Refreshments at fires, etc.

[newbie]

I hope I didn't upset anyone on the last post.
I havent been fed by the salvos for the past few years so wouldn't know that the standard is nowdays, I was more pointing out that meals are a very hard thing to produce on a fire ground and sometimes you cant help getting cold chicken.
The type of meal all depends on the duration, I wouldn't expect anyone to get fed after only a 4 hour shift but you do need to remember that when it come to volunteers sometimes they don't have time between work and a call out for a proper meal like fastlane mentioned. It's a hard one with lots and lots of factors.

[Magnus]

IMHO the Salvo's do a great job, did any of you ever try to feed 200 people out of a caravan ?
They also have to cater for special needs, Vegetarians (like me), diabetics, Coeliacs, food allergies etc.
You always get a decent sandwich or 3, and they always have plenty of drinks and energy food like fruit, nuts, sweets and so on.

When you've come off a 12 hour shift at work and straight onto the volunteer job, whether it's firefighting with the BFS/VFRS or storm repairs or searches with SES, you don't want a heavy meal that's going to slow down your metabolism.
You need something that will give you energy while staying alert.

In this light, I see the welfare we get is quite suited to the situation.
It doesn't replace a main meal, and it's not intended to. It is sustenance to keep you going.

I am always more than happy with the Salvos efforts.

[dlcat1]

I haven't seen a problem with catering recently but sometimes it takes a while to set up and if for whatever reason you haven't eaten recently, you can get mighty hungry by the time food arrives.

One option, and I don't know FESA's position on this, is to pack a munchie box somewhere on the appliance. Stock it with long life muesli bars, long life juice boxes, breakfast drinks or sports drinks and some of those little tins of fruit. If you know you are definitely going to be out later in the week you can supercharge it with fresh fruit and chocolate bars.

You can either leave this box in the station fridge, if you are lucky enough to have one and will remember it on a call out, or leave it on the truck. If you make it a monthly job to check what's approaching use by dates and replenish it, whatever crew is on, whatever time of day, wherever it is, will have something to keep energy up before catering is organised.

The other option is to organise one of these kits for yourself, three or four bars, a tin of fruit and a sports drink in your kit bag doesn't cost much and with adequate water will keep you going. Even if you think you are going to a fire with catering, take your kit because you never know when you'll get diverted to the new fire at woop woop.

[Tyranus]

dlcat1 that is a fair point.
Both our Light Tankers at Darlington have a lunch box with muesli bars and other snacks in it. This then gets replenished as it gets used or if it's been a long time since an incident.

[meg]

Both our Light Tankers at Darlington have a lunch box with muesli bars and other snacks in it.

Ditto in our appliances too, plus I keep a muesli bar in the pocket of my jacket, and some of those coffee lollies

[WPXZBP]

One of my former Area Managers bought us some ration packs specifically for that purpose. Unfortunately the mice got into the ones on station.....

[Fastlane]

One of my former Area Managers bought us some ration packs specifically for that purpose. Unfortunately the mice got into the ones on station.....

Sadly, they don't get issued to BFB vols. We got given some once.. they were all over the use-by date (!)

[SamW]

All Mundaring shire brigades get given a carton of muesli bars and drink additives about every 6 months. We keep a stock of each on each vehicle as well as bottled water. My jacket pockets are normally full of crushed biscuits in their little packets that I grab from the salvo's and melted Mars bars that I forget to eat.

[WPXZBP]

We also, as a Brigade, purchase bottled water and keep them on both appliances. One of our Members is the water-nazi. He ensures everyone is drinking water at the appropriate rate.

[newbie]

one expensive but very good thing to have in the 3.4's is a engel, they can fit with a little modification but do take up all the leg room for the middle rear seat. It is expensive but might be something you could get through the ESL or other grants. Eskies on the back of the truck are great for drinks but once the ice melts it messes up lunches or other packed food.

[treeny]

At Melville SES we are lucky enough to be joined to the councils operations center. we have an unlimited supply of ice and we purchase cartons of bottled water. if we get major callouts we stock up an esky with water and soft drinks and keep it in the back. if we get a single callout its up to the individual to get a bottle out of the water fridge (you walk past it to get to the vehicles). we usually have packs of mixed lollies (brilliant because they keep for ages) in the stores and take some with us for the sugar.

[newbie]

lollies are great but you get the dreaded sugar crash, you can also freeze muffins, slices of cake etc then you don't even need an esky if it is going to be only a few hours, they keep in a freezer for a long time.

[treeny]

during the storm season when im most active i keep energy bars (like the ones cyclists use) in my callout bag and a bottle of powerade that i chuck in eskie for long days/nights. i find that the bars along with the powerade is a good combi to keep u goin for a 12 hr shift

[Bigfella78]

When I cleaned my fire bag out before the start of summer this year I found a melted snickers I must of forgotten about. it was only 8 months past used by.

We have an Engel in our 2.4 and Are putting one in our 7.2. a bottle of cold water over the head is a great way to cool down..

[Chooky]

One of my former Area Managers bought us some ration packs specifically for that purpose. Unfortunately the mice got into the ones on station.....

Sadly, they don't get issued to BFB vols. We got given some once.. they were all over the use-by date (!)

Least you wouldn't need the Hexi stove to cook on!!! Sure there would be enough fire around.

At Jandakot, if it looks like a long one, we'll just pack some eskies up with Powerade, Softies and Water. I'm also guilty for finding crushed salvo biscuits in my jacket pocket at the next fire!!!

Chooky