Recent News

In accordance with the Constitution, NOTICE is hereby given that the 2020 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association of WA (Inc) will be conducted on Saturday 17^th October 2020; at Crown Perth commencing at 1500 hours. 

Brigades who wish to put forward a “Notice of Motion” are advised to do so by noon on Friday 2^nd October 2020.  These requests may be submitted in writing to PO Box 2417, High Wycombe  WA  6057 or via email to Executive Officer Ken O’Reilly via email address executive@vfrs.asn.au.

Notices of Motion will be circulated with the Agenda and draft Annual Report no later than Friday 9^th October 2020.

 Ken O’Reilly

Executive Officer

WA Volunteer Fire & Rescue Rugby Jumpers Available to Purchase

Cut for a classic fit with ribbed sleeve cuffs and an internal contrast woven back neck dome, our rugby jumpers have concealed 3-button placket and a straight hem with side splits.

The 350gsm rugby knit fabric comprises of  65% Polyester for durability, and 35% Cotton for comfort and has the WA Volunteer logo embordered on the chest.

Special offer!

For the month of September, if you or your brigade pre-order 10 or more rugby jumpers, you’ll receive one free!

How much do rugby jumpers cost?

The cost per rugby jumper is $45.00 plus postage if you are unable to collect your order from our Guildford office.

How do I order a rugby jumper for me and the rest of my brigade?

If you would like to pre-order rugby jumpers, please email the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association of WA no later than Friday, 2 October:

• Your name and contact details
• How many rugby jumpers you would like to order and the sizes required
• If you would like to collect your order from the office in Guildford to save on postage costs

We will then be in touch with you to confirm your order and to organise payment. Rugby jumpers are anticipated to arrive by mid-October 2020.

How do I know what size to order?

You can order rugby jumpers in the following sizes:

Questions?

If you have any questions about placing a pre-order, please call us on 08 9377 8900 or contact us by email at admin@vfrs.asn.au.

Did you know we have a merchandise shop?

Click here to check out other items we have in stock including caps, aprons, belt buckles and much more!

The low pill navy and red zip hoodie, made from 300gm blended 65% polyester / 35% cotton, is a hit with members all over Western Australia.

Special offer: Personalise your hoodie!

For the month of July, you have the opportunity to personalise your hoodie by having your name embroidered in white on the back. Order one for everyone in the team!

How do I order a hoodie for me and the rest of my brigade?

You can order non-personalised hoodies here for $45.00. Please email us if the size you are after is unavailable and we can order it in for you.

If you would like to pre-order personalised hoodies, please email the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association of WA no later than Monday 20 July:

• Your name and contact details
• How many hoodies you would like to order and the sizes required
• If you would like to collect your order from the office in Guildford to save on postage costs
• Provide the text, as you would like it shown, to embroider on the back of the hoodie (please don’t forget capital letters etc).

We will then be in touch with you to confirm your order and to organise payment. Personalised hoodies are anticipated to arrive by mid-August 2020.

How much do personalised hoodies cost?

If you would like the name of your brigade on the back of your hoodie (please refer to the photo showing Kalamunda Fire & Rescue as an example), the cost per hoodie is $55.00.

Can my hoodie be embroidered with something besides my brigade’s name?

It is entirely up to you and your team as to how you personalise your hoodie. Please be mindful, if the text covers more than two lines, the price per hoodie will increase. Please email us and we can arrange a quote for you.

Perhaps surprise a family member with their own hoodie:

• Proud Partner of [insert brigade name] Fire & Rescue – $65.00 per hoodie
• Proud  Supporter of [insert brigade name] Fire & Rescue – $65.00 per hoodie

How do I know what size to order?

You can order hoodies in the following sizes:

Children’s sizes are also available for those who are after a smaller size.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding placing a pre-order, please call us on 08 9377 8900 or contact us by email at admin@vfrs.asn.au.

Did you know we have a merchandise shop?

Click here to check out other items we have in stock including beanies, shirts, glassware, bags, soft toys and much more!

Due to popular demand, Western Australia Volunteer Fire and Rescue Beer Steins are returning to the merchandise shop!

The high grade stainless steel steins have the Western Australia Volunteer Fire and Rescue logo engraved on one side and are priced at $35.00 each.

The next delivery is expected to arrive mid to late July 2020.

If you pre-order by 22 June 2020, you have the option of personalising your beer stein by having your name engraved on the stein below the logo.

Pre-order your personalised Western Australia Volunteer Fire and Rescue Beer Stein today!

To pre-order beer steins for yourself and the rest of your team, please email the Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association of WA with:

• Your name and contact details
• How many steins you would like to order
• If you would like to collect your order from the office in Guildford to save on postage costs
• If you would like the stein personalised, please provide the name/s to engrave as you would like it shown on the stein (please don’t forget capital letters etc).

We will then be in touch with you to confirm your order and to organise payment.

Buy 10 or more beer steins and receive one free!

To say thank you to the person organising the beer stein order on behalf of the rest of the brigade, when your team orders 10 or more you will receive one for free! The freebie can be personalised as well.

