CFA Connect Blogosphere

BEST WISHES CHIEF

You will no doubt be aware that Chief Officer Russell Rees announced his resignation on 23 April. Russell will be leaving CFA in June after nine years as Chief Officer and an extraordinary four decades as a member of our organisation.

On a personal note, Russell was the first person to welcome me to CFA and has given me immense support since my arrival. I will be only one of many who will miss his dedication and professionalism, his loyalty and support. With thousands of others around the state, I wish Russell all the best for his future and thank him for his outstanding contribution to CFA.

We will be recruiting for a new Chief Officer in the coming weeks and I will keep you informed about that process.

BOUNDARY ALIGNMENT PROJECT

The consultation and communication phase of the Boundary Alignment Project continues. While to some this will seem like a time when not a lot is happening, in fact, it is a critical stage of the process. We need to get this part right before we finalise plans on how to implement any boundary changes.

To help us in this task, project managers have now been appointed in each Area. Their role is to work with the Area and the other managers to ensure consistency across the planning and implementation stages.

I'll continue to update you on both behind-the-scenes and on-the-ground changes as they unfold.

OTHER CHANGES

After three years of excellent service to the organisation, Robert Hogan is moving on from the position of Executive Manager Public Affairs and we wish him well for his next challenge.

During Robert's time at CFA, he pioneered, through his team, CFA Connect as a new and active way to communicate to the depth of the organisation and the broader community. This is a leading-edge initiative. He also introduced new partners to CFA and recently I saw the work he did through the Myer Foundation that allowed CFA brigades to develop some sustainable water supplies; this was a great outcome.

We advertised the Executive Manager position in late April through national newspapers and online, and hope to have a replacement in the role by the end of July. Also, we advertised the newly created position of Manager Media to bolster CFA's media unit. We hope to have that position filled before August as well.