Volunteer Professionals - NSW Rural Fire Service - NSW Government

01 OBJECTIVE
In addition, there was strong emphasis placed on knowledge management –
an issue that will become increasingly important during the current decade.
There have been a number of important developments in the area of
information management including the development of the Service’s first
Information Management Strategic Plan and an information systems
implementation policy. The Service’s Firezone information and reporting
system is being continually updated and training courses for Service staff on
the operation and capabilities of Firezone have been held on numerous
occasions and will continue to be held.
Further developments in electronic service delivery – in line with the
Government’s commitment – will only enhance the Service’s ability to
respond to customer needs in a more cost effective and efficient manner.
ETHNIC AFFAIRS
In conjunction with the Premier’s Department the Service participated in the
‘100 Voices’ Assembly – a consultative forum with volunteers to discuss
issues of concern and future plans for the Service.
Future Ethnic Affairs strategies proposed by the Service include:
• progressing towards the benchmark of 18% of the workforce being
people whose first language is not English;
• increasing the representation of those same staff as a percentage of
employees in occupations where they are significantly underrepresented;
and
• including accountabilities for specific Equal Employment Opportunities
(EEO) outcomes in the performance agreements of the Senior
Executive.
There were no agreements entered into with the Community Relations
Commission.
ACTION PLAN FOR WOMEN
Following the transfer of over 300 District staff from local government, the
Service’s Spokeswomens program was reviewed to ensure that it adequately
addressed the needs of female employees under the expanded structure of
the Service.
Service-wide elections were held to recruit Spokeswomen. Subsequently five
Spokeswomen and a Womens Liaison Officer were appointed. Consistent
with the new structure of the Service a Spokeswoman has been appointed to
each of the Service’s four regions and an additional Spokeswoman appointed
to Head Office.
DISABILITY ACTION PLAN
The Disability Action Plan has been revised with a greater emphasis placed
upon training of all staff in disability awareness issues and a focus on
increasing the representation of people with a disability in the Service
workplace through the exploration of a traineeship program.
CUSTOMER COMMENTS
The level of feedback received from our customers and stakeholders,
through various fora, has been invaluable in assisting the Service to develop
a range of policies, plans and initiatives that respond to the needs and
expectations of the Government and the community. This feedback is
essential if the Service is to fulfill its obligations and commitments to the
public, which it serves.
The Service maintained its commitment to the Code of Conduct with all new
staff being briefed at induction and provided with a copy of the Code or
electronic access to it. There were no amendments to the Code during the year.
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that, over the past 12 months, the number of issues
affecting the management of the Service has increased enormously, mainly
due to the many issues that arose in the wake of the Christmas 2001
bushfires, many of which were not, and could not have been, foreshadowed
in any business plan.
It continues to be the case that fundamental to the Service’s continued
growth and development remains the recognition and retention of the
volunteer base. Through various initiatives in the immediate future it is
proposed to give the volunteers a greater voice in the future directions of the
Service. The programs of regular visits to regions by senior management;
regular information workshops; more sophisticated and dynamic corporate
communications; and regional volunteer meetings will, jointly and severally,
ensure greater volunteer participation in every aspect of the Service’s
activities.
The bushfires of 2001, and their aftermath – in terms of new legislation and
the devolvement of new responsibilities to the Service – have placed the
Service in a unique position to meet the needs and expectations of
Government and the community. The onus is squarely on the Service to
deliver – and it will.
10
NSW Rural Fire Service Annual Report 2001/02