WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Just read an article in my local Weekend Courier on page 16 titled:

Fires: Fewer fighters as threat grows

its about how wa is experiencing bugger and more intense bush fires, and how a catasthrophic bush fire like in the estern states is becoming more imminent unless action is taken to avert it...

anyways... the voluntary WA organisation Bush Fire Front group is concerned and i quote

" that the western australian Department of Environment and Conservation (formly known as calm) is half what it was 20 years ago and that volunteer bushfire brigades are declining in strengh"

well the reasong for declining strengh is because fesa rather use frs than bfb's and rather get a frs station to take over the fire district from the volunteers such as gosnells, south coogee and mandogalup... resulting in a major decrease lin call outs.. resulting in the drop in interes of the members.. resulting in the lack of members... also doesnt help when they close down stations either Maybe if their was an incentive as well like not having to pay the ESL ... would get more people to stay involved ???

if u want to read the article its in the rockingham/kwinana community Weekend Courier.

This is a trend that is being seen across the whole country, not just here in WA. Whilst it might be down to not getting callouts in some areas (and the usual, but now pointless FRS vs BFS arguments), people just aren't as willing to volunteer these days. This coupled with the aging of experienced volunteer firefighters is posing a problem..

Note that I'm lead to believe this affects other volunteer organisations too.

The Bushfire CRC is doing some research on this - a little bit of info is available at http://www.bushfirecrc.com/research/d3/d32.html

Many of us enjoy going to fires, but remember.. prevention and preparedness are more important than response. You'll find alot of brigades with dwindling callouts (Darlington is an example) are getting heavily involved in things such as the BRAG (Bushfire Ready Action Group) program to keep active.

With regards to your suggestion re the ESL.. while it would be nice to not have to pay it, the administration would be crazy.. plus you would get people signging up for all the wrong reasons.

Fastlane wrote:people just aren't as willing to volunteer these days. This coupled with the aging of experienced volunteer firefighters is posing a problem..

So true. I was appalled at a recent membership drive we had locally.

Fastlane wrote:With regards to your suggestion re the ESL.. while it would be nice to not have to pay it, the administration would be crazy.. plus you would get people signging up for all the wrong reasons.

I just figure I get a great pair of boots in exchange for my ESL

Fastlane wrote:This is a trend that is being seen across the whole country, not just here in WA.

I was watching that ABC doco called "Bushfire Summer" recently, which was all about fires in Victoria, etc. But one comment that a CFA brigade captain made is probably just as true here.

He says that the number of people who make their money "in the city" and keep a country property for getaways are less likely to join the CFA and less likely to get involved. As the people with a direct tie to the local area reduce, so does the number of people willing to get involved.

I guess it maybe across the whole volunteer services and i guess correct me if im wrong but seesm every organisation is asking for more volunteers maybe its just people dont have time or dont want to anymore. But yer i guess with the size of our states we need volunteers and wasnt long ago i cant remember what country sub centre but were short of SJA volunteers to the point they had no one to respond and sent a paramedic out to stand by till they got recruitment up.

in a way u cant blame ppl not wanting to volunteer the way u get treated by some organsations and having to work and run a family/house gets to much

munchkin1981 wrote:in a way u cant blame ppl not wanting to volunteer the way u get treated by some organsations and having to work and run a family/house gets to much

I can't say I've ever been badly treated by any organisation I've been involved with. I think the second part of what you say is probably more the case for people - people have very busy lives nowadays and making a commitment to yet another chunk of time is probably more than some are willing to give...

I wonder if the amount of bush fires lit will be reduced with less volunteer firefighters?

Not trying to stir shit but its a fact that vollies have been found responsible for lighting many fires - hopefully they are the minority that are leaving.

Turbo wrote:I wonder if the amount of bush fires lit will be reduced with less volunteer firefighters?

Not trying to stir shit but its a fact that vollies have been found responsible for lighting many fires - hopefully they are the minority that are leaving.

So if one Vollie is convicted (as one was recently) that means there has to be heaps of other vollies lighting up, out of the 25,000 or so vollie firefighters. That is a nice brush you seem to be tieing us with.

rambler318 wrote:

Turbo wrote:I wonder if the amount of bush fires lit will be reduced with less volunteer firefighters?

Not trying to stir shit but its a fact that vollies have been found responsible for lighting many fires - hopefully they are the minority that are leaving.

So if one Vollie is convicted (as one was recently) that means there has to be heaps of other vollies lighting up, out of the 25,000 or so vollie firefighters. That is a nice brush you seem to be tieing us with.

Exactly. There have been VERY FEW accused and convicted of doing this, compared to how many deliberately lit fires there are each and every year.

U cant just accuse vollies, what about those who get paid to fight fires ????

I agree with Rambler and Fastlane

one more reason for me to not watch channel 9 news...

Sorry, I dont remember saying all vollies light fires?

As I said, I believe they are a MINORITY - and hopefully they are the ones leaving. If you do a little bit of research you will find more than 1 vollie has been convited of lighting fires.

Are you guys saying no vollies light fires?

Dont take my post the wrong way. I think you guys/girls do a great job and on top of that you do it for free.

All Im saying is it will be interesting too see if the amount of vollies directly relate to amount of bush fires.

I think you will find when some fires are lit deliberately by vollies they are actually trying to save properties. They are usually frustrated at the lack of action in reducing fire fuel by DEC. Prescribed Burning is a must in WA, and quite frankly DEC (CALM) doesn't do enough of it because they are scared of the politics of it, especially if the smoke blows over Perth.

Under the Bush Fires Act 1954 a 3m firebreak must be installed on all properties (which is pretty piss weak) and is more of a emergency vehicle access path rather than a firebreak. DEC are exempt from this section of the Bush Fires Act as they are a State Government Authority and over rule the Local Governments which enforce this section of the act.

thedonbeech wrote:I think you will find when some fires are lit deliberately by vollies they are actually trying to save properties. They are usually frustrated at the lack of action in reducing fire fuel by DEC. Prescribed Burning is a must in WA, and quite frankly DEC (CALM) doesn't do enough of it because they are scared of the politics of it, especially if the smoke blows over Perth.

Under the Bush Fires Act 1954 a 3m firebreak must be installed on all properties (which is pretty piss weak) and is more of a emergency vehicle access path rather than a firebreak. DEC are exempt from this section of the Bush Fires Act as they are a State Government Authority and over rule the Local Governments which enforce this section of the act.

This wasn't what Turbo was talking about.. (but for the record, the Bush Fires Act 1954 is not binding on the crown which includes local govt, its not a case of being overruled).

Yes, there are bad eggs in ANY organisation, but I don't understand why you felt the need to highlight it?

You surely had to expect that you would get people offside as you ARE implying that volunteer fire brigades are full of arsonists. It would be no different to say that the Police Force is full of corrupt coppers, but I doubt very much you'd ever say that?

thedonbeech wrote:Prescribed Burning is a must in WA

Absolutely... yet the greens complain about the smoke ... well which would u rather have... homes destroyed, nature habitats destroyed by fire and black surroundings or smoke for a day ?


Look at the hills fire.. that was fuel which hadnt been burnt in 15+ years ! No wonder it was so intense and hard to stop.