Unpaid heroes !

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service Association has issued a timely warning ahead of the looming summer fire season. There will be financial pressures affecting that army of volunteer fire fighters who have served us so well over past decades.

The ranks of volunteers have long been a source of pride in country towns with employers gladly releasing them to fight fires - and handing over their pay packets on pay day as their contribution to the community spirit.

Now we have the worst drought in living memory - and businesses in country towns are doing it tough. The men and women who are members of the Rural Fire Service are usually key employees and their absence in the present circumstances will be crippling to small business barely making ends meet.

According to the experts on global warming we can expect more and bigger fires - and that means fire fighters will be required in greater numbers - and the time taken to control a blaze can be a matter of days - and sometimes weeks.
That could be an impossible impost on employers - and the government needs to consider easing the burden.

The Association is not suggesting that volunteers be paid, but there is scope for relief in several forms. Employers could be offered tax relief by way of a hefty credit to compensate for time taken fighting fires - and obviously payroll tax should cease when an employee is on fire duty.

The Federal and state governments contribute to providing fire tenders and equipment - and in return they get a huge saving in costs because the fire crews fight fires in their own - and their employers - time.

It would not be unreasonable for both levels of government to open their purse strings and return something to keep this valuable service viable.
Without relief there is a chance that an iconic institution could slip beyond the reach of the men and women who contribute their time - and their employers who continue to pay them !