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The first survey in 2012 attracted responses from 805 CFA volunteers. Subsequent surveys using the same format have seen the survey result increase to 1,652 volunteer responses in 2014.


Given the high number of survey responses against the number of CFA volunteers, this represents a very robust sample of the views of CFA volunteers and can be treated as a ‘statistically significant’ response.


Sample size calculators indicate that 1,652 valid survey responses from a CFA volunteer ‘population’ of 60,000 provides a 95% level of confidence (getting the right answer 95 times out of 100) in the survey results, as representing the views of CFA volunteers.


Previous survey analysis for VFBV by Dawson McDonald demonstrated the statistical significance of the survey results against well-known Australian surveys. The VFBV survey results in 2013 achieved a 95% confidence level with a confidence interval of +/- 2.6%, considerably greater than many national surveys.

Confidence interval comparison table - VFBV 2013 Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency report.

Survey respondents were given the option of responding anonymously or leaving their email address if they wished to be kept informed on progress with the survey results. This ensured that the survey respondents could provide their honest and open opinions in their written responses to the survey statements.


For security purposes, all online survey responses are entered into a securely encrypted electronic survey record system. All physical survey responses are also entered into the online system and destroyed once the data is recorded.

Sign up for the 2015 survey

Notes on Data Collection

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Published in Uncategorised

The VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey was from the outset, designed and detailed by CFA volunteers.

In 2012, with the assistance of a professional survey development consultancy, VFBV workshopped with volunteers from across Victoria, to identify key issues considered to be the key factors underpinning their welfare and efficiency. Key recurring themes emerging from the workshop with this group were then used to construct the survey.

The survey consists of 33 statements addressing the welfare and efficiency of CFA volunteers. Survey respondents are asked to score each statement twice: firstly on how important it is for the statement to be true and secondly, how they perceive performance against that statement. Scores are applied to a 0 – 10 sliding scale where for importance, 0 is ‘not at all important’ and 10 is ‘very important – and in the case of performance, 0 is ‘strongly disagree’ and 10 is ‘strongly agree’.

Scores for importance are regarded as the expectations of CFA volunteers. Where scores for performance are lower than those for importance, the result suggests that expectations are not being met. The difference between importance and performance in the survey results for each question is referred to as the gap.

The chart below indicates a typical survey response against a given statement, where the total number of responses to the statement produce an average gap between importance and performance (in this case ‘2’).

 


The 33 survey statements are grouped into seven themes for analysis of the results. Statements are randomly listed in the survey to avoid leading the results. The results are then re grouped under seven themes for analysis purposes.

The seven survey analysis themes are:

  • Respect and professionalism
  • My role as a volunteer
  • Cooperation
  • Support from CFA
  • Training by CFA
  • Recruitment and retention
  • People management – my brigade

The survey design allows each theme to be explored for variations between respondents, including brigade service/risk environment (rural, urban or integrated), gender, volunteer age and length of service.

The results can also be analysed from Region to Region, with CFA’s Regional structure allowing for the identification of examples of good practice or conversely, areas where a lacking performance needs most attention.

Whilst the survey collects quantitative data that is easily expressed in results that measure importance, performance and gap, the survey also provides the respondent the opportunity to reply to any of the statements with their own thoughts and opinions.

In this way the survey also collects some qualitative data than can be used to gain insight into what sits behind the numerical results.

With survey results from the past three years, VFBV is now able to observe trends over time.

Recently, further work has also been undertaken with the assistance of university researchers with expertise in quantitative survey analysis to drill down into the survey results and explore specific demographic trends or patterns that emerge.

Sign up for the 2015 survey

Notes on Data Integrity

Return to Introduction

Return to Index

 

Published in Uncategorised
Monday, 20 April 2015 00:00

VFBV Leadership Course in Demand

Places in this year’s VFBV Leadership Program course have been in demand, with 92 applicants for 50 positions.

The program is funded by VFBV, with additional funding from the Department of Justice to assist with our multi-agency approach, but with such strong demand we were able to make a successful application to Emergency Management Victoria for top up funding sufficient for an extra 10 participants for this year’s course, taking the total to 60.

This is the sixth course, and includes volunteers from CFA, VICSES, Lifesaving Victoria, the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Ambulance Victoria CERT and St John Ambulance.

The successful applicants have been advised and the Lilydale and Werribee groups have had their first session.

The VFBV Leadership Program has equipped more than 200 successful participants with Certificate IV in Frontline Management, a nationally recognised qualification provided under the auspices of Chisholm Institute of TAFE.

Published in VFBV News

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) is a community and volunteer based emergency service, consisting of 60,000 volunteers and 1,300 paid operational and support staff. CFA Brigades protect 60% of suburban Melbourne, regional cities and all of country Victoria every day and night of the year.

CFA’s volunteer based resource model is the only approach capable of economically and practically dealing with the quantum, scale, spread and simultaneous occurrence of fire and other emergencies experienced in Victoria while still providing day to day emergency response.

CFA’s unique integrated volunteer and career staff operating model is fundamental to the surge capacity required to deal with large scale incidents while still providing professional standards of emergency response in Brigade service areas across the state.

The CFA volunteers’ contribution to the community is incalculable – the value of their labour alone is estimated at one billion dollars a year, without considering the replacement cost of their expertise, local knowledge, fundraising, leadership and the substantial losses that would be suffered through fires and other emergencies if the volunteers were not there.

CFA volunteers work at all levels of emergency response, from the frontline crews, through experienced volunteers in specialist and support roles, to the highest of senior incident management roles.

The need for that resource of trained, experienced volunteers is growing. Already one of the most wildfire prone areas in the world, Victoria faces the twin challenges of a rapidly growing population and increased urbanisation within an expanding metropolitan Melbourne and regional cities.

In 2012, the Victorian Parliament unanimously supported changes to the CFA Act to enshrine the requirements for volunteer support and recognition in legislation. 

These important changes recognise that CFA is first and foremost a volunteer-based organisation, in which volunteer officers and members are supported by career staff in a fully integrated manner.

Sections 6G, 6H and 6I of the CFA Act also reinforce the requirement for Government and CFA to encourage, maintain and strengthen the capacity of volunteers to provide the Authority's services, and to consult with VFBV on all matters which may impact upon volunteers.

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) is the voice of CFA Volunteers. It is established under Victorian law, the Country Fire Authority Act, to represent the volunteers on all matters that affect their welfare and efficiency.

As an organisation made up of the CFA volunteers it represents, VFBV works in partnership with the State Government, Emergency Management Victoria, the CFA Board and Management, Members of Parliament, official inquiries, municipal councils and instrumentalities, business and the public to proactively shape the future of emergency management.

VFBV is active in partnering with Government and emergency management agencies to ensure that volunteers remain actively involved in emergency management decision making at every level; through day to day practical work in VFBV/CFA Joint Committees, through the Ministerial level Volunteer Consultative Forum, and in working to ensure positive, practical results from reviews such as the Jones Inquiry and the Victorian Auditor General’s Office (VAGO) report on Managing Emergency Services Volunteers.

The VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey takes this important work another step forward, by addressing a significant gap in the information available to the state’s decision makers.

The VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey, now in its third year, is designed to better understand the issues as volunteers see them, and is used by VFBV to bring the frontline volunteers’ opinions and advice on matters affecting their welfare and efficiency directly to the state’s decision makers.

The purpose of the VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey is to ensure that volunteers’ needs and expectations are sought, analysed and available to Government and CFA so the very foundation of this volunteer-based emergency service continues to be recognised and supported to meet the future emergency services needs of the Victorian community.

The VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey presents an opportunity for Government and CFA to embed performance measures linked to volunteer welfare and efficiency into CFA organisational, departmental and individual work plans, to the benefit of the Victorian community.

Because volunteers are fundamental to Victoria’s emergency management capability, fundamental to community resilience and at the core of communities sharing responsibility for their own safety, it is vitally important to measure and deeply understand how satisfied volunteers are with arrangements in place to support, encourage and enable them to do their work.

If the CFA and State Government wish to retain what is a highly valuable volunteer fire service, the expectations of volunteers, identified by them through this survey, need to be understood and acted upon. A commitment must be made by CFA, VFBV and State Government to meet or exceed the expectations of volunteers on all 33 items. This is fundamental to ensuring the welfare and efficiency of volunteers and their continuing availability as an unpaid emergency service.

Sign up for the 2015 survey

Notes on Data Collection

Notes on Data Integrity

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Published in Uncategorised

Observations from the survey results that may warrant further investigation and possible actions include the following:

  1. Training needs and expectations.

 The 2014 survey results identify training by CFA as the biggest issue, with the survey gap at 3.0. This remains the most important issue for CFA volunteers and the issue least meeting volunteer expectations.

  1. Variation between brigades.

Brigades with an integrated volunteer/career mix of personnel are more concerned with performance in relation to people management within their brigade, cooperation and respect and professionalism. Survey comments point to ongoing issues at integrated brigades that require further attention.

The integrated volunteer/career survey responses consistently scored lower on importance and more so on performance. Integrated brigades scored poorly on performance in relation to workplace bullying, conflict resolution, volunteer consultation, morale and supporting new volunteers. These particular statistical results point to ongoing issues within integrated brigades that require specific attention.

  1. Equity, diversity and workplace behaviour.

Survey results show that equity and diversity across gender, race and religion are important issues to volunteers. Generally, female survey respondents rated CFA respect, professionalism, volunteer support and brigade support more highly than males across both importance and performance. The differences occur when the questions relate to CFA’s performance in conflict resolution, bullying and harassment, in which case, females rate the management of such issues lower than males.

When tested against gender – female respondents rated both importance and performance lower than male respondents in relation to the statement “there are no barriers to the roles women can occupy in my brigade”. The gap between importance and performance for female respondents was higher than male, signalling that male respondents are more optimistic about how gender, equity and diversity issues are being managed and may not realise areas of deficient approach.

Whilst CFA performance in this area is scored comparatively well against other areas, it remains an area that shows that a gender perception gap still exists in brigades and will require ongoing support.

  1. The importance of consultation with brigades.

The value volunteers place on consultation both within their own brigade and with CFA is expressed in the survey results where statements referring to consultation within brigades receive good performance scores. Conversely, statements regarding effective consultation at CFA District, Region or Corporate level, receive the lowest performance scores and high gaps.

Written comments from survey respondents refer to issues where inadequate consultation may be the root cause, further suggesting that more work is required to improve consultation between CFA and volunteers.

  1. The influence of volunteer length of service.

Volunteer length of service has created a distinct pattern across the question responses. Volunteers who have served with CFA for less than one year are the most positive about the organisation and their brigade on nearly every question. The gap sharply increases after their first year of service, i.e. their level of satisfaction drops sharply after one year and then again after more than five years’ service.

  1. Satisfaction.

80% of 2014 survey respondents are satisfied with their role as a CFA volunteer and 87% intend to continue their membership. The overwhelming reasons for being a CFA volunteer are “to help protect the community I live in” or “a sense of fulfilment in supporting my community in a meaningful way” (total 94%).

Only 59% of volunteers are satisfied with the way they are treated by CFA, this comparatively low satisfaction score suggests that the greatest potential impact on future volunteer welfare and efficiency sits with CFA in the success or otherwise of their partnerships with volunteer brigades.

  1. Overall.

Overall results across the survey themes (see the graph to the right) show the greatest gaps to be in the training and cooperation themes, and the smallest gap in the recruitment and retention theme. Specific responses within each theme are explained in greater detail in the body of this report.

The analysis of the survey results shows that there are still differences of opinion between genders as to how women are treated in CFA, between volunteer and integrated brigades on how CFA staff treat volunteers, and difference of opinion on how well CFA is performing depending upon how long the volunteer has known CFA.

These differences point to an ongoing need for CFA to improve its culture. The attitudes and norms across CFA need to become more inclusive and more respectful – in terms of volunteer value to the organisation.

Sign up for the 2015 survey

Next Page

Return to Survey Index

 

Published in Uncategorised

This report provides comment and detail on matters considered to be important to CFA Volunteers' welfare and efficiency, as measured through the Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey.

The report uses survey data provided by a series of statements rated by volunteers for importance and performance. The report also uses information gathered from written response comments against the survey statements.

Observations against the 2014 survey results are presented by survey theme, with comments on both the survey scores and the written comments received.

As with the previous two years, survey data is collated and analysed for trends, outliers and exceptions that guide us to particular issues warranting further analysis. The survey results are compared against demographic profiles that include gender, age, length of time as a volunteer and brigade type.

The survey data is also compared to previous years' results to determine if changes have occurred and whether reasons for these changes can be identified.

