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Unity and generosity of spirit
By Adam Barnett, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
In this month’s edition of Fire Wise there is enclosed the VFBV Quarterly Supplement, which like each quarter - contains 16 pages of crucial updates on the current issues and topics that VFBV and your fellow volunteers are pursuing on behalf of all CFA volunteers.
When people ask me why VFBV is pursuing a particular topic, and not something they feel is more important, my answer is always very simple. Not every issue will be screamed from the rooftops. Some require finesse, tact and precision. But more importantly, let’s have a chat about how you, your brigade or group have contributed to your local District Council discussion to help build peer support for the idea or initiative you want pursued?
Our forums rely on fellow volunteers contributing to the discussions and debate and learning from each other to help move things along. The worst thing we can do is just turn up when there is a problem we need others help on. The relationships, the trust and the goodwill are built over time by toiling away with a unity of spirit and a common purpose to make things better. Your surrounding brigades and groups will remember the support and assistance you offered to them in their time of need when it comes time to help you with a problem you may be experiencing.
And if this pre-work hasn’t been done, how can we best support you to begin contributing to the discussions before you need someone else’s help?
You see, nothing VFBV pursues comes from some secret backroom hidden from sight. Rather, issues come from volunteers attending and contributing to local discussions via the myriad of consultative forums available to thrash out and progress issues of common concern and interest.
Every brigade and group are invited to contribute via your District Council. And each District Council office holder is elected by their catchment brigades and groups. In addition to this, every brigade and group can nominate any volunteer to contribute via a VFBV/CFA Joint Committee. And any volunteer is welcome to provide feedback on a policy or initiative that is undergoing consultation. You don’t get much more open than that.
The trick is to bring a generosity of spirit to the discussions and forums that honours all those volunteers who came before us. The idea that glues us together is we serve our communities best by building strong, safe, sustainable and resilient communities that are better prepared and equipped to deal with the inevitable natural disasters that will present themselves time after time after time.
This means not only discussing ‘problems’ or issues, but acknowledging the successes and improvements and contributing to solutions. It’s how we stay constructive and build a culture of civic pride and active citizenry.
And one of the easiest and most efficient ways that each volunteer can contribute to the discussion on what are the most important issues (and not) to our brigades is through our annual VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey. A survey designed by volunteers, for volunteers, with the questions, the themes and the measures all selected and designed by your fellow volunteers.
This year the survey quietly celebrated its 10th year anniversary. In a sector that changes direction and strategies more often than the seasons change in Melbourne, this demonstrates the dedication, commitment and foresight of all our senior volunteers who run and govern your volunteer association. An initiative that has stood the test of time and has slowly but surely built respect, recognition and results across the sector.
And while a survey in of itself does little to solve individual problems, it does serve as a strong evidence base and lightening rod to measure and advocate on areas of priority chosen by volunteers. Running each year’s survey is frankly the easy part. It is using the information, protecting its integrity, explaining what the results mean to decision makers, and relentlessly advocating, influencing and building momentum on initiatives to address the various challenges and issues that are highlighted that is the real work behind the survey.
And while a cohort of people as large as the CFA volunteer family can never be expected to agree unanimously on everything, we don’t all have to. But how amazing is it that those decisions on what is being pursued and what isn’t is not made by faceless bureaucrats or senior managers, but rather by those very same volunteers participating and contributing to the discussions. Including of course the many of you who work tirelessly every day to represent their fellow volunteers. Every single VFBV office holder is a volunteer themselves, and is elected by their peers, making VFBV a living and breathing democracy that is at its best when it is having the sometimes-difficult conversations. We don’t get to control the timeline – but we never give up and we never stop trying no matter how dejected we sometimes feel about the slow progress.
It was Winston Churchill who said that democracy is the worst form of government until you consider the others. And democracy is not an end point in of itself. It requires constant work and is a process not an event. It is sometimes difficult, uncomfortable and challenging. People participating, contributing and responding to the aspirations of the group are critical, but so too is displaying dignity, respect and appreciation for those putting themselves out there to take on roles that make them a focal point of attention.
In this edition of the Quarterly Supplement, you will find the initial summary results of the most recent VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency Survey. The survey was conducted between late November 2021 and February 2022 and attracted close to 2,700 CFA volunteers, many of whom not only provided their responses to the questions but contributed also to a treasure trove of qualitative comments across the themes.
Thank-you to each and every volunteer who took the time to participate and contribute to this work. You are making a difference.
This year’s results are encouraging, and show a marked improvement across four of the seven themes. In particular, was a statistically significant improvement in volunteer’s attitudes to how they feel volunteers are effectively consulted and involved in decision making at CFA corporate level. This measure improved from a worst ever VolWEL result of 4.2 in the previous survey, to 3.6 for the current survey.
And while a VolWEL of 3.6 still indicates a critical need for priority action, we must acknowledge the efforts made over the last 12 months to improve how CFA goes about consulting and engaging with its volunteers. From little seeds grow mighty trees.
And for those that think surveys of this kind are a complete waste of time, I can only convey to you in the strongest possible terms that this has been one of the key priority focus areas for VFBV in many of its discussions with Government, EMV and CFA alike. The constant declining satisfaction of the previous year’s surveys have been one of the central discussion points with the new CFA leadership, and priority focus over several of the survey themes has been pursued over the last two years in particular to try and drive a paradigm shift in how consultation is approached.
And while I am far from satisfied that the issues are fixed and resolved - I am deeply encouraged by these early results. And while we can despair that too many of the result areas still indicate significant to critical gaps, we should take comfort that in this year’s results, 21 of the 33 key result areas saw an improvement over the year before which indicates a strong and positive sign that things are improving. We should recognise this and use it to propel the momentum for more positive change.
And while I have passed on my thanks and acknowledgment to CFA CEO Natalie MacDonald and Chief Officer Jason Heffernan for the work and efforts they and their leadership teams have undertaken over the last little while in collaboration with VFBV, I reserve my greatest thanks and respect to each of the individual volunteers who have tirelessly committed (and recommitted) to contributing and participating in the survey and the work underway to turn those results into meaningful action. Without you – those conversations could not even start.
And while we still have a way to go, I urge all readers to consider being part of the positive change journey we are pursuing. It’s not easy, and it’s by no means fast – but change is happening. My desire is for volunteers to lead that change through active thought leadership as well as tangible action and contribution. We are at our best when we are coming together with a unity of purpose and a generosity of spirit to fix issues, not just complain about them. We cannot achieve change on our own, and to those that are already contributing – thankyou!
And to those that have a desire to contribute more, please get involved. Given my reference to Churchill already, I will leave with a quote attributed to him from 1954: “My hope is that the generous instincts of unity will not depart from us...so that we become the prey of the little folk who exist in every country and who frolic alongside the juggernaut car of war to see what fun or notoriety they can extract from the proceedings.”
To me this reflects a simple acknowledgment that unity is not just required of us to steer a country through war, but that unity is also critically important to steer those very same people through a new found peace. I’m excited by the opportunities, and I hope you are too.
Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022
The 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced on 13 June 2022 included four CFA members who were awarded the Australian Fire Services Medal (AFSM) in recognition of their contribution to the community of Victoria among the 992 Australians who were recognised.
John Cowan AFSM (District 14 Headquarters East Brigade) has served as a CFA volunteer across several brigades and groups in District 14 for the last 44 years. John is an experienced fireground commander and has a passion for sharing his experience with emerging operational leaders through both formal training and informally as a mentor.
Richard Cromb AFSM (Sassafras-Ferny Creek Fire Brigade) joined CFA in 1970 and two years later was instrumental in establishing the Sassafras-Ferny Creek Junior Fire Brigade to ensure that more young people in the area developed an interest in CFA. Richard has served as the Captain of Sassafras-Ferny Creek Fire Brigade and is still a member of the Brigade Management Team.
Alistair Drayton AFSM (Wallington Fire Brigade) joined the Highton Fire Brigade in 1982 before moving to Wallington Fire Brigade in 1996 where he is still a member today. Alistair is a Level 3 Incident Controller and has been involved in many incidents across Victoria, Australia and has even been deployed to the United States of America and Canada.
Debra Luke AFSM (District 14 Headquarters Brigades) has held many roles since she first joined CFA in 1980 including volunteer, administration coordinator, project manager, regional operations coordinator and lieutenant with Captain to join the list from 1 July this year. Debra has been involved in many multi-agency deployments across Victoria, Australia and internationally as a Level 3 Logistics Officer.
The honours list also included three Fire Rescue Victoria members who also received the Australian Fire Service Medal in the honours, Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Roger Chitty AFSM, Assistant Chief Fire Officer James Dullard AFSM and Commander Philip Taylor AFSM.
VFBV congratulates all these members for their outstanding contribution to Victoria, to read more about the CFA members who received honours on the Queen’s Birthday visit the VFBV website.
Safety Compliance
CFA has recently provided VFBV with a comprehensive status update on LVFR (Low Voltage Fuse Removal) and SWaH (Safe Working at Heights) Training from the Safety Compliance Project Team that manages these projects. It is clear to VFBV that CFA is well behind the intended training target with both these courses although there is an understanding that the pandemic has created training delivery issues.
VFBV has continued advocacy that there needs to be a transparent and acceptable RPL process in place for members that already practise these skills in industry, especially in bolstering the training delivery aspect with TAs. VFBV is aware that CFA has a small pool of TAs and Instructors for these courses and are encouraging CFA to build the capacity within the volunteer cohort.
VFBV has also expressed concern that unrealistic and in many cases, unachievable pre-requisites are creating unnecessary blockers for suitably qualified Trainer and Assessors to achieve endorsement to deliver these programs. CFA has committed to review the pre-requisites with a hope to engage and recruit a pool of experienced and suitably qualified TAs to assist in the delivery of LVFR and SWaH.
