Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC322-4251 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services facilitate an annual state level exercise of the Queensland Bushfire Plan that includes all relevant stakeholders and land managers. The exercise should focus on roles, responsibilities, interagency arrangements and handover arrangements between agencies and land managers. |
REC322-4225 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Maryborough District Disaster Management Group works with the Fraser Coast Local Disaster Management Group to prepare and exercise a communications sub-plan with all responsible agencies, to clarify the roles, responsibilities and communication channels used for restricting access to K’gari. |
REC322-4228 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a public information resource be developed by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services to inform the community and stakeholders about aerial assets utilised in bushfire response. |
REC322-4231 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services examines the use of predictive service capability to inform prevention and preparedness in addition to response activities. |
REC322-4242 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review the format and delivery of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service annual fire refresher training to include a scenario-based exercise. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC319-4194 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and / or the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, work with councils and government to refine an operational relief and recovery public communications strategy that: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC314-3264 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Consider removing stamp duty from home insurance to encourage a wider section of the community to take out insurance. South Australian government agencies should share their risk modelling data with the Insurance Council of Australia. |
REC314-3271 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Better coordinate public information and warnings including evacuation plans and provide a single source of information about, the location and direction of fires, how and when to use Safer Places, Places of Last Resort, relief and recovery centres and directed evacuations. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC308-2457 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efforts are made to improve the timeliness, accuracy and targeting of Emergency Alert messaging by: |
REC308-2466 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Exercising should focus on vertical integration and include all levels of the system. A strategic program of exercises should be developed and implemented. |
REC308-2463 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Principles, applicable to all tourist budgets, covering liabilities for costs and shelter in the event of evacuation should be developed and promulgated as part of tourism marketing. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC307-2440 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Communications protocols about hazard-specific events should be developed to clarify responsibilities and the principles for the release of information and warnings. They should be included in all related hazard-specific plans and published on relevant websites, and used during events. |
REC307-2438 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The national messages for catastrophic fire danger ratings should be integrated with all existing and new community bushfire safety information. |
REC307-2444 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | All disaster management groups should run an exercise that has full involvement of a hazard-specific primary agency in the next 12 months and regularly thereafter. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC299-1342 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That fire managers responsible for planned burns be |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC273-1140 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the current practise of issuing an ‘emergency alert’ telephone message or an emergency warning and/or watch and act alert to ensure that it is consistent, relevant and necessary. Prior to issuing an emergency alert message, consider state level involvement so that other agencies are made aware of message and intent. |
REC273-1134 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That future declarations be undertaken to ensure that the areas affected by the declaration are clear and concise. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC268-1425 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Public Information and Warnings Sub-plan Guide is reviewed to include: |
REC268-1433 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should consider supporting local government in the annual development of at least one pre-formatted Emergency Alert message and polygon map based on a risk assessment and hazard modelling. |
REC268-1431 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should consider new and emerging technologies for issuing warnings (including opportunities for Emergency Alert to be distributed in other languages or to people with vision or hearing impairment). |
REC268-1427 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Warning and Alert Systems training package is updated to align the content to the Standard for Disaster Management in Queensland and to include advice and scenarios from the Information Commissioner. |
REC268-1426 | 8 - Communications and warnings | A qualitative assessment of public information and warnings arrangements is undertaken as part of the 2016 disaster management plan assessment process. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC264-1089 | 8 - Communications and warnings | GDF Suez improve its crisis management communication strategy for the Hazelwood mine in line with international best practice. |
REC264-1082 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The State review and revise its communication strategy, to: • needed for effective and rapid public communications during an emergency; and ensure all emergency response agencies have, or have access to, the capability and resources • ensure, where appropriate, that private operators of essential infrastructure are included in the coordination of public communications during an emergency concerning that infrastructure. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC244-2616 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That once the review of the Emergency Management Act has been finalised, any reference to the liability of councils should be mirrored in both the EM Act and the F&ES Act. |
REC244-2604 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Notification of a total fire ban should be broadcast to the public via any means reasonably available. Section 80, parts (2), (5) and (6) be amended so that broadcast fire ban warnings include, but not be limited to, radio stations, internet sites, social media outlets etc. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC243-0843 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Government work with the Local Government Association to resolve questions of liability by volunteers who work for Councils, as raised with the Select Committee. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC242-2642 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That with regard to volunteer community safety and emergency service organisations that do not own land where their facilities exist: |
