The Auckland Local has obtained possession of a document written by Dr Paula Beever outlining the Fire Service’s view of the future of our organisation.

This document has a number of very disturbing similarities to a document written some 15 years ago called “The External Review of the New Zealand Fire Service”. It is suggested that members attempt to obtain a copy of this document, which will shortly be available electronically from the Union website and the Northern Branch Office.

It contains phrases such as:

• “Only the fire appliance gives away the fact that these people are qualified to do emergency response” as if emergency response was something to be ashamed of.
  
• “We are all called fire officers now, rank is only relevant on the incident ground”.
  
• “fire stations are increasingly used as community centres”
  
• “though progress in reducing false alarms is still slow …we have adjusted our responses to PFA’s ---recognising that most are false alarms that require investigation rather than a full response”
  
• “one major centre is turning out only the rapid response truck”
  
• “many of the non-crew roles are filled by people who still retain an operational function and can be called back onto a truck out of hours or to cover for sick personnel where required”
  
• “We had to create new multi skilled jobs with new reporting lines and require people to apply for them”
  
• “This (restructure) was painful and had to be managed with great care, but was essential.
  The old roles just had to be phased out”.
  

Does this sound familiar to you old (pre 1995) hands???