Thread: Vol Fire crew, who is one?

I would have thought as a volunteer organisation it would be the more the merrier ?
After all people go on holidays,go to a family members 60th and get pissed etc and either cant make it to a call or are not fit to respond so best have some spares yea?

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I would have thought as a volunteer organisation it would be the more the merrier ?
After all people go on holidays,go to a family members 60th and get pissed etc and either cant make it to a call or are not fit to respond so best have some spares yea?

Wishful thinking

The NZFS says a volly brigade can have a compliment of 20 (as an example) they will provide a budget for 20. They will let you go a % over that then the costs come out of your grant or operational budget. Each year The NZFS give each brigade a grant based on the number in your brigade. You can spend that money on what you want. Some will spend it on operational equipment, some on a pissup. We go out for dinner once a year (one year the piss bill was more than the food bill). If you go above the compliment you pay for the extra out of your grant. The grant also has to pay for honours with are medals for number of years service. A 25 year Gold Star cost a couple of thousand dollars.

In the 80s a brigade would require 20 members (as an example) to provide coverage and the service required. Nowadays the same brigade requires 24 to provide the same service. This is due to 7-day shopping, working on weekends, people going away more to 60th pissups, weekend sports etc