REC242-2647 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Government agencies work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and radio stations that broadcast emergency service announcements, to ensure the earliest possible determination of, and communications about, dangerous bushfire conditions. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC241-1016 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That a volunteer shall not be liable for any act or omission made in good faith provided it is not proven to be reckless, negligent or malicious. This protection is to be afforded in both Criminal and Common law. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC239-2690 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business and Commissioners establish a high level working group with the ABC and commercial media to identify and implement an improved information flow to the community on disasters. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC215-1873 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Fire services can improve outcomes by implementing standard procedures that ensure the welfare and safety of crews and the public are not compromised |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC196-0239 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review Emergency Alert and OSOM systems to improve ease of use. |
REC196-0244 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Educate and engage with fire-affected landholders about the types of warnings, what they might expect from the warnings and their responsibility for response to prevent loss of life. |
REC196-0237 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Ensure that warning terminology used in the templates and FireWeb is consistent. |
REC196-0243 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the potential use of ‘crowdsourcing’ sites such as Bushfire Connect in community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0236 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the use of the terms in the templates e.g. ‘out of control’ so that community misconceptions are minimised. |
REC196-0242 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Integrate social media into the OSOM system. |
REC196-0231 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Allow the MFB and SES access to using OSOM. |
REC196-0241 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review OSOM to enable monitoring or tracking of where messages were sent, who they were sent to and when they are due for review. |
REC196-0246 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the suite of community bushfire warning systems available to tourists across the State. |
REC196-0229 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Amend SOP J4.01and other strategic and procedural documents to reflect the goal of ‘timely, relevant and tailored’ for community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0240 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Improve links and interactions between the communication systems e.g. customise OSOM messages to each of the communication mechanisms, link OSOM with Emergency Alert. |
REC196-0245 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Develop a robust evaluation framework to review community bushfire warning policies, processes, systems and procedures both internally and with communities at regular intervals and immediately after a major bushfire event. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC195-0328 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure that information and warnings are developed in accordance with the Victorian Warning Protocol |
REC195-0325 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services evaluate the new information and warning systems to identify ways to integrate them and improve their capacity to issue timely, relevant and tailored messages. This should include the use of social media. |
REC195-0324 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services, in consultation with media outlets, develop a more effective strategy for informing the community of Total Fire Ban days. |
REC195-0331 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure information and warning projects are able to be integrated with a common operating platform. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC191-0268 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | that the QFRS investigate the possibility of insurance recovery when involved in vehicle retrieval activities at accident sites. |
REC191-0261 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | that the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services undertake a comprehensive legal review in order to clarify the legal position of RFBs and their members. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC179-2981 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Department of Human Services should complete work on emergency communication and information management issues. |
REC179-2976 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Department of Human Services should regularly test recovery plans with partner agencies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC165-0087 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The SDMG commission the Department of Community Safety and seek the necessary funding to develop and enhance the Statewide Disaster Management information and communications system building on alternatives already in place and in consultation with all levels of Government. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC156-3509 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service, Department of Primary Industries, Energy Safe Victoria and the energy sector develop a coordinated set of safety messaging about preparedness for storm events and clearly outline the responsibilities for delivering these messages before during and after an emergency. |
REC156-3507 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Victoria progress, as a matter of priority, a telephony based public emergency notification system to reduce demand on Triple Zero and other emergency telephone lines during a major emergency. |
REC156-3503 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations review their use of Emergency Alerting System paging message categories to ensure that priority messages are not compromised by inappropriate use. An education program may be required to ensure that all users understand message categories, their intended use and ramifications of each category on network and message delivery sequence. |
REC156-3497 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations work with government departments, local governments and private industry to identify and implement a model for communication flow during an emergency incident. |
REC156-3491 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service improve its communication with local governments, especially in relation to severe weather and storm warning information. |
REC156-3515 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The electricity distribution businesses enhance power outage information on their websites which are accessible to electricity retail businesses, the media and the public and also consider improving their capacity to communicate with customers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC155-3481 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Victorian Government establish a clear and consistent Bushfire Fencing Policy for damage caused by all future bushfires and prescribed burns. The Bushfire Fencing Policy should include the following provisions: |