Click on the links below to see each of the detailed sections of the 2014 VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey report;

The 2015 survey will open in July - you can sign up to take the online survey here or request a paper copy of the survey by calling (03) 9886 1141.  Your comments will be confidential.

Published in Uncategorised
Wednesday, 01 April 2015 00:00

2015 VFBV State Rural Championships

Torquay A achieved the highest points overall at the 2015 VFBV State Rural Championships, which brought 600 competitors from 46 Brigades to St Arnaud for the weekend’s competition.

Napoleons/Enfield A won Division A with 38 points and Dunrobbin/Nangeela D won Division C with 42 points. St Arnaud, Strathdownie and Hurstbridge all appeared among the placings, District 22 won the Discipline Award, and Greta runners Sarah Hooper and Nathan Hooper won the sprints.

At the 2015 VFBV State Rural Junior Championships, Willaura A won the Champion Team title and the 11-15 Years Aggregate.

Springhurst A won the 11-13 Aggregate, Slaty Creek won the VFBV State President Encouragement Award, Willaura won the Stan Ross Conduct Trophy, Erin Munro of Dunrobbin/Nangeela and Lachlan Peck of Miners Rest won the 11-13 Years sprints, and Tiffany Bussem-Jorgensen of Beazleys Bridge and: Cooper Nelson or Irrewarre won the 11-15 Years sprints.

There will be a full report in the April edition of the Fireman, there are more pictures on the VFBV Facebook page www.facebook.com/cfavol and you can download the full results from both Championships by clicking here.

Published in VFBV News

To all participants in the 2014 VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey, thank you for taking part.

The Survey Report is available for download at the bottom of this page (Note: the top of the first page is white - if it looks blank on your screen, scroll down a little).

Now in its third year, this survey continues to grow in importance as it captures trends in CFA volunteers’ opinions on matters affecting their welfare and efficiency.

VFBV and the CFA Board have both studied past years' results and will use the survey to highlight aspects of volunteer support that need attention.

The survey would not have been possible without the support of CFA volunteers, in particular the 1,652 – another record number - who participated in 2014.

Please consider the trends revealed in the survey report and encourage your fellow volunteers to do the same. Printed copies are available by mail if you need them, call (03) 9886 1141.

Please also encourage the volunteers around you to sign up for the next VFBV volunteer survey, by emailing their name and Brigade to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or calling (03) 9886 1141 if they would like the paper version of the survey posted to them.

Published in Uncategorised
Friday, 27 March 2015 00:00

Fiskville Must Be Replaced

VFBV MEDIA RELEASE 26 March 2015

Downloads below - the closure announcement, VFBV's response and VFBV's submission to the Fiskville Inquiry

FISKVILLE MUST BE REPLACED, SAY CFA VOLUNTEERS

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV), the association representing CFA volunteers, says the closure of the Fiskville training facility is a blow for firefighter training in CFA, and will leave a major hole in the State’s capacity to train Victoria’s firefighters.

Firefighting involves inherent dangers and unpredictable hazards.  In an organisation like CFA, training is critical. Fiskville was a critical component of Victoria’s emergency service training network, and its closure will leave a significant gap.

VFBV President Hans van Hamond AFSM said CFA volunteers want to know there is a plan to replace the large scale and sophisticated training capacity Fiskville has been providing. Easy, frequent and cost effective access to training is critical for fire services, particularly organisations such as CFA.

“VFBV’s major concern through the Fiskville saga has been the safety of all CFA members, but now that the facility is closed, there must be serious and immediate attention paid to meeting the training needs of CFA’s tens of thousands of firefighters,” Mr van Hamond said.

“Fiskville has had a critically important role in CFA’s network of facilities, training local Brigades in that part of Victoria and providing live-in training and specialist programs for CFA personnel from all over the state,” he said.

“Even the recent temporary closure of the facility has led to some Brigades having to travel three to four hours away to visit a training facility with spare capacity.”

CFA’s large, geographically dispersed workforce and the volunteer-based nature of that workforce means that training needs to be available as close as possible to the volunteers’ home location, and where there is a need for multi-day training, long duration experience simulation or learning, accommodation facilities become a necessary component of the state’s training capability.

There is much public attention and emotion now involved with the Fiskville facility, but regardless of how these factors weigh into ultimate decisions, several things are certain;

  • Any training ground used for hot fire or other training must be safe to use
  • Investment to replace Fiskville’s significant state training capability will be required, as the rest of the fire services training network will not cope with the overall training load
  • Firefighters who currently rely on Fiskville as their local training facility must have locally available access to state of the art training
  • Support for any members who have been exposed to health hazards at Fiskville must continue; the closure of the facility does not mean their needs are at an end.

“CFA Brigades protect 60% of suburban Melbourne, regional cities and all of country Victoria every day and night of the year, and Victorians have a right to expect that their volunteers can access and continue to be trained to the professional standards to which the community is entitled,” Mr van Hamond said.

Download the State Government's media release here.

Download VFBV's media release here.

See CFA's announcement, with contact numbers for support services and the Fiskville Enquiry Hotline here.

 

Published in VFBV News
Saturday, 07 March 2015 00:00

2015 VFBV Urban Championships - results

EVENT RESULTS - FINAL

SATURDAY, 7th MARCH

Click here to download Aggregate Spreadsheet and Champion Competitor event scores

Event 1, DISCIPLINE CONTEST

Section A:      

1st

Mildura

93.64 %

2nd

Melton A

90.00 %

3rd

Bendigo

87.27 %

4th

Kooweerup

85.00 %

5th

Dandenong

84.55 %

 

Section B:      

1st

Patterson River

88.64 %

2nd

Benalla

86.82 %

3rd

Morwell

85.91 %

4th

Maldon

84.55 %

5th

Kyneton

84.09 %

 

Section C:      

1st

Knox Group

89.09 %

2nd

Hoppers Crossing

85.45 %

3rd

Whittlesea

82.27 %

4th

Pakenham

81.82 %

5th

Frankston

81.36 %

 

 

Event No. 2 – Ladder Race - One Competitor 

1st

Jackson Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat

6.42 Seconds

2nd

Matt Royal, Maryvale

6.60 Seconds

3rd

Andrew Norman, Narre Warren A

6.65 Seconds

4th

Jake Rennie, Tatura

6.69 Seconds

5th

Jon Murphey, Eaglehawk A

6.88 Seconds


Event  3 - Hydrant Race - One Competitor 

1st

Jackson Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat

11.54 Seconds

2nd

Matt Royal, Maryvale

11.67 Seconds

3rd

Thomas Germon, Wendouree

11.75 Seconds

4th

Joshua Pike, Mildura

11.75 Seconds

5th

Brendan Webbers, Kooweerup

11.90 Seconds

 

Event 4 – B Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st

Corio

15.52 Seconds

2nd

Benalla

15.58 Seconds

3rd

Morwell

16.49 Seconds

4th

Kyneton

17.31 Seconds

5th

Maldon

17.89 Seconds

 

Event No. 5 - C Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st

Maffra B: Mitch Hawkins

25.57 Seconds

2nd

Warrnambool: A Bishop

26.78 Seconds

3rd

Sebastopol: Shaun Parker

27.06 Seconds

4th

Warracknabeal: Devon Winsall

27.88 Seconds

5th

Eaglehawk B: Mason

28.05 Seconds

 

Event No. 6 - A Section Hose and Ladder Eights

1st

Kangaroo Flat

19.93 Seconds

2nd

Maryvale

20.44 Seconds

3rd

Narre Warren A

20.88 Seconds

4th

Eaglehawk A

21.51 Seconds

5th

Tatura

21.52 Seconds

 

Event  No. 7 - B Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st

Benalla: Les Palpratt

24.97 Seconds

2nd

Benalla: Cameron Green

25.49 Seconds

3rd

Corio: James Mullins

26.37 Seconds

4th

Corio: Dean Jordan

26.65 Seconds

5th

Patterson River: Mark Mullins

28.15 Seconds

 

Event No. 8 - C Section Hose and Reel Fours

1st

Warrnambool

18.04 Seconds

2nd

Warracknabeal

18.22 Seconds

3rd

Stanhope

19.75 Seconds

4th

Pakenham

19.75 Seconds

5th

Euroa B

20.69 Seconds

 

Event No. 9 - A Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st

Kangaroo Flat A: Jamie Hart

22.94 Seconds

2nd

Narre Warren A: Dale Hutchinson

24.14 Seconds

3rd

Wendouree: Damon Sutton

24.78 Seconds

4th

Moe

25.04 Seconds

5th

Melton A: Bailey Rhodes

25.38 Seconds

 

Event  No. 10 - B Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st

St Arnaud

29.34 Seconds

2nd

Corio

29.99 Seconds

3rd

Patterson River

30.46 Seconds

4th

Sunbury

32.33 Seconds

5th

Kyneton

34.79 Seconds

 

 

Torchlight Procession

1st

Knox Group

93.00 %

=2nd

Diamond Creek, Hoppers Crossing & Melton A

90.00 %

5th

Mornington

89.00 %

 

 

 

SUNDAY, 8th MARCH

 

Event 11– C Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st

Sale – NEW RECORD

15.94 Seconds

2nd

Whittlesea

19.14 Seconds

3rd

Stanhope

19.28 Seconds

4th

Narre Warren B

20.52 Seconds

5th

Warracknabeal

20.78 Seconds

 

Event 12 - A Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st

Kangaroo Flat: Thomas Dargaville & Jamie Hart

14.29 Seconds

2nd

Narre Warren: Dale Hutchinson & Steve Miles

15.31 Seconds

3rd

Bendigo: Leigh Schintler & Nigel Anderson

15.55 Seconds

4th

Wendouree: Craig Briody & Thomas Germon

15.62 Seconds

5th

Maryvale: Dallas Flowers & Chris Johnson

15.65 Seconds

 

Event 13 - B Section Hose and Ladder Eights 

1st

Pyramid Hill

23.21 Seconds

2nd

Werribee

23.71 Seconds

3rd

St Arnaud

24.02 Seconds

4th

Patterson River

24.22 Seconds

5th

Corio

24.48 Seconds

 

Event 14 - C Section Marshall - Two Competitors

1st

Warracknabeal: Cameron Whelan & Shaune Winsall

16.38 Seconds

2nd

Maffra B: Mitch Hawkins & Jess Clark

16.51 Seconds

3rd

Sale: David Monck & Gil Aitken

17.02 Seconds

4th

Stanhope: Lachlan Armstrong & Jack Cockroft

17.21 Seconds

5th

Maffra B: Mitch Trail & Braden Hargreaves

17.55 Seconds

 

Event 15 - A Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st

Kangaroo Flat

26.32 Seconds

2nd

Drouin/Bunyip

27.76 Seconds

3rd

Harvey

28.15 Seconds

4th

Narre Warren

28.91 Seconds

5th

Wendouree

38.37 Seconds

 

Event 16 - B Section Marshall - Two Competitors

1st

Corio: Dean Jordan & James Mullins

15.63 Seconds

2nd

Patterson River: Tim Mullins & Mark Mullins

16.02 Seconds

3rd

Geelong West: Mark Simons & Ben Simons

16.08 Seconds

4th

Benalla: David Smith & Mitch Beaton

16.57 Seconds

5th

Horsham: Marcus Williamson & Paul Hollier

16.79 Seconds

 

Event 17 - C Section Hose and Reel Sixes

1st

Warrnambool

31.27 Seconds

2nd

Maffra B

31.37 Seconds

3rd

Warracknabeal

32.87 Seconds

4th

Pakenham

33.92 Seconds

5th

Eaglehawk B

34.27 Seconds

 

 

Event 18 - A Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

1st

Dandenong

12.88 Seconds

2nd

Wendouree

13.27 Seconds

3rd

Drouin/Bunyip

13.52 Seconds

4th

Swan Hill

13.87 Seconds

5th

Mandurah WA

14.13 Seconds

 

Event 19 - B Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st

Corio

34.73 Seconds

2nd

St Arnaud

35.09 Seconds

3rd

Patterson River

35.55 Seconds

4th

Morwell

36.23 Seconds

5th

Sunbury

38.53 Seconds

 

Event 20 - C Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

1st

Stanhope

14.25 Seconds

2nd

Sale

15.62 Seconds

3rd

Whittlesea

16.72 Seconds

4th

Pakenham

16.74 Seconds

5th

Seymour

17.13 Seconds

 

Event 21 - A Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st

Tatura

31.44 Seconds

2nd

Harvey WA

33.31 Seconds

3rd

Narre Warren A

33.77 Seconds

4th

Eaglehawk A

35.13 Seconds

5th

Swan Hill

36.16 Seconds

 

