posted Mar 5, 2012 10:02 PM by Frank Dunstan
Remember to nominate your volunteers for
the 2012 NT Volunteer Awards. There are only two weeks left!
Nominations for Major Awards
close on March 16th! If you would like more information, feel
free to contact John McNeur in Darwin on 08 8981 0027. Your quickest link to the
site is: www.territorytogether.nt.gov.au
NT Volunteer Awards
2012
The nominations are now open for the
2012 NT Volunteer Awards. This is a unique and valuable opportunity to have your
volunteers and your organisation recognised at this annual
event.
The awards are run as a collaborative
event between Volunteering
SA & NT and the
Northern Territory Government. Nominated volunteers and organisations will be
announced by the Chief Minister during National Volunteers Week in May
2012.
For more information or to nominate visit www.territorytogether.nt.gov.au |
posted Feb 21, 2012 7:28 PM by Frank Dunstan
Pastoralists and Indigenous land owners will be able to make an income from the management of savannah burning in Northern Australia. The Federal Government has embraced savannah burning as an approved methodology under the carbon farming initiative for generating carbon credits in Northern Australia. The frequency and severity of the fires in grass and open bushland areas can be reduced by carrying out controlled burning earlier in the dry season, when there is less fuel on the ground.
Read the rest of the story at:
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posted Feb 12, 2012 6:34 PM by Frank Dunstan
I intend going to Sydney for Anzac Day this year to have a
bit of a reunion with some old Navy mates. Of concern to me was taking my
medals on the ‘plane in hand luggage, not trusting the airline with the other
bag.
When the firies returned from one deployment to Victoria
five years ago we got to Darwin ok, but our bags went to Perth.
I remember news reports of veterans being stopped by
security staff from carrying their medals on the ‘plane and didn’t wish to find
out at the airport that I couldn’t either. An internet search for information came
up a blank, so I emailed Transport Security with the following reply:
The Australian
Government is mindful of the issue raised in your email. The Department of
Infrastructure and Transport has previously contacted screening authorities and
requested that they use a common sense, risk-based approach and a large degree
of sensitivity when screening a veteran or serving member wearing medals or
carrying medals in hand luggage.
While the Department
does not have a document requiring this action, I understand that this approach
is taken by screening authorities.
One would assume that this applies to other medals as well, including firies and in the Order of St John.
What’s the security problem with medals, you ask? It’s that great
long sharp pin at the back; the more medals the longer the pin. Now there's at least one website that provides this information. |
posted Jan 9, 2012 5:22 PM by Frank Dunstan
[
updated Jan 22, 2012 12:57 AM
]
If you haven't already done so, now is the time to spray gamba grass and other noxious weeds on your properties.
Assistance with the supply of glyphosate herbicide and spray equipment is available from NRETAS Weeds Branch.
Before you start spraying you need to be able to positively identify the target weeds. Just blanket spraying everything does far more harm than good because you need to leave native grasses and plants to revegetate the sprayed areas.
Go to the Weeds section of this site for help with identification.
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posted Jan 3, 2012 5:29 PM by Frank Dunstan
posted Aug 29, 2011 2:54 PM by Frank Dunstan
[
updated Sep 1, 2011 3:56 AM
]
The new St John Ambulance Litchfield Rural Response Division will be launched at the Livingstone Recreation Reserve at 7.00 pm tonight, and after that every Tuesday, same time.
All interested persons are invited to attend.
Please come along and support this very worthwhile organisation. New members are especially invited.
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posted Aug 22, 2011 1:23 AM by Frank Dunstan
[
updated Aug 28, 2011 12:39 AM
]
The previous record of FDI 95 for the Darwin area has now been broken:
Fire Weather Forecast
issued 4:00 pm CST Monday 22 August 2011
for Tuesday
Darwin:
Fuel Load t/ha: 9 Curing %: 100
Time Temp RH % Wind Dir Sp km/h Gust km/h FDR/FDI
Noon 30 10 E 35 60 CAT 111
3pm 31 10 E 30 50 EXT 84 The Fire Danger Rating is CATASTROPHIC, which means that any bushfires will be impossible to control until evening when the winds die down.
