Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Aboriginal Community Patnership

Presented by
John Russell
Station Officer
Community Education Department
MFB
Indigenous Community – MFB Relationship
• MFB recognises each community has its own needs
• MFB values and continues to establish meaningful
working relationships with Melbourne’s Indigenous
community
Mutual Understanding & Respect:
2001
Contact with Indigenous community by
Georgia Prattis, MFB Access & Equity Advisor
Meeting resulted in planning and staging of:
• Community and cultural events
• Setting realistic goals for engaging with
Indigenous community
• Implementing training programs promoting
Indigenous awareness across MFB
Mutual Understanding & Respect:
2002
• MFB undertook consultation process with Indigenous
leaders to identify fire safety issues within the community
• MFB Community Education Department participated in
Indigenous cultural awareness training
Mutual Understanding & Respect:
2004
•
MFB staff met The Victorian Aboriginal Health Service Co-op Ltd
(VAHS) to provide assistance with emergency procedures and staff
fire safety training for Fitzroy health facility
•
The meeting highlighted many other opportunities to form partnerships
with the community
•
Regular meetings continued with the development of procedures and
staff training
•
Informal meetings and contact allowed natural development in working
and personal relationships
Mutual Understanding & Respect:
• Regular dialogue, familiar faces and informal approach
are the key elements to gaining mutual understanding
• Introduction to members of the community in other
organisations also provides further opportunities to
establish relationships
Mutual Understanding & Respect:
• The partnership is not a forced government initiative
• There is no dedicated funding
• There are no timelines
however
• MFB sees the partnership as part of its overall
community strategy to be inclusive of all cultural groups
• MFB recognises the Indigenous community’s rich culture is
different to that of the dominant culture
• MFB’s approach “How can we work together to promote
fire safety?” rather than “We know best ” has
benefited both the Indigenous community and the MFB
Fire Truck-P1 B
• MFB commissioned Indigenous artist Alister Thorpe Jr. to
provide artwork with a fire safety message
• The artwork represents “Respect Fire”
Benefits to Indigenous Community
• Fire safety information to wider community on continuing
basis
• Improved communications with government agency (MFB)
• Mutual respect and trust
• Firm and lasting friendships
• Direct access to MFB
• Fire Truck attends many community events
Benefits to MFB
• Improved communications with Indigenous community
• Mutual respect and trust
• Cultural awareness – fire service personnel and
Indigenous community
• Greater understanding of Indigenous culture
• Recognition and understanding of cultural
significance of fire
• Firm and lasting friendships
NAIDOC WEEK
MFB Participation
National Aboriginal (Torres Strait) Island Day Observance Committee
NAIDOC Week is the outcome of a long history of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander efforts to bring
issues of concern to the government and the wider
Community.
NAIDOC Week celebrates and promotes
greater understanding of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Island people, their culture and
heritage within the wider Australian community
MFB Participation
Reconciliation Week
“A united Australia which respects
this land of ours, values the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
heritage and provides justice and
equality for all.”
Vision statement:
Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation
National Sorry Day “Stories Untold…But Not Forgotten”
Acknowledges the impact of policies
of forcible removal of children on Australia’s
Indigenous population
CAMP JUNGAI - Women's Camp
Firefighter Nyree Gill and Sue Hedges
Information sessions included:
• Home fire safety
• Smoke alarms
• Juvenile Fire Awareness
Intervention Program
• Early Fire Safe
• Fire extinguishers
Programs and Training
VAHS
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service Co Op Ltd
• Fire
safety audit
• Emergency procedures development
• Emergency Response & Wardens training
Home and Community Carers Program (HACC)
• Home
fire safety booklet & checklist
• Home fire safety training for HACC program
Fire Awareness Community Service Awards 2004
Winner – Indigenous & Multicultural Award
Programs and Training
ACES
Aboriginal Community Elders Services
• Emergency Response & Extinguisher training
• Redevelop emergency procedures
• Home fire safety booklets
MAYSAR
Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sport And Recreation
• Emergency procedures development
• Emergency Response & Wardens training
• Assist with youth programs
Programs and Training
Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Inc.
Kindergarten and Child Care Centres
• Emergency Response training
• Procedures development guidelines
Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
• Home and Community Carers’ Program
Aborigines Advancement League
• Emergency procedures development
• Home and Community Carers’ program
• Emergency Response & Wardens training
Media
Radio’s 3CR & 3KND
• Smoke alarms
• Winter fire safety
• Summer fire safety
• Christmas trees and lights safety
• MFB recruitment information
• Home and Community Carers’ Program
• Fire safety phone in
• Regular interviews with MFB
MFB supports “The Long Walk”
December 3, 2005: 10,000 people joined Michael Long
to raise awareness about the plight of Indigenous
Australians
Indigenous Community Project Model
Consulted with Indigenous community and fire fighters
Document and enhance successful partnership between
MFB and Indigenous community
Report will be available as a model of “How to work with
Indigenous communities”
Recognising Traditional Landowners
Official opening of fire stations now invites an Elder from
traditional landowners for “Welcome to Country” and to
perform a “Smoking Ceremony”
Developing a program to install fire station plaques
recognising Indigenous people as traditional landowners
Challenges
• Recruitment
• Continuing participation and dialogue
• Fire Stations engaging with the community
• Recognising opportunities with:
• Cultural needs and practices
• Aboriginal Housing Board (tenants kits)
• Indigenous community organisations
• Links from Koori internet sites to www.mfb.org.au
Conclusion
Indigenous perspective
• Except for emergency calls, felt isolated from the MFB’s
range of services
• Employment opportunities with MFB not considered or
unattainable, now a consideration
• Now trust in a government organisation
• MFB now engaged in many different areas of Indigenous
community
• MFB now considered as a partner
MFB perspective
• MFB is proud of the partnership with the Indigenous
community and is committed to continuing and
strengthening the relationship
• A sustainable partnership with mutual benefits
• Greater understanding of the Indigenous community
Fire Awareness Awards 2006
Joint Winner– Fire Services Award
Fire Truck P1B “Reflective Community Art”
The Lord Mayors City Safety Award 2006
City of Melbourne
Joint Winner– Certificate of Merit
“Reflective Community Art”
P47 Footscray & P10 Richmond:
Fire trucks with Vietnamese artwork and fire safety message
Questions?