Event 22 - B Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

1st

Geelong West

14.33 Seconds

2nd

Benalla

14.82 Seconds

3rd

Corio

14.84 Seconds

4th

Morwell

15.16 Seconds

5th

Horsham

15.38 Seconds

 

Event 23 – C Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st

Warracknabeal – NEW RECORD

34.28 Seconds

2nd

Sale

39.63 Seconds

3rd

Hoppers Crossing

41.99 Seconds

4th

Stanhope

42.23 Seconds

5th

Eaglehawk B

42.67 Seconds

 

Event 24 - A Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st

Drouin-Bunyip

28.01 Seconds

2nd

Bendigo

28.16 Seconds

3rd

Maffra A

28.33 Seconds

4th

Wendouree

29.33 Seconds

5th

Kangaroo Flat

33.02 Seconds

 

 

MONDAY, MARCH 9th  

Event 25 – A Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st

Drouin/Bunyip

14.28 Seconds

2nd

Eaglehawk A

14.48 Seconds

3rd

Wendouree

14.76 Seconds

4th

Swan Hill

14.84 Seconds

5th

Kangaroo Flat

14.89 Seconds

 

Event 26 - B Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors

1st

Corio

8.08 Seconds

2nd

Benalla

8.11 Seconds

3rd

Bairnsdale/Lakes Entrance

8.19 Seconds

4th

Geelong West

8.52 Seconds

5th

Morwell

8.85 Seconds

 

Event 27 - C Section Hose and Ladder Fives 

1st

Whittlesea

23.28 Seconds

2nd

Hoppers Crossing

23.34 Seconds

3rd

Maffra B

23.59 Seconds

4th

Sale

24.22 Seconds

5th

Knox Group

25.15 Seconds

 

Event 28 - A Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st

Kangaroo Flat

7.55 Seconds

2nd

Eaglehawk A

7.67 Seconds

3rd

Narre Warren A

7.80 Seconds

4th

Swan Hill

7.93 Seconds

5th

Harvey W.A.

7.98 Seconds

 

Event 29 - B Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st

Morwell

29.51 Seconds

2nd

Kyneton

30.83 Seconds

3rd

Corio

31.22 Seconds

4th

Patterson River

31.53 Seconds

5th

St Arnaud

32.54 Seconds

 

Event 30 - C Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st

Warracknabeal

8.13 Seconds

2nd

Euroa B

8.47 Seconds

3rd

Maffra B

8.57 Seconds

4th

Narre Warren B

8.58 Seconds

5th

Sale

8.80 Seconds

 

Event 31 - Champion Fours 

1st

Maryvale

16.53 Seconds

2nd

Wendouree

17.03 Seconds

3rd

Moe

17.24 Seconds

4th

Traralgon

17.55 Seconds

5th

Bendigo

17.77 Seconds

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

Dry Aggregate

1st

Kangaroo Flat

40 Points

2nd

Narre Warren A

16 Points

3rd

Maryvale

10 Points

 

Wet Aggregate

1st

Corio

56 Points

2nd

Drouin/Bunyip

48 Points

3rd

Sale

40 Points

 

SECTION AGGREGATES:

‘A’ SECTION

1st

Kangaroo Flat

76 Points

2nd

Drouin/Bunyip

48 Points

3rd

Wendouree

40 Points

 

‘B’ SECTION

1st

Corio

77 Points

2nd

Benalla

45 Points

=3rd

Morwell, Patterson River & St Arnaud

34 Points

 

‘C’ SECTION

1st

Warracknabeal

52 Points

2nd

Sale

44 Points

3rd

Warrnambool

37 Points

 

2015 CHAMPION BRIGADE: Kangaroo Flat

 

The team members of Kangaroo Flat are Coach David Dargaville, and competitors:

 

Jackson Dargaville

Tomas Dargaville

Shane Every

Shane Harris

Tyler Harris

Jamie Hart

Jack Mactier

Adam Mellis

James Murphy

Craig Peters

Andrew Smith

 

 

Results for the 2015 Champion Competitor:

1st

Jackson Dargaville (Kangaroo Flat)

16 Points

=2nd

Jamie Hart (Kangaroo Flat) & Thomas Germon (Wendouree)

15 Points

=4th

James Hall (Drouin/Bunyip), Steve Forrest (Drouin/Bunyip) & Matt Royal (Maryvale)

13 Points

 

 

The Victoria / Western Australia Challenge took place after the final event, the Champion Fours, and was won by the Western Australian team in a time of 29.15 seconds with the Victorian team 29.96 seconds. The competitors of the two teams for the Victoria / Western Australia Challenge were:

 

Western Australian:

            Tim Egerton-Green     Harvey

            Cory Goodhill             Mandurah

            Scott Hendon              Mandurah

            Phil Johnson                Mandurah

            Luke Jones                  Harvey

            Levi Pope                    Harvey

            Steve Rees                  Harvey

            Jarrod White               Mandurah

            Catcher Vaea Peterson, Carterton N.Z.

            & Coach - Richard Epplett, Carterton N.Z.  

 

Victoria:

Jackson Dargaville,    

Tom Dargaville &

Jamie Hart                  Kangaroo Flat

Evan Bramley             Drouin/Bunyip

Michael Coleman        Maffra

Dale Hutchinson         Narre Warren

Nathan Rennie                        Tatura

Matt Royal                  Maryvale

 

Catcher Peter Fiddes, Tatura

& Coach David Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat

Published in VFBV News
Tuesday, 17 February 2015 00:00

VFBV Urban Junior Championships Results

Tatura's juniors have dominated the 2015 VFBV Urban Junior Championships at Horsham, with a strong win from Benalla and Drouin/Bunyip.

Click here for full results.

More than 700 junior CFA volunteers from Victoria and WA took part, in events involving fitness, skill and speed with hoses and equipment, and putting water onto a target.

One thousand spectators and supporters were there to see 75 teams from 46 Brigades competing, in events hosted by Horsham Fire Brigade and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

Aggregate results are;

WET AGGREGATE

1st TATURA A 37 points

2nd SWAN HILL A 16 points

=3rd EUROA A & MOE A 13 points

 

UNDER 14 YEARS AGGREGATE

1st TATURA A 43 points

2nd DROUIN/BUNYIP 26 points

3rd BENALLA 18 points

 

UNDER 17 YEARS AGGREGATE

1st TATURA A 29 points

2nd SWAN HILL A 24 points

3rd MOE A 22 points

 

GRAND AGGREGATE

1st TATURA A 72 points

2nd BENALLA 28 points

3rd DROUIN/BUNYIP 26 points

 

2015 -Champion Brigade Members – TATURA A

Coaches Martin Rennie, Darren Rennie & Damian Briese, and competitors:

Leigh Dann

Guilz Meola

Hayley Rennie

Matthew Rennie

Nathan Rennie

Grady Tyson

Floyd Vincitorio

Jeremey Withal

 

Click here for the events program, list of competing Brigades, championship rules and media contact detaills.

Published in VFBV News

Programs and teams for the 2015 VFBV Urban Championships and Junior Urban Championships are now available for download.

Click here for the Urban Championships page

 

 

Published in VFBV News

Invitation to apply

Four VFBV Board vacancies – for a 2 year term until 1 October 2017

Closing date for written applications is Friday 31 July 2015

VFBV advances the interests of all Victorian fire brigade volunteers and advocates on their behalf to CFA and other key stakeholders. The VFBV Board drives policy development based on volunteer input and is involved in management of issues of central importance to all CFA volunteers.

Vacancies for Four Board Members will arise when the terms of Tom Brodie, Gary Lyttle, Mick Nunweek and Hans van Hamond expire on 1st October 2015. Tom Brodie will retire on the expiration of his term on 1st October 2015; all other members are eligible for re-appointment.

The term of appointment will be for two years and applications are invited from interested volunteers to be considered for these vacancies.

The role of a VFBV Board Member involves contributing to VFBV direction, policy determination and monitoring the performance and governance of the Association. Also actively contributing to policy discussion at Board Meetings, networking with others about policies and issues management, and not only making decisions but being prepared to actively advocate for the benefit of all CFA volunteers and ultimately the Victorian community.

Click here for a Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria.

This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.

If you are motivated by the prospect of making a difference for CFA volunteers, then send your written application addressing the key selection criteria in the role statement, plus an outline of your CFA activity including the names of two referees.

Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Friday 31 July 2015, to:       

VFBV, P O Box 453, Mt Waverley 3149

Tel: 9886 1141;   Fax: 9886 1618

Email: j.laingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in VFBV News
Wednesday, 26 November 2014 00:00

Open Letter to the People of Victoria

A message from the Board of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

On Tuesday 18th November, the Labor Party announced a policy that we believe will have grave and disastrous consequences for CFA.

As CFA volunteer firefighters with an average of over 40 years’ service each and as the elected board of the body established in Victorian law to be the voice of CFA volunteers, we feel the need to take this unprecedented action of activating all Victorians to help us stop a policy that has the potential to destroy CFA.

Our concern with the recently announced Labor policy is that it establishes external industrial interference with the CFA Chief Officer’s power to decide where and when and how he uses CFA firefighters.

We are also concerned that Labor’s policy will reduce CFA’s volunteer firefighting force by thousands of volunteers, pushing volunteers out of CFA stations and hundreds of CFA trucks off the road when we need them for major fires such as Black Saturday.

Labor has grossly underestimated the cost and impact of its policy.  Labor’s promise of $150M and an additional 350 paid firefighters actually only provides 70 additional paid firefighters on the ground at any one time under current paid firefighter rostering arrangements, and it will come at the expense of thousands of highly trained and professional volunteer firefighters.

We support and welcome additional paid support and resources for CFA, provided these resources are required and provided that the CFA determines the need, not a union.  Don’t be fooled, the plan announced by Labor is not about improving community safety in Victoria, the detail included in their announcement is about giving the control of CFA to a union.

Labor’s policy announcement includes specific provisions to surrender CFA operational decisions to an external industrial relations panel.

Instead of Labor’s policy, we need a plan that will recruit and train more CFA volunteer firefighters, provide trucks and equipment to combat fires and other incidents, investment in a modern firefighting fleet, give CFA the flexibility to deploy resources when and where they are needed and remove industrial control over how CFA uses its workforce.

Victoria is one of the most fire prone areas in the world and there are predictions of longer, hotter and more severe fire seasons ahead.  If Labor’s policy is allowed to push trained and experienced CFA volunteers out of fire stations across greater metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria will not have the fire fighting force it needs for day to day incidents and certainly will not have the force to deal with major incidents when they occur, such as Black Saturday.

When you vote on Saturday 29th understand one thing, as some of Victoria’s most senior volunteer firefighters, we believe Labor’s policy for CFA is not good for CFA volunteers, is not good for Victoria and is not good for the future of CFA.
Signed;

All ten members of the VFBV Board. (The attached PDF copy includes all ten signatures)

 


 

A Message to the Labor Party

Dear (Labor) Member of Parliament,

This week the Board of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria have taken the unprecedented step of publishing an open letter to the people of Victoria, to record their strong objection to Labor’s policy announcement of the 18th November 2014 affecting the CFA.

The Board have not taken this decision lightly, and want you to understand the depth of despair and anger amongst volunteer ranks caused by Labor’s CFA policy - a policy that sweeps aside the role, discounts the work and ignores the rights of unpaid, hard-working and committed volunteers who make up over 97% of CFA’s 62,000 members and staff.

Make no mistake – this policy is a direct attack on CFA as a statutory volunteer based fire and emergency service where volunteers are supported by sufficient paid staff as expertly determined by the Chief Officer and who form a fully integrated workforce to deliver CFA services.

In 2011 Labor, Coalition and Green MPs in the Victorian Parliament unanimously voted to amend the CFA Act to explicitly recognise this long known fact.

Critical aspects of the amendment bill included:

  • Statutory recognition of the Authority as a volunteer based organisation in which volunteers are supported by employees in a fully integrated manner ;

  • Statutory recognition and acceptance of the Volunteer Charter which requires amongst other things that the Government and the Authority commits to meaningful consultation with the VFBV on behalf of CFA volunteers on any matter that might reasonably be expected to affect them;

  • The statutory requirement that he Authority in performing its functions have regard to the commitment and principles set out in the Volunteer Charter; and,

  • The statutory requirement that the Authority is responsible for developing policy and organisational arrangements that encourage, maintain and strengthen the capacity of volunteer officers and members to provide the Authority’s fire and emergency services.