If you have any questions regarding placing a pre-order, please call us on 08 9377 8900 or contact us by email at admin@vfrs.asn.au.

Did you know we have a merchandise shop?

Click here to check out other items we have in stock including shirts, hoodies, glassware, bags, Quokka soft toys and much more!

It was a really fun and instructive BA Refresher Drill run on the the night in Dongara with AO Nathan Boothman (assisted by Geraldton Career Firefighter Jason Merritt).  Bryce Nicol from Kalbarri VFRS was in town and joined us.  Extra time and tips were spent on ECO training – helping some expired BA wearers tune in to that role.

The National Fire Service Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey was offered to volunteers from fire services from across Australia for the third time in 2018.

Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association of WA (VFRSA) was pleased to participate again in the wider survey and offer the survey to Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) volunteers for a third year.

The results of the survey for the volunteers who responded from VFRS are consistent with the results nationally from across participating fire service volunteers.

For VFRS volunteers the key outcomes were:

• Volunteers feel that there is not enough access to, or flexibility of training offered to volunteers by Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES).
• The most important issues to volunteers are equality and diversity and a welcoming culture, and DFES is performing well in these areas.
• Volunteers feel the time they devote to DFES is productive and worthwhile.
• Volunteers do not feel that they are consulted or involved in decision making at corporate levels of DFES.
• Management at brigade level needs some skill development in the areas of conflict resolution and dealing with human resource matters.
• Brigades are experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining younger people as volunteers

The National Fire Service Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey measures the Gap between what volunteers expect, and how close or far these expectations are from being met.

What is being done well?

Acceptance of diversity, equal opportunity had the smallest gaps between volunteer expectations and performance of DFES.

DFES volunteers also feel that the time they devote to DFES is productive and worthwhile.

89% of the respondents to the survey also indicated that they would continue in their volunteer role with VFRS and 88% would recommend becoming a VFRS volunteer to people they know. This goes alongside 86% of respondents indicating that they were satisfied with their role as a VFRS volunteer.

What needs to improve?

One of the biggest gaps, identified as needing immediate attention, relates to DFES providing enough training opportunities in formats, at times and at locations that make it easy for volunteers to participate. Volunteers also feel that DFES could provide more training in brigade management and human resources for brigade leaders.

Volunteers also feel that they are not effectively consulted and involved in decision making at the corporate levels of DFES.

The number of respondents indicating that they were satisfied with their volunteer role has decreased to 86% (was 92% in 2017) and only 76% were satisfied with the way volunteers are treated by DFES.

Thank you to all VFRS members who participated in the survey.

If you would like to read more, please click the link below:

The 2018 Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey attracted responses from 5,939 fire service volunteers from across Australia, except South Australia. It gives leaders and decision-makers clear feedback, direct from volunteers, about how those settings and arrangements are impacting their welfare and efficiency. This should help focus discussions about priorities and actions needed to address volunteer concerns.

The survey is one of the biggest volunteer-based emergency services welfare and efficiency surveys in Australia. As such it plays an important role to give a voice to volunteer views.

Volunteer Satisfaction:

• 80% of respondents indicated they are satisfied with their volunteer role
• 85% of respondents indicated they intend to continue in their volunteer role
• 81% would recommend being a fire service volunteer to others

By contrast, the average across the sector for volunteers being satisfied with how they are treated by their agency was at a low 65%.

To access the report, click the link below:

Forty Winks have reached out with this generous ongoing offer of 30% off the RRP store wide, or an extra 10% off any sale price in store (excluding everyday low price mattresses) for VFRS members.

Enjoy a better sleep!

Hello All

It is with regret that I advise you all of my resignation as Executive Officer of the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services Association.

When I commenced with the Association as Office Administrator in April 2009, I could not have imagined the journey I would take over the next ten years – I certainly never considered that I would spend three years as the Executive Officer, representing the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service, its Brigades and more importantly the amazing volunteers who make up the Service.  I have sincerely tried to represent you all to the very best of my ability (whilst hoping that my best was enough) to ensure that you are appropriately trained, equipped and protected – both in an operational and legislative sense.

My time with the Association has also seen significant change – the creation of DFES and three significant major incident reviews (two by Mr Keelty and the other by Mr Ferguson) being the most obvious.  The challenges we have faced since the release of the Ferguson Review have been both operational and in a sense spiritual – and the survival of the VFRS as a Service will rely on the strong will of all who are members.

At this stage, my final date is a little up in the air and will depend on when the individual chosen to replace me can commence.  I do not have another role to move into and thus will be providing a handover of up to four weeks.  We will advertise next week (via Seek, our website and our Facebook page), so if you know of anybody you feel would make a great Executive Officer, please let them know to keep a look out.

I have made met some outstanding people (also some weird, but wonderful ones as well as some simply weird ones), made what I hope will be lifelong friendships and enjoyed almost every minute of my time in the Association. 

I look forward to seeing as many of you at the WA FES Conference (6 to 8 September) as I can; and I will advise my finishing date as soon as it is known.

Thank you for your support over the past ten years, it has been greatly appreciated and I will miss you.

Regards

Jodie