Why is it, when you have time....you actually dont?

Wednesday 24th June 2009

 

I think my subject heading pretty much covers this blog! Its been an insane (in the membrane) few weeks. Finished my 3 exams, on Uni holidays (yay!). Controllers seminar is out of the way. No SES courses coming up anytime soon. Much deserved break! 

 

Just announced: Operation Chaps & Chainsaws created by VICSES to assist in the clean up of Kinglake, Flowerdale & Hume areas. Involves approx 25-30 crews of 5 VICSES volunteers, to chainsaw all fallen burnt trees on properties. Scheduled to occur 11th & 12th July 2009!! More details to follow. Footscray have vounteered 1 crew of chainsaw operators on both Sat & Sun.

 

VICSES Controllers seminar 20th-21st July 2009

Photos to come!

 

I should hit myself...i ALWAYS take a camera everywhere i go. But this time i didn’t! I missed many opportunities not only to take photos, but to take clips of some inspiring speeches. Oh well. The controllers seminar was excellent this year, held at San Remo near Phillip Island in VIC. The weekend consisted of 4 main workshops; Assets/Finance, OH&S, OIMS, Media.

 

The media one was quite funny....& really showed the age gap between my deputy & I, & the rest of the Controllers/Deputies in VIC. The VICSES Media Manager Allan Briggs & Media Officer Simon, showed how social media can be used & the advantages of using Facebook, Flickr, Twitter & Youtube. I think at one point i heard birds chirping in the distance! HOWEVER the controllers/deputies in the room did seem excited by the prospect of VICSES having a social media link on their website...like VICPOL, who have an awesome interface call FORCEBOOK...exactly the same as Facebook except the name. And the other funny one they have is BLUETUBE. Hilarious!!!! SES need a ORANGETUBE.... cant think of an alternative name for an SES Facebook, Orangebook doesn’t sound too sexy! People may mistaken it for Charlie & the Chocolate Factory Umpa Lompa's!!

 

The weekend drew my attention to the fact that the Footscray Unit does have the youngest SES management in the state...probably even in the country!! But as the years go on, i believe this trend will grow & continue to flourish. It was always seen that the Unit Controller was highly 'operationally' experienced & was pretty much on the verge of 'operational retirement', hence why they 'retire' to the role of Unit Controller. Those days are becoming a thing of the past. This was the 2nd seminar i attended, but the first time i walked away feeling satisfied that we are doing everything that we can. 

 

Interviews for local media

 

I have had 2 interviews with the local papers. Marion, the fantastic PR/Media person for the Footscray Unit has done some fantastic networking & spreading the Extreme Weather Heroes message. Some of the younger people would appreciate that she is not part of the X,Y or Z generations, but she is certainly on board with spreading the message. She did point out to me that i did get my figures incorrect...apparently i said that we are trying to recruit 500,000 young volunteers over 5years, not 20,000....well don't we have a task on our hands then =/ oops. The other incorrect info in the paper was the fact that we brought a Nissan Navara through a Commonwealth grant, but it was advertised as a 'Pick Up Truck'. Thank goodness majority of the Western Community in Melbourne know that a Nissan Navara is not a pick up truck. But as they say, any media is good media =)

 

Ok, so my trusty Extreme Weather Heroes Buddy Tucek just gave me a heads up on a billboard he just saw- Conservation Volunteers. Sounds interesting & very outdoorsy, which is what i love! 1800 032 501

www.conservationvolunteers.com.au might check it out! 

 

Update on the paper progress- Its getting higher!!! 

 

Ruby

 

 

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