VFBV encourages any TAs or members who would like to become TAs in either LVFR or SWaH, with industry backgrounds to express their interest with CFA. Expression of Interest can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
VFBV is also continuing to advocate strongly for an increase in resources to develop required doctrine and training in relation the increasing risk in electric vehicles and alternative power supplies, this includes reviewing current research, working with industry stakeholders and subject matter experts as well as partner agencies including AFAC. VFBV will continue to advocate on this and look forward to reporting on positive outcomes soon.
Presumptive Legislation – Women’s Reference Group
VFBV is seeking expressions of interest from members to join a Presumptive Legislation Women’s Reference Group we are putting together to consider and advocate for the inclusion of female specific cancers into presumptive legislation.
Any member that would like to contribute to this work, should please contact Mark Dryden via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Affiliation
Thank you for members’ continued strong show of support! More than 93% of Brigades demonstrated strong support for VFBV’s important work representing and advocating for all CFA volunteers. Thank-you to all brigades and groups who affiliated last year.
2022/23 renewal notices should have arrived to your secretary for your Brigade/ Group’s VFBV Affiliation and Welfare Fund subscriptions.
Those who pay their VFBV affiliations before 31 July 2022 will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of four equipment prizes valued at approximately $4,000. The prizes have for the third year running been donated by GAAM Emergency Products and Powdersafe and we sincerely thank them for their continued generous support.
We also strongly encourage Brigades to subscribe to the VFBV Welfare Fund. The Welfare Fund is an exclusive benefit to affiliated members and VFBV fund all the administration and operating cost ensuring 100% of funds received go directly to CFA volunteers experiencing personal hardship. The Welfare Fund provides small grants of up to $5,000 to assist volunteer members and long serving ex members. The grants support members and their families experiencing personal financial hardship/crisis by providing welfare grants, on a needs-assessed basis, that may help alleviate stress impacting their ability to maintain involvement as a volunteer.
District Council’s continue to promote opportunities for members to contribute to the vital work that VFBV performs on behalf of all CFA volunteers. Advocacy, support and the provision of trusted and credible advice are all strengthened when members work together and share a unity of purpose. Become involved today.
Quarterly Supplement
Included with the June 2022 edition of Fire Wise is the latest edition of the VFBV Quarterly Supplement.
The Quarterly Supplement contains 16 pages of relevant news, updates, information on current issues being pursued by VFBV on behalf of members. It also includes additional resources or updates that are available via our website.
An electronic copy of the Quarterly Supplement can be downloaded here.
Brigade Captains and Secretaries, Group Officers and Group Secretaries as well as VFBV delegates are requested to please take the time to read this and future editions, and table at your upcoming meetings for the benefit and knowledge of your members.
Training
Results from the most recent VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency survey indicate volunteers believe things across CFA are improving, with 21 of the 33 key result areas recording an improvement over the year before.
However, one area that has consistently scored poorly, and again saw a decrease in satisfaction were questions relating to CFA Training. In particular, the question “CFA provides enough training opportunities in formats at times and at locations that make it easy for me to participate” recorded a VolWEL of 3.5 indicating that there continues to be a critical gap between volunteer expectations and performance with volunteers being highly dissatisfied.
VFBV is continuing to work extremely hard at the State level through the Joint Training Committee to improve state-wide processes, such as course development and the upskilling of volunteer trainers and assessors. However, it is clear, that many of the training issues continuing to impact brigades and groups are the result of local arrangements, with Districts responsible for the majority of training delivery which is where many of the pressure points for brigades is being experienced.
It is important for issue resolution that members understand that decisions about how many courses are scheduled, where and at what times are all made at the District and Region level. If brigades or groups have concerns about the lack of courses, where they are being run or in what format they are being run in, we encourage brigades and groups to raise these issues at VFBV District Council forums and work together with local CFA management to facilitate discussions with your Regional Manager Learning and Development, and your District Coordinator of Learning Development.
And in the case of individual issues impacting specific members - there are formal arrangements in place to support and assist brigades resolve specific training issues, with assistance available to any brigade who needs support escalating issues of concern.
In the first instance, a member experiencing an issue with training should discuss their matter with their Brigade Training Officer, which the brigade elects every two years. This is the member nominated by the brigade to coordinate issues regarding training and is likely best placed to have developed a working relationship with the District Training office.
The Brigade Training Officer would then raise the issue or concern in the first instance with the Administrator or Coordinator of Learning Development. These two positions are staff roles located at your local CFA District Office to assist with training matters.
If you are unable to resolve the issue at this level, you have several options depending on the severity of the issue. The issue can be escalated to the Lead Learning of Development, or the Manager Learning Development. These two positions are staff roles located in your CFA Regional Office.
If the issue cannot be resolved, your chain of command may also be able to assist, which is via your catchment officer (Commander) your ACFO (Assistant Chief Fire Officer) at the District level, and your Deputy Chief Officer Service Delivery which sits at the Region level.
Your VFBV District Council Executive can assist and provide advice during the early escalation stages of the complaint resolution processes. For complex or sensitive issues, our advice is to ensure your issue or concern is well documented, and your complaint has been made in writing, especially once it requires escalation to more senior levels of the organisation.
While members are encouraged to raise issues at the local level first - VFBV is available to assist you navigate the process, and can also use its own escalation processes should local resolution fail at the District or Region level. However, in order for these escalations to be effective, it is important that the issue try to be resolved locally first. If you need more guidance or support, please discuss the issue with your local VFBV District Council Executive member, State Councillor or VFBV Support Officer so we can best guide you through the process.
VFBV Board Vacancies
More information can be found here.
Recent articles on the VFBV website
VFBV Board Vacancies: Invitation to Apply
Updating your vaccination status (Update)
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The 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours list announced on 13 June 2022 included four CFA members who were awarded the Australian Fire Services Medal (AFSM) in recognition of their contribution to the community of Victoria among the 992 Australians who were recognised.
VFBV congratulates these members for their outstanding contribution to CFA and the broader community.
John Cowan AFSM – John has served as a CFA volunteer across several brigades and groups in District 14 for the last 44 years. John is an experienced fireground commander and has a passion for sharing his experience with emerging operational leaders through both formal training and informally as a mentor. Recently during the pandemic John led the development of a virtual online training delivery program in District 14 to ensure that members stayed connected and maintained their emergency management skills. You can read more about John here.
Richard Cromb AFSM – Richard joined CFA in 1970 and two years later was instrumental in establishing the Sassafras-Ferny Creek Junior Fire Brigade to ensure that more young people in the area developed an interest in CFA. Richard has served as the Captain of Sassafras-Ferny Creek Fire Brigade and is still a member of the Brigade Management Team responsible for driver education and skills maintenance. Richard is also employed as a Bushfire Instructor for CFA in District 13 and has provided extensive input into the development of training material for new CFA appliances. You can read more about Richard here.
Alistair Drayton AFSM – Alistair joined the Highton Fire Brigade in 1982 before moving to Wallington Fire Brigade in 1996 where he is still a member today. Alistair is a Level 3 Incident Controller and has been involved in many incidents across Victoria, Australia and has even been deployed to the United States of America and Canada. Alistair has served as both a Deputy Group Officer and Group Officer in the Bellarine Group and led the establishment of a driver training pathway structured to suit volunteers. You can read more about Alistair on CFA’s website here.
Debra Luke AFSM – Debra has held many roles since she first joined CFA in 1980 including volunteer, administration coordinator, project manager, regional operations coordinator and lieutenant with Captain to join the list from 1 July this year. Debra has been involved in many multi-agency deployments across Victoria, Australia and internationally as a Level 3 Logistics Officer. Debra also led the development of a national expression of interest process which is used to manage the selection of suitably accredited personal from agencies across Australia and New Zealand when international requests for assistance are received. You can read more about Debra on CFA’s website here.
VFBV congratulates these four members for their outstanding contribution to the broader community along with the other Australians recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours this year.
Three Fire Rescue Victoria members also received the Australian Fire Service Medal in the honours, Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Roger Chitty AFSM, Assistant Chief Fire Officer James Dullard AFSM and Commander Philip Taylor AFSM. VFBV extends our congratulations to Roger, James and Philip.
Four further CFA members received recognition in the Queen’s Birthday awards with Graeme Legge OAM made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division and Alan Crosbie, Lyndon Hart and Geoffrey Penna each receiving the Medal (OAM) of The Order for Australian in the General Division. Emergency Management Victoria Commissioner Andrew Crisp APM was also made a Member (AM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
VFBV congratulates all recipients of honours announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list this year.
Nominations for AFSM's
Nominations for AFSM's are accepted at any time through CFA's Honours and Awards Committee.
The AFSM honours the distinguished service of members of fire services who make an exceptionable contribution to their communities. The AFSM recognises those whose service is above and beyond the normal zealous and faithful discharge of normal or ordinary service, either in the short or long term.
CFA volunteers are often modest and reluctant to seek out recognition for the service they have provided to their community and may not have a realistic appreciation of the impact they have had on CFA, their community, within VFBV or your Brigade or Group. They’re not in it for the honour or glory, but it’s up to each of us to ensure we take the time to say ‘thank-you’ to those people who have stepped up and help inspire us all to do better.
If you know a quiet achiever who has contributed to CFA, who goes above and beyond what could be reasonably expected of someone in a similar position, please consider nominating them for an AFSM.
The Australian Honours system has been designed to break down artificial barriers and open the Australian Honours to all parts of our society. Any member of the community can nominate any other Australian citizen for an award.
It is also critically important we encourage nominations for groups who are typically under-represented in Australian Honours like the AFSM. In particular we are encouraging a greater gender mix.
Women in particular are under-represented in AFSM’s awarded when we consider the thousands of women within the fire services across the country. And while things are improving, much more can be done.
There are so many exceptional CFA women and men deserving to be recognised, so please consider nominating someone you feel is deserving.
A common misconception is that only those members who have decades worth of service are recognised by the Honours system. The AFSM is not a long-service award, its sole criterion is distinguished service. And while prolonged service forms part of the key criteria, ‘prolonged’ is considered by the honour and awards committee’s to be taken in context as to what is considered ‘longer than usual’ and in context of what is ‘above and beyond’ the normal or ordinary service expected. Exceptional service that is sustained over a period of time can be considered as satisfying the criteria. For example, has the members contribution been in excess of expectations for a ‘normal’ member and over what duration? The Committee will consider the nature of the service or achievement within the context of a member’s service history when weighing up the various criteria.
