Firefighters fight for rights

by Gary Bartlett Retained Member, Ex-Campbelltown

Nearly three years ago I had a serious injury while working at the scene of 
an incident as a Retained Firefighter with the NSW Fire Brigades. The 
impact of an injury at work on one's family life, social activities and the 
ability to earn an income is simply devastating. Incredibly, it seems there 
are still some members [of the Fire Brigade Employees' Union — FBEU] who 
fail to understand the significance of the Death and Disability (D & D) 
issue. I would like to document my experience in the hope that it will jolt 
the non-believers into reality.

Like most firefighters, I always believed that if injured on duty, the NSW 
Fire Brigades would have the mechanism in place to care for me as an 
injured emergency services worker. Nothing could be further from the truth.

My injuries, a shattered right knee, abdominal, neck and lower back damage 
mean that I will never return to fire fighting duties.

These injuries also mean that I can no longer work full time. The 
Department's response to my condition, after it was obvious that I had a 
permanent disability, was to sack me. Well they call it medical retirement, 
nevertheless it amounts to the same thing.

When I retired I received absolutely nothing. Besides processing the 
legally required forms, I have received no support from the Department.

They very effectively buried my case under a mountain of bureaucracy and 
have offered no counselling or assistance to my family.

The exception being a brief visit to my home seven months after my 
accident, by an Inspector who assured me that it was perfectly normal to be 
totally ignored by the Department.

So, if any members are still naive enough to believe the pompous, arrogant 
claims by Commissioner MacDougall early in 1999, when he stated that the 
NSW Fire Brigades is like "a big family and the department always looks 
after its own" — don't believe him.

From my personal experience, the family he is talking about — well, they 
should be investigated by DOCS (Department of Community Services] for 
neglect and abuse.

The truth is simply that the NSW Fire Brigades couldn't give a damn about 
injured firies. For this reason it is imperative that an appropriate D & D 
regime is in place.

So what happens after you retire and you are unable to work?

Well, you are placed under the care of the Workers' Compensation system.

They will treat you like "a malingering bludger" — without any 
consideration for you as a human being; you become just a number.

The faceless bureaucrats will make decisions about you and your family's 
welfare which effectively leaves you in a state of poverty.

The benefit which I receive is less than I was earning 20 years ago, the 
princely sum of $249.00 per week!

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the attitude which the "system" 
takes about compensation victims. This view is simply that once you are 
injured, suddenly a change occurs to your lifestyle which means that 
apparently your life slips into a form of hibernation and all your bills 
and other responsibilities miraculously disappear.

Somehow you no longer have the expenses previously involved in your 
"normal" life, and they pay you in accordance with this philosophy.

How on earth can anyone live on $249 per week? (Admittedly, with dependants 
the rate is slightly higher). Why should injured workers be forced into 
poverty as a result of an on duty accident?

I am extremely fortunate to have a supportive family. They have stood by me 
during three very difficult years but have suffered themselves because of 
my accident, I would like to briefly outline how our family have coped over 
the last three years.

To begin with, as a result of my injuries I have lost my business which has 
been a tremendous blow financially. Two years ago my son turned twenty-one 
— we couldn't afford to give him a 21st birthday party. Our daughter has 
had to defer her tertiary education for the past two years.

If the D & D Dispute hasn't been resolved by March 2001 (and because my 
wife's job ceases next February), we will be forced to sell our family 
home. We have no choice.

This will be the second Christmas which we haven't had. Who can afford to 
celebrate Christmas? When things break or wear out you can't afford to fix 
or replace them.

One of the things you learn to do on Workers' Compensation Benefits is to 
economise. All luxuries go. You know, decadent things like mobile phones, 
birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays, eating out, renting a video, 
attending your Mother's interstate 75th birthday get together.

The faceless bureaucrats and politicians continue to enjoy their Melbourne 
Cup lunches, while the injured Firefighters' Superannuation is suspended 
along with other benefits.

Sounds like fun doesn't it. Well I can assure you that the stress factor 
alone creates tremendous burdens on top of the physical pain and the 
difficulties involved in trying to adapt to life with a permanent 
disability.

If for no other reason than to minimise the pain and suffering to your 
loved ones, this D & D Dispute has to be resolved and quickly, because the 
Government and the Department couldn't give a toss about you as an injured 
worker. Particularly, Retained Firefighters must understand that if you are 
seriously injured on duty, the only hope you will have to live a near 
normal life is for the Union's D & D proposal to be in place as a permanent 
safety net.

The Department views its injured workers simply as an operational problem, 
which they must resolve quickly. I was told by the BMO, about seven months 
after my accident, that he was under pressure to retire me medically. He 
said that he was being pressured to "get me off the books" — a business 
term referring to liabilities.

I have used the same term in the past when discussing an unprofitable 
product, or a piece of equipment that is costing excessive money to 
maintain and that is exactly how the Department as an employer views its 
injured workers. You are nothing but a liability and they will just cast 
you aside like a piece of used or broken equipment.

The one issue that hasn't been raised in this debate is public safety. I 
wonder whether the puerile minds in the Department have ever considered the 
effect this issue has on the community of New South Wales? Can't they see 
that by creating a situation whereby Firefighters and their families are 
threatened with financial ruin, by the risks involved in emergency workers' 
duties, a mind set will emerge where no Firefighter will risk personal 
injury and the normal practice will become footpath fire fighting?

I have had several colleagues say to me that after seeing the treatment 
that I have received from the Department, they will now be very cautious in 
all future fire-fighting activities.

I am not questioning the integrity nor the bravery of the NSW "firie", but 
let's be honest. Why would anyone run the risk when you know that at the 
end of the day you and your family will be left in a state of virtual 
poverty? That's what has happened to my family, and without appropriate D & 
D coverage it will happen to more and more NSW Firies every year.

Does Premier Carr want to have a situation whereby firefighters are forced 
to decide between their own welfare and/or rescuing trapped persons? By 
continuing to resist the Union's D & D proposals this will be the outcome 
which Premier Carr and the New Millennium Thatcherites of Macquarie Street 
will be imposing on the people of New South Wales.

The point is, in many scenarios involving fires and emergencies, the 
community of NSW is only protected by a thin line of black & yellow — the 
NSW firefighter.

If the NSW Government fails to protect NSW firefighters and their families' 
welfare, they are simply failing to protect the community.

Finally, I would to personally thank the Union's State Committee for their 
continued support. In particular, I would like to publicly thank Greg 
Matthews, the Retained members' elected official and Industrial Officer who 
has been always available and prepared to listen. Thanks, mate, your 
concern is much appreciated.

Contrast the Union response with the stony silence from the Department and 
you see why D & D is so very important. The welfare and safety of every 
man, woman and child of New South Wales depends upon it.

* * *

NSW Firefighter, Summer 2001, journal of NSW FBEU.