How much should we expect of our volunteer fire fighters?
I read with interest the article in the Guardian titled:
Scott Morrison and the Coalition are fiddling as Australia burns
Two things in particular caught my attention aside from the whole climate change debate which has so much of the community divided.
The first was that the smoke haze in Sydney was so bad that it triggered more than 150 fire alarms in commercial buildings in a one-hour period and forced office evacuations. This would equate to a significant waste of resources and lost productivity.
Secondly, the government feel that the volunteers can handle the situation.
The question is can they?
When people become tired they make mistakes and as we have seen this can lead to them putting their own lives at risk.
Secondly, many are employed or self employed. Just how long can self employed or small business fund the time off work while the volunteers are not at work but out fighting fires.
Remembering of course that the volunteers and their employers get slugged the same emergency services levy as the rest of us, well, the rest of us that insure when you consider New South Wales.
No wonder the electorate has lost faith in our politicians as I discussed yesterday.
While volunteer firefighters are undoubtedly invaluable to communities, expecting too much of them can lead to burnout and decreased effectiveness. It’s crucial to recognize their dedication and sacrifices, but it’s also important to acknowledge their limits and ensure they’re supported adequately. Demanding too much from volunteers can strain resources and compromise safety. Instead, a balance must be struck, appreciating their contributions while also ensuring they have the necessary training, resources, and support to effectively carry out their duties without undue burden. Quality should always prevail over quantity when it comes to the expectations placed on volunteer firefighters.