Last week’s SITREP 6 “LSV bailed up” item prompted numerous inquires about the LSVs, so this week we’ve provided a summary for members on the staffing and operation of these vehicles.
Ordinary staffing of the LSVs
The LSV at 1 City of Sydney is permanently staffed 24/7 by one permanent firefighter. Permanent members on alternative duties may be used in lieu but the intention is that this LSV is staffed 24/7.
The LSVs at 21 Kogarah, 97 Huntingwood, 260 Newcastle, 351 Bateau Bay and 503 Wollongong are staffed by permanent firefighters and officers on alternative duties or, if there is no alternative duties permanent member available to staff an LSV, by any other “spare” on-duty permanent member who is available to do so. If no on-duty permanent member is available then that LSV is grounded until a permanent member becomes available.
Emergency staffing of the LSVs
If a grounded LSV is required for urgent duties then it may be staffed by permanent firefighters on recall or by retained firefighters on Relief Duties.
Any retained member who staffs an LSV is doing so “to maintain minimum staffing of the non-availability of permanent firefighting staff” and is therefore entitled to payment at the Retained Award’s Relief rate of $106.38 for the first two hours (or part thereof), and $70.94 per hour for every hour after that. Retained members are also entitled to return kms between their residence and their station, and both travelling time (at ordinary rates) and return kms between their station and the LSV station. See Retained Award subclause 6.7 Relief Duties.
Who is responsible for the LSV and staff?
The LSV Coordinator at 1 City of Sydney takes calls from stations/sections and allocates work to the LSV drivers at 1, 21 and 97. The LSV Coordinator is the supervisor of the LSV drivers at those GSA stations, not the SOs where they are located. The SOs at 260 Newcastle, 351 Bateau Bay and 503 Wollongong coordinate the LSV in their zone.
A grounded LSV has no allocated driver and therefore nobody available to check it. It follows that no member is to check an LSV unless they are assigned to drive that vehicle. In any event, the ad-hoc staffing of the LSVs and the standing requirement for any driver (including a permanent on recall or a retained on Relief Duties) who is assigned to a vehicle to personally perform a full inspection before driving/operating that vehicle renders a change of shift checks unnecessary.
Darin Sullivan
President and Acting State Secretary
For a printable copy of this SITREP, please click here.
