Roast Grumpy Old Thread- 10k posts of whinging

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Hojuman

조수미 사랑해요
May 20, 2012
22,497
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We mentioned Tenterfield upthread.

Right now there are 15 emergency warnings active between Tenterfield and Forster north of Newcastle.

Today has been full on in Northern NSW.

Nothing serious around here yet and a bit of relief on the weather front. Only 27 - 30 tomorrow not 35 - 40.



Mt. Hotham -7dg C tonight Furry. Currently 8dg my place suburban Melb.
 
Mt. Hotham -7dg C tonight Furry. Currently 8dg my place suburban Melb.

That's mad. Its November. Edited to add it was 36 degrees in Sunbury at mum's place last week. 6 there now according to google. Insane.

Its 28 here now (how is it 20 degrees warmer here in November!! July sure but November?) It's definitely cooled a bit. But it the wind combined with high fuel loads and very low fuel mositure content and humidity/RH that are the worry.

It could be a bad day tomorrow - there are reports of people trapped in their homes up and down the coast and already some homes have been lost. Here's hoping its not bad at all.
 

Hojuman

조수미 사랑해요
May 20, 2012
22,497
65,642
Seoul
AFL Club
North Melbourne
That's mad. Its November. Edited to add it was 36 degrees in Sunbury at mum's place last week. 6 there now according to google. Insane.

Its 28 here now (how is it 20 degrees warmer here in November!! July sure but November?) It's definitely cooled a bit. But it the wind combined with high fuel loads and very low fuel mositure content and humidity/RH that are the worry.

It could be a bad day tomorrow - there are reports of people trapped in their homes up and down the coast and already some homes have been lost. Here's hoping its not bad at all.



Just take care Furry. Know you'll do the right thing by yourself & neighbours 👍
 
We've got a big community meeting coming up in a couple of hours. So we can go thru how to make fire plans, how to make evacuation plans and what to do because we (the fire brigade) won't be there unless they get very lucky with people. My brigade has 2 trucks to cover hundreds of homes across 10thousand+ hectares. Neighbouring brigades that would be onsite in under half an hour might give us another 4 - 8 trucks, if we're lucky and they don't have their own problems, which they probably will given the conditions (and we don't have trucks and crews off down south where its all gone pear shaped.) Within an hour we could have something like 50 on the way. We've already done that this year at times for fires in other communities away from us.

Our first priorities are gonna be putting it out then defending schools and evacuation points. People will be on their own, as always happens when things go to s**t fire wise.

I called it a fortnight ago and was wondering if people were gonna bother showing up. Yesterday couldn't have been better publicity.:(

Its not even summer yet. Without statewide rain I can only see this getting worse. I hope I'm wrong.
 
Kangaroos4eva - how's the situation in your region?
We have had half a dozen decent to large sized fires within 15 minutes of my house in the last month. Luckily, we have 5 separate fire stations within that area and the community has been really appreciative of the efforts of our firefighters. I live at the foot of the Watagans, which is 70 square km's of pure forest and bushland, so bush fires are fairly common in my area.

The lower Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas are fine for the moment, but did cope it last month. Our crews are being sent north to support the other groups that have helped us in the past.

The North Coast and hinterland areas are copping a battering atm. Entire roads are towns are effectively cut off, but there are real tough (drought-affected) bastards living up in the Northern tablelands and hinterlands.



76186107_3079297408764412_1806474918418710528_o.jpg
 
K4E is on the mid north coast yeah? Its pretty full on down there.

I was wondering how you were going yesterday big fella, take care.
Just south of there down Lake Macquarie way, south of Newcastle.

We get a lot of severe scrub fires early in the fire season and then our crews tend to support other efforts in the nearby hinterland. Mostly volunteers, but there’s a few permanent crews.
 
Apr 27, 2008
2,437
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We've got a big community meeting coming up in a couple of hours. So we can go thru how to make fire plans, how to make evacuation plans and what to do because we (the fire brigade) won't be there unless they get very lucky with people. My brigade has 2 trucks to cover hundreds of homes across 10thousand+ hectares. Neighbouring brigades that would be onsite in under half an hour might give us another 4 - 8 trucks, if we're lucky and they don't have their own problems, which they probably will given the conditions (and we don't have trucks and crews off down south where its all gone pear shaped.) Within an hour we could have something like 50 on the way. We've already done that this year at times for fires in other communities away from us.

