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Issue 03: 15 March 2019
This update is distributed on behalf of the National Commander Urban and National Manager Rural.
Please action, inform and share this update with personnel.
FOR INFORMATION:
1. First Responder OSM Skill Changes
2. Health impacts when working with firefighting foam
TO SHARE:
3. Scope of Tranche 2 design extended to include the risk reduction function
4. Applications open for the 2019/2020 Volunteer Qualified Firefighter training
5. Emergency Management Systems - multi-agency or incident level
6. Carbon Monoxide monitoring at the Tasman Fire
Kia ora everyone,
Since the last Leaders’ Update we’ve seen the State of Emergency in the Tasman Region lifted. While our
operations there have scaled back considerably, we remain ready to respond to this, and other areas across
the country, where the fire risk is still very high. To all who were involved in the fire and those that
supported them across the country, your efforts have been very generous and impressive. My thanks to
you all.
As an organisation we are now starting to look at the lessons we can take from the Tasman Fires in order to
under the Official Information Act
be better prepared for future events. One example is carbon monoxide monitoring which you can read
about further in this update.
Nga mihi,
Kevin
Released
FOR INFORMATION
1. First Responder OSM Skill Changes All Personnel KEY POINTS
1.
Consultation with St John and feedback from First responders has led to a change
to the way we record First Responder skills
2.
The four MEDFR skills in OSM have now been reduced to one skill and renamed
First Responder 6 monthly skill refresher
Effective from 11 March 2019, the four MEDFR skills in OSM have been reduced to one and renamed
to
First Responder 6 monthly skill refresher. It will have a 13-month lapse period and will be utilised for the
6-month skills refresher training.
A detailed update has been sent to Medical First Response Stations and their Officers in Charge. This change
is expected to have a positive impact on our 566 medical First Responders and OSM reporting.
If you have any questions, contac
t [email address]
Contact: Gavin Travers, National ComCen and Medical Response
Manager
: [email address]
2. Health impacts when working with firefighting foam All Personnel KEY POINTS
1.
The health, safety and wellbeing of our people is paramount to us
2.
We are taking this issue seriously and working closely with unions and
associations, and international experts to make sure we are following best
practice and processes.
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The official advice from the Ministry of Health is that there is no consistent evidence that PFAS (Per and
poly-fluorinated alkyl substances) exposure will result in future health problems.
However, because there are concerns that these chemicals don’t break down quickly and can accumulate in
people, we need to take a cautious approach while we investigate further.
Current information on the health effects of PFAS (which is only found in Class B foams), is available on the
Port
alhttps://portal.fireandemergency.nz/documents/h1-rga-advice-on-the-health-effects-of-pfas-
exposure/
We have reduced the risks to firefighters and the environment by removing from service any foam
Released
containing (or likely to contain) PFAS chemicals of immediate concern (PFOS and PFOA). We have also
stopped using any Class B foam in training.
Appropriate PPE must always be worn when handling concentrates or applying foam (whether Class A or
Class B).
Fire and Emergency continues to work closely with the unions and associations, and also liaise with experts,
including in Australia on this matter.
If you have any questions, contact Victor Lenting, Flammable Liquids and Bulk Fuel Advisor
[email address]
TO SHARE
3. Scope of Tranche 2 design extended to include the risk reduction
function All Personnel KEY POINTS
1.
We are planning the design of the next tranche of consultation – Tranche 2
2.
Initially this was to focus on the leadership positions within the Service Delivery
Branch at Regional and District level. The Executive Leadership Team has now
decided to extend the scope to include the risk reduction functions at national and
regional levels.
3.
We will come back to you with next steps soon.
As you know, consultation on proposals for the positions that would report to the DCE Service Delivery
recently closed. Thanks to all who took the time to provide us with feedback. The final decisions will be
released in mid/late March 2019.
In the meantime, we have been planning for the design of the next tranche of consultation, Tranche 2.
Initially the focus was on the leadership positions within the Service Delivery Branch at Regional and District
level.
We’ve had feedback that it would be helpful to bring the risk reduction functions into the scope of design
for Tranche 2. ELT agreed it and has approved risk reduction to be included in Tranche 2. This would
potentially affect the current positions of Principal Advisor Fire Risk Management (PARFM) Senior Fire Risk
Management Officer (SFRMO) and Fire Risk Management Officer (FRMO).