This is especially important for women within CFA who may have their service overlooked simply because they haven’t been a Captain or Group Officer for 30+ years. While these are important leadership roles – our service is a team environment, and everyone’s contribution is valued.
Nothing should take away from the incredible achievement decade long service is, but the Honours system is designed to recognise those that make a significant contribution, and to represent the things that our communities believe to be deserving of recognition, including from those who are perhaps trailblazers for others to follow. Think of those people who have pushed the boundaries or have been first to reach and hold leadership positions that has been inspirational to those around them. For example, think of members who have overcome additional barriers, like English not being their first language and who have toiled away to learn the language and become masterful communicators designing new innovative community safety engagements to CALD communities and serving as a role model for other community members. Who are the people you look up to? Who are the people who have really made a difference in your Brigade or Group?
Distinguished service includes service that is above and beyond and can be short-term or prolonged. It is service that can be exemplified by; responsibility for an outstanding event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service or community; development of a new system, procedure or technique that is unique and made a significant contribution to the fire service; or outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth within the fire services.
While it can seem daunting to nominate a potential recipient, some guiding principles that could assist in completing a nomination for an AFSM are:
- In what role(s) has the nominee excelled?
- How has the nominee demonstrated service worthy of recognition?
- How has the nominee’s contribution affected a particular field, locality, brigade, group or community at large?
- Over what period has the nominee made a major commitment?
- Has the nominee’s contribution been recognised elsewhere?
- What makes this person stand out from others?
- What specific examples can be provided to show how the nominee’s contribution(s) have been outstanding?
Nominations for awards are strictly confidential. The person being nominated should not be approached for information or advised of the confidential nomination at any stage of the process.
Additional Resources to Assist
Guide to Preparing Nominations for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
Want to discuss a potential nomination or need some more information? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the Australian Fire Service Medal
Introduced in 1988, the Australian Fire Service Medal recognised distinguished service by members of Australian fire services and is awarded to both volunteer and paid members. The award recognised the distinguished service by members of a State or Territory Fire Service, a Fire Service of an agency of the Commonwealth, and the Fire Services of the External Territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Island) and Norfolk Island.
The medal is awarded twice a year as part of the Australia Day award and Queen’s Birthday award announcements.
Criteria for the Australian Fire Service Medal
To be considered for this award it would be expected that the nominee has given service beyond the norm exemplified by:
- Prolonged service distinguished by exceptional performance in a particular area that has proved significant benefit to the fire service; and one or more of the following.
- Responsibility for and management of an outstanding/exceptional event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Development of a new system, or procedure, or technique that is unique and has made a significant contribution to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth, within the fire service and the fostering and furthering of the aims of the fire service to the long-term benefit of the fire service and the community.
- Demonstrated creativity in the development and implementation of innovative changes that have made a significant contribution to the fire service, fire/emergency operations, or the interests of community safety.
Invitation open to all CFA volunteers to apply
Closing date for written applications is Monday 1st August 2022.
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 Nev Jones AFSM, Andy Cusack AFSM, Bill Maltby and Greg Walcott expire on 1st October 2022; with Nev Jones advising that he will not be reapplying; all other members are eligible for re-appointment.
The term of appointment will be to 1st October 2024 (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.
This is an honorary position; no honorarium is paid.
Prior to applying you should familiarise yourself with the following documents, each available for download at the bottom of this page:
- VFBV Board Member Role Statement including the key selection criteria
- VFBV Board Code of Conduct Policy and Declaration
- VFBV Conflict of Interest Policy and Declaration
How to apply
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
- An outline of your VFBV involvement and experience or in the case of there being none - outline how you have supported or advocated for VFBV positions/campaigns or supported CFA volunteer improvements
- An outline of your CFA activity
- A resume, including the names of two referees
- A completed ‘Quick Self Summary’ (downloaded from below)
Applications must be lodged with VFBV by Monday 1st August 2022.
Applications should be marked Private and Confidential addressed to: VFBV, 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East VIC 3151
Or via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fax (03) 9886 1618
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141.
National Volunteer Week is being celebrated this week between 16th and 22nd May. Our celebration of volunteer week acknolwedges the power of volunteering to bring people together.
This year’s national theme is 'Better Together' which sums up CFA nicely. Emergency services volunteering allows for people to come together, build safer communities and create a better society for everyone.
Adam Barnett, VFBV Chief Executive Officer, said that volunteers have played such a vital role in bringing their communities together over the past two years of the pandemic, bushfires and floods.
“VFBV passes on our deep gratitude, respect and appreciation to all CFA volunteers for the work you do in your communities 24/7.”
“This has been evident throughout the pandemic where CFA volunteers have maintained their world class service delivery, adapted community education activities to ensure they continue uninterrupted, and dealt with a fire season that bought fire, storm and floods."
"You have stood by your communities through thick and thin and without fuss, like you always do.”
"Victorian's are safer because of the work you do, and we could not be more proud of you, your brigades and all those that support you in the work you do to protect lives and property."
Adam also noted that it’s not only CFA volunteers who contribute to the safety of Victoria. There are also volunteers from VicSES, St Johns Ambulance, Ambulance Victoria, Life Saving Victoria, Coast Guard, Salvation Army, Red Cross and Victorian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry – just to name a few, who also work together to contribute their time, skills and resources to their communities as part of Victoria's 100,000 emergency management volunteers.
The 3V’s report “Uncovering the hidden value” which VFBV contributed to as part of the reference group, conservatively estimates that Victoria’s 100,000 emergency service volunteers contribute $1.9 to $2.5 billion in value each year. You can read more about the 3V’s report here.
From VFBV thank you and well done for your incredible dedication and service to the people of Victoria and beyond.
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About VFBV: VFBV is established under the Country Fire Authority Act and is the peak body for CFA Volunteers in Victoria. VFBV works tirelessly to represent, advocate and support CFA volunteers to the CFA Board and management, governments, ministers, members of parliament, councils, instrumentalities, business and the public. Our vision is for Strong Volunteerism, Embraced to Build Community Resilience for a Safer Victoria. |
Want to read more about CFA volunteers?
VFBV regularly publish stories about CFA volunteers, please explore our website to discover some of these amazing stories.
Time well spent
By Adam Barnett, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
As we put another fire season behind us, this would typically be the time of year that many brigades move into their planning and recovery stages.
With all brigade officer positions being two-year terms, 50 percent of brigades will have had or will hold their elections over the coming weeks in preparation for current terms expiring on June 30. For many of those 606 brigades, this will be a period of reflection on the previous two years, as well as discussions on the hopes and aspirations of the brigades and its members for the next two as current leaders and prospective leaders consider their roles.
For many, and with the fire danger period behind us, it is also a chance for brigades to enjoy the reduced tempo that this time of year often brings, and which typically allows brigades, groups and members to rest up and recover from the fire season just gone, while juggling the normal day-to-day incidents that keep us busy all year long.
It is with this in mind that I urge brigade and group management teams to consider spending some time considering a long-term reengagement strategy for members who may have been left behind over the last couple of tumultuous years of reform, change and the pandemic.
While the pandemic in particular has made training and getting together really difficult and no doubt has impacted on the morale and cohesion of brigades and groups, for many the effects of the pandemic are still very much in play.
While public COVID restrictions are being wound down, there are many still under immense pressure dealing with the knock-on effects, such as those frontline workers still involved in areas under crisis like our health system and other sectors experiencing high absenteeism due to vaccine mandates and isolation restrictions. Employers and self-employed are also grappling with these same pressures.
There are also members continuing to care for high-risk individuals or family members who need to continue exercising self-discipline for their own risk settings.
In other words, brigades will need to plan long-term and be patient in order to strike a good balance between supporting members who continue to have life pressures, but also looking to ensure those members remain connected and engaged with CFA and the brigade in general to avoid them being left behind or worse, stepping away altogether.
I’ve had many a conversation with a volunteer expressing to me they are looking to hang up their overalls. My advice has always been the same, in that you need to do what is best for you but that I urge you not to make a hasty decision during a crisis, as things can change quickly, and you don’t want to look back and regret it.
Rushing people to return before they are ready risks being the straw that breaks the camels back. But conversely - leaving it too late risks these members being further disenfranchised or disconnected from CFA and their brigade and potentially losing interest in ever wanting to return. This is a complex problem and will require many wise heads.
Given how hard and long it takes to train new members, and the importance of retaining experience and knowledge gleaned sometimes over many decades – there is great value in reaching out to members one-on-one and building an understanding of where they’re at and exploring options to reengage them at an appropriate pace.
Give yourself some time and space to allow your emotions to subside. The same for those impacted by vaccine mandates. While vaccination still remains the most effective means to protect you and your family, forced vaccinations hopefully won’t be here forever.
We are not alone in this regard. National bodies across the volunteer sector have all reported a sharp disruption to volunteerism during the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, in a report on volunteer involving organisations across Victoria, Volunteering Victoria reported a 50.2% decline in the volunteering participation rate, with a net decline of almost 64.1% in volunteering hours during the first few months of the pandemic.
For those who have needed to take a bit of a break from their CFA duties over the last little while, I would urge you to keep your brigade informed as to where you’re at, as a shared understanding and keeping the lines of communication open usually works wonders and helps the brigade or group forward plan upcoming training and addressing any capability gaps caused by your absence.
And with National Volunteer Week being held between the 16th and 22nd May, this is a great opportunity to reflect on why we volunteer in the first place. This year’s theme is ‘Better Together’ which sums up CFA nicely.
In the 3V’s final report ‘Uncovering the hidden value’ which VFBV contributed to via the reference group, readers would recall that the value of emergency management volunteering was expressed through three concurrent layers.
These were emergency management value (the value of the contributions made by volunteers to the direct outcomes achieved before, during and after emergencies); the community strengthening value (the broader value that volunteers make that strengthen their communities and building community resilience); and the volunteer personal value which describes the value of volunteering to volunteers themselves.