Our first priorities are gonna be putting it out then defending schools and evacuation points. People will be on their own, as always happens when things go to s**t fire wise.

I called it a fortnight ago and was wondering if people were gonna bother showing up. Yesterday couldn't have been better publicity.:(

Its not even summer yet. Without statewide rain I can only see this getting worse. I hope I'm wrong.
Stay safe ferbs
 
Visibility from my place was down to less than 5 km when the sun was setting.

Good to hear you are okay Kangaroos4eva. Take care and stay safe. It sounds like you are pretty prepared anyway. And that photo looks so green so that's in your favour.

I spent the day at a communtiy meeting talking people thru fire plans and evacuation procedures so make sure your fire plan is done and sorted. The NSW RFS website is good for preparing and PM me or tag me here if you want to talk about it and what to do.
 
Stay safe ferbs

Cheers

I've got a crew out tonight doing property protection so my thoughts are with them and we'll be heading out early for ... well who knows what. Thankfully its cooler and a bit more humid so we might have it a bit easier tomorrow than they did this arvo and yesterday.

Its all going to s**t from the middle of next week tho. Unless we get unexpected thunderstorms with the heat.
 
Visibility from my place was down to less than 5 km when the sun was setting.

Good to hear you are okay Kangaroos4eva. Take care and stay safe. It sounds like you are pretty prepared anyway. And that photo looks so green so that's in your favour.

I spent the day at a communtiy meeting talking people thru fire plans and evacuation procedures so make sure your fire plan is done and sorted. The NSW RFS website is good for preparing and PM me or tag me here if you want to talk about it and what to do.
Thanks mate, the RFS have been awesome in supplying the necessary information and keeping us aware.

I hope that you are going ok yourself?
 
Yeah. Been out today. Its always good going out fire fighting.

Its fun, challenging, great camraderie - like playing footy, sometimes scary and dangerous and everybody loves you. You constantly meet and work with people who you might never talk to in RL and often become good friends with them.

I wanted to go again tomorrow but I'm sending some younger officers who will benefit from it and less experienced people out instead. Believe it or not I've actually learned to do that because of watching Brad Scott. I'm not a fan of "play the yoof" for no reason and I like to see people earn their place in a footy side, but I also started to see how detrimental it was that he was so averse to even playing one younger kid a week for development purposes. Not as bad as some make out but ... he could have done more and we'd have benefited (and he'd probably still have a job.) First rounders like Jy - sure but that was about it.

Our brigade is a bit like North in 2016. Too many old campaigners. I turned 50 the other week and I'm one of the youngest and half the people I see out at fires are over 60. Possibly even 60%. Tomorrow will be cooler here and hopefully less windy so its a good opportunity to get crew leading hours into 2 particular people and one of the others will be going out for the first time, while the other new guy joined in mid winter, but he's gung ho as andwill go out at the drop of a hat. Already has more hours on the fire front than some of our longer serving members. But only cos this year has been so psycho. The driver has 25 - 30 years experience and the 2 CLs have plenty as well, especially this year. Both those Cls and future officers have parents who are deputy captains and they are both over 60.

One is 73 and only just able to still fight fires. I'm facing having to tell him to stop soon and I don't want to. Not only cos I like him and we've done this stuff together since I joined over 20 years ago but he also has a wealth of experience and a great presence or manner with people, especially when they are scared and facing real uncertainty over their future cos of a fire.

But we all run out of steam. I'm 50 and I reckon that's a bit too old for a captain. I'm a young 50 cos I'm a bit immature and have young kids but I can see I've probably only got 3 - 5 years at most. Preferably 3. The sooner these young kids (ie they're not far over 40) are ready the better - I'm chucking the captaincy at the best of them at the first reasonable opportunity.

Bloody yoof. They're always coming for us grumpy old campaigners. :D
 
Mar 14, 2002
61,758
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Yeah. Been out today. Its always good going out fire fighting.

Its fun, challenging, great camraderie - like playing footy, sometimes scary and dangerous and everybody loves you. You constantly meet and work with people who you might never talk to in RL and often become good friends with them.

