard to help people under very difficult
circumstances.’’
The study
began in
November
last year and
is funded by
the Health
Research
Council of New
Zealand and
the Canterbury
Medical
Research
Foundation.
17
Conference 2012
The four Rs
Relevance, resources, recognition, and
recovery seemed to be the underlying
themes of most speakers at the 2012 UFBA
Conference at TSB Arena in New Plymouth.
The Review, he said, was also addressing the
long recognised non-recognition in law of
the non fire emergencies such as MVAs and
ambulance/first aid response.
Outgoing president Chris Price talked at
length about the organisation staying
relevant, both in terms of the services
provided to member brigades, and the fact
that this is the 21st Century. The year, he
continued, was a “year of challenges” with
responses to natural disasters occupying the
focus of firefighters and other first responders
throughout the country.
The continuation of this work had established
areas where there were common response
initiatives, as well as exposing gaps in
terms of cover and expertise. The most
immediately apparent was the increasing
use of Fire Service staff to cover shortfalls
in ambulance response and coverage. He
made it clear that he was not in a position to
comment on staffing and funding issues the
ambulances services are experiencing, but
was adamant that all of our responses should
be pre-funded, not post-funded away from
parliamentary and other groups’ influences.
Continuing the theme, Fire Service
Commission Chair Wyatt Creech noted that
the most significant achievement of the
UFBA over the past four or five years was its
turnaround in organisational management,
attitude, fiscal management and reporting,
and becoming an organisation that was
relevant to member brigades and the fire
service community in general. He made a
point of acknowledging, in particular, the
tireless work of chairman Peter Drummond
and CEO George Verry.
From his point of view, he continued to be
concerned with the continuing methods
various groups were employing to avoid
Fire Service Levy payments and he hoped
this would be addressed by the current Fire
Service Review.
Disasters cost NZFS $13m
To put some idea of the sort of costs that are
involved, he pointed out that the disasters
in Canterbury and Pike River, and the USAR
response to the Japanese earthquake had
cost the NZFS $13m. As a result of this, a
special reserve fund had been established.
The Commission was aware that at present
there was not too much “fat left to trim” in the
organisation without an adverse effect on
what we do on a day-to-day basis.
During remit discussions, vice-president
Watters commented on last year’s remit
about medal recognition for Canterbury
earthquake first responders. As related later
by National Commander Paul Baxter, there
will be recognition of service for those who
attended, those who attended in the first 18
hours receiving a ‘Servimus’ star attached
to the issued ribbons, others receiving an
acknowledgement certificate with some
individuals having their bravery recognised
with a citation.
Watters reported that the UFBA would be
instituting a 40 years’ service certificate, but it
would not be retrospective.
In his address to conference, Minister of
Internal Affairs, Chris Tremaine – after the
usual acknowledgement to the commitment
of firefighters, especially volunteers – talked
about the current review and political climate
being a timely opportunity to learn and
improve.
He also talked about identifying gaps
in responses with other agencies after
commenting that 37% of Fire Service
responses were non fire related. The
Government, he inferred, ultimately wanted
to see cost effective emergency responses
across the spectrum with improved
efficiencies and interagency co-operation.
Director Ric Carlyon talked about the rising
cost the UFBA was experiencing in its
advocacy duties. Without going into the
December 2012
UFBA
UFBA
UFBA
18
various cases and issues, that obviously
remain confidential, upward of $50,000 was
spent last year in executing this duty.
He proposed that a separate advocacy fund
be established and suggested it be funded
by member brigades outside of the current
subscription fee. A 1% fee per brigade was
suggested with a series of conditions being
imposed on the funds ‘ring-fencing’ it solely
for advocacy matters. He also stated that this
was being instigated by the board, not at the
insistence of the NZFS or any other party.
After the motion was put, there was
discussion both in favour and against from the
membership.
Commission will pay
Chairman Peter Drummond addressed the
delegates, and following an affable exchange
with Wyatt Creech, the latter stated that he
saw the advocacy function of the association
of prime importance, and that on the face
of it, the Commission would provide extra
funding for this service and there would be
no extra financial load on member brigades.
Apparently stunned, but nonetheless very
pleased, delegates broke for lunch.
UFBA
UFBA
UFBA
Adventurer and mountain avalanche survivor,
not to mention former volunteer firefighter,
Mark Inglis was the keynote speaker. Attitude
and positive thinking was his theme. The
majority of those spoken to later found they
had been impressed with his ability to think
expansively and overcome adversity and
other peoples’ perceptions.
Fire Service management presented their
various function reports to the delegates
for the rest of the afternoon, led by NC/CE
Paul Baxter. His presentation was, in effect, a
more detailed version of the views expressed
by Wyatt Creech. Items like seamless interagency responses, the CTV Coroners’ Enquiry,
data-sharing with the various agencies
communications centres, continued training
development, both of the career and
volunteer staff, were all expanded on.
Anyone who has the task of talking at length
about finance late in an afternoon usually
has an uphill struggle, however CFO Brett
Warwick got his points across, stating that the
NZFS was well positioned for the international
financial crisis with over a half billion dollars
in assets, but the future challenges could
include wage pressures, employee benefits,
volunteer entitlements and future capital
investment.
Very surprisingly Paul Baxter then invited the
Director of Operations for St John Ambulance,
Mike Moran, to address the delegates. An
outline of its new dispatch system and the
prioritisation of all calls were described. An
interesting figure here is that only 2% of
ambulance calls are in the P1 category where
someone isn’t breathing or appears to be in
cardiac arrest.
Afternoon tea discussions included some of
this content as well as questions about the
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real necessity for the introduction of the FRAV
(Fire Rescue Ambulance Vehicle), the political
ramifications, with a lot asking the question
about fire service staff picking up the slack for
another organisation that has troubles with
manning and finance. Not all were happy
with either the MOU or the FRAV project,
while others embraced it, indicating that we
were meeting the emergency management
necessities of the 21st Century.
NZFS NHQ staff had a display with cutaway
drawing of the proposed vehicle and they
seemed to be answering a lot of questions
about the design and its suitability for the
proposed tasks, as outlined in the MOU.
The National Commander then faced a
number of questions to close the day – topics
included delays with PPE handling, recruit
medicals, loss of local DVSA staff, wet weather
gear and the management of community
-funded and brigade-purchased gear being
maintained by the Fire Service.
Conference was closed by lunch on Sunday
following a presentation from the New
Zealand Fire Brigades Institute, reports from
the Technical and Challenge Committees and
the installation of new directors and officers.
In summary, it was a very business-like event,
with an absence of delegate-inspired angst
evident in past conferences. The association,
with its partners, is looking positively to the
future. Not all questions could be answeed
on the spot, but delegates were given
directions within both the association and
Fire Service for answers.