The reason and purpose for these amendments were to set aside industrial arrangements introduced in the final years of the Brumby Government. Those arrangements failed to recognise that CFA and its services to the public are volunteer based and that the role of paid staff is to support such volunteers services as and when determined by the CFA’s Chief Officer and the Board of the Authority according to their statutory obligations.

Since these amendments, the CFA has fought and won cases in the Fair Work Commission and Federal Court that uphold its managerial and statutory responsibility to determine paid staff numbers and allocations within the organisation including its brigades on a needs basis as determined by the Chief Officer.

The CFA model recruits and integrates paid firefighters into volunteer brigades where they are needed to support the delivery of CFA services.

Labor’s policy axes this approach - it takes away the Chief’s role of determining these matters based on expertise and transfers it to an industrial board of reference. Further, it eliminates local volunteers and their state representatives from having any input into these decisions, despite their knowledge and experience.

This new Labor policy will have significant impacts upon CFA’s future and inevitably lead to a dramatic increase in costs to Victorians without any increase in public safety.

VFBV are deeply opposed to your support for the reinstatement of the previously short lived industrial board of reference. It changes the successful nature of the CFA as an organisation (which was consistently lauded by the Bushfire Royal Commission). It is an egregious attack on the independence and statutory powers of CFA’s Chief Officer. Decision making on key staffing issues is perverted from a critical operational matter to a matter of industrial negotiation.

To be clear, volunteers consider the office of the Chief Officer to be sacrosanct, and any attack on the independence and statutory authority of their Chief will be met with fierce and unrelenting resistance.

VFBV met with shadow Minister Wade Noonan last week following the announcement to express its concern and dismay at the policy. Nothing was provided during or since that meeting to allay our fears and we remain deeply concerned.

It was under the Bracks Labor Government that the Volunteer Charter was negotiated and signed by Steve Bracks as Premier, the CFA Chairman and the volunteer representatives. We now find that you have turned your back on the principles and values you told us were an enduring commitment. Volunteers have every right to feel aggrieved. Quite rightly, as the word spreads - volunteers will see your Party’s policy as a betrayal to the trust and respect afforded to you by CFA volunteers.
Sincerely,

Andrew Ford
Chief Executive Officer

Published in VFBV News
Wednesday, 01 October 2014 00:00

Volunteer Open Forums - Book Now

THIS SATURDAY AT BENALLA: There are still some places available at VFBV’s Open Forum for Volunteers at Benalla this weekend - see below for details and how to book - and plenty for the forums at Hamilton and Burwood East.

This is your chance to talk shop with senior CFA and VFBV personnel, raise an issue, ask a question or make a comment.

Dates and locations are;

THIS SATURDAY, 4 October - Benalla Bowls Club, 25 Arundel St, Benalla, with lunch at noon and forum at 13.00hrs.

Saturday 18 October – Hamilton Performing Arts Centre, 113 Brown St, Hamilton, with lunch at noon and forum at 13.00hrs.

Saturday 22 November – Whitehorse Club, Burwood Highway, Burwood East, with lunch at noon and forum at 13.00hrs.

Book now by contacting VFBV on (03) 9886 1141 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published in VFBV News
Sunday, 15 June 2014 00:00

CFA Volunteers Launch Cancer Petition

MEDIA RELEASE - Sunday, 15 June 2014

The CFA volunteers’ association is calling on all Victorians to sign a petition to help firefighters to get fairer and simpler cancer compensation.

Speaking at a rally of hundreds of CFA volunteers at Scoresby on Sunday, Andrew Ford of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (pictured) said the volunteers are campaigning to get rid of an unfair barrier that prevents firefighters from getting the compensation they have been promised.

“We have been working with the Government and opposition parties for several years, but firefighters who suffer from cancer that’s related to their firefighting services are still facing an almost impossible barrier, right when they are sick and most in need of help,” Mr Ford said.

“The problem is in proving the cancer was work related, whether it be for a volunteer firefighter or one of their career colleagues,” he said.

“Unlike a broken bone, cancer can take many years to appear, leaving the firefighter with the nearly impossible task of proving that one particular incident caused the cancer.”

“It effectively says you are entitled to the compensation, but when you get sick, you can’t have it,” Mr Ford said.

The CFA volunteers are now collecting signatures for a statewide petition, calling on the Victorian Parliament to change the law so the onus of proof is reversed.

“Certain types of cancer are known to be more common in firefighters, and we need Victoria to follow the lead of the Australian, Tasmanian, West Australian and South Australian

Parliaments in recognising those 12 cancers and presuming them to be work related if the sick firefighter has sufficient years of service,” Mr Ford said.

“The firefighters’ cancer law would relieve the sick CFA volunteer of the almost impossible task of proving the cancer was work related, and would allow them to concentrate on their treatment and recovery, instead of a lengthy court case,” he said.

“As the CFA volunteers’ association, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria is distributing the Firefighters’ Cancer Petition to every district in the state, and we call on every Victorian to sign the petition and show support for the volunteers who do so much to protect the community.”

The Firefighters’ Cancer Petition calls on the Victorian Parliament to introduce legislation based on the Australian Parliament’s legislation, listing 12 known firefighter cancers, with equal coverage for volunteer firefighters and their career colleagues.

You can download the petition and learn more about presumptive legislation, the firefighters’ cancer law, at the CFA volunteers’ website; www.vfbv.com.au

CFA Brigades protect 60% of suburban Melbourne, regional cities and all of country Victoria, every day and night of the year.

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the petition kit, including instructions for its use and a leaflet explaining the issue to the public.

CLICK HERE to read more about the Firefighters’ Cancer Law and how you can help

 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 22 September 2014 00:00

First Batch of Petitions goes to Parliament

UPDATED 25 OCTOBER 2014

Labor MP Luke Donnellan's statement to the Victorian Parliament, after tabling part of the first batch of 16,000 signatures on the CFA Volunteers' Cancer Petition, which calls on the Government to fix problems with the existing firefighters’ cancer compensation process.

Mr DONNELLAN (Narre Warren North) -- I congratulate Country Fire Authority volunteers on the collection over a short period of time of well over 16 000 signatures to petitions about presumptive legislation in relation to firefighters, both volunteer and full time.

We on this side of the house recognise that there is a direct link between fighting fires and certain types of cancer. We also note that the commonwealth Parliament passed, in a bipartisan way, presumptive legislation which allows recognition of that link and changes the onus of proof from the firefighter. Therefore firefighters are able to make a claim against WorkCover based on the presumption that certain types of firefighting and chemicals can result in cancer.

Over a period of, I think, two months the volunteers collected well over 16 000 signatures to petitions. The government to date has been silent. At the moment there is an inquiry going on at Monash University. I know there are many members of the government who support the idea of presumptive legislation and who are pushing internally in relation to that, but we on this side of the house have fully supported it for the 60 000 volunteers and the full-time firefighters.

See the VFBV media release here

VFBV is hopeful the presentation of these petitions to the Victorian Parliament next week will help convince MPs of all parties to fix a problem that has now been fixed in most other States across Australia.

16,000 signatures are included in this first batch, making this one of the largest petitions to be presented to the current Parliament. In the meantime, the campaign continues and volunteers are urged to keep collecting signatures and posting completed petitions to VFBV, PO Box 453, Mt Waverley 3149.

The first batch of petitions was lodged with the assistance of Labor MP for Narre Warren North, Luke Donnellan (Pictured), and Liberal MP for Hastings, Neale Burgess.

Please post signed petitions to:

VFBV Cancer Petition, PO Box 453, Mt Waverley 3149.

CLICK HERE to download a copy of the petition kit, including instructions for its use and a leaflet explaining the issue to the public.

Published in VFBV News
Wednesday, 14 May 2014 00:00

Have your say on . . .

CFA Electrical Safety Advisory Group

VFBV has been invited to nominate 3 members to be part of a CFA Electrical Safety Advisory Group.

This small working group will provide advice on electrical matters that impact CFA, including but not limited to;

  •          Firefighting training materials
  •          Railway electricity procedures
  •          LV fuse removal
  •          De-energizing electrical systems (solar etc)
  •          Standards for 240v wiring, systems and appliances on operational vehicles
  •          Generators, Invertors & UPS’s

As this is a specialist group, it is desirable for our nominees to have the following attributes;

  •          Current operational member/activity (aware of fire ground practices)
  •          Extensive background in the electrical industry
  •          Access to email & internet (a lot of work of this group will be done via electronic means)

Please pass this information on to members you feel might like to be involved in this advisory group, and ask them to send VFBV an Expression of Interest, detailing their Name, Brigade, and any background information/work history that they feel would benefit them in this role. Send EOIs to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Monday 16 June please.

 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 10 November 2014 00:00

Fleet Funding - There's More Work To Do

Every brigade should be talking with the community and local MPs about funding to bring CFA’s ageing frontline fleet up to date.

We’ve taken a good step forward on fleet funding, but the job is not yet finished.

State Government’s announcement of $29 million for 78 new trucks - mostly the new Medium Tankers which were designed with VFBV and volunteer involvement - was great news but the funding boost only lasts for one year.

Hundreds of frontline CFA trucks are over the 20 year age limit that is common practice among Australia’s fire services, and there needs to be an ongoing replacement program and reliable ongoing funding to enable CFA, brigades and the truck manufacturing industry to plan ahead.

VFBV is keen to continue working with all political parties towards a long term fleet funding solution, and your Brigade’s representations at the local level will help keep the issue uppermost in MPs’ minds.

See VFBV’s News Note for MPs on Fleet Funding for all the facts and figures, available for download below.

MEDIA RELEASE - 1 MAY 2014

$29 MILLION FOR CFA FIRE TRUCKS IS GOOD NEWS - VOLUNTEERS

The CFA volunteers’ association says today’s announcement of $29 million and 78 new trucks for volunteer Brigades is good news for CFA volunteers.

<Click here to see video from the official announcement>

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) CEO Andrew Ford says the trucks are being directed to the right end of the fleet.

“Seventy-four of the new trucks will be modern medium tankers, which were designed with VFBV and volunteer involvement and will go to volunteer Brigades in country Victoria and the outer suburbs, where the need is greatest,” Mr Ford said.

“Volunteers have been working hard to inform State MPs on the need for CFA’s fleet of front line fire trucks to be brought up to date, and today’s announcement is a welcome sign that we are being heard,” he said.

“Seventy-eight new trucks and $29 million dollars is a good start, and VFBV is keen to continue working with Government towards a long term solution to the ageing of the fleet.”

CFA’s fleet of 2,200 front line fire trucks is well maintained, but currently includes more than 500 that are over the 20 year age limit that is common practice among Australia’s fire services.

“With a fleet that size, there needs to be an ongoing replacement program and reliable ongoing funding to enable CFA, Brigades and the truck manufacturing industry to plan ahead,” Mr Ford said.

“CFA volunteers will be pleased with today’s announcement, it is a sign that the Government is listening, and a good start towards an ongoing solution that better protects the Victorian community,” he said.

Victoria has 60,000 CFA volunteers in 1,200 Brigades, protecting 60% of suburban Melbourne, regional cities and all of country Victoria every day and night of the year.

See below to download VFBV’s Fleet Funding News Note for volunteers, issued 1 May 2014 and the earlier VFBV News Note for MPs - the briefing sent to all Victorian Members of Parliament.

Published in VFBV News
Thursday, 01 May 2014 00:00

CFA AND VFBV BOARD VACANCIES

UPDATED 13 MAY 2014

A CFA Act amendment Bill currently before Parliament will refine the appointment process for CFA Board Members to give CFA a skills-based Board rather than one based on representation of stakeholders.

<See below for official advertisements and role statements for nominees>

The changes to the CFA Act are designed to ensure the CFA Board has the skills and expertise required to operate as a high performing Board.

They recognise and reinforce the importance of the Board possessing strong knowledge, expertise and understanding of CFA volunteerism.

Significantly, the changes also recognise VFBV’s crucial role, by retaining our role of submitting a panel of names from which four of the nine CFA Board members will be selected by the Minister.

Retaining volunteer involvement at CFA Board level is important for all CFA volunteers and a terrific achievement for VFBV, signifying respect for the role that VFBV performs.  VFBV and the Government are the only bodies named in the proposed amendments to the CFA Act as nominating CFA Board members.

The proposed change to the CFA Act reaffirms the role of volunteers at every level of CFA’s decision making, and is in line with VFBV’s thinking that an extensive knowledge and experience of volunteering and working with volunteers is one of the essential skills for any potential CFA Board Member.  A CFA Board with strong volunteer knowledge and experience is essential.

