Problems with turnouts - split from JHW sacked.

[yorky]

Must add, the other night there were multiple fires in Pinneroo Park, obviously lit by a little so and so running around (who was apparently caught).

I was on the way home and heard Duncraig turn out and I past the fire they were at and continued on, but then spotted one that literally just started seconds before, 200m away.

I called 000 and as soon as I said there is another fire in Pinneroo Park she straight away said yeah we know BYE.

... Of course I said I bet you don't know about this one next to x and x street since its the other side of the park. Oh right didn't know about that one she said, (gathers details). We will pass on the info

Lucky Duncraig had already asked for an additional station, because over FIVE MINUTES later 6AR said "Duncraig did you get the message that there are more fires over at x and x?". "Negative".

During that time Wangara PASSED the second fire that I was parked next to as I pointed to them. They never returned.

Another five minutes later Joondalup 2.4 arrives, notices it (bit hard not to now its a bloody inferno) and takes care of it.

Doesn't bestow confidence in the service when I was willing to give exact information from the moment smoke popped up yet it took 10-15 minutes to sort out.

[singkenten]

Yorky - sorry but please don't throw in your two cents as an armchair critic...

[robbage]

She has been stood down from the position but is still employed elsewhere according to the TV news.

And yeah Yorky, how dare you post your opinion on this forum!

[yorky]

Yorky - sorry but please don't throw in your two cents as an armchair critic...

Nothing armchair about it, I was there to witness the events stated myself!

[written_ficton]

Yorky - sorry but please don't throw in your two cents as an armchair critic...

Last time I checked this forum is open to everyone to express their own views whilst on topic?

On that point - what I hate is when you call 000 the first thing they say is.

"Which State are you in?"

[vk6hgr]

"Which State are you in?"

Expect to hear it a lot more... especially with VoIP they just can't assume your location from you phone number/registered address any more.

[written_ficton]

"Which State are you in?"

Expect to hear it a lot more... especially with VoIP they just can't assume your location from you phone number/registered address any more.

+ when you ring 131 444 they still talk about bushfire's to contact FESA....

[observer]

Yorky. Even though I wasn't at the incident you mentioned, or know much about it, can I give you some information from a different perspective whch may help explain some of the decisions. Firstly in regards to the comcon staff. More often than not when a fire starts along the side of a half busy road comcen get flodded with calls. In a short period od time they may have to deal with 20 or more calls relating to the same fire. However well done on maintaining your cool and explaining that there was another fire. In regards to Wangara passing and not returning, I would assume that they were committed to another fire. Unfortunately when you get multiple fires close together there isn't enough resources initially to handle all of the fires. You stated that by the time the 2.4 arrived it was an inferno. Most likely if Wangarra stopped they would have extinguished it, but then you are left with the same situation of the fire they were origionally going to, that would get bigger. I would guess that the SO would have thought that the fire they attended may have had a higher priority than the fire you were at (ie more potential to spread or affect assests), or by the time he seen all of the fires they all displayed equal risks, so they just started at the fire they were currently at.

What this does show is how stretched resources are in the metro area. Duncraig are very close to that area. Your next station is Wangarra, then followed by Joonalup or Osborne Park. It will take the 3rd arriving appliance about 10 to 15 minutes to drive there anyway. Andt the further out you go, the longer it takes for the 3rd or even the 2nd appliance to turn up.

[yorky]

Wangara passing and not returning: They were advised to come normal road, the fire that Duncraig was at was under control and they were only required for mop up.

Neither were advised of the separate fire within an acceptable time frame.

I do agree with the distances between stations, and just stating my observations

[singkenten]

And you know this from listening to a scanner and seeing fire trucks drive by... If you were in one of career FF's in one of the trucks or sitting in commcen your conclusions would be reputable but from what you have written you were just another Joe Bloggs who sits back and bashes the hard work of others without a full understanding of how the system works... Emergency services are not like any other and require much more complex decision making than the simple scenario you present...

[canning_man]

singkenten, as a career fire fighter thanks to you, no one can say a bad word about the comm centre workers, as stated they may recieve 20 calls in 5 minutes about the one fire, they do an amazing job, you cant sit at a scanner and know all the details from what you hear.

Emergency services are not like any other and require much more complex decision making than the simple scenario you present...

very good point mate

[canning_man]

Also yorky, not having a go at you but its a very different world out there to what you may imagine just try and have some understanding about how stretched we get on hot windy days.

[yorky]

I have no doubt everyone is stretched very thin on hot windy days, I'm not criticising the Rolystone incident, that was a different kettle of fish of which there is a full report.

I have written simply what I observed, as a member of the public, and how I felt about that situation. I do not know what goes on behind the radio and I don't pretend to understand that component.

I do not wish this to be a 'oh yorky you have no clue how its run' argument, simply what I observed. I'm not here to argue, I'm here to discuss.

No where did I 'bash' anyone. I gave an accurate timeline and witness account, with my comment being it didn't bestow confidence particularly in this instance.

I HAVE been in situations where the Fire service have been prompt and well managed, "from my view".