Thanks to our BFNT and NTFRS volunteers and staff for all their early prescribed burning we are a lot safer than we would be otherwise. Often, what pulls up a fire is that it runs into previously burnt country. However, strong winds can carry floating embers for considerable distances, jumping over these burnt areas. Please take care to obey the FIRE BAN and not start any fires in these conditions. |
posted Jul 1, 2011 3:42 AM by Frank Dunstan
[
updated Jul 2, 2011 3:37 AM
]
I'm sitting at my computer listening to the noise of fireworks exploding all around me - it sounds like a war zone.
I'm also hearing on the Bushfires radio reports of several fires in the Darwin River and Livingstone areas. The first report was just before 8.00pm.
The main problem with fireworks is that they aren't just let off during the legal hours, but for months after. In what is predicted to be a potentially severe bushfire season I am very glad to be semi-retired from active fire fighting.
This report is from the ABC's website on Saturday morning, updated later in the day:
Three people have sustained facial injuries from fireworks during celebrations in Darwin and the surrounding area last night. Fireworks lit up much of the region as the NT celebrated the annual Territory Day, which marks the transition to self-government. But a 34-year-old woman was burnt in the neck and face by fireworks at Nightcliff foreshore, a 47-year-old man was hit in the face at Humpty Doo and a 33-year-old man was burnt on the neck and arm at Dundee Beach. All three were treated by St John Ambulance. A woman working at the Palmerston McDonald's was not injured when a firework was thrown [through] the door and exploded in her face. Police were called to put out more than 207 blazes during celebrations last night - 158 of the fires were directly caused by crackers.
Saturday morning - the day after - and the Bushfires radio is running hot from fires at Darwin River and Livingstone.
Volunteer firies from several brigades spent all day on the Livingstone fire.
I wonder if the people who strive so diligently to stop our early dry season prescribed burning program put in any effort to outlaw the sale of fireworks to the general public during the bushfire season?
...
It's obvious that politicians don't fight bushfires or crew ambulances unless there are TV cameras around.
This was how the Northern Territory Government saw things in 1980:
Territory Fireworks Day
In 1979, Cabinet had considered whether the date of “Fireworks Day” should be changed from Guy Fawkes Day in November, but had decided not to change the timing of the event.
Cabinet considered a further submission on this matter in February 1980 which argued that Self-Government Day was a more relevant celebration than Guy Fawkes Day and that 1 July offered more “clement weather” than November. July 1 was also a date favoured by the Lions Club which had been providing pyrotechnic displays on “Cracker Night” as part of the club’s commitment to eyesight conservation. It was noted that fireworks celebrations in July would coincide with the tourist season and Darwin’s Bougainvillea Festival.
Around this time, other states were moving towards a prohibiting the use of fireworks by the general public due to the “high number of injuries and damage cases resulting from the mis-use of fireworks”. The submission reported that the Bushfires Council, the Fire Brigade and the Firefighters Association did not support the public firing of fireworks due to the fire risk, and pointed out that the fire hazard throughout the Territory would be greater in July than in November.
A number of options were put forward, including a total prohibition on the sale and public use of fireworks while allowing controlled displays, permitting the sale of fireworks on 1 July only, continuing with the existing November celebrations, or permitting the sale and public use of fireworks on both 1 July and the Saturday nearest to 5 November.
Cabinet decided to implement a trial period during which the sale and use of fireworks to commemorate Guy Fawkes Day would continue and, in addition, interested service organisations would be permitted to stage fireworks displays on 1 July 1980. Cabinet indicated that this policy should be re-assessed early in 1981.[8] http://www.cabinetrecords.nt.gov.au/1980/highlights/highlights4 |
posted Jun 19, 2011 5:16 PM by Frank Dunstan
Download the attached PDF file for full details |
posted Jun 9, 2011 8:38 PM by Frank Dunstan
[
updated Jun 9, 2011 8:57 PM
]
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