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We are working through the implications of this decision in terms of timings, how the design process will be
undertaken, and who will be involved. We will share this with you in the coming weeks. Relevant unions
and associations (RPA, PSA and NZPFU) have been notified of this decision and we have invited them to put
forward suitable nominations for representative to be involved in this work.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.
Contact: Kerry Gregory, Deputy Chief Executive, Service Delivery
: [email address]
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4. Applications open for the 2019/2020 Volunteer Qualified Firefighter
training All Personnel KEY POINTS
1.
Volunteer Qualified Firefighter courses are now available.
2.
The courses have been increased, with 33 courses regularly run each year.
3.
If someone in your brigade is interested, look at the schedule and fill out an
application form today.
In 2015, the New Zealand Fire Service updated the VQFF programme to create a streamlined and practical
programme. It was so popular, the demand for course spaces outstripped the planned supply of courses.
New approach offers more VQFF training
Training has been working closely with regions over the past two years to allocate VQFF course spaces to
brigades needing the most support.
This has been successful to support succession planning, operational effectiveness and community
response. However, we know it has been frustrating for some other brigades.
The good news is the 2019/2020 course spaces are now open to everyone and we now regularly have 33
courses each year.
Apply for training today?
Take a look at the VQFF courses on th
e Training schedule, and fill ou
t an Training application form.
Note: Some course spaces will be held aside to support at-risk brigades. These will be managed with the
support of the Region Training Coordinators.
For more information contact Brent Wyatt, Training Business Services Team
Leader;
[email address]
5. Emergency Management Systems - multi-agency or incident level All Personnel
under the Official Information Act
KEY POINTS
1.
In a large multi-agency event we will continue to use the Coordinated Incident
Management System (CIMS)
2.
Fire and Emergency is now working on a system that we can use for managing our
own large incidents.
3.
Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) has been chosen
as the best option for our organisation.
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In December 2018, Government agencies agreed that the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS)
will remain the multi-agency emergency management system for New Zealand.
The CIMS system is suited as a wider emergency management system for coordinating Civil Defence and all
government responses.
CIMS review
CIMS is currently under review with a view to release CIMS 3 in 2019. We are actively engaged with our
agency partners to finalise CIMS 3.
AIIMS - the system identified for Fire and Emergency incidents
Fire and Emergency needs a system for managing the incidents we respond to. We have identified the
Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System (AIIMS) as the most appropriate Incident Command
System (ICS) to effectively manage our incidents
.
We will work with Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC) over the next few
months to develop a modified AIIMS model that is more suited to the types of incidents we respond to in
New Zealand.
The long-term goal is for AIIMS to be officially used across Australasia from the next review, which is
planned for 2020.
As well as working with AFAC on AIIMS, we will:
review, update, develop and implement the ICS changes for Fire and Emergency personnel, and
map out how we remain interoperable in multi-agency incidents, plug into CIMS and the CIMS
incident levels.
If you have any questions, contact Paul Turner, National Operations Manager
at
[email address]
6. Carbon Monoxide monitoring at the Tasman Fire
All Personnel
under the Official Information Act
KEY POINTS
1.
During the Tasman Fire, the Incident Controller asked for Carbon Monoxide (CO)
monitoring to be done to make sure our firefighters had the appropriate safety
protection while fighting the fire
2.
The information gathered during the fire will help us work out what we
equipment we will need to protect our firefighters in the future.
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We are developing options around carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring at vegetation fires that is meaningful
and informs our firefighters on the best practice to protect their health in this environment.
Use of gas detectors in Nelson
During the Tasman Fire, the Incident Controller asked for CO monitoring to be undertaken. Twenty-five
Miniclip XL 4- gas detectors were distributed across crews, and firefighters given guidance on the best way
to wear the detectors to provide an accurate reading. The resulting gas detection readings were then used
by the Incident Management Team to inform them on tactics to make sure firefighters were working in the
safest environment possible.
Next Steps
Work is now underway to develop the best approach to monitoring CO and inform firefighting practices at
vegetation fires. This is being led by Trudy Geoghegan and John Rasmussen
Contact: John Rasmussen, National Operations Rural Manager, [email address]
Did you see it? Updates from the past fortnight
News
National Notice 005/2019: Requesting science advice and partner agency support at incidents
involving hazardous substances
Support recognitions for our volunteers on Pigeon Valley deployment
Replacement of all wooden ladders
Danger of exploding heavy vehicle wheels
© Fire and Emergency New Zealand 201
8.
under the Official Information Act
Released