The change in the CFA Act would look for a number of skills and abilities in CFA Board members, including; “knowledge of, or experience in, commercial, technical, operational, legal or financial matters;” and “expertise in fire services, emergency management, land management or any other field relevant to the performance of the functions of the Authority.”

In introducing the Bill, Police and Emergency Services Minister Kim Wells has told Parliament;

“The bill will transform the existing CFA board appointment process by requiring that board members have one or more of a series of critical skills, knowledge or experience, while continuing to recognise that the CFA is essentially a volunteer based emergency service.

“It is important that the CFA board has strong volunteer expertise, knowledge and an understanding of CFA volunteerism.

"To guarantee such familiarity, knowledge and understanding of CFA volunteerism four members of the CFA board will be nominees of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.”

The Bill provides for four CFA Board members, being “two volunteer members of brigades predominately serving urban communities;” and “two volunteer members of brigades predominately serving rural communities”, “to be appointed from a panel of names nominated by the Board of Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria”.

If you or someone you know has the skills, experience and knowledge to make a difference on the CFA Board, now or in the future, please contact VFBV on (03)9886 1141 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

CFA AND VFBV BOARD VACANCIES

 

VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADES VICTORIA

ADVISES OF CFA BOARD VACANCIES

CFA legislation provides for four of the CFA Board’s Members to be appointed from a panel of names submitted by Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

A CFA Act amendment Bill currently before Parliament will refine the appointment process for CFA Board Members to ensure the CFA Board has the skills and expertise required to operate as a high performing Board.

The changes recognise and reinforce the importance of the Board possessing strong knowledge, expertise and understanding of CFA volunteerism, and also seek to ensure the CFA Board has skills knowledge and expertise in commercial, financial, legal, public administration and emergency services, with the requirement that nominees have one or more of the skill requirements outlined in the legislation.

The terms of CFA Board Members Paul Denham and Don Robertson expire in August 2014, creating two vacancies on the CFA Board to be nominated by VFBV, one being a representative from a brigade predominantly serving urban communities and one being a representative from a brigade predominantly serving rural communities as per the CFA Act.

CFA volunteers who believe they have the skills, experience and capacity to make a contribution to the CFA Board, and ensure that the CFA Board has strong volunteer expertise, knowledge and an understanding of CFA volunteerism, are invited to apply to fill these vacancies.

From applications received and following interviews, VFBV will submit a panel of names to the Minister for Police & Emergency Services.

The CFA Board meets on a monthly basis and also operates a committee system which could require a commitment of one half day per month.  Attendance at official functions is also expected.

The appointment to the CFA Board would be for a period of up to three years; the retiring members are eligible for re-appointment.

Remuneration for a member of the CFA Board is $17,314 p.a.

A Role Statement is available on the VFBV website or available from the VFBV office. For other relevant information, interested volunteers should contact VFBV – contact details below.

Applications including a current resume must be lodged with VFBV by COB on Monday, 16th June 2014, to:          

VFBV, P O Box 453, Mt Waverley Vic 3149 

Tel:  9886 1141; Email:  j.laingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Board Members of Volunteer

Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV)

 

Invitation to apply

Four VFBV Board vacancies – for a 2 year term until 1st October 2016

Closing date for written applications is Monday 11th August 2014

VFBV advances the interests of all Victorian fire brigade volunteers and advocates on their behalf to CFA and other key stakeholders. The VFBV Board drives policy development based on volunteer input and is involved in management of issues of central importance to all CFA volunteers.

Vacancies for Four Board Members will arise when the terms of Andy Cusack, Nev Jones, Bill Maltby and Bruce Pickett expire on 1st October 2014.  

The term of appointment will be for two years and applications are invited from interested volunteers to be considered for these vacancies.  The retiring members are eligible for re-appointment.

The role of a VFBV Board Member involves contributing to VFBV direction, performance and policy discussion at Board Meetings, networking with others about policies and issues management, and not only making decisions but being prepared to actively advocate for the benefit of all CFA volunteers and ultimately the Victorian community.

A Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria is available from the VFBV office or website www.vfbv.com.au

This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.

If you are motivated by the prospect of making a difference for CFA volunteers, then send your written application addressing the key selection criteria in the role statement, plus an outline of your CFA activity including the names of two referees.

Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Monday 11th August 2014.

to:        VFBV, P O Box 453, Mt Waverley  3149

            Tel:  9886 1141;    Fax:  9886 1618

            Email:  j.laingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 24 March 2014 00:00

Issues coming up at State Council

The VFBV State Council and Executive will meet at Fiskville on Saturday/Sunday, 12 and 13 April.

Issues to be discussed include;

  •          A District 16 motion that VFBV approach CFA to have the maintenance level of Field Command Vehicles changed from current level 3 to level 1
  •          A District 16 motion that VFBV approach CFA and relevant government agencies to develop a Grain Harvesting Code of Practice similar to that used in SA
  •          An issue raised by Beaufort Group calling for improved procedures for the recognition of interstate volunteers’ training records
  •          District 20’s concerns about the performance of the new pagers and the way they were distributed to Brigades
  •          Concerns from Brigades in District 20 about the need to continue the SMS alerting service alongside the pager system
  •          Concerns from District 22 about pagers and radios
Published in VFBV News
Monday, 24 March 2014 00:00

Issues coming up at State Council

The VFBV State Council and Executive will meet at Fiskville on Saturday/Sunday, 12 and 13 April.

Issues to be discussed include;

  •          A District 16 motion that VFBV approach CFA to have the maintenance level of Field Command Vehicles changed from current level 3 to level 1
  •          A District 16 motion that VFBV approach CFA and relevant government agencies to develop a Grain Harvesting Code of Practice similar to that used in SA
  •          An issue raised by Beaufort Group calling for improved procedures for the recognition of interstate volunteers’ training records
  •          District 20’s concerns about the performance of the new pagers and the way they were distributed to Brigades
  •          Concerns from Brigades in District 20 about the need to continue the SMS alerting service alongside the pager system
  •          Concerns from District 22 about pagers and radios
Published in VFBV News
Thursday, 06 March 2014 00:00

2014 VFBV Urban Championships

Kangaroo Flat has won the title of Champion Brigade, at the 2014 Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) Urban Championships, at Bendigo.

Jamie Hart and Tom Dargaville, of Kangaroo Flat, were named Champion Competitors.

The Championship weekend included a torchlight procession through central Bendigo and featured hundreds of competitors in 67 teams including several from WA.

The event was hosted by the Bendigo & District Fire Brigades Championship Committee, CFA and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria.

The three days of competition included events based on practical firefighting activities, building fitness, team skills and capabilities with hoses, hydrants and other equipment that make them a useful addition to each Brigade’s regular weekly training regime.

The championships also offer one of same benefits as staging a major fire brigade exercise; giving Brigades and volunteers the chance to build the networks that pay off when they work together on large scale bushfires and other major emergencies.

The firefighters’ championships are one aspect of VFBV’s role as a statewide network of CFA’s 60,000 volunteers.  The events continue a Victorian volunteer fire brigade tradition of more than 140 years.

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

Dry Aggregate

1st        Kangaroo Flat             24 Points

2nd        Drouin/Bunyip            21 Points

3rd        Maryvale                     8 Points

 

Wet Aggregate

1st        Kangaroo Flat             58 Points

2nd        Benalla                        52 Points

3rd        Traralgon                     42 Points        

 

SECTION AGGREGATES:

‘A’ SECTION

1st        Kangaroo Flat             82 Points

2nd        Drouin/Bunyip            42 Points

3rd        Narre Warren              37 Points

 

‘B’ SECTION

1st        Kooweerup                 50 Points

2nd        Traralgon                     47 Points

3rd        Cobden                       40 Points

 

‘C’ SECTION

1st        Benalla                        63 Points

2nd        Patterson River           41 Points

3rd        St Arnaud                   39 Points

 

2014 CHAMPION BRIGADE: KANGAROO FLAT

Coach David Dargaville, and competitors:   Tom Dargaville, Jackson Dargaville, Glen Scholtes, Jamie Hart, Jacob Cahill, James Murphy, Shane Every, Craig Peters, Andrew Smith, Kate Dargaville, Tyler Harris, Nathan Styles, Adam Melis, Cheri O’Neill & Brett Styles.

 

Results for the 2014 Champion Competitor:

Equal 1st        Jamie Hart and Tom Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat        19 points

3rd        Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                                      17 points

=4th      Jackson Dargaville & Matt Royal (Maryvale)                    14 points

 

The Victoria / Western Australia Challenge took place after the final event, the Champion Fours, and was won by the Victorian team.  The competitors of the two teams for the Victoria / Western Australia Challenge were:

Western Australia:

Coach Horrie Hubble – South Hedland, and competitors

Andrew Seuren, Cory Goodhill & Catcher Dan Lawson – Mandurah Reece Parton, Tim Egerton-Green & Troy Rake – Harvey, Sam Trott – Brunswick Junction, Marlon Baars & Tim Bruce – South Hedland.

Victoria:

Coach David Dargaville, and competitors - Jackson Dargaville,Tom Dargaville, Jamie Hart

& Jacob Cahill – Kangaroo Flat, Peter Every – Wendouree, Kyle Hargreavs – Maffra, Steven Myers – Drouin/Bunyip, Arthur Churchill – Narre Warren, Matty van Tilburg – Moe

 

RESULTS - EVENT BY EVENT

SATURDAY, 8th MARCH

Event 1, DISCIPLINE CONTEST

 

Section A:     1st        Mornington                                     90.00%

                        2nd        Melton A                                         89.55%

                        3rd        Mildura                                            89.09%

                         4th        Harvey W.A.                                   87.27%

                         5th        Eaglehawk A                                 85.91%

 

Section B:     1st        Kyneton                                          87.27%

                        2nd        Belgrave                                        86.36%

                        3rd        South Hedland W.A.                     83.64%

                        4th        Kooweerup                                    82.73%

                        5th        Horsham                                        81.36%

 

Section C:     1st        Knox Group                           92.73%

                        2nd        Patterson River                    92.27%

                        3rd        Hoppers Crossing              88.64%

                        4th        Benalla                                  86.36%

                        5th        Whittlesea                            85.45%

 

Event No. 2 –  Ladder Race - One Competitor 

1st       Jackson Dargaville, Kangaroo Flat                 6.12 seconds  

2nd        Troy Ranke, Harvey W.A.                                   6.68 seconds

3rd        Andrew Norman, Hampton Park/Hallam       6.69 seconds

4th        Jake Rennie, Tatura                                           6.70 seconds

5th        Cory Goodhill, Mandurah W.A.                          6.83 seconds

 

Event  3 - Hydrant Race - One Competitor 

1st       Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                        11.43 seconds

2nd        Michael Coleman, Maffra                             11.82 seconds

3rd        Josh Pike, Mildura                                         11.86 seconds

4th        Damon Sutton, Wendouree                         12.11 seconds

5th        Jake Rennie, Tatura                                      12.48 seconds

 

Event 4 – B Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Pyramid Hill                                                    15.69 seconds

2nd        Geelong West                                               15.99 seconds

3rd        Traralgon                                                        16.09 seconds

4th        Hampton Park/Hallam                                 16.16 seconds

5th        Horsham                                                         16.43 seconds

 

Event No. 5 - C Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st       Leigh Barclay, Belmont                                 24.97 seconds

2nd        Cameron Whelan, Warracknabeal            27.45 seconds

3rd        Adam Bishop, Warrnambool                       27.62 seconds

4th        Devon Winsall, Belmont                               27.73 seconds

5th        Shaune Winsall, Warracknabeal                 27.89 seconds

 

Event No.  6 - A Section Hose and Ladder Eights

1st       Kangaroo Flat                                                   20.72 seconds

2nd        Wendouree                                                       21.47 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                                             21.74 seconds

4th        Narre Warren                                                    21.77 seconds

5th        Eaglehawk A                                                     21.82 seconds

 

Event  No. 7 - B Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st       Simon Hanigan, Belgrave                                25.67 seconds

2nd        Andrew Marshall, Cobden                              26.31 seconds

3rd        Brad Atkinson, Belgrave                                  26.88 seconds

4th        Cody Brown, Traralgon                                    27.78 seconds

5th        Wayne Sampson, South Hedland W.A.        28.06 seconds 

 

Event No. 8 - C Section Hose and Reel Fours

1st       Benalla                                                              17.84 seconds

2nd        Whittlesea                                                       18.47 seconds

3rd        Stanhope                                                          19.38 seconds

4th        St Arnaud                                                         19.55 seconds

5th        Warracknabeal                                                20.11 seconds 

 