All up, Lateral Economics estimated a conservative indicative annual value of between $1.9 to $2.5 billion dollars of public value generated by Victoria’s 100,000 emergency management volunteers, of which CFA volunteers make up more than half.
And to give you context of the incredible economic force that volunteers are, a group of academics from John Hopkins University, USA published a report in 2011 that sought to measure the economic value of volunteer work globally.
They found that nearly one billion people throughout the world volunteer, and they coined the term ‘Volunteer land’ to describe that if all those volunteers were comprised a single country – it would be the second most populous country in the world, with a total economic value of their volunteering US$1.348 trillion making their volunteer contribution the seventh largest economy in the world.
However, it is that final layer I mentioned earlier (the volunteer personal value) that often gets overlooked in our discussions amongst each other. From a volunteer perspective, this is understandable. Using the VFBV Volunteer Welfare and Efficiency survey as a guide, we know more than 90% of CFA volunteers state the reason for joining is to help the community they live in, or the sense of fulfilment they get from supporting their community in a meaningful way. This explains why we don’t frequently talk about what are the direct benefits to volunteers from their volunteering, as its not in our DNA to think of ourselves.
It goes without saying, that CFA volunteers are critical to Victoria’s emergency management arrangements, and they are the single largest collective of professionally trained and experienced first responders protecting lives and property across the State.
However, with many re-evaluating their lives and reflecting on what’s important to them or not, it perhaps is a good time to put it on the table and ensure the full spectrum of the value of volunteers is understood and discussed, especially amongst volunteers themselves.
Supporting this theory is Andrew Haldane, who as the Chief Economist of the Bank of England, gave a lecture to the Society of Business Economists in London in 2014 called ‘In giving, how much do we receive?’.
He claimed that the global ‘volunteer army’ would be larger even still if individuals had greater self-awareness of the private benefits of volunteering. He went on to state that research has shown that people tend systematically to under-estimate the positive effect for them of giving to others. He quotes an experiment where people were randomly assigned $20 to spend, either on themselves or others. Those who were told to spend it on others subsequently reported significantly higher subjective wellbeing, than those who spent it on themselves.
So, what is the personal value from volunteering? The 3V’s report attributed personal value amongst emergency management volunteers as: a sense of satisfaction from helping their local community; improvements to their own mental wellbeing particularly through purpose and social belonging; and improvements to their own skills and human capital.
More broadly, the UK government for example reports the perceived benefits from volunteers as reported directly by them as: enjoyment; a sense of personal achievement; making a difference; meeting new people; broadening their life experience; meeting different people from different backgrounds; improved mental wellbeing; increasing their confidence; learning new skills and experience; feeling less isolated; improving their physical health and improving their employment prospects from the increased skills learned while volunteering.
So, if for whatever reason you have stepped away from your CFA activities over the last little while, use this time to reflect on what’s important to you and consider reconnecting. No doubt, if you joined CFA to help others and your community, that is likely still a high motivator for you. And from a VFBV perspective, we will continue contributing to the change management journey of ensuring CFA is the best it can be.
While all change takes time, important progress is being made to ensure CFA’s focus is on its frontline service delivery and the people who deliver those services to form not only Victoria’s largest emergency service, but Victoria’s largest volunteer and community-based service dedicated to serving the community from the community.
Backing up the evidence from VFBV’s annual survey, the UK’s National Council for Voluntary Organisations published its national survey in 2019 on the volunteer experience called ‘Time Well Spent’ which is instructive reading for anyone operating within a management role of a volunteer agency, brigade or organisation.
Not only did it find that those who give more frequently, benefit more from the experience, but an overwhelming 93% of volunteers ranked ‘enjoyment’ as the highest of perceived benefits. This should act as a warning for CFA and other formal volunteering organisations where bureaucracy and administration is often quoted as strangling all the ‘fun’ out of the experience.
And while first responders would never describe attending emergency incidents as ‘fun’, the overall enjoyment and satisfaction from being part of an organisation that makes such as incredible difference to people’s lives and their perceived individual ability to contribute to that work and feel trained and supported in the services they provide should not be overlooked.
Researchers refer to the ‘tipping point’ of negative experiences that include: too much of their time being taken up; being out of pocket; feeling pressured by the organisation to do more; feeling unappreciated and being in conflict with others as significant contributors to dissatisfaction.
As I have often remarked during this reform journey, CFA volunteers will never walk away from helping their communities.
However, if they feel their time is being wasted or could be better spent elsewhere, or they are being taken for granted or exploited – they will leave CFA and find another worthy organisation within their communities where they can make a difference. CFA must be an organisation of choice that appeals both to today’s volunteer, as well as tomorrow’s. We shouldn’t stop until it is.
VESEP Grants
A reminder that applications for this year’s Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program close on 31 May 2022 and are due to your District ACFO by this date.
You can access the VFBV VESEP Help Pack from the VFBV website or by calling the office. The help pack is full of info, tips and ideas to assist you put together your VESEP application.
Presumptive Legislation – Women’s Reference Group
VFBV is seeking expressions of interest from members to join a Presumptive Legislation Women’s Reference Group we are putting together to consider and advocate for the inclusion of female specific cancers into presumptive legislation.
Any member that would like to contribute to this work, should please contact Mark Dryden via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week will be celebrated between the 16th and 22nd May. On behalf of VFBV we pass on our deep gratitude, respect and appreciation to all CFA volunteers for the work you do in your communities 24/7.
During the pandemic CFA volunteers have maintained their world class service delivery, adapted community education activities to ensure they continue uninterrupted, and dealt with a fire season that bought fire, storm and floods also.
You have stood by your communities through thick and thin and without fuss. Hold your heads high. Thankyou and well done for your incredible dedication and service to the people of Victoria and beyond.
Victorian Budget
The State Government released its 2022/23 Victorian budget on Tuesday 3rd May predicting a 3.7% cut in budget across the Emergency Management Capability portfolio.
This year’s budget presents a very mixed bag for CFA and CFA volunteers, with the majority of new output funding within the Department of Justice and Community Safety portfolio (where Fire Services lives) allocated to Quarantine Victoria ($960 million) and additional funding for ESTA ($333 million.)
New funding for CFA includes $11 million over four years for volunteer driver training and licensing, and $16 million over four years to improve changing facilities at three training campus’ and 40 fire stations. VFBV advocated strongly for driver training in particular and welcomes both of these initiatives.
We are however very disappointed in the lack of funding for fire trucks and fire stations in this year’s budget. Two items fairly core to what a fire services does.
This lack of funding will continue to apply extreme pressure to CFA’s base budget, which is already chronically underfunded, and even more so following fire services reform. For example, despite being Victoria’s largest emergency service and operating 1,212 fire brigades across Victoria, CFA’s $807 million in government funding in 2020 was reduced to $351 million the following year after part implementation of reform.
In analysis compiled by VFBV back in 2014 we calculated that CFA needed to spend $29 million per year on replacing fire trucks to progressively reduce the CFA fleet profile to arrest the decline and achieve an average age of 20 years by 2027. At the time, one in four CFA trucks were over 20 years old, with the oldest approaching 28 years, making it one of the oldest emergency service fleets in Australia. Since this analysis was conducted, government funding for capital replacement has been well below this $29 million.
This under investment continues to build pressure on an ageing fleet and leaves us with a situation with some fire trucks now exceeding 30 years of age with no end in sight. Volunteers deserve much better than this and VFBV expresses its disappointment on behalf of them and the communities they selflessly protect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further analysis continues.
Volunteer Trainers
Want to help your fellow volunteers and contribute to CFA training by becoming a formal trainer and assessor? VFBV is continuing to pursue improvements to CFA’s Trainer and Assessor program, that has already achieved approval for new investment in training qualifications, professional development opportunities, access to workwear and PPC, and better access to teaching aids like tablets, computers and learning materials.
VFBV encourages members who are interested in becoming TAs to look on the Training page on Members Online or search ‘VTA’ on Members Online to find out more information and access nomination forms. Alternatively, your local Coordinator Learning Development at District will be able to assist and can explain the endorsement process.
VFBV Affiliation for 2022/23
Thank you for members’ continued strong show of support!
More than 93% of Brigades demonstrated strong support for VFBV’s important work representing and advocating for all CFA volunteers. Thank-you to all brigades and groups who affiliated last year.
In the coming weeks VFBV will be posting out the 2022/23 renewal notices for your Brigade/Group’s VFBV Affiliation and Welfare Fund subscriptions. These will be mailed out to Brigade and Group secretaries with a due date of 31 July 2022.
Those brigades that pay their VFBV affiliations before 30 June will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of four equipment prizes valued at approximately $4,000. The prizes have for the third year running been donated by GAAM Emergency Products and Powdersafe and we sincerely thank them for their continued generous support.
We also strongly encourage Brigades to subscribe to the VFBV Welfare Fund. The Welfare Fund is an exclusive benefit to affiliated members and VFBV fund all the administration and operating cost ensuring 100% of funds donated go directly to CFA volunteers experiencing personal hardship.
The Welfare Fund provides small grants of up to $5,000 to assist volunteer members and long serving ex members. The grants support members and their families experiencing personal financial hardship/crisis by providing welfare grants, on a needs-assessed basis, that may help alleviate stress impacting their ability to maintain involvement as a volunteer.
District Council’s continue to promote opportunities for members to contribute to the vital work that VFBV performs on behalf of all CFA volunteers. Advocacy, support and the provision of trusted and credible advice are all strengthened when members work together and share a unity of purpose. Become involved today.
Position Vacant – Administration Assistant
VFBV is looking for an enthusiastic Administration Support Officer to join our small dedicated team supporting the peak body work of the Association in representing CFA volunteers to CFA, Government, business and instrumentalities.
Based at our Burwood office, and under the direction of the Administration Officer you will provide administrative, reception and office support across all business support activities and in many instances be the first point of contact to members, stakeholders and the public.
For more information on this role, please visit the VFBV website.
Applications close Sunday 15 May 2022.
