MEDIA RELEASE Friday December 4 2009
‘SICKIES’ ERROR A SLUR ON FIREFIGHTERS
The United Firefighters Union will immediately seek to correct misinformation at yesterday’s Royal
Commission hearings that 46 professional firefighters were unexpectedly absent on Black Saturday.
Some media reports have incorrectly extrapolated this to suggest that 15 per cent of Victoria’s professional
firefighters took sickies that day.
Official figures made available late yesterday after the Royal Commission hearings show that there were 15
MFB firefighters sick on Black Saturday. Ten of these saw a doctor, and five did not provide a medical
certificate. (A medical certificate is not required for three sick days a year.)
The 15 firefighters who actually were unexpectedly off work represent about .6 of one per cent of the MFB’s
total force, or 2.5 per cent of the 600 rostered to work that day (in two shifts of about 300).
This is in line with national absence rates of 2-4 per cent.
In addition to the 15 firefighters that were sick that day, one was on accrued leave, 11 were on planned
family leave, two were on a training course, seven were on long service leave, nine were on WorkCover
payments, and one was on military leave.
UFU National Secretary Peter Marshall says firefighters are angry at suggestions they shirked their duty on
Black Saturday.
“Firefighters – whether professional or volunteer – are passionate about their work, and dedicated to
protecting the community,” he said.
“The misinformation at the Royal Commission yesterday, the woeful response of the MFB to this data, and
the subsequent media reports are a slur on Melbourne’s firefighters.
“These firefighters were ready and keen to serve on Black Saturday, but frustrated by the chaos of that day.
Many waited idly on the fringe for permission to join the battle. One crew waited 5 hours at Whittlesea
before being deployed to fight the fire.
“We will seek immediately to have the Royal Commission correct yesterday’s discussion on absence rates.
“We don’t blame the media for reporting what they’re told, but we hope they’ll now correct the damaging
impressions that resulted from yesterday’s evidence by MFB chief fire officer Tony Murphy.”
For more information
Peter Marshall, National Secretary, United Firefighters Union
0419 127 004
Greg Pargeter, Senior Industrial Officer, United Firefighters Union
0425 790 676
NEWS 
