Recent News

The Juvenile and Family Fire Awareness Program (JAFFA) is recruiting! We are looking for firefighters who are passionate about child safety and have a few spare hoursa month to educate young people on the consequences of fire play.

Expressions of interest are being called from firefighters from across WA wishing to be considered for the role of JAFFA Support Officer.

We are especially keen to recruit firefighters from:

· Metro North Coastal region

· Metro North East region

· Carnarvon

· Geraldton

· Northam

JAFFA Support Officers are specially trained firefighters who provide tailored fire safety talks to young people involved in fire lighting. These talks are usually delivered in the young person’s home and may be delivered in one session or over many sessions, according to the needs of the young person and their family. On average a JAFFA session will take up to 2 hours. After the visit, JAFFA Support Officers complete a report
that they submit to the JAFFA Coordinator.

Firefighters interested in becoming a JAFFA Support Officer are asked to complete an Expression of Interest form located on the JAFFA page of the Volunteer Portal and submit to the JAFFA Coordinator by email (jaffa@dfes.wa.gov.au) before 9am on Monday 20 August 2018. You can access the EOI form here.

For more information about this current recruitment round and the essential requirements for the role, please read Operational Circular 35/2018 or contact the JAFFA Coordinator on 9395 9488 or email
jaffa@dfes.wa.gov.au.

We are pleased to announce that Kaitlyn Bond joined the Association as our new Office Administrator on Tuesday 19^th June.

Tania is still with us until Friday 29^th June, however please join us in welcoming Kaitlyn to the VFRS family!

Tom Price FRS & BFB have always worked very closely with each other in all aspects of looking after their community and beyond.

On Sunday the 17th they worked together doing a HRB in Tom Price and on Monday and Tuesday they were all out at Wakathuni Community doing another HRB.
Both Tom Price FRS & BFB have always been tenure blind and will continue to be so for the communities they protect.
This is a fantastic example of volunteer firefighters from different brigades working together and proves it can be done!

Taken Pingelly Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service face book group

“At our awards dinner on the 26th May Peter Narducci received his 40yr service clasp, he was also presented with a framed award as recognition for his 43 year’s service to the brigade and the Pingelly community, by Mr Darren Klemm FSM, Commissioner DFES.

Tony (Toch) Narducci was to be awarded his 45yr Service clasp and his National Medal 45yr clasp, and also a framed award for his recognition for his 45 years service to the b

rigade and the Pingelly community. Unfortunately Tony was not able to attend due to illness and was presented his awards recently at the brigade AGM.

Both Tony and Peter were the driving force behind establishing the prescribed town burns as asset protection for the town of Pingelly. They are both respected members/mentors of the brigade .

Peter is a Team Leader for Peer Support in this area for DFES”

All Volunteer Fuel Card Officers-In-Charge are reminded that the fuel card allowances for the Year 2017-18 will expire on Saturday 30 June 2018.

As the officer-in-charge, you are responsible for distributing the fuel card amongst actively contributing registered volunteers within your brigade, group or unit.

The fuel card is restricted to fuel purchases only and can be used for private or recreational use.

Remaining balances

There are significant balances remaining on the existing fuel cards, which should be consumed prior to the expiration date, Saturday 30 June 2018 and any unused balance will be forfeited.

Support and Resources

The DFES website provides information regarding the Scheme located under the Volunteering section. This information includes:

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Terms and Conditions
• WEX Motorpass Web Self Service Quick Start Guide
• Tally sheet

For assistance accessing information on the current balance and usage of your fuel card, please contact WEX Motor Pass on 1300 641 230.

It is with a great deal of sadness (and not a small amount of trepidation) that we say farewell to Chief Superintendent Gary Kennedy AFSM, who yesterday left DFES after a significant career in the Service.

Gary’s advocacy of the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, support of the members and the Association – not to mention his wicked sense of humour – will be sorely missed and I am sure our members join me in sincerely wishing him (and his wife Ellen) a relaxing and long retirement.

His procedural knowledge and understanding of both volunteers and the Fire and Rescue Service were second to none, and it is perhaps these qualities that will be the most difficult to replace.

Acting Chief Superintendent Stuart Wade is currently in the Country Operations – South position and we look forward to working closely with him to ensure our Brigade’s needs are being met.

We have been overwhelmed by the response to the ad placed on Seek in our search for a new Office Administrator – we received over 150 applications within a 24 hour period and we have had to close the ad!

The shortlisting of candidates and interviews will take place over the next week and hopefully we will be able to announce Tania’s replacement shortly thereafter.

Our thanks to everyone who took the time to apply, there are some exceptional candidates and making a decision won’t be easy.

Final reminder to all who wish to attend the 2018 AFAC Conference – registrations are required to the Association office by close of business, Friday 15^th June.

If you have any queries, please contact the Association office.

East Perth and Claremont Football Clubs have combined to hold an Emergency Services WAFL Day – under the banner “Sound the Alarm”.

The game will be held on Saturday 23^rd June 2018 at Leederville Oval, with bouncedown at 1415 hours.

If you are interested in attending, please show your DFES ID for free entry to the game and access to the East Perth members bar.  Note, this is also open to members of the WA Police and St Johns Ambulance.

DFES have released the latest edition of the eAcademy News; and this is available on the Volunteer Portal.

This edition the first under new Assistant Commissioner Professional Development and Operational Practice, Paul Ryan, introduces a new chapter in management of the ongoing development of the eAcademy and also brings confirmation that exciting initiatives already underway, including the new eAcademy 2.0 interface, will remain a focus for the upcoming financial year.

He also thanks his predecessor, Assistant Commissioner Brad Stringer, for his important contribution to developing our learning management and student administration systems over the past three years. During this period, the fledgling eAcademy introduced during the Enterprise Training Management Solution (ETMS) Project has continued to grow and improve. Feedback from you, our front-end system users, has been and will continue to be the guiding influence for all further system enhancements.

In other news:

• The eAcademy turned 2 on the 5th May
• Regional visits are being undertaken by members of the eAcademy team, with Manjimup, Bunbury, Geraldton, Northam, Kununurra and Karratha hosting visits over the last few months

You can access the full newsletter via this link.