Fire Wise – May 2022 online only edition
The May 2022 edition of Fire Wise has been published online only, this edition and past editions are available from the Fire Wise website.
You can support Fire Wise and the role it plays as an independent voice in keeping volunteers informed by becoming a subscriber. To become a Fire Wise subscriber visit the Fire Wise website or contact the Managing Editor of Fire Wise, Gordon Rippon-King either by phone 0402 051 412 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recent articles on the VFBV Website
International Firefighters’ Day 2022
Updating your vaccination status (update)
2022-23 VFBV - VESEP Help Pack
Position Vacant – Administration Assistant
Enjoying the VFBV monthly newsletter?
If you enjoy reading the VFBV newsletter each month, why not share it with your fellow volunteers?
Either share this page with others who may enjoy the articles or encourage other volunteers to sign up to receive their own copy via email each month here.
International Firefighters’ Day (IFFD) is observed each year on the 4th May. This is also St Florian's Day, who is the patron saint of firefighters.
St. Florian is the Patron Saint of Firefighters and was an officer of the Roman army who was responsible for organising and leading firefighting brigades tasked to fight fires when Rome needed to protect itself against fire being used as an offensive weapon in the third century.
On St. Florian’s Day, firefighters, families and communities across the world take a moment to acknowledge firefighters commitment and dedication to their communities and their selfless duty to protecting lives and property.
Each year, CFA and VFBV come together to honour our fallen firefighters through the annual memorial service which is each year commemorated on the Sunday closest to May 4th. By proudly wearing and displaying blue and red ribbons pinned together or by participating in a memorial or recognition event, we show our gratitude and respect to firefighters and their families everywhere. The blue and red ribbons are linked to colours symbolic of the main elements firefighters work with – red for fire and blue for water.
This years service was held on Sunday 1 May at Federation University’s Churchill Campus in Gippsland and marked 40 years since the loss of Churchill firefighter Darren McLean. The 2022 Annual Memorial Service is available to view on CFA’s website for those who were unable to attend the service in person. https://news.cfa.vic.gov.au/news/cfa-remembers-fallen-members-at-state-memorial-event
The Annual Memorial Service is a formal and reflective day to acknowledge and remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their communities. It’s a time for reflection and just one of the ways we can remember the lives of 69 CFA members and 11 Country Fire Brigades Board firefighters (prior to the formation of CFA), who have paid the ultimate sacrifice and given their lives in service to protecting our communities. The full Role of Honour can be found on CFA’s website. https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/history/roll-of-honour
This year we also recognise the loss of Louise Hincks a volunteer firefighter from South Australia’s Country Fire Service who lost her life in January while fighting a blaze near Lucindale. VFBV on behalf of all Victorian firefighters extends its deepest sympathies to Louise’s family, friends, brigade, peers and loved ones.
VFBV CEO, Adam Barnett spoke of the importance of the annual memorial service for not only the families, friends and loved once of the fallen, but for all CFA members.
“The annual memorial and St Florian’s Day is a time for us to come together and remember the 80 CFA firefighters who have selflessly given their lives to protect the lives of other Victorians.”
“While we pay tribute to those lost while protecting our communities, it is also a day to reflect on the importance of the work that CFA volunteers do on a daily basis to make Victorian communities safer.”
The 2023 Annual Memorial Service will be held on Sunday 7th May and will acknowledge and reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Ash Wednesday fires. Further details will be provided closer to the date.
Vital and Valued
By Adam Barnett, VFBV Chief Executive Officer
April typically signifies the end of the fire danger period, with a rolling back of local restrictions as the weather justifies. And while this season has been comparatively mild, I want to acknowledge
how tired so many of you are.
Everything in 2021/22 just feels harder doesn’t it?
Change management is hard at the best of times. Throw in a pandemic along with sector and organisational reform, and we have the perfect storm. And given this season’s weather – this storm is both figurative and literal.
With so much going on, I am going to use this month’s column to flag some key initiatives to keep an eye out for.
VESEP GRANTS
This year’s Volunteer Emergency Service Equipment Program is now open.
The program is in its 22nd year and first started as the CSESP Program (Community Safety Emergency Support Program) in 2000 and was designed in close consultation with VFBV and volunteers.
Key to its success is locally driven priority setting, endorsement by District Planning Committee’s, operational support and endorsement by CFA Regional Management and a State-wide Steering Committee that reports directly to Government and includes VFBV and volunteer representatives who work together to monitor the program and ensure the programs integrity and transparency.
The program offers five categories; Volunteer amenities $<5K; Minor works $<120K; Operational equipment; Specialist appliances and Field Command Vehicles (FCV’s); and Tankers.
As usual, VFBV has published a help pack that offers practical suggestions and complements the EMV and CFA Guidelines and application forms. An electronic copy of our Help Pack is available via the VFBV website, or we can post you a paper copy by calling the office on (03) 9886 1141 or speaking with your local VFBV State Councillor or VFBV Support Officer.
Applications close on the 31st May 2022, with a ministerial announcement expected in September. Reach out if you need help with your application.
MEMORIAL SERVICE
The annual CFA Memorial Service is commemorated on the first Sunday closest to International Firefighter’s Day and St Florian’s day which both fall on May 4th.
This year’s annual memorial will therefore be held on Sunday 1st May. The service is being held in a regional location this year, and will take place in Churchill (Gippsland).
The annual service is a time for us to come together either in person or in spirit and remember and honour the 80 CFA firefighters (including 11 from pre-1944) who have selflessly given their lives to protect the lives of other Victorians.
And while the memorial is always solemn and reflective, it is also an important opportunity to reflect on our history as we pay tribute to those lost – and reflect on the importance of the work we each do in making our communities safer.
Details and how to RSVP can be found on both the VFBV and CFA websites.
AFSM NOMINATIONS
The Australian Fire Service Medal recognises distinguished service by members of fire services agencies across Australia. They are awarded twice a year, with the first awards presented in January on Australia Day, and the second round being awarded on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June.
CFA is currently deliberating on awards to be presented for the January Australia Day awards 2023. Nominations are confidential but can be made by anyone for anybody they know who deserves to be honoured. Self-nominations are not allowed. The closing date is May 1st, so please consider nominating a fellow member you feel is deserving.
A nominators guide is available via the CFA and VFBV websites.
FIRE SERVICES IMPLEMENTATION MONITOR
The Fire Services Monitor, the Hon Niall Blair attended the State Championships on Saturday 26th March. He and his staff had a booth, where members were invited to stop by for a chat and discuss their experiences of fire services reform as part of his formal monitoring activities. With more than 3,000 volunteers attending over the weekends, it was a great opportunity for him and his office to engage with volunteers and staff.
The monitor has advised that as part of his year two assessment methodology, he is intending on conducting individual station visits across Victoria over the next three months to obtain feedback and input about the progress of the fire services reform from brigade perspectives.
These visits will include co-located brigades as well as opportunities for surrounding brigades where members will have an opportunity to provide feedback face to face, as well as an opportunity to provide written feedback should members be unable to attend in person.
We will keep you updated on locations as we are advised, and members are encouraged to provide their observations and thoughts to the monitor to ensure lessons and views are captured as part of his review.
CFA BOARD NOMINATIONS
I want to thank all members who applied for the CFA Board positions advertised over the last three months. The VFBV Board and State Council processes are now complete.
Thank-you to all members who gave up their time and generously shared their knowledge and experience through the formal application process. Nominations are confidential and panels have now been provided to the Minister for Emergency Services, the Hon. Jaclyn Symes for consideration by the Governor in Council. Current Board terms do not expire until later in the year, so we are not expecting an announcement for a while yet.
The VFBV Board has recently discussed an annual process that would seek to encourage members to submit an expression of interest application for a Board position anytime throughout the year. This would allow more regular formal interviews to be conducted throughout the year at times more convenient and in anticipation of future vacancies.
This will ensure members don’t have to rely on short notice requests and will improve our ability to respond to short Government timelines in the future. We are committed to strengthening opportunities for volunteers to be involved and will keep working on ways to reduce any barriers.
VACCINE MANDATES
I want to acknowledge the workload and tensions that have accompanied the government vaccine mandates, and the difficulties it has presented for some people at the local levels, especially those in leadership roles. Following the relaxation of public restrictions, we are receiving an increased number of enquiries on the future status of emergency service vaccination mandates.
While mandates served an important role in the early stages of the pandemic, we acknowledge that people have questions around their proportionality under current circumstances as we transition to a ‘COVID normal’ type setting.
VFBV is continuing to seek advice from the Health Department and will continue to raise the issues that members are raising with us. I can certainly attest that the incidence of CFA transmission from emergency response activities has been extremely low, and the fact that we mostly work outside means our risk setting is far lower than some of our fellow emergency service partners. However, it is also important to recognise that the sector is reluctant for mandates to be piece meal amongst different agencies across the sector, so these conversations are difficult.
Unfortunately, we have been unable to obtain a clear picture or roadmap that might provide the greater certainty that we are looking for, but we will certainly keep trying.
THANK-YOU
I want to thank all volunteers and staff who contributed to the running of this year’s highly successful CFA-VFBV State Firefighter Championships. Held over two weekends, Mooroopna certainly put on spectacular weather, and we were dazzled by strong performances by Melton and Springhurst in particular across both the urban and rural tracks.
There was a real positivity amongst everyone attending, with everyone I think so grateful for the opportunity to be back face to face. Our COVID-safe preparations and precautions paid off, and I am incredibly proud of everyone’s discipline and sacrifices made to ensure the event was conducted as safely as possible.
CFA hosted a marvellous corporate display, with the best attendance I can remember from a wide range of directorates and units across CFA providing opportunities for members and the public to explore the various offerings from new truck and equipment designs to bushfire modelling, new PPC and workwear displays and the popular virtual reality demonstrations. It was also great to acknowledge the attendance of members of parliament and local government from right across the political spectrum.