I wanted to go again tomorrow but I'm sending some younger officers who will benefit from it and less experienced people out instead. Believe it or not I've actually learned to do that because of watching Brad Scott. I'm not a fan of "play the yoof" for no reason and I like to see people earn their place in a footy side, but I also started to see how detrimental it was that he was so averse to even playing one younger kid a week for development purposes. Not as bad as some make out but ... he could have done more and we'd have benefited (and he'd probably still have a job.) First rounders like Jy - sure but that was about it.

Our brigade is a bit like North in 2016. Too many old campaigners. I turned 50 the other week and I'm one of the youngest and half the people I see out at fires are over 60. Possibly even 60%. Tomorrow will be cooler here and hopefully less windy so its a good opportunity to get crew leading hours into 2 particular people and one of the others will be going out for the first time, while the other new guy joined in mid winter, but he's gung ho as andwill go out at the drop of a hat. Already has more hours on the fire front than some of our longer serving members. But only cos this year has been so psycho. The driver has 25 - 30 years experience and the 2 CLs have plenty as well, especially this year. Both those Cls and future officers have parents who are deputy captains and they are both over 60.

One is 73 and only just able to still fight fires. I'm facing having to tell him to stop soon and I don't want to. Not only cos I like him and we've done this stuff together since I joined over 20 years ago but he also has a wealth of experience and a great presence or manner with people, especially when they are scared and facing real uncertainty over their future cos of a fire.

But we all run out of steam. I'm 50 and I reckon that's a bit too old for a captain. I'm a young 50 cos I'm a bit immature and have young kids but I can see I've probably only got 3 - 5 years at most. Preferably 3. The sooner these young kids (ie they're not far over 40) are ready the better - I'm chucking the captaincy at the best of them at the first reasonable opportunity.

Bloody yoof. They're always coming for us grumpy old campaigners. :D

50 too old?
Yeh nar they need you
Stay on
 
Jun 9, 2001
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One is 73 and only just able to still fight fires. I'm facing having to tell him to stop soon and I don't want to. Not only cos I like him and we've done this stuff together since I joined over 20 years ago but he also has a wealth of experience and a great presence or manner with people, especially when they are scared and facing real uncertainty over their future cos of a fire.

Are you able to keep guys like this in your crews as less active members in the future to utilise this experience and calming influence?
 
I just had the catastrophic fire warning issued for my area for tomorrow.

Catastrophic fire danger is now forecast for the Greater Sydney and Greater Hunter areas on Tuesday 12 November 2019, due to worsening weather conditions.

High temperatures, strong winds and low humidity are forecast, making conditions dangerous.

Catastrophic is the highest level of bush fire danger. Homes are not designed to withstand a fire under these conditions.

If a fire starts and takes hold during Catastrophic fire danger conditions, lives and homes will be at risk.

Advice for people in areas of Catastrophic fire danger include:
Avoid bush fire prone areas. A safer area may be a large town or city, shopping centres or facilities well away from bushland areas.
Schools in identified high risk areas will be closed. Schools will notify affected students. Start making arrangements now.
If you are unable to leave, identify a safe location which may be nearby. This may include a Neighbourhood Safer Place.

Large areas of the state are also forecast to experience Severe and Extreme fire danger. This includes in the north coast and northern NSW areas, where there is a large number of fires already burning. These fires will not be contained in time and will threaten lives and properties.

Based on latest forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology, the following fire danger ratings are expected on Tuesday. These are subject to change as forecasts are updated:
Catastrophic – Greater Sydney and Greater Hunter (including the Blue Mountains and Central Coast areas)
Extreme – North Coast, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Central Ranges, Northern Slopes and North Western
Severe – Far North Coast, New England, Far South Coast, Southern Ranges, Lower Central West Plains

This is the first time since new Fire Danger Ratings were introduced in 2009 that Catastrophic fire danger has been forecast for Sydney.

A statewide total fire ban has been declared for all areas of NSW for all of Monday and Tuesday.
 
Are you able to keep guys like this in your crews as less active members in the future to utilise this experience and calming influence?

Yeah. That guy is also brigade president and we'll make a life member at some point soon. We have two of those now.

And he's spent his entire time passing on what he knows. He's great for that.
 
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