Region West

PSLS and I went away to ‘play’ on the weekend……..

Get your minds out of the gutter!

‘Play’ is actually a very technical RFS term for burning and or destroying … stuff. Or for getting wet and dirty …… all under the guise of training and hazard reduction. 😉

And ‘play’ we did!

PSLS and I were heading up a strike team of tankers from our area, one of 11 strike teams to participate in the event which this year hosted over 330 firefighters from all over the western side of the mountains.

PSLS’s role was as strike team leader which meant that he was in command of 3 tankers and their crew. He was responsible to the divisional commander for moving his crew around the exercise as directed as well as for the safety, welfare and supervision of his crews, briefing them on tasks to be completed, directing how he would like the task completed, and learning how to lead effectively.

I was PSLS’s scribe for the weekend which basically meant that I took all his notes, operated all the communications equipment, passed on crew movements to the higher ups, relayed directions to the crews under our charge and kept track of the instructions, T-cards, maps, plans etc.

No, I didn’t call PSLS ‘PSLS Sir’ in honour of his strike team leader role, but I did boss him around a lot when no one else was watching and gave him shit about his pretty orange and grey tabbard that he HAD to wear. hehe

We participated in a mock house fire scenario using a smoke house (tin shed filled up with smoke that you have to investigate and ventilate)

a two car motor vehicle accident (MVA) involving downed power lines, we went 4 wheel driving, had to do some pumping (the canoes had nothing to do with us – we were at a sport and rec centre and the guy in the wheelchair is simulating a little old lady in a house that needs protecting – go figure)

Our crew displayed their village fire fighter skills with a five man fog attack on a gas cylinder

And PSLS worked very hard on his communication and leadership skills having to spend the weekend leading 3 crews(here he is briefing his crew leaders on the exercise they were about to do)

We practised our first aid skills on some bloodied/burned up cons from the local jail (mock injuries only thank you very much 😛 but quite realistic – these pics weren’t great sorry)

And we got to put some wet stuff on the red stuff at a small hazard reduction while they assessed PSLS on his crew leading competency.

We also got to piss ourselves laughing when one of the assessors managed to set his own helmet alight after pretending to go down with a snake bite in the middle of the burnt area and lying on a hot spot!

All in all a great weekend!

PSLS passed all his assessment events which he was very pleased with. We had great crews to work with in our team, we got to try out roles that were new to us and found ourselves up to the task, we got to see a side of the incident command structure that was new to us and gained a better understanding of how it worked (well he did anyhow cos I already knew), caught up with old friends, drank a few cold ones, made some new friends, slept badly in bunk beds made for kids sport camps, ate really bad powdered eggs for breakfast, whinged about the food, absconded with 9 cases of bottled water to bring home with us, hobnobbed with the commissioner (well he did anyhow – have no idea how I missed that one!), put shit on our bosses and had a bloody ball!!

Now I just need a really damn good sleep!

Oh and Widdle Shamrock…….. my boss wants to know when you are coming back to Oz? 😉