As a part of the continued support and strengthening of consultation for volunteers, it is once again time to seek nominations from interested members for the 2025 round of VFBV/CFA Joint Committees.

VFBV/CFA Joint Committees are a critical part of the consultative framework, offering a direct line of communication between volunteers and the state-level decision makers within the organisation

The Joint Committees for 2025 are

• Community Safety Committee
  • Enhancing services for brigades to improve community preparedness, recovery, and resilience in the prevention of fires.
• Equipment and Infrastructure Committee
  • Working closely with the infrastructure services and fleet management team at CFA to improve equipment, stations, and appliances.
• Member Services Committee
  • Consultation with CFA to improve volunteer recruitment, retention, youth, cadets, events, championships and fundraising.
• Operational Capability Committee
  • Building brigade/group capability, addressing gaps in service delivery, Personal protective clothing and equipment and specialist response.
• Operational Performance Committee
  • Policy, Doctrine and Standards to ensure continuous improvement including service delivery standards, safe operating procedures and lessons learned.
• People Culture and Safety Committee
  • Improving the Welfare and safety of members by improving HR and welfare services and ensuring CFA is a safe place to volunteer.
• Technology and Innovation Committee
  • Working to improve member access to the best innovations in equipment, communication and technology, mapping and communications.
• Training Committee
  • Continuous review and improvement to course design, delivery and access to Volunteer Training and training equipment.

Members are invited to nominate to join a Joint Committee. As committee’s need to be of a reasonable size, District Council nominees are appointed to the committees via an expression of interest process and are approved annually by VFBV State Council.

The Joint Committee structure allows for selected district nominees to join VFBV State Councillors to be a part of planning for the future, developing strategies and discussing issues that have been raised by the wider VFBV membership across all districts.

District Councils are asked to actively seek expressions of interest from members who wish to participate in the Joint Committees and discuss with them a few key considerations:

• A requirement to attend a minimum of four (4) meetings per year at CFA HQ in Burwood (or virtually as required), usually held on a Saturday or Sunday. (2025 proposed meeting schedule attached)
• Relevant subject matter knowledge and the ability to actively contribute to the Committee’s work with a State-wide view of issues.
• A network outside their own brigade which will allow them to communicate views that are not just their own
• Willingness to report back to District Council and engage with members.

Nominations Close Wednesday 20th November 2024