The April 2013 meeting of SESVA was held at Volunteer Association House 177 Great Eastern Highway, Belmont at 7 PM.
Committee Meeting Agenda
- Opening
- Apologies
- Confirmation of minutes
- Business arising
- Correspondence
- Treasurers Reports
- Editors Report
- President Report
- Secretary Report
- Regional Representatives Reports
- General Business
- Close
Following is a brief summary of items discussed at the meeting:
- The President reported on his attendance at the Professional Pathways workshop. It was also attended by a number of Volunteers from all Services.
- The Association has been advised of DFES cancelling a number of courses until further notice. The Association President and Secretary will be meeting with D Klemm from the FES Academy, to find out what the issue is.
- The President reported on the opening of the new Pingelly SES Unit.
- The President and Secretary reported on attending a meeting of other Emergency Services Associations in WA to form a new Coalition. The purpose is to address matters of common interest to all Volunteers, however the each Associations will retain their own autonomy
- The secretary reported a very busy month with many enquiries and issues being advised to the Association. These include DFES staff not following the Policy Statements for appointment of local managers, increased paper work for ordering new overalls, belts etc., and general micromanagement.
- Official registers for all SES based Committees is now being compiled.
- The framework for the SES Advisory Committee is about to receive its’ final touches before submission.
- After the acceptance of the SES Advisory Committee by DFES, there will be a call for EOIs from Volunteers to sit on the committee.
- DFES Volunteer Conference in September is progressing with SES streams now agreed to – see last dot point.
- SES Awards night – the committee discussed the matter and it will need to be discussed later this year to determine the future directions and associated costs.
- John Capes and Gordon Hall planned a better way to get quick information to as many Volunteers as possible. There now is a special email address list for any Volunteer to be added to so that they can get an email when items are placed on our website. The FB page still receives the updates from the webpage.
- John Capes and Gordon Hall developed the code of practice for the SESVA FB page. This was subsequently placed on the website.
- The Association has been kept busy this month in keeping an eye on DFES and bought to their attention, and others, DFES’s deviation from standard processes, accepted practices and the fact that DFES’s role under the act is one of oversight and not governance of SES Units.
- SESVA Reps attended the legislative briefing and provided input at Belmont and Cockburn.
- Some SESVA Committee members registered and commenced providing input on DFES’s Portal to Progress including consistency in terminology by DFES and design of an app for smart phones so Volunteers can receive DFES service specific circulars in a timely fashion.
- The Association has been involved in the Woolworths Easter promotion – a report will be pasted on the Web site when this promotion is completed.
- Some reps were invited to the local conferences and were able to give valuable information to Volunteers and staff.
- The Association is in dialogue with the new Minister about issues and will be meeting face to face shortly.
- The Association will be calling for expressions of interest for a Volunteer to be the SES Rep on the new Volunteer Insurance Consultative Group – watch this web site.
- Phillip Petersen will be the representative for the SES on the new Volunteer Assistance Scheme committee.
- An Awards Panel for the 2013 SES Awards is being set up with DFES and includes SES Volunteers.
- The Secretary advised that the legislative submissions must be in by the end of April.
- A new SES flag has been designed and will be available for Anzac Day parades. Units will need to apply to the Association for their allotment of a flag. Any future flags will have to be purchased from the Association.
List of required items for the DFES SES stream in the Volunteers Conference was discussed. The following will be put to DFES for consideration as 30 minute slots in the SES stream on Saturday afternoon;
1. Training matters – Les Hayter
2. Weather predictions for storms and cyclones – BoM
3. An overview of the Sawyers Valley Search – WAPOL and DFES
4. TC Rusty – preparation and planning – Jonathon Newman
There will also be a 75 Minute session of 10 – 15 minute updates which could include some of the following;
PPE; why it takes so long to get anything – DFES;
SES Policy Statement 2 – The correct process for appointment of an LM – SESVA;
ATUs update including what the units have and what replacements they are getting – Glenn Hall;
4WD safety issues – SESVA;
Update on progress and outcomes of the 2012 storm PIA;
SESVA update on Committees.
Sunday 0830 – 1000 – the SESVA will conduct a closed open-forum for SES Volunteers (staff not included).