REC155-3471 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Victorian Government replace or compensate for water taken from domestic, stock and irrigation dams, or water needed for essential use, in the event of a fire, regardless of where the bushfire starts. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC153-1781 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Minister for Emergency Services in conjunction with the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Services and the Commissioner of South Australia Police develop policies and practices regarding the issuing of public warnings that address the risk posed to the public by an existing fire incident with a view to disseminating such warnings to the public at a time before the escalation of an existing fire incident occurs. |
REC153-1784 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the South Australian Country Fire Service empower the Regional Public Warnings Officer to create and deliver public warnings on that Officer’s initiative without the necessity of seeking the approval of personnel at State Headquarters. |
REC153-1782 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Services and the Commissioner of Police establish a panel to develop policies and practices to ensure that at the time bushfire warnings are created and delivered, all such warnings are made known to all emergency service entities, and to ensure that warnings of an approaching fire are delivered in a timely manner with detailed and specific information relevant to the circumstances of the section of the public to whom they are directed. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC136-3528 | 8 - Communications and warnings | An early and high priority task in recovery from a natural disaster should be the development of a coordinated, succinct, practical and flexible public communications plan. |
REC136-3527 | 8 - Communications and warnings | In any future large-scale disaster or event, consideration be given to a centrally located Media Operations Centre. |
REC136-3526 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That consideration be given to additional ways and means to improve broadcast capability into disaster-affected regions, particularly for the early aftermath of any disaster when a loss of power characterises the event. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC132-3590 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Investigate procedures for updating the Victoria Bushfire Information Line (VBIL) Integrated Voice Response recorded message system to allow recording of permanent bushfire safety, and incident-specific, messages, accessible when the VBIL is experiencing high call volumes during large and/or numerous significant incidents |
REC132-3594 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Need for scripting of messages by fire agency representatives when promoting VBIL services via radio, TV and newspapers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC124-3888 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Strengthen internal and external communications to ensure adequate stakeholder involvement throughout the prescribed burning program: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC123-3882 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner convene a working group of key emergency services and emergency management agencies to develop a flow chart based on scenario testing, to support decision making and the assessment of response requirements to medical, hazardous materials and CBR emergencies including their transition from one type to another. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC104-2218 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That Government work with the insurance industry to explore options for incentives such as a reduction in premiums for those who take appropriate self-protection measures on their properties, similar to incentives for anti-theft home security |
REC104-2300 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria Police Media Unit coordinate work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the emergency service agencies to implement this arrangement. |
REC104-2250 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | That DSE and CFA work in cooperation with the Municipal Emergency Response Coordinators to develop and conduct joint exercises that practise the skills and test procedures for operations of the Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre, Municipal Recovery Centre and Incident Control Centres. |
REC104-2216 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria include an agenda item for both the National Emergency Management Committee and the National Meeting of Emergency Services Ministers recommending that the Australian Communications Authority review both the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice and Guidelines, and Community Broadcasting Codes of Practice, to ensure they provide necessary guidance and obligations on radio stations during emergencies and in relation to emergency warnings. |
REC104-2217 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That CFA, in their education and information packages, encourage appropriate insurance cover, and ensure that insurance becomes a part of the householder’s annual checklist. |
REC104-2299 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That consideration be given to formalising Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio as the official emergency radio station for Victoria, given it is the only radio station that can cover the whole of the State. |
REC104-2215 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs the Media sub-committee of the State Emergency Response Committee to review the use of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal and its accompanying message. |
REC104-2298 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That relevant Government agencies including Emergency Communications Victoria, the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications and the Victoria Police Media Unit, evaluate the proposals put forward by the Australian Communications Authority with respect to the hearing impaired. |
REC104-2297 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the model of community engagement developed by DSE and CFA and applied during the 2002-2003 fires is further developed and refined, particularly in regard to short-duration, rapidly escalating incidents. |
REC104-2302 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That opportunities be explored to use community radio to complement other methods of communication with isolated communities. |
REC104-2296 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That in relation to the provision of information to communities affected by fires and other emergencies, DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2231 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That DSE commences discussion with the Victorian WorkCover Authority in respect to employer liability for those staff being released to, and directed, by another agency in fire prevention and suppression activities. |
REC104-2301 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That CFA and DSE work with Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio to identify black spots, and explore opportunities to further improve coverage for broadcasting emergency information. |
REC104-2335 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | That the fire agencies develop a program to significantly increase the amount of joint training and exercises undertaken. |
REC104-2287 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That DSE and CFA work with the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications to ensure that rural communication issues are appropriately addressed in the Statewide Integrated Public Safety and Communications Strategy, and that priorities and business cases are agreed for critical issues. |