Remote Area Firefighting Team
Encyclopedia
Remote Area Firefighting Team (RAFT) personnel are specialist members of the New South Wales Rural Fire Service
who are particularly effective for work in rugged, isolated areas that firefighting tankers can’t access by road. They can then be transported in 4WD before hiking to the fireground, or sometimes winched in by helicopter.
RAFTs are skilled in dry firefighting techniques such as creating firebreaks by cutting mineral earth trails or undertaking backburning work.
The winch training is just one aspect of the RAFT program which also includes a medical examination and fitness test and to ensure crews can cope with this strenuous form of firefighting.
The ‘arduous pack test’ involves walking 4.83km carrying 20kg in 45 minutes or less.
Because they operate a long way from vehicle support, RAFT personnel rely on each other, so teams are made up of people with a good mix of training, good navigational skills, and the ability to carry heavy equipment over long distances.
The team must be self supporting, carrying food, drinking water and basic camping equipment.
Decisions to deploy RAFT are only made after thorough risk assessment with detailed analysis of current and predicted fire behaviour. The safety of crew members is paramount.
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service is a volunteer-based firefighting agency and statutory body of the NSW Government. The NSW RFS is responsible for the general administration of rural fire management affairs including administration of the Rural Fire Fighting Fund, co-ordination with local...
who are particularly effective for work in rugged, isolated areas that firefighting tankers can’t access by road. They can then be transported in 4WD before hiking to the fireground, or sometimes winched in by helicopter.
RAFTs are skilled in dry firefighting techniques such as creating firebreaks by cutting mineral earth trails or undertaking backburning work.
The winch training is just one aspect of the RAFT program which also includes a medical examination and fitness test and to ensure crews can cope with this strenuous form of firefighting.
The ‘arduous pack test’ involves walking 4.83km carrying 20kg in 45 minutes or less.
Because they operate a long way from vehicle support, RAFT personnel rely on each other, so teams are made up of people with a good mix of training, good navigational skills, and the ability to carry heavy equipment over long distances.
The team must be self supporting, carrying food, drinking water and basic camping equipment.
Decisions to deploy RAFT are only made after thorough risk assessment with detailed analysis of current and predicted fire behaviour. The safety of crew members is paramount.
External links
See also
- New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
- Bushfire
- New South Wales Fire BrigadesNew South Wales Fire BrigadesFire and Rescue NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales, Australia, is responsible for firefighting, rescue and hazmat services in the major cities, metropolitan areas and towns across rural and regional New South Wales...
- Firefighting
- Section 44Section 44A "Section 44" refers to the New South Wales Rural Fires Act 1997, specifically section 44, Commissioner’s responsibility. Essentially it is used to describe when the RFS Commissioner declares a localised "State of Emergency" for a specific district suffering severe fire conditions that cannot be...
- State Tactical Assisted Resource Group
- Country Fire ServiceCountry Fire ServiceThe SA Country Fire Service is a volunteer based fire service in the state of South Australia in Australia. Many parts of Australia are sparsely populated whilst at the same time they are under significant risk of bushfire. Due to economics, it is prohibitively expensive for each Australian town...
(South Australia) - Country Fire AuthorityCountry Fire AuthorityCountry Fire Authority, or CFA, is the name of the fire service that provides firefighting and other emergency services to all of the country areas and regional townships within the state of Victoria, Australia, as well as large portions of the outer suburban areas and growth corridors of Melbourne...
(Victoria)