850 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE [No. 30

GENERAL

8. It is considered that all Station Officers and Sub-officers should at some part of their service, serve in the brigade office or take over portions of the administrative work such as the maintenance of records, compilation of pay sheets, preparation of reports, routine correspondence, and general administrative duties to fit themselves for senior rank, so that when appointed to such ranks, they are fully experienced and capable of controlling and managing a brigade.

FIRE BRIGADESMEN

9. It is considered that not more than twenty-five hours in any working week is the maximum routine time required in brigades from each fireman to enable the routine duties other than fire-fighting to be satisfactorily carried out. For this purpose it would appear convenient to arrange these hours so that routine work can cease at a convenient time in the afternoon except for any special work such as would be required in recommissioning the appliances and station as a result of fires occurring outside routine working hours. Normally this should not be required except after a fire or break-down of any essential brigade equipment. Where any such duty is performed outside routine working hours, which would necessitate personnel being engaged for any inordinate length of time, consideration should be given to suitable recompense or an adjustment made of the routine hours of the personnel concerned.

Where night drills or joint exercises are necessary as, for example, in conjunction with auxiliaries or volunteers, who are only available at night or week-ends for this purpose, regard should be paid to the routine working hours of the personnel affected and adjustments made accordingly. It is considered that no duties other than those of testing of appliances and necessary station cleaning should be undertaken on Sundays or public holidays, or after 12 noon on Saturdays. Regard should also be paid to the provision of some relief from routine duty for such personnel who are detailed to perform watchroom or any special duty directly following the termination of routine working hours. Arrangements should be made for watchroom personnel covering the night hours to be provided with facilities to rest providing that they are immediately available to carry out their duties. In brigades of the C category and below employing full time personnel, it is not considered necessary to man the watchroom during the day when personnel are working in or about the station as the provision of a loud ringing bell would suffice.

In order that the work of the station can be equitably shared and properly conducted, it should be planned and thoroughly understood so that each aspect can in turn receive its necessary attention. Other than the work occasioned by fires necessitating the repair and extra cleaning of equipment used, the routine should be arranged progressively.

Normal fire service drills and training should be undertaken for at least one hour of the routine duty period of each working day. In inclement weather this should be replaced by indoor drills or lectures. Where personnel are required to perform outside duties, such as hydrant inspection or testing of fire alarms, this should be arranged during routine hours and for such duties as salvage work, standing by after fires, or watching duties, adequate compensation should be given from routine hours or time off given instead.

PART VII—EXAMINATION AND INTER-BRIGADE PROMOTION PROCEDURE

1. The Fire Service Council in accordance with section 8 (h) of the Act is required to facilitate inter-brigade promotion. The classification and grading of officers referred to in Part IV of this Code outlines a chain of officer responsibilities and the Council has already adopted a procedure in connection with the appointment of executive officers, having regard to its responsibility to approve of the executive officer appointments pursuant to section 40 (2) of the Act. In some brigades examinations exist for firemen advancing to second and first class grades, and these should continue to be conducted within brigades. It will be necessary, however, to introduce, concurrent with a training scheme, promotion examinations of a standard character for sub-officer and station officer rank in order that all officers and potential officers shall be equally qualified. Those promotion examinations would require to be set on a national basis by Fire Service Council officers in conjunction with a panel of Chief Fire Officers. The examinations should be held locally at fixed periods say twice a year, and members of the service who qualify would, subject to satisfactory practical tests and appropriate length of service, be eligible for officer appointment in any brigade. The appropriate examination of either the Institution of Fire Engineers or the New Zealand Officers’ and Members’ Institute should be regarded as equivalent qualifications for exemption from the written section of the examination. The marking and adjudication of such examinations would be conducted by a selected panel of Chief Officers in conjunction with the Council’s staff.