Event No. 9 - A Section Marshall - One Competitor 

1st        Steven Myers, Drouin/Bunyip                          23.81 seconds

2nd        Matthew Royal, Maryvale                                 23.99 seconds

3rd        Mitch Golding, Drouin/Bunyip                         24.41 seconds

4th        Thomas Germon, Wendouree                      25.31 seconds

5th        Damon Sutton, Wendouree                           25.44 seconds

 

Event  No. 10 - B Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       Kooweerup                                                      30.03 seconds

2nd        Werribee                                                         30.51 seconds

3rd        South Hedland, W.A.                                     32.11 seconds

4th        Maldon                                                             33.18 seconds

5th        Cobden                                                            34.27 seconds

 

Torchlight Procession

1st        Maffra                                                    96%

=2nd     Hoppers Crossing & Mildura           93%

4th        Melton                                                   91%

=5th      Kangaroo Flat & Swan Hill               90%

 

SUNDAY, 9th MARCH

 

Event 11– C Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Eaglehawk B                                 17.80 seconds

2nd        Mooroopna                                   18.43 seconds

3rd        Benalla                                          18.46 seconds

4th        Warracknabeal                            18.79 seconds

5th        Seymour                                       20.17 seconds

 

Event 12 - A Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       James Murphy & Shane Every, Kangaroo Flat           14.29 seconds

2nd        Jared Squires & Josh Powell, Melton                         14.72 seconds

3rd        Chris Johnson & David Fromberg, Maryvale             15.11 seconds

4th        Tim Edgerton-Green & Luke Jones, Harvey W.A.     15.37 seconds

5th        Adrian Jones & Dale Hutchinson, Narre Warren      15.49 seconds

 

Event 13 - B Section Hose and Ladder Eights 

1st       Werribee                                                                              23.29 seconds

2nd        Traralgon                                                                            23.63 seconds

3rd        Cobden                                                                               23.82 seconds

4th        Kyneton                                                                              24.43 seconds

5th        Sorrento                                                                            24.61 seconds

 

Event 14 - C Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       Mark & Tim Mullins, Patterson River                             15.36 seconds

2nd        Brenton & Leonard Lawrence, Hoppers Crossing    16.65 seconds

3rd        Adam & Sam Bishop, Warrnambool                             17.67 seconds

4th        Matthew & Cameron Crellin, Mansfield                         18.23 seconds

5th        Nick Bailey & Les Palpratt, Benalla                               18.49 seconds

 

Event 15 - A Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st       Kangaroo Flat                                                                    26.95 seconds

2nd        Narre Warren                                                                   27.69 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                                                                  28.03 seconds

4th        Bendigo                                                                            28.16 seconds

5th        Wendouree                                                                      28.39 seconds

 

Event 16 - B Section Marshall - Two Competitors 

1st       Andrew Marshall & Ben Nelson, Cobden                   15.84 seconds

2nd        Tim & Joshua Harvey, Kooweerup                              16.34 seconds

3rd        Brendan Webbers & John Roberts, Kooweerup       16.95 seconds

4th        Russell Dow & James Templeton, Belgrave               17.38 seconds

5th        Liam Bunn & Brett Magrath, Kyneton                             17.47 seconds 

 

Event 17 - C Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       St Arnaud                                                                             30.47 seconds

2nd        Whittlesea                                                                          32.06 seconds

3rd        Warracknabeal                                                                   32.17 seconds

4th        Sale                                                                                      33.88 seconds

5th        Mooroopna                                                                          34.44 seconds

 

Event 18 - A Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

1st       Narre Warren                                                                     11.68 seconds

2nd        Melton A                                                                              11.71 seconds

3rd        Dandenong                                                                        12.07 seconds

4th        Drouin/Bunyip                                                                    12.75 seconds

5th        Creswick                                                                             12.94 seconds

 

Event 19 - B Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Traralgon                                                                             33.88 seconds

2nd        Sorrento                                                                             34.58 seconds

3rd        Kooweerup                                                                        35.92 seconds

4th        Werribee                                                                            37.15 seconds

5th        South Hedland, W.A.                                                       37.57 seconds 

 

Event 20 - C Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper

1st       Benalla                                    14.65 seconds

2nd        Sale                                         15.49 seconds

3rd        Warracknabeal            15.71 seconds

4th        Warrnambool                          15.80 seconds

5th        Stanhope                                 16.20 seconds

 

Event 21 - A Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Eaglehawk A                          30.37 seconds

2nd        Kangaroo Flat                         30.40 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                 33.03 seconds

4th        Creswick                                 33.16 seconds

5th        Euroa                                       33.18 seconds

 

Event 22 - B Section Hose, Hydrant and Pumper  

1st       Kooweerup                             14.01 seconds

2nd        Traralgon                                 14.69 seconds

3rd        Geelong West                         15.26 seconds

4th        Cobden                                   16.16 seconds

5th        Horsham                                  16.25 seconds

 

Event 23 – C Section Y Coupling and Ladder Eights 

1st       Patterson River                       35.40 seconds

2nd        Benalla                                    37.81 seconds

3rd        Eaglehawk B                           39.24 seconds

4th        Whittlesea                               39.62 seconds

5th        Warrnambool                          41.87 seconds

 

Event 24 - A Section Hose and Reel Sixes 

1st       Maffra                                         28.47 seconds

2nd        Moe                                           28.62 seconds

3rd        Narre Warren                          28.72 seconds

4th        Bendigo                                   28.81 seconds

5th        Dandenong                             31.98 seconds 

 

MONDAY, MARCH 10th

Event 25 – A Section Pumper & Ladder – Five Competitors

1st       Echuca                                    13.65 seconds

2nd        Maryvale                                 13.95 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                       14.18 seconds

4th        Swan Hill                               14.42 seconds

5th        Dandenong                           15.08 seconds

 

Event 26 - B Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors

1st       South Hedland W.A.                 8.50 seconds  

2nd        Werribee                                   8.59 seconds

3rd        Traralgon                                   8.86 seconds

4th        Kooweerup                               8.93 seconds

5th        Cobden                                    8.96 seconds

 

Event 27 - C Section Hose and Ladder Fives 

1st       St Arnaud                                   22.16 seconds

2nd        Patterson River                       23.57 seconds

3rd        Sale                                           23.93 seconds

 

Event 28 - A Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st       Kangaroo Flat                         7.82 seconds  

2nd        Swan Hill                                8.16 seconds

3rd        Drouin/Bunyip                        8.17 seconds

4th        Mildura                                    8.20 seconds

5th        Wendouree                            8.35 seconds

 

Event 29 - B Section Hose and Reel Eights

1st       Belgrave                                  29.52 seconds

2nd        Maldon                                    31.93 seconds

3rd        South Hedland W.A.              32.26 seconds

4th        Cobden                                   32.31 seconds

5th        Geelong West                         32.39 seconds

 

Event 30 - C Section Y Coupling - Four Competitors 

1st       Benalla                                    7.86 seconds  

2nd        Belmont                                 8.26 seconds

3rd        St Arnaud                               8.74 seconds

4th        Patterson River                      8.82 seconds

5th        Sale                                         9.10 seconds

 

Event 31 - Champion Fours 

1st       Kangaroo Flat                         17.19 seconds

2nd        Cobden                                   17.35 seconds

3rd        Maryvale                                 17.47 seconds

4th        Drouin/Bunyip                        17.63 seconds

5th        Golden Square                       18.21 seconds

4th        Benalla                                     24.04 seconds

5th        Knox Group                              24.19 seconds

 

 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 24 February 2014 08:35

VFBV Junior Urban State Championships

2014 VFBV Junior Urban State Championships at Swan Hill, 22 and 23 February.

FINAL RESULTS

Sunday 23rd February

EVENT 1

UNDER 14 YRS HYDRANT RACE

WANGARATTA                   10.6

MARYVALE A                      10.81

SALE A                                 11.02

EAGLEHAWK                       11.08

HAMPTON PARK                  11.24

EVENT 2

UNDER 17 YRS

Y COUPLING TWO COMPETITORS

BENALLA A                              11.85

TATURA A                                12.52

MELTON A                               12.78

SALE B                                     13.16

PAKENHAM A                          13.45

EVENT 3

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE - STRIKING SECOND DISC- FOUR COMPETITORS

MOE B                                    18.76

DROUIN BUNYIP                    18.89

MELTON A                              19.01

SWAN HILL A                          19.28

SALE A                                     19.41

EVENT 4

UNDER 17 YRS

Y - COUPLING FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                             8.21

 WA KELLERBERRIN A        8.29

BENALLA A                           8.45

MOE A                                    8.52

SALE A                                  8.72

EVENT 5

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING FIRST AND SECOND DISCS

SWAN HILL A                          16.92

TATURA A                               18.38

BENALLA A                              18.39

MAFFRA A                                18.46

SALE A                                     19.01

EVENT 6

UNDER 14 YRS

MARSHALL - ONE COMPETITOR

TATURA A                                   29.67

SALE A                                         31.53

KOOWEERUP A                          31.74

BENALLA A                                   32.14

SEYMOUR                                     33.23

EVENT 7

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING FIRST AND SECOND DISCS

TATURA A                                    18.52

BENALLA A                                  21.01

MORWELL                                   21.06

SALE A                                         21.64

WANGARATTA A                         21.84

EVENT 8

UNDER 17 YRS

MARSHALL ONE COMPETITOR

BENALLA A                                 27.46

ROWVILLE A                               28.89

PYRAMID HILL                            30.60

THE BASIN A                               30.99

DROUIN/BUNYIP                         31.00

EVENT 9

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE - TWO COMPETITORS

TATURA A                                 9.98

BENALLA A                              10.26

 MELTON A                              10.46

EUROA A                                  11.21

WARRACKNABEAL                   11.23

EVENT 10

UNDER 14 YEARS MARSHALL

TWO COMPETITORS

WERRIBEE/HOPPERS CROSSING A     20.41

TATURA A                                                 20.78

ROWVILLE A                                             21.10

KOOWEERUP A                                        21.34

MAFFRA A                                                 21.46

EVENT 11

UNDER 14 YEARS WET HOSE

TWO COMPETITORS

TATURA A                               11.78

MOE B                                     12.10

MORWELL                               12.19

KANGAROO FLAT A               12.57

SWAN  HILL A                         12.58

EVENT 12

UNDER 17 YEARS HYDRANT RACE

ONE COMPETITOR

KOOWEERUP B                      12.46

TATURA A                                12.86

SALE A                                     12.92

SWAN HILL A                           12.97

KOOWEERUP A                       12.98       

EVENT 13

UNDER 14 YEARS  Y COUPLING

TWO COMPETITORS

SALE A                                     12.88

SWAN HILL A                           13.44

BENALLA A                              13.74

TATURA A                                13.90

MOE B                                      14.74

EVENT 14

UNDER 17 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING SECOND DISC - FOUR COMPETITIORS

MOE A                                      15.68

SWAN HILL A                            15.82

MILDURA                                  16.29

MAFFRA A                                 16.51

TATURA A                                 16.69

EVENT 15

UNDER 14 YRS

Y COUPLING FOUR COMPETITORS

BENALLA A                               10.11

THE BASIN A                             10.34

MOE B                                        10.81

EUROA A                                    10.83

MARYVALE                                 10.89

EVENT 16

UNDER 14 YRS

WET HOSE STRIKING SECOND DISC TWICE - FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                                 15.55

BENALLA A                               16.15

MAFFRA  A                                17.22

SWAN HILL A                            17.59

BENALLA A                               17.82

EVENT 17

UNDER 17 YEARS MARSHALL

TWO COMPETITORS

MELTON A                      17.36

MILDURA                        17.39

SALE A                           17.55

KANGAROO FLAT A     18.49

MORWELL                      18.55

EVENT 18

UNDER 17 YEARS

WET HOSE STRIKING ONE DISC TWICE

FOUR COMPETITORS

TATURA A                         14.60

SWAN HILL A                    14.86

TATURA B                         14.91

SALE A                              15.21

MAFFRA A                        15.32

 

FINAL AGGREGATE RESULTS

DRY AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                  33 POINTS

2ND      BENALLA A                 32 POINTS

3RD      SALE A                        23 POINTS

WET AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                   46 POINTS

2ND      SWAN HILL A              23 POINTS

3RD      BENALLA A                 18 POINTS

UNDER 14 YEARS AGGREGATE

1ST      TATURA A                    39 POINTS

2ND     BENALLA A                   23 POINTS

3RD     SALE A                          19 POINTS

UNDER 17 YEARS AGGREGATE

1ST      TATURA A                     40 POINTS

2ND      BENALLA A                  27 POINTS

3RD      SWAN HILL A               20 POINTS

GRAND AGGREGATE

1ST       TATURA A                   79 POINTS

2ND       BENALLA A                 50 POINTS

3RD       SWAN HILL A              30 POINTS

2014 - CHAMPION BRIGADE MEMBERS - TATURA A

COACHES: MARTIN RENNI,DARREN RENNIE & DAMIEN BRIESE

COMPETITORS: JOSH BERRY

BILLY BROWNING- BRIESE

HARRY BROWNING BRIESE

GUILZ MEOLA

MATTHEW RENNIE

NATHAN RENNIE

GRADY TYSON

TIM WILSON

Published in VFBV News
Thursday, 13 February 2014 16:09

BRIAN POTTER QFSM NM

It is with great sadness that Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria has heard of the passing of former CFA Chief Officer and long serving CFA volunteer Brian Potter.

