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August 1, 2024

Newsletter for the Offshore Residents of Pittwater, Australia - Volume 25, Issue 1211

We acknowledge and pay our respects to the Traditional Custodians of Pittwater, as well as our Indigenous readers

Steve Yorke AFSM

SIRFB's latest life member

Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade held its AGM on 7 July. At that meeting we recognised the extraordinary contribution that Steve Yorke AFSM has made to our Brigade and the RFS by appointing him a Life Member of the Brigade.

Steve's career with the RFS started way back in the 1970s when he helped create the State's first Remote Area Firefighting Team. He also helped start the Evans Shire Headquarters Brigade and became a Deputy Captain of that brigade.

In 1991 Steve joined our Brigade and became an active member of the Waringah Pittwater district. In 1999 he was appointed Deputy Fire Control Officer. He was the NSWRFS Senior Liaison Officer during the 2000 Olympics.

During the early 2000s he held a number of District and Regional roles including Fire Control Officer for Blacktown, Regional Business Manager and Regional Manger for Region East. Between 2009 and 2017 he was responsible for the State Operations Centre, the Operational Communcations Centre, aviation and other specialist capabilities in the RFS.

Steve was appointed Assistant Commissioner in 2013. In 2017 he was appointed Director Operational and Mitigation Services, and in 2020 Steve was appointed Director Procurement and Logistics.

In his career with the RFS Steve has managed major incidents in NSW as well as every other state and territory in Australia and in the USA, Canada and France. He has also been instrumental in helping establish the RFSA and has served as Councillor and State President. He is currently the chairperson of the RFSA Greater Sydney Area Division 4 and a State Councillor. Steve was appointed a Life Member of the RFSA in 2007.

Steve also helped establish the RFS workplace giving program known as Coffee4Kids which has raised more than $700,000 for the Randwick and Westmead Childrens Hospitals. Steve retired from the RFS as a salaried officer in 2023.

Steve has been a member of the Scotland Island brigade for many years and has held various positions including Deputy Captain and Senior Deputy Captain. We're proud to have Steve in our Brigade and incredibly grateful for his contribution to the RFS and communities all over NSW, Australia and other parts of the world.

Peter Lalor, SIRFB Captain

... and a note from the editor:
As brigade president I also want to acknowledge all that Steve has given the island brigade, as well as his wider contributions to the RFS. On a personal level I have found him unerringly helpful and affable. For the last few years Steve has been station officer. There's nothing conceited about Steve, and it has been a real privilege to have an RFS Assistant Commissioner clean our toilets and mop the floor. Well done Steve!

Roy Baker, SIRFB President

Scotland Island Fire Brigade

AGM Report

Scotland Island Rural Fire Brigade's AGM was attended by our local member Rory Amon, the RFS district manager, staff from the District Office, District group officers, members of the Brigade and members of the community.

The meeting is a great opportunity to reflect on what has happened during the year. According to Brigade Captain Peter Lalor the highlights were the 11 new members that had joined the brigade, the 37 emergency incidents the brigade responded to, the hazard reduction work completed in Catherine and Elizabeth Parks, the closer working relationship established with mainland brigades and the new all-terrain vehicle.

The brigade is also hopeful that after years of lobbying the existing boat will be replaced with a new boat that will significantly improve emergency response capabilities in the Pittwater area.

Elections for officers for the 2024/25 year saw Peter Lalor, Ian White, Craig Laslett and Tom Laslett re-elected as Captain, Senior Deputy Captain, Deputy Captain and Deputy Captain respectively. The administrative team was also re-elected: Roy Baker as President, Vanessa Barry as Secretary, Lara Hasell as Treasurer, Ian White as CFR Leader, Tim Ives as Training Officer, John Marshall as Equipment Officer, and Steve Yorke as Station Officer. Kylie Bennetts remains First Aid Officer.

Volunteers Needed For Island Fire Shed Dinners

A community event inside the island brigade's old fire shed, probably during the 1980s

Fire shed dinners play an important role in bringing our offshore communities together and raising funds used by the fire brigades to keep us all safe.

The Scotland Island brigade generally has three or four dinners throughout the year. There can be up to 150 people attending, although often there are fewer than that. Cooking and serving facilities are all provided by the brigade, which has a large, semi-commercial kitchen, and costs are covered from the fundraising.

If you are part of a community group that is willing to organise a fire shed dinner please contact Penny Wise: penelopewise@bigpond.com.

Celebrating Tracy Smith

Scotland Island Community Hall

Saturday 10 August, 2.15 - 4.30 pm

Storytelling Night

Scotland Island Community Hall

Saturday 17 August, 7.30 pm

Cash only

Water and Sewerage on Scotland Island

Scotland Island Community Hall

Sunday 18 August, 10.30 am

Residents are invited to a community forum on Sunday 18 August in the Scotland Island Community Hall to discuss water and sewerage on the island.

The forum is being organised in response to the recent survey of residents and following recent discussion by SIRA with the NSW Government and Sydney Water.

Morning tea will be available from 10am with the forum to commence at 10:30. There will be a short presentation by SIRA followed by discussion of options for Scotland Island going forward.

The Tuesday Discussion Group

Scotland Island Recreation Centre

Tuesday 20 August, 11 am - 12.30 pm

The Recreation Club runs a discussion group, meeting on the third Tuesday of each month, from 11 am to 12.30 pm in the Recreation Centre. Everyone is welcome.

Members take it in turn to design a session. For the July session Sarah Polanka and Kathy James led a discussion on the rise of the Radical Right internationally.

For the August meeting, Lovett Bay resident Chris Baynes invites the group to consider aged care in Australia today.

Drawing on his personal expertise, Chris will provide an overview of the home care and residential services available today, outline why many of use will not get access to the aged care support we expect, and explain why we will be paying significantly more in the very near future.

For a summary of Chris's talk, see his slide show from an industry presentation, available here.

The group is administered via a WhatsApp group, which will be used to distribute further information about this and future discussions. If you would like to be added to the group, send your mobile phone number to editor@scotlandisland.org.au. Alternatively, contact Jane Rich (janebalmain@hotmail.com) for more information or to express your interest in participating.

The Recreation Club asks for $5 per person per attendance to defray expenses.