The Saturday night torchlight parade, featuring both rural and urban brigades was spectacular, with more than 15,000 members of the general public cheering our firefighters along as part of the Illuminate Shepparton festival. The festival featured mesmerising laser light installations, live music and incredible food. The warm reception epitomised the public respect for the professional work that CFA volunteers do every day of every year.
Thank-you especially to the more than 300 volunteer judge and track officials who volunteered their time over the entire weekends to keep the tracks running smoothly and allowing brigades to shine as they demonstrate their skills and fitness.
As you can tell from this brief update, there is plenty going on and plenty to keep us busy. As the season winds down - take care of yourselves and use the change in seasons to slip in some rest.
For everyone that contributed over the heightened fire danger period, whether on the front line or behind the scenes – thank-you and well done. As we move now to our winter campaigns and educate the public on home fire safety, please know that the incredible work you do in your communities is both vital and valued.
2022 State Championships
This year’s State Firefighter Championships saw both the Melton and Springhurst brigades come out on top at the Championships held in Mooroopna during March.
Melton first had success as runaway winners at the State Urban Junior Championship held on the weekend of 19 and 20 March. This weekend saw over 200 competitors from 37 teams competing.
The following weekend, 26 and 27 March, Melton again won by a significant margin to take out the State Urban Senior Championship. While Springhurst won both the State Rural Senior and Junior Championships on the same weekend, with Truganina taking out the Division 2, with an impressive showing across the Aggregate Board.
The second weekend saw close to 600 competitors take part from 120 teams. Full results of the 2022 State Championships can be found on pages 10 to 12 of the April edition of Fire Wise or from the VFBV website.
2022 also saw the return of the Torchlight Procession through the streets of Shepparton on Saturday 26th March in conjunction with the Illuminate Shepparton festival for the first time since 2019.
The State Championships would not be possible without the support of more than 300 judges and officials who volunteer their time over the two weekends. VFBV also passes on its appreciation to competitors, coaches, supporters and staff. Special thanks to the State Championships Committee, which consists of CFA management, members of VFBV’s Rural and Urban State Competition Committees, volunteers and staff for their hard work and efforts in the preparation and management of the two weekends of competition.
We also pass on our appreciation to the Greater Shepparton City Council for their continued support of the Championships, with this year marking the 10th time our Championships have been held in either Shepparton or Mooroopna since 1975.
VFBV’s two competition committees will be meeting in the coming months to review the championships in preparation for the 2023 State Championships, if any brigades and competitors would like to provide any feedback they can do so by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Presumptive Legislation – Women’s Reference Group
VFBV is seeking expressions of interest from members to join a Presumptive Legislation Women’s Reference Group we are putting together to consider and advocate for the inclusion of female specific cancers into presumptive legislation.
Any member that would like to contribute to this work, should please contact Mark Dryden via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Affiliation
Thank you for members’ continued strong show of support!
Again in 2021-22 CFA Brigades and Groups have showed that is it more important than ever that volunteers have a strong, united, independent and credible voice. More than 93% of Brigades demonstrated strong support for VFBV’s important work representing and advocating for all CFA volunteers. Thank-you to all brigades and groups who affiliated last year.
In the coming weeks VFBV will be posting out the 2022/23 renewal notices for your Brigade/Group’s VFBV Affiliation and Welfare Fund subscriptions. These will be mailed out to Brigade and Group secretaries with a due date of 30 June 2022.
To thank Brigades and Groups for their support, those who pay their VFBV affiliations before 30th June will automatically be entered into a draw to win one of four equipment prizes valued at approximately $4,000.
The prizes have for the third-year running been donated by GAAM Emergency Products and Powdersafe and we sincerely thank them for their continued generous support. For further details of the prizes on offer, see the flyer included with your renewal notices.
As well as affiliating, we strongly encourage Brigades to subscribe to the VFBV Welfare Fund.
The Welfare Fund is an exclusive benefit to affiliated members and VFBV fund all the administration and operating cost ensuring 100% of funds received go directly to CFA volunteers experiencing personal hardship.
The VFBV Welfare Fund provides small grants of up to $5,000 to assist volunteer members and long serving ex members. The grants support members and their families experiencing personal financial hardship/crisis by providing welfare grants, on a needs-assessed basis, that may help alleviate stress impacting their ability to maintain involvement as a volunteer.
District Council’s continue to promote opportunities for members to contribute to the vital work that VFBV performs on behalf of all CFA volunteers.
Advocacy, support and the provision of trusted and credible advice are all strengthened when members work together and share a unity of purpose. Become involved today.
Position Vacant – Administration Assistant
VFBV is looking for an enthusiastic Administration Support Officer to join our small dedicated team supporting the peak body work of the Association in representing CFA volunteers to CFA, Government, business and instrumentalities.
Based at our Burwood office, and under the direction of the Administration Officer you will provide administrative, reception and office support across all business support activities and in many instances be the first point of contact to members, stakeholders and the public.
For more information on this role, please visit the VFBV website.
Applications close Sunday 15 May 2022.
RCH Good Friday Appeal
A defining sight of the Good Friday Appeal is the thousands of volunteers standing at traffic lights, in camping grounds and clubs and at many events, shaking the Good Friday Appeal tins as people open their hearts and their wallets to support.
You can read more about the RCH Good Friday Appeal, the face of the Good Friday Appeal and about some of the CFA Brigades who will be shaking tins this weekend on the VFBV Website.
Donations can also be made via the Virtual Tin Shake, visit the Virtual Tin Shake website to find your closest brigade with a virtual tin.
Fire Wise – April 2022 online only edition
The April 2022 edition of Fire Wise has been published online only, this edition and past editions are available from the Fire Wise website.
You can support Fire Wise and the role it plays as an independent voice in keeping volunteers informed by becoming a subscriber. To become a Fire Wise subscriber visit the Fire Wise website or contact the Managing Editor of Fire Wise, Gordon Rippon-King either by phone 0402 051 412 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recent articles on the VFBV website
CFA Annual Memorial Service 2022
Updating your Vaccination Status (Update)
Position Vacant – Administration Assistant
2022 State Urban Junior Championship Results
2022 State Rural Senior Championship Results
2022 State Rural Junior Championship Results
2022 State Urban Senior Championship Results
A Passion to lead CFA’s Next Generation
Enjoying the VFBV monthly newsletter?
If you enjoy reading the VFBV newsletter each month, why not share it with your fellow volunteers?
Either share this page with others who may enjoy the articles or encourage other volunteers to sign up to receive their own copy via email each month here.
The Annual Memorial Service will be held on Sunday 1 May in Churchill to honour firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
This year’s memorial service will mark the 34th event, which has been held since 1987, with the only cancellation being 2020 due to the pandemic.
Location: The service will be held at the Auditorium, Building 3E, Federation University – Gippsland Campus Northways Road, Churchill Vic 3842
Date: 2.00pm on Sunday 1 May
Dress: CFA dress uniform or smart casual
The 2022 Annual Memorial Service for Firefighters is a free event, to attend please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 0475 990 030 by Tuesday 26 April 2022. The event will including appropriate Covid-19 safety precuations.
Family members and friends, CFA and Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria (VFBV) executives as well as government representatives will come together to lay wreaths, light candles, remember lives and honour the personal sacrifices and commitment firefighters make each and every day.
Junior CFA members will also attend the memorial service and will be actively involved throughout the ceremony by assisting wreath layers and patrons.
VFBV CEO Adam Barnett spoke about the importance of the annual memorial service for not only the families, friends and loved ones of the fallen, but for all members.
“The annual memorial service is a time for us to come together either in person or in spirit to remember and honour the 79 CFA firefighters (including 11 from pre-1944) who have selflessly given their lives to protect the lives of other Victorians.
"And while the service is always solemn and reflective, it is also an important opportunity to reflect on our history as we pay tribute to those lost and reflect on the importance of the work we all do in making our communities safer.”
Members are encouraged to RSVP via: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone Matt Walton on 0475 990 030
This article was first published on the 14th October, and is regularly updated with Booster requirements for Emergency Services Workers. This page reflects information as of (Mandatory Vaccination [Specified Workers] Order 2022 [No. 6], dated 12th April 2022.)
For the information of members, CFA is obligated under the Pandemic Health Directions to collect and store your vaccination status. CFA is requesting that all members please update their CFA record with their COVID-19 Vaccination status as soon as possible.
Members are reminded to update your CFA record after you receive your booster.
You can do so via the CFA website, or by calling CFA’s Service Delivery Reporting Centre via (03) 9262 8663 between 9am to 9pm, 7 days a week.
Under Victoria’s new pandemic management framework, Chief Health Officer (CHO) directions have been replaced with Pandemic Orders that are now made by the health minister. CFA and other emergency service volunteers like the SES are all classified as ‘Emergency Service Workers’ under the current pandemic orders.
The order currently in place as at writing and relating to CFA is the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination (Specific Workers) Order 2022 (No.6) which commenced on 12 April 2022 and ends on the 12 July 2022. This order covers booster deadlines.
Under this order, emergency service workers who received their second dose on or before the 12th September last year – and who wish to continue to work outside their normal place of residence - are required to have received their 3rd dose (booster) by the 12 March 2022.
Members can view all Pandemic orders for themselves at: health.vic.gov.au
Members can update their status via any of the following methods:
- ONLINE
Members are encouraged to visit https://www.members.cfa.vic.gov.au/ and input their own status. - BY PHONE
If you can't access the website, or don't have a CFA online ID, you can call (03) 9262 8663 and provide your details over the phone.
This number is being staffed by CFA's Service Delivery Support Centre (SDRC) who are the same people that you call to enter your Fire Reports, and is open between 9am to 9pm. - DISTRICT STAFF
Your Brigade Administrative Support Officer (BASO) can also assist you. They are contactable through the usual arrangements, and details can be found in your District Contact Book. - BRIGADE
Brigade Captains, and your 1st Lieutenant can assist with the collection of data and are able to enter your details through their own CFA Brigades Online account. If Brigade Officer's are unsure of how to do this, they can contact their BASO for instructions.
