NRS-22043 | Occurrence Books [Community Fire Units]

Full description

In response to the 1994 Sydney bushfires, Fire & Rescue NSW initiated the Community Fire Unit (CFU) program for residents in urban areas near bushland. By 2019, over 600 units existed with over 7,000 volunteer members across metropolitan and regional NSW. The primary aim of the program is to empower local residents to protect their own properties and that of their immediate neighbours from the impact of bushfires. The program achieves this through supporting local residents through the provision of basic firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment and training. This process is undertaken by NSW Fire Brigade personnel at station level, assisted by Community Fire Unit Coordinators from the Bushfire Natural Hazards Section. 

Occurrence Books provide an official detailed record of CFU activities, issues arising and actions taken, and they ensure a paper record of member training and operational attendance. Each CFU must maintain an Occurrence Book containing up-to-date and relevant information, which should be managed in accordance with the FRNSW Records Management Policy. 

CFU members must use the Occurrence Book to record information relating to the following events.

• Training session with FRNSW in attendance

• Attendance at hazard reduction activity (under FRNSW instruction)

• Bushfire operation

• Injury, illness, exposure or near miss

• Regular equipment maintenance check by members

• Damaged equipment

• Equipment delivery or return

Any other relevant matters involving CFU members or relating to CFU equipment should also be recorded in the Occurrence Book.

Abbreviation are used for the ID numbering of the Community Fire Unit vessels and to identify them and are used for their actual locations. The abbreviations are:
FHP – Fixed Hose Post
MHP – Mobile Hose Post (trailers)
The MHP’s can be relocated when underutilised or required elsewhere. MHP’s and FHP’s are located in bush suburbs and used by the registered CFU volunteers (trained by FRNSW) when bushfires are close to housing, the CFU is activated by FRNSW. (1)

Endnote
1. Information supplied by Fire and Rescue NSW, 28 August 2025.