Brian was a gentleman, a friend to the volunteers, a respected front line firefighter and a significant reformer of Victoria’s CFA. 

He was a long serving volunteer with the Upper Ferntree Gully, Ferntree Gully and Langwarrin Fire Brigades.  As volunteers, we are proud to have counted him among our number.

As Chief Officer of the CFA, Brian Potter left a legacy of a better fire service for Victoria; he was instrumental in the introduction of the AIIMS system that is the basis of modern Incident Management Teams, and many other fundamental improvements.

He retired from his career employment with CFA in 1991, but was held in such esteem that he was brought in as an expert advisor following the major fires of 2006-07 and 2009.

Having volunteered since 1958, Brian maintained an active involvement in CFA throughout his life and was still an active volunteer with the Langwarrin Fire Brigade in recent years.

In his later years, in defiance of his own illness, Brian Potter was a valuable spokesman for the campaign run by VFBV and the UFU for better access to cancer compensation for CFA volunteers and career staff who suffer cancer as a result of their front line service to the community. 

VFBV extends the condolences of all CFA volunteers to Brian’s family and friends.

Published in VFBV News
Friday, 25 October 2013 13:56

VFBV Annual Report 2012/13

The VFBV Annual Report 2012-13 includes;

  • Reports from the President and CEO
  • A snapshot of the year's major events
  • The VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund centenary
  • Strategic issues in the Emergency Management Sector
  • Practical representation and equipment trials
  • VFBV Championships results
  • Financial/audit statements

You can download a copy of the VFBV Annual Report below.

Published in Library
Thursday, 03 October 2013 15:21

Annual General Meeting - VFBV Appointments

The VFBV Annual General Meeting included the re-appointment of Board Members Hans van Hamond AFSM, Gary Lyttle AFSM and Tom Brodie AFSM for two years from 1 October 2013.

Mick Nunweek was newly appointed for a two year term as a Board Member, having previously served ex-officio as Vice President Urban.

State Council elected Graeme Jilbert as Vice President Urban and Bruce Vine as Vice President Rural. Whilst the titles cease to exist as a result of constitutional changes at the AGM, State Council confirmed both members as the two State Council nominated ex-officio members of the Board for one year terms, as per the new constitution. 

State Council delegates nominated for the Welfare Fund Committee of Management are Ron Cole, Mary Ann Egan, Bill Maltby and Mick Nunweek.

The nine State Council Executive Committee members for the upcoming year from Brigades with predominantly bushfire risk profile are; T Brodie, M Egan, R Cole, B Conboy, K Clough, T Wyatt, R Auchterlonie, M Dumesny, G Neyenhuis.

And the nine State Council Executive Committee members for the upcoming year from Brigades with predominantly structural risk profile are; B Maltby, M Nunweek, P White, R Waterson, C Dennis, B Pickett, T Desmond, P Slender, M Jones.

Following this years AGM, State Council has also awarded VFBV Life Membership to Andy Cusack, Mike Evans, Phillip Lind, Bill Maltby and Col Pomroy, all of whom have given more than 10 years’ outstanding service to the Association.

Published in VFBV News

EXTRA COURSE ANNOUNCED - MELBOURNE BASED

APPLICATIONS CLOSE SOON

Courses based at Colac and Inverloch - and now an additional course based in Melbourne.

2014 VFBV Darley Volunteer Leadership Scholarship Program

Forty eight emergency services volunteers have now graduated from the course with the national recognised Certificate IV qualification in Front Line Management that benefits their volunteering, their careers and their communities.

The course is designed to be volunteer-friendly, with a mix of face-to-face class time and off-campus tasks, available in 2014 at Colac, Inverloch and Melbourne.

The course is open to volunteers from CFA, SES, Lifesaving Victoria, St John Ambulance, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard and Ambulance Victoria, and includes units on; Leadership, Decision making, Planning, Safety and risk management, Team effectiveness, Making presentations, Managing projects and Engaging the community.

The course adds to the participants' capabilities in useful skills such as public speaking, business writing and influencing.

It comprises a mixture of lecture style teaching and interactive activities plus a distance learning component designed to suit the needs of adult students.

For more information, click here for the information/application pack.

For the Melbourne-based course, click here for the information/application pack.

Published in VFBV News
Friday, 12 July 2013 14:52

VFBV ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013

The VFBV Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 15 September at Fiskville, starting at 1pm.

All CFA Brigades and Groups and VFBV District Councils are invited to attend. 

Lunch is available from noon - for catering purposes please book in with the VFBV office by Friday 30 August 2013.  Call (03) 9886 1141.

Published in VFBV News
Friday, 12 July 2013 14:52

VFBV ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2013

The VFBV Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 15 September at Fiskville, starting at 1pm.

All CFA Brigades and Groups and VFBV District Councils are invited to attend. 

Lunch is available from noon - for catering purposes please book in with the VFBV office by Friday 30 August 2013.  Call (03) 9886 1141.

Published in VFBV News

The third VFBV Volunteer Welfare & Efficiency Survey will be online in the middle of 2014. To pre-register to receive the 2014 survey via email, click here.

The survey is a total of 33 questions chosen by volunteers and takes about 15 minutes to complete. Your answers are confidential.

Last year’s survey was a great success with more than 1,400 participants. VFBV examined the results in detail to guide its own actions and briefed the CFA Board.  Download the full report below.

The third survey will show trends in volunteer opinions on issues chosen by your fellow volunteers and if you register today you’ll receive the survey automatically as soon as it opens.

Download the full report below

VFBV’s role under the CFA Act is to ‘consider and bring to the attention of the Authority (CFA) all matters affecting volunteer welfare and efficiency (other than questions of discipline and promotion).

Earlier this year, VFBV conducted its second survey to measure volunteer perceptions about key matters that volunteers feel impact on their welfare and efficiency.

There was again a tremendous response, with more than 1,450 participants – an 80% increase over the 2012 survey – with more volunteers responding from every District, and greater percentages of female volunteers, younger volunteers and newer volunteers.

The survey gave volunteers the chance to improve the future welfare and efficiency of CFA volunteers and to better equip VFBV for its work.

You can download the full results of the 2013 survey below.

The first survey was well received by CFA’s Board and senior management in 2012, and VFBV now looks to working with CFA in moving from identifying areas needing attention to actively working to achieve improvements in those areas.

Every person who has completed the survey and provided contact details will be sent a full copy of the survey.

The survey is designed to provide a benchmark assessment of CFA volunteers’ perceptions about key factors affecting their welfare and efficiency.

Ongoing surveys will allow us to compare results with the earlier surveys and identify ongoing trends.  To pre-register to receive the 2014 survey via email, click here.

VFBV will now continue work with CFA to explore reasons behind key performance gaps; recognise and promote good practice; find solutions to address identified weaknesses; and provide the starting point for future trend analysis and continuous improvement.

 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 01 July 2013 13:13

Simplifying VFBV Structure and Rules

SIMPLIFYING VFBV STRUCTURE AND RULES

VFBV is moving towards removing urban and rural brigade distinctions from its constitution – see below to download the discussion paper.

The discussion papers outlines the background, the need to make a change and the options being considered.  It also includes a feedback form that can be emailed, mailed or faxed to the VFBV office.

The need to change our constitution:

  • This is part of the process that began with the forming of VFBV from the old urban and rural associations
  • CFA is moving from urban and rural brigade classifications to a system of risk based brigade classifications more relevant to modern community needs

Please download the discussion paper below to see the options.  You can make your opinions known by returning the feedback form included in the paper, or by taking part in discussion at your District Council.

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 01 July 2013 11:45

VFBV Board vacancies

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) Board vacancies

Invitation to apply

Two Rural Volunteer Representatives - 2 year term until 1 October 2015

Two Urban Volunteer Representatives - 2 year term until 1 October 2015

Closing date for written applications is Monday 12 August 2013

VFBV advances the interests of all Victorian fire brigade volunteers and advocates on their behalf to CFA and other key stakeholders. The VFBV Board drives policy development based on volunteer input and is involved in management of issues of central importance to all CFA volunteers.

Vacancies for Two Rural Brigade Board Members and Two Urban Brigade Board Members will arise when the terms of Tom Brodie and Gary Lyttle (Rural) and Dave Ackland and Hans van Hamond (Urban) expire on 1 October 2013.  

The term of appointment will be for two years and applications are invited from interested volunteers to be considered for these vacancies.  The retiring members are eligible for re-appointment.

The role of a VFBV Board Member involves contributing to debate at Board Meetings, networking with others about policies and issues management, and not only making decisions but being prepared to defend them for the benefit of all CFA volunteers.

A Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria is available from the VFBV office or website http://www.vfbv.com.au/webMain/about/vfbv/vfbvboard.

This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.

If you are challenged by the prospect of making a difference for CFA volunteers, then send your written application addressing the key selection criteria in the role statement, plus an outline of your CFA activity including the names of two referees.

Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Monday 12 August 2013.

to:        VFBV, P O Box 453, Mt Waverley  3149

            Tel:  9886 1141;    Fax:  9886 1618

            Email:  j.laingThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Published in VFBV News
Monday, 11 March 2013 00:00

VFBV Publications

This page is a resource for volunteers, with a wide range of useful documents for download, including;

To find VFBV's monthly newsletter, our Page 2 column in FireWise, click here.

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Published in Library

The Fund began its long history of helping volunteers in need in 1913, when it was first established by urban volunteers as the VUFBA Welfare Fund.

On 1 November 2008, the newly formed Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, with generous support from the Victorian Government, launched the VFBV Welfare Fund and extended that offer of support to all CFA volunteers.

Over the years, the Fund has helped close to 1,200 volunteers, with more than $1.8 million in grants, and today more than 1,000 CFA Brigades subscribe to the Fund each year.

For the 2018/2019 financial year, the VFBV Welfare Fund distributed a total of $96,735 to assist 30 volunteers in need.

The Fund works as a capital fund and offers small grants to CFA volunteers, long serving former volunteers and their families, who are experiencing significant financial hardship.  Typical cases involve prolonged illness, bereavement, loss of earnings, or the accommodation and travel costs associated with supporting a relative in hospital.

The Welfare Fund is run under Australian Tax Office rules, independently audited, uses only State Government approved investments, and the welfare grant and investment decisions are made by a committee of long serving CFA volunteers. Investments are managed to provide an enduring fund that has existed since 1913 and ensures volunteers now and in the future are protected by fund income that outperforms inflation and minimises annual brigade subscriptions for each member brigade. 

To subscribe to the Welfare Fund, Brigades must be affiliated with VFBV, which covers the operating costs so that any money the Fund receives is used entirely to help volunteers in need.

You can download the VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund brochure here.

Public and Corporate donations are welcome. If you would like to donate to the Fund please contact the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141.

Click on the below link to make an online donation via GiveNow:

Or Direct Deposits can be sent to the following account: 

Account Name:

Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria Welfare Fund

Account Number:

135 312 478

BSB Number:

633 000

Published in Welfare Fund
Tuesday, 05 March 2013 00:00

Upcoming Urban Championships

2025 State Urban Junior Championship

The 2025 State Urban Junior Championship will be held at Mooroopna on the weekend of 22 and 23 March 2023, the weekend prior to the State Urban Senior and Rural State Championships.

  

2025 State Urban Senior Championship, Mooroopna

The 2025 State Urban Senior Championship will be held at Mooroopna on the weekend of 29 and 30 March 2025, in conjunction with the 2025 State Rural Junior and Senior Championships. 

  

Urban Competition Conditions & Rules

A copy of the Urban Competition Conditions & Rules book is available as a PDF document from the link below. The rule book was last updated in September 2024. If you require a printed copy, please reach out to the VFBV office via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone (03) 9886 1141.