Information on how to book your vaccine can be found here: Book your vaccine appointment | Coronavirus Victoria
A defining sight of the Good Friday Appeal is the thousands of volunteers standing at traffic lights, in camping grounds and clubs and at many events, shaking the Good Friday Appeal tins as people open their hearts and their wallets to support.
CFA members have supported the Good Friday Appeal since 1951. Over those many years of support, CFA members have raised more than $35 million for the Good Friday Appeal, to support the Royal Children's Hospital with their life saving care for our kids.
In addition to the normal tin shakes and events, many brigades have registered for the Virtual Tin Shake. More than 160 volunteer brigades participated last year, and this year it is expected to grow even larger. Visit https://www.virtualtinshake.com.au/sponsor?kw=CFA and search for your closest brigade with a virtual tin.
We share the following CFA stories that highlight volunteers strong connections and support with the Goof Friday Appeal.
Face of Good Friday becomes honorary CFA member
CFA’s Doreen Fire Brigade has welcomed face of the 2022 Good Friday Appeal, Isla, as an honorary member of the brigade
Isla met with brigade members on Monday, 28 March, for a tour of the fire station and truck to help promote the Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Good Friday Appeal.
The eight-year-old is in remission after spending half her life in treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Today she met with members of the Doreen Brigade where she was decked out in firefighter gear, had a go using a fire hose and went for a ride in the fire truck.
After Isla’s day with the brigade she promptly turned to her mum and said “I need to come back here every weekend so I can take care of business.”
Isla is back to her bubbly self at school too and dancing to her little heart’s content.
The Appeal also has special significance to CFA Doreen Brigade, as two of Captain Robert Bury’s grandchildren have received life-saving care at the hospital.
Grandson Daniel was diagnosed in vitro with a blockage of the heart in 2001, and Granddaughter Charli was born at 26 weeks gestation, weighing just 740g.
Upon Daniel’s arrival he was immediately transferred to the RCH where he would become one of the first newborns to receive a pacemaker. This saved Daniel’s life.
When Daniel turned 18, he received a new pacemaker in a 10-hour operation.
“Daniel would not be alive today without RCH and their wonderful doctors,” Robert said.
Charli developed Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) and when she became septic was transferred to the RCH. Robert’s wife Carole said that every day was a trial.
“Eventuality after a full 6 months she was well enough to come home. Charli has had several follow ups at RCH and had revision surgery,” Carole said.
“Without the RCH and their wonderful dedicated and caring doctors we would not have these two amazing grandchildren”.
Doreen, along with Epping CFA, will be collecting again this year at the intersection of Cooper and High Streets, Epping. Over the years they have raised a total of $171,000 and this year have set a target of $20,000.
“We run a bit of a competition amongst the rattlers to see who can collect the most from every mode of transport including buses, taxis, ambulances, police cars, fire trucks, motorcycles, horses, and pedestrians”, Robert said.
“At the end of Good Friday we like to escort the collection into the city to meet up with other CFA Brigades whilst we await the final tally of the day’s collection.”
Good Friday Appeal Executive Director, Rebecca Cowan said they’re so grateful to CFA for their continued support of the Good Friday Appeal.
“For 71 years, CFA have been supporting the Good Friday Appeal in raising much needed funds for The Royal Children's Hospital and every year we are inspired by their generous contributions,” Rebecca said.
“So many of our CFA fundraisers have a personal connection to The Royal Children’s Hospital, making the partnership even more significant. We’re grateful to the CFA for all their hard work and support and are incredibly thankful to every Victorian who donates to their local CFA”.
CFA members have supported the Good Friday Appeal since 1951 (71 years), volunteering their time and raising funds for the hospital and have raised more than $35 million. The 2022 Good Friday Appeal will be held on Friday 15 April.
To find out more on how you can donate please visit: https://www.virtualtinshake.com.au/fundraisers/EppingandDoreenFireBrigades/virtual-tin-shake
Knox Group aims high for the kids
CFA’s Knox Group of brigades has a long tradition of raising money for the Good Friday Appeal and this year will be no different.
Over the years the group has just come short of their ultimate goal of reaching $40,000, so this year they are determined to reach that figure.
Knox Group consists of eight fire brigades covering Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Montrose, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin and Upper Ferntree Gully.
Knox Group CFA Secretary Darryl Cardona said he’s conducted a meeting with the group of brigades, the target has been set, and they’re all on board.
Boronia brigade volunteer Bill Ireland, who has been raising money for the Good Friday Appeal for the past 50 years, said this year he will again be collecting money outside the Boronia Hotel on the corner of Boronia and Dorset roads, as he does every year.
“Collecting money for the Good Friday Appeal gives me a great feeling. My son was a patient at the Royal Children’s Hospital and he endured many operations, so it’s my pleasure to help the hospital and the children out," he said.
It’s not just the adults raising money this year, with the Boronia Juniors actively involved. This year they will undertake a car wash at Fast Fuel Wantirna between 8am and 2pm, with hopes of raising $2,000 on the day.
Boronia brigade Captain Ramon Relph said they have been doing this car washing event for the past six years.
“We feel it gives our Juniors a sense of achievement and involvement when they collect for the RCH." Ramon said.
“As the Captain it makes me proud to see the Juniors give up their public holiday to help others. I have been in the CFA for over 20 years and look forward to Good Friday every year.”
Scoresby Fire Brigade will also be collecting money at BP Eastlink on the Thursday outbound, when half of Melbourne drive to the Mornington Peninsula and again on Good Friday.
The Basin brigade will collect at Burwood Hwy and Dawson St, near the popular 1,000 Steps at Upper Ferntree Gully, and Montrose brigade will be collecting on Canterbury Rd and Mountain Hwy.
Montrose brigade volunteer Eddie Tichelaar said they have local elderly residents walk up to them every year to donate money they have saved throughout the year.
“Many no longer drive and enjoy just coming up and thanking CFA which is very generous,” he said.
Royal Children’s Hospital also has a special place in Eddie’s heart, with his daughter Danielle diagnosed with a congenital heart block four months before she was born.
“For the next 18 years the RCH was a second home for our family,” he said.
CFA members have supported the Good Friday Appeal since 1951, volunteering their time and raising funds for the hospital and have raised more than $35 million. The 2022 Good Friday Appeal will be held on Friday 15 April.
Sebastopol aiming high for the Good Friday Appeal
Sebastopol Brigade is close to hitting a total of $500,000 in money raised for the Royal Children’s Hospital this year.
Sebastopol Fire Brigade volunteers started collecting in 1977 with the driving influence being Lieutenant Bill Faulkhead, who had a child cared for at the Royal Children’s Hospital at the time.
Bill’s son Jarrod was born with Oesophageal Atresia where his throat was not correctly joined to his stomach and was rushed to the Royal Children’s Hospital ICU, where his life was saved.
In the first year, the brigade collected $407. Fast forward to 2022 and Sebastopol has collected a total of $482,569 in the 44 years to date.
Sebastopol Brigade’s 2nd Lieutenant of Training, David Walker said the brigade has a friendly rivalry with the Eureka Group.
“We have a trophy for whoever raises the largest amount of money each year and Sebastopol currently hold that trophy – we intend to win it again this year!” David said.
This year the volunteers will be doing tin collections on the Thursday and on Good Friday, asking local residents to again dig deep.
“We will have members out collecting at the Sebastopol Woolworths and Aldi stores in Albert St Sebastopol, and at Delacombe Woolworths in the Delacombe Town Centre leading up to Good Friday,” he said.
“We will also be running our usual Good Friday roadside collections and collecting at the fire station.”
In the past, Sebastopol has found novel ways to raise money. They have participated in radio auctions where they auctioned off a duck, paintings and a ‘has-been ‘ram.
One year, brigade members were shocked when Dame Edna Everage was in town and Lieutenant Bill Faulkhead turned up in his wife’s ballgown, shower cap and a shawl.
Sebastopol member Bill Cook says it’s a privilege to get up every Good Friday to collect money.
“It’s an absolute honour to raise money for one of the best children’s hospitals in the world,” he said.
“I know many parents who have had children in the Hospital and hearing their stories just eggs us on that little bit extra to support such a worthy cause.”
If Sebastopol hits the $500,000 mark this year, they will produce a celebration shirt recognising the 45th year.
CFA members have supported the Good Friday Appeal since 1951 (71 years), volunteering their time and raising funds for the hospital and have raised more than $35 million. The 2022 Good Friday Appeal will be held on Friday 15 April.
You can donate to Sebastopol’s tally here: https://www.virtualtinshake.com.au/fundraisers/SebastopolCFA/virtual-tin-shake
Moe brigade help raise over $1m for Good Friday Appeal
Moe Fire Brigade volunteers will once again be hitting the streets next weekend to add to the local tally of Good Friday Appeal funds raised.
Over the past 30 years Moe brigade raised money every year for the Royal Children’s Hospital, and to date the volunteers have contributed more than $1m from Moe and Newborough.
For some members it means more to them just rattling their tins.
As a child, Moe brigade’s 2nd Lieutenant Tara Paulsen suffered from croup which triggered severe asthma attacks and she was frequently admitted to the Royal Children’s Hospital. After several visits they discovered that damp air was a trigger, allowing the condition to be treated.
“I’m so fortunate for these amazing doctors that I haven’t required any medication since I was 15,” Tara said.
“I am only here today because of the RCH and I’m not sure I can ever truly put into words how grateful I am.”
This year Tara, along with other members of Moe brigade, will be collecting outside the local McDonald’s roundabout at the corner of the Princes Highway and Lloyd St.
When they’ve finished they will take their collection tins to the Newborough Bowls Club where the coins will be tallied and then added to the town’s overall total.
“The generosity of the community I see every year has helped save the lives of so many children,” Tara said.
Raising money for the Good Friday Appeal has also become a family affair, with Tara’s father John saving all his coins throughout the year and giving them to CFA fundraisers.
“For the past ten years, dad has riden his motorbike from Melbourne to Moe to put the money he’s kept into the CFA volunteers' tins,” Tara said.
CFA members have supported the Good Friday Appeal since 1951 (71 years), volunteering their time and raising funds for the hospital and have raised more than $35 million. The 2022 Good Friday Appeal will be held on Friday 15 April.