 

Information for Competing Brigades 

A memo from the Urban Competition and Rules Committee was forwarded to competing brigades in August, October and December 2024, a copy of this can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. 

 

2024-25 Urban Competition Season

The schedule for local urban competitions for the 2024-25 Competition Season are available for download at the bottom of this page. 

Published in Urban Championships

APPLY NOW - VFBV’s Volunteer Leadership Program scholarships will be available again in 2017 and we are now calling for Expressions of Interest from potential participants.

The two 2017 courses will be based in the Euroa (District 22) and Ararat (District 16) areas, they will run from late March to the end of the year, and successful participants will achieve the nationally recognised Certificate IV in Leadership & Management. Both locations have been chosen based on an effort to rotate the courses across the State, and their location on major highways to make travel to and from those areas as easy as possible for members from neighbouring Districts.

The VFBV Volunteer Leadership Program has already produced over 250 graduates and many are in leadership positions with their agencies, volunteer representative organisations or local communities.  Graduates will graduate with a nationally recognised Cert IV in Leadership & Management (BSB42015).

You can download the application pack for CFA volunteers here.  We are again offering scholarships to volunteers from Ambulance Victoria, Australian Volunteer Coast Guard, Life Saving Victoria, VICSES and St John.  You can download a multi-agency application pack here.

The VFBV Leadership Scholarship course has been designed for volunteers, with a mix of lectures and interactive activities designed to suit the needs of adult students, as well as ample support using distance learning methods.  The course involves 12 units, eight face to face days (six Saturdays and two Sundays) throughout the year, with course work and assignments spread throughout the year.

The course includes units on;

  • leadership
  • decision making
  • planning
  • safety and risk management
  • team effectiveness
  • making presentations
  • managing projects, and
  • engaging the community.

Nominations close Friday 27th January 2017

Any questions or queries can be directed to any of VFBV’s Support Officers.  You can download the flyer here and a copy is being posted to all Brigades as part of VFBV’s regular mail-out.

This is an exciting program and has built an extremely well respected reputation in the sector. Applications always exceed places available, so please encourage your members and keep in mind that your Brigade Captain’s endorsement is very powerful when assessing potential students.

 

Published in Other
Tuesday, 05 March 2013 00:00

Welfare Fund Frequently Asked Questions

VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund

Download the VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund brochure here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my brigade use part of their CFA allowance to pay the annual welfare fund contribution fee?

Yes. Each brigade can decide to use funds from their own resources to make the welfare fund contribution payment. Brigade allowances are one source of available funds that may be used to cover the annual contribution fees. Membership of the VFBV Welfare Fund is a brigade decision, as is the use of funds from whichever source including the annual CFA Brigade Allowance, to pay the contribution fee.

How is the annual brigade contribution fee decided upon, and will it alter from year to year?

The Welfare Fund Committee of Management will seek advice on the level of activity of the fund, the resilience of monies invested and the ability of the Fund to sustain itself without eroding the invested capital. This advice will be sought every six months.

The annual contribution will be set in the last quarter of each financial year and will be based on the return on investments, take-up of brigades electing to contribute as Welfare Fund members, the number of claims and their value. Every attempt will be made to keep brigade contribution fees as low as possible, and affordable for all brigades.

Our member is incapacitated by illness or a medical condition. Do we send originals of medical reports or certificates to support our application?

No. Copies that may support the application are useful. The Committee of Management members make their decisions based on the information available in the application, so provide plenty of detail.

Does the VFBV Welfare Fund cover long serving ex members?

Yes. Any ex member of a contributing CFA Brigade who was a registered member for 20 years or more is covered by their former brigade's membership to the fund.

How are payments (grant/monies) paid to the claimant?

In the majority of cases, grant monies are paid directly to the member brigade via the Brigade Captain or Brigade Secretary.  There are occasions where the Welfare Fund will make direct payments to organisations to clear outstanding debts or arrears. The Welfare Fund Secretary can advise.

Can the VFBV Welfare Fund accept donations and provide receipts?

Yes. Our taxation status as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) allows the VFBV Welfare Fund to accept cash donations and provide a receipt for taxation purposes to the donors.

In the claim process, does the Brigade send originals or copies of bills or invoices as part of the application?

No. Be as detailed as possible in the items and amounts that are sought in the application, on the application form or any attachment. If originals are sent, please include a self addressed envelope for their return.

What are some examples of financial help sought in past applications for Welfare Fund support?

A - Members who find themselves in severe financial hardship due to illness/injury.  - Unable to make payments on utility and household bills and accounts, mortgage repayments, rent.  - Help to meet funeral expenses.  - Purchase specialist medical equipment.  - Assist with travel expenses during family crisis, hospitalisation etc.

Why do brigades have to affiliate with VFBV before they can join the Welfare Fund?

The administration costs associated with managing and operating the VFBV Welfare Fund are being met from VFBV funds. This will ensure that costs will not erode the funds available for claims to support brigade members.

Can individual brigade members make a direct Welfare Fund application?

Generally no. Brigades are the Fund members and in devolving the responsibility to brigades to manage any funds awarded, confidentiality and governance of member funds is maintained at this level. Should any individual not wish to approach their brigade management, they should consider speaking to their District Council representatives or State Councillors for advice.

Who is eligible for support for Welfare Fund grants?

Registered CFA members of brigades that contribute to the VFBV Welfare Fund are eligible to make application. Also immediate dependent family members of a brigade member, are eligible to make application. Ex members of a Welfare Fund member brigade are also eligible subject to the member having been a registered CFA volunteer for 20 years or more.

Will the applicant be contacted about the claim?

Unlikely. In most cases, contact is made between the Brigade Captain and / or Secretary and the Welfare Fund Secretary. Should additional information be required to clarify details of an application, the Welfare Fund Secretary will contact the Brigade Captain and / or Secretary.

How does the Brigade manage the funds if a welfare grant is made?

VFBV will provide payment to the Member Brigade by cheque, payable to the Brigade. Most grants are untied funds and thus, we expect the Brigade to dispense the funds to meet the application criteria ie. payment of accounts in arrears, to cover funeral expenses etc.

The letter accompanying payment to the Brigade from the Welfare Fund Secretary will explain how the grant monies have been awarded, and for what specific purpose they are to be used.  However, we understand Brigades are in a much better position to assess their member’s immediate needs particularly at the time of the grant being received. Ultimately, brigades provide the support most appropriate at the time.

Is there an appeal process should the Brigade disagree with the Committee of Management’s decision?

No. The decision of the VFBV Welfare Fund Committee of Management is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Important: the level of detail supplied in the application is critical to provide the Committee members with a comprehensive picture of the circumstances and the assistance sought.

Does the Brigade need to report how any grant funds are spent? Do we provide receipt?

No. The strength of the process lies with the VFBV and the Brigade managers jointly managing the application and the grant. Most grants of monies are untied, thus VFBV entrust the Brigade to dispense the funds to the benefit of their member. VFBV Welfare Fund does not require a receipt(s) for the untied monies granted to the Brigade.

Is there a limit to the funds that are granted per application?

Initially Yes. Although there are exceptions allowed by the Welfare Fund Rules – adopted in October 2008, the Committee of Management can make grants to a maximum of $5,000 for any application. On average most grants are around the $2,000 to $2,500 mark. A grant in excess of $5,000 would need to be referred to and approved by the VFBV Board.

Are personal fund financial details of the application required to be provided?

No . Although the application pack is made up of 3 parts. Part 3 is a budget calculator that not only assists claimants to prepare their own personal/family budget, but if submitted may provide the Committee of Management with a clearer picture of what level of assistance is required.

It is important to note that the clearer the picture presented to the Committee of Management in the application form, the easier it will be for an informed and quick decision to be made.

Many applications have been received with an attached statement by the brigade that explains the member’s circumstances and clearly indicates the type and level of support sought. This can assist the Committee to arrive at an informed decision.

What privacy provisions relating to the applicant and their personal details have been established?

Ideally, Brigade OIC’s/Secretaries along with the Welfare Fund Secretary process the claim, with all details contained to protect the privacy and details of any claim. Every effort is made by VFBV staff and Committee of Management to be discrete and to keep details of the claim strictly confidential. No external reporting of details occurs.

Will full details of claims and personal details be divulged or published?

No. Details of the applicant, the Brigade, or the circumstances surrounding the application or processing of a claim are NOT communicated or reported. The VFBV Welfare Fund Committee of Management reports broadly to the VFBV Board, the number of claims processed and total value of claims on a monthly basis.

Is GST payable on the Welfare Fund Contribution?

No. VFBV Welfare Fund brigade contributions do not attract GST.

Download the VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund brochure here.

 

Published in Membership
Tuesday, 05 March 2013 00:00

Welfare Fund

VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund

Download the VFBV Volunteer Welfare Fund Brochure here

Introduction

The VFBV Welfare Fund offers small grants to CFA volunteers, long serving former volunteers and their families, who are experiencing significant financial hardship. 

Typical cases involve prolonged illness, bereavement, loss of earnings, or the accommodation and travel costs associated with supporting a relative in hospital.

The Welfare Fund is run under Australian Tax Office rules, independently audited, uses only State Government approved investments, and the welfare grant and investment decisions are made by a committee of long serving CFA volunteers.

To subscribe to the Welfare Fund, Brigades must be affiliated with VFBV, which covers the operating costs so that any money the Fund receives is used entirely to help volunteers in need.

Public and Corporate donations are welcome. If you would like to donate to the fund please contact the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141.  For more information see the VFBV Welfare Fund Brochure.

The number of CFA Brigades subscribing to the VFBV Welfare Fund has risen steadily in recent years.

Funding

In May 2008, The State Government committed to providing a one off capital injection of $2m. These funds, combined with funds held by the VUFBA Volunteer Welfare Fund which has been providing support to urban volunteers since 1913, have been invested and the return on these investments together with annual subscription fees are used to provide ongoing support to volunteers in need.

The annual contribution fee for Brigades is set annually by the Welfare Fund Committee of Management and approved by the VFBV Board. The setting of the fee may be adjusted either up or down each year to ensure the Fund’s capital base is not eroded.

Key Funding Principles are:

•  The Fund must maintain its capital value in real terms

•  Brigade contribution fees are essential to the Fund but need to be affordable

Public and Corporate donations are welcome. If you would like to donate to the fund please contact the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141.

Eligibility

Unforeseen emergencies such as loss of work, family illness or death, accidental injury or even drought or floods, can place significant financial burden on our volunteers.

Brigade membership entitles coverage through the VFBV Welfare Fund to provide assistance for:

• members

• their families, and

• any ex-member of a brigade who was a registered volunteer for 20 years or more

For more information, download a copy of the VFBV Welfare Fund Brochure.

Affiliation and Fees

To be eligible to subscribe to the Fund, each Brigade must be affiliated with VFBV.  This is because VFBV meets all of the Fund’s running and administrative costs, so every dollar in subscriptions or donations can be invested, with the earnings from those investments used to help volunteers in need.

Each Brigade receives annual invoices for the VFBV Affiliation Fee and the VFBV Welfare Fund contribution.

BRIGADE CONTRIBUTION FEES

The VFBV Welfare Fund Committee of Management set the brigade contribution fee for 2022/23 year at $70.00 per brigade. No GST is payable.

Brigades wishing to make EFT payments (as opposed to Cheque) should contact the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141 before initiating the transfer.

Under the Fund's rules, the period of subscription is from 1 July to the following 30 June, with subscriptions required to be paid by 31 December each year to avoid a waiting period.

Application Process

Application for a welfare grant must be completed by the Brigade Captain and the Brigade Secretary on behalf of the claimant.  Particulars of the case should be clearly described to enable the Committee to make an informed decision.

Both the Brigade Captain and Secretary are required to finalise the application by providing their recommendation, verification and signature.

Verified applications along with all supporting documentation must be forwarded to the Fund Secretary by the Brigade Secretary.

Applications for welfare grants are determined by the Committee of Management and every decision is final and without appeal.

All applications are kept confidential and processed with the utmost discretion.

APPLICATION FORMS are emailed/posted to the Brigade Captain or Secretary only, in accordance with the Fund Rules, and the accompanying information pack also contains instructions and support information.

Please Note: Application Forms cannot be downloaded from this site.  As it is a controlled document, they can only be obtained through contact with the Fund Secretary.

 

For more information on the Welfare Fund, contact the Welfare Fund Secretary via the VFBV Office on (03) 9886 1141 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Published in Membership
Page 3 of 4
CFA Volunteers are the unpaid professionals of our Emergency Services. VFBV is their united voice, and speaks on behalf of Victoria's 60,000 CFA Volunteers.

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