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Nominations are still open for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) to be awarded as part of the 2023 Australia Day awards.
The AFSM honours the distinguished service of members of fire services, including CFA volunteers who make an exceptionable contribution to their communities. The AFSM recognises those whose service is above and beyond the normal zealous and faithful discharge of normal or ordinary service, either in the short or long term.
CFA volunteers are often modest and reluctant to seek out recognition for the service they have provided to their community and may not have a realistic appreciation of the impact they have had on CFA, their community, within VFBV or your Brigade or Group. They’re not in it for the honour or glory, but it’s up to each of us to ensure we take the time to say ‘thank-you’ to those people who have stepped up and help inspire us all to do better.
If you know a quiet achiever who has contributed to CFA, who goes above and beyond what could be reasonably expected of someone in a similar position, consider nominating them for an AFSM.
The Australian Honours system has been designed to break down artificial barriers and open the Australian Honours to all parts of our society. Any member of the community can nominate any other Australian citizen for an award.
It is also critically important we encourage nominations for groups who are typically under-represented in Australian Honours like the AFSM.
Women in particular are under-represented in AFSM’s awarded when we consider the tens of thousands of women within the fire services across the country. And while things are improving, much more can be done.
There are so many exceptional CFA women and men deserving to be recognised.
Members are encouraged to give some extra thought for those persons who are frequently overlooked for recognition. A common misconception is that only those members who have decades worth of service are recognised by the Honours system. The AFSM is not a long-service award, its sole criterion is distinguished service. And while prolonged service forms part of the key criteria, ‘prolonged’ is considered by the honour and awards committee’s to be taken in context as to what is considered ‘longer than usual’ and in context of what is ‘above and beyond’ the normal or ordinary service expected. For example, has the members contribution been in excess of expectations for a ‘normal’ member and over what duration? The Committee will consider the nature of the service or achievement within the context of a member’s service history when weighing up the various criteria.
This is especially important for women within CFA who may have their service overlooked simply because they haven’t been a Captain or Group Officer for 30 years. While these are important leadership roles – our service is a team environment, and everyone’s contribution is valued.
Nothing should take away from the incredible achievement decade long service is, but the Honours system is designed to recognise those that make a significant contribution, and to represent the things that our communities believe to be deserving of recognition, including from those who are perhaps trailblazers for others to follow. Think of those people who have pushed the boundaries or have been first to reach and hold leadership positions that has been inspirational to those around them. For example, think of members who have overcome additional barriers, like English not being their first language and who have toiled away to learn the language and become masterful communicators designing new innovative community safety engagements to CALD communities and serving as a role model for other community members. Who are the people you look up to? Who are the people who have really made a difference in your Brigade or Group?
Distinguished service includes service that is above and beyond and can be short-term or prolonged. It is service that can be exemplified by; responsibility for an outstanding event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service or community; development of a new system, procedure or technique that is unique and made a significant contribution to the fire service; or outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth within the fire services.
While it can seem daunting to nominate a potential recipient, some guiding principles that could assist in completing a nomination for an AFSM are:
- In what role(s) has the nominee excelled?
- How has the nominee demonstrated service worthy of recognition?
- How has the nominee’s contribution affected a particular field, locality, brigade, group or community at large?
- Over what period has the nominee made a major commitment?
- Has the nominee’s contribution been recognised elsewhere?
- What makes this person stand out from others?
- What specific examples can be provided to show how the nominee’s contribution(s) have been outstanding?
Nominations for the 2023 Australia Day awards close on 1st May 2022, all nominations submitted are strictly confidential. The person being nominated should not be approached for information or advised of the confidential nomination at any stage of the process. Self nominations are also not accepted.
CFA calls for applications twice a year for the AFSM, therefore it is also worthwhile considering additional nominations for future awards and to start preparing nominations now in order to be prepared.
CFA Resources
Guide to Preparing Nominations for the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
Want to discuss a potential nomination or need some more information? Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
About the Australian Fire Service Medal
Introduced in 1988, the Australian Fire Service Medal recognised distinguished service by members of Australian fire services and is awarded to both volunteer and paid members. The award recognised the distinguished service by members of a State or Territory Fire Service, a Fire Service of an agency of the Commonwealth, and the Fire Services of the External Territories of Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Island) and Norfolk Island.
The medal is awarded twice a year as part of the Australia Day award and Queen’s Birthday award announcements.
Criteria for the Australian Fire Service Medal
To be considered for this award it would be expected that the nominee has given service beyond the norm exemplified by:
- Prolonged service distinguished by exceptional performance in a particular area that has proved significant benefit to the fire service; and one or more of the following.
- Responsibility for and management of an outstanding/exceptional event that has proven to be of significant benefit to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Development of a new system, or procedure, or technique that is unique and has made a significant contribution to the fire service, a community or community safety generally.
- Outstanding leadership in the encouragement and development of others, particularly youth, within the fire service and the fostering and furthering of the aims of the fire service to the long-term benefit of the fire service and the community.
- Demonstrated creativity in the development and implementation of innovative changes that have made a significant contribution to the fire service, fire/emergency operations, or the interests of community safety.
Applications should be submitted to your District ACFO by Tuesday 31 May 2022.
Applications are now open for the 2022-23 Volunteer Emergency Services Equipment Program (VESEP), with the closing date fast approaching. VFBV has updated its VESEP Help Pack to assist brigades and groups with their VESEP applications.
VESEP provides grants of $2 for every $1 of Brigade or Group funding to assist brigades and groups in acquiring a wide range of additional equipment in recognition of the significant contribution emergency service volunteers provide in supporting Victorian communities.
Now in its 22nd year, VESEP first started out as the Community Safety Emergency Support Program in 2000 and was designed in close consultation with VFBV and volunteers, with the intent being a grants program designed by volunteers with minimal administration required from volunteers.
Since 2000, the program has funded over 2000 projects totalling more than $150 million dollars, as a investment in maintaining and building volunteer capability by supporting volunteers through grants in five categories:
- Volunteer amenities under $5,000
- Minor works under $120,000^
- Operational Equipment
- Specialist Appliances and Field Command Vehicles
- Tankers*
^all minor works applications must be registered with the VESEP Land & Buildings Project Manager via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 17 May 2022. Applications not pre-registered for review will not be considered by the Steering Committee.
*as with previous years, CFA have advised that additions to the fleet will be afforded a low priority with only exceptional circumstances being considered by the Chief Officer. An Addition to the Fire Fighting Fleet form will be required to be completed and approved by the District ACFO and Regional DCO.
VFBV’s VESEP Application Help Pack is again available in 2022 to assist Brigades and Groups in completing their application, with the pack divided into easily downloadable sections at the bottom of this page.
| VFBV VESEP Help Pack |
Contains general information about VESEP and some handy hints on how to complete your application. |
| Attachment 1 |
Application forms for Special Access Grant The Special Access Grant can reduce or in some cases eliminate all together the Brigade/Group contribution. |
| Attachment 2 |
CFA VESEP Guidelines The guidelines outline criteria, aims and requirements that Brigades/Groups need to consider for their application to be completed. The Guidelines have been updated in 2022. |
| Attachment 3 |
CFA Application Forms Provides Brigades and Groups with application forms for Part A: Vehicles and Operational Equipment, Part B: Volunteer Amenities and Minor Works, Addition to the Fire Fighting Appliance Fleet Operational Justification and FCV Vehicle Weight Proforma. |
| Appendix |
CFA Information Sheets Collates all information sheets produced by CFA to assist with Brigade and Group applications and ideas. |
Key Dates
17 May 2022: Brigades/Groups applying for a grant for Minor Works, applications must be pre-registered with the VESEP Minor Works Project Manager, Land and Buildings Services via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
31 May 2022: Applications close, and should be submitted by this date to your District AFCO using the CFA application forms.
1 June - 13 June 2022: DPC meetings held to review and endorse applications.
September 2022: Anticipated Ministers announcement of successful projects.
Additional Support
If you need any assistance with you Application please contact your local VFBV State Councillor, VFBV Support Officer of the VFBV Office. You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you would like a printed copy of the VFBV 2022 VESEP Application Help Pack please call the VFBV office on 03 9886 1141 and we will post one out.
VFBV wishes all CFA Brigades and Groups well with your applications and thank you for your untiring service to Victoria!
VFBV is looking for an enthusiastic Administration Support Officer to join our small dedicated team supporting the peak body work of the Association in representing CFA volunteers to CFA, Government, business and instrumentalities.
Based at our Burwood office, and under the direction of the Administration Officer you will provide administrative, reception and office support across all business support activities and in many instances be the first point of contact to members, stakeholders and the public.
We are searching for an enthusiastic team player with initiative and “can do” attitude who possesses:
- Solid computer skills including Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel
- Professional and friendly communication skills and good phone manner
- Ability to work independently when given a task
- A high level of attention to detail
- Pro active with a genuine willingness to learn
- Entry level understanding of administrative functions
Drivers licence is essential. A Police and Working with Children Check will also be required for the successful candidate.
Previous experience in a similar role is an advantage, but training will be provided for the right person possessing enthusiasm and good worth ethic.
The position is full time and ongoing, with some weekend and after hours required to suit a fully volunteer membership.
Prior to applying you should familiarise yourself with the Position Description which is available from the VFBV office or for download at the bottom of this page.
How to apply
All applications must include:
- a current resume
- a cover letter addressing the key selection criteria outlined in the position description
Send applications to the attention of Cathie Smith, VFBV 9/24 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East 3151 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Applications close Sunday 15 May 2022
Any questions or queries re the application process should be directed to Cathie Smith at the VFBV office on (03) 9886 1141 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Final results for the 2022 State Urban Senior Championships held in Mooroopna on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 March 2022 are now available.
The results are available for download at the bottom of this page.
Team times for all events have been posted on VFBV's dedicated Championships Facebook Page.
Grand Aggregate Winner - Melton A
B Section Aggregate Winner - Werribee
Final Aggregate Results:
