Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC327-4345 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | By December 2023, the Rural Fire Service should: review and improve processes for timely recording of fleet asset movements, locations, and maintenance status. |
REC327-4346 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | By December 2023, the Rural Fire Service should: establish a fleet maintenance framework to ensure regular update of District Service Agreements with local councils. |
REC327-4350 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | By December 2023, the Rural Fire Service should: develop a fleet enhancement framework and strategy that is informed by an assessment of current fleet capability to respond to fire incidents, and research into the most appropriate technologies and appliances to address emerging and future fire risks across NSW. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC322-4237 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science develop and implement a Wildfire Response Plan for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Coastal and Islands Region, to be included in the region’s Disaster Management Operations Plan. |
REC322-4238 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science ensure that all Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service regions develop a Disaster Management Operations Plan based on a standardised format. The plans should include provision for annual review to ensure they remain contemporary, interoperable with relevant disaster management plans and aligned to the Department of Environment and Science Emergency Management Plan. |
REC322-4241 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services consider expanding specialist Remote Area Firefighting Team capability to assist in responding to significant bushfire events which occur in rugged or inaccessible terrain. |
REC322-4233 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Science review the current description of Level 1, 2, and 3 bushfire incidents and the implied meaning of property in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. This review should identify and agree on clear criteria and decision points for the transfer of control and develop a standard process and templates. |
REC322-4247 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a collaborative review of firelines, tracks and trails on K’gari be undertaken by the Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with the Locality Specific Area Fire Management Group and the Butchulla people, to ensure an adequate network is agreed by relevant stakeholders, and roles and responsibilities for maintenance are agreed and documented. |
REC322-4234 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review its suite of operational doctrine to ensure arrangements for situational reporting and requests for assistance are aligned to recognised multi-agency practices used in disaster management. |
REC322-4236 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the arrangements and requirements for situational reporting when an incident is under the control of the Department of Environment and Science be detailed in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. These arrangements should also be outlined in relevant joint entity agreements and operational doctrine. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC315-3844 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, in order to enhance fire fighting strategies in severe conditions, the NSW RFS implements the following in respect to backburning: |
REC315-3804 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW RFS Commissioner consult with the Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner and other emergency services to develop a protocol in the event that simultaneous emergency events necessitate the re-allocation of resources while a Section 44 declaration is in place. |
REC315-3833 | 3 - Biodiversity | That Government invest in long-term ecosystem and land management monitoring, modelling, forecasting, research and evaluation, and harness citizen science in this effort. This will include, among other things: |
REC315-3801 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, in order to improve capability to detect ignitions and monitor accurately all fire edge intensity and progression automatically across the State in near real time, Government establish a spatial technology acceleration program to maximise the information available from the various remote sensing technologies currently in use and to plan for inclusion of new remote sensing systems that can sense precisely and rapidly through heavy smoke, cloud, fog and dust. This will require work within the State and with partners nationally and internationally. |
REC315-3820 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Government amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 so that all public land management agencies be required to forward complaints received about bush fire hazards to the Commissioner of the NSW RFS. As an interim measure, heads of agencies should commence this practice immediately. |
REC315-3800 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Government, along with other Australian governments, ask AFAC to establish a national bush fire database. This database would enable: |
REC315-3819 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, as part of the spatial technology acceleration program, Government support deployment of remote sensing and picture processing technologies to monitor and audit how well Asset Protection Zones and defendable space are being maintained, especially around towns. |
REC315-3868 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That, in order to ensure people only need to tell their story once to access government agency support following an emergency, Resilience NSW and Service NSW jointly design an inclusive, person-centred approach to information collection at evacuation centres. This should be supported by an opt-in scheme enabling personal information to be shared between NSW government agencies, local councils and non-governmental organisations administering support services for disaster-affected people. |
REC315-3813 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That, in order to ensure tourism businesses are prepared for natural disasters including bush fires, Resilience NSW work with NSW RFS and Destination NSW to develop bush fire preparedness support for tourism businesses, based on research into existing models. Over time, this support could be expanded to include other natural hazards. |
REC315-3850 | 3 - Biodiversity | That Government develop and implement a policy on injured wildlife response, rescue and rehabilitation including: |
REC315-3805 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, to strengthen cross-agency accountability and deliver improved bush fire risk management outcomes: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC307-2434 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Given an increasing risk of intense fires, the framework of legislation relating to vegetation management, bushfire mitigation and preparation priorities should be re-assessed. The re-assessment should aim to enable more appropriate and flexible means at the local level for the reduction of intense fires. |
REC307-2432 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Legislation at state and local level requiring landholders to reduce fire risk on their property should be actively applied |
REC307-2443 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Planning for response to bushfire risk should identify all stakeholders to be engaged in the response phase and their roles and responsibilities should be clearly documented. |
REC307-2427 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Wherever possible, the antecedents that will lead to catastrophic fire weather conditions existing for a particular area should be identified and documented within fire management plan relevant to the area. |
REC307-2442 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Hazard-specific plans and guidelines should be published on external websites for access by relevant stakeholders. |
REC307-2426 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Queensland's plans and arrangements for heatwave should be reviewed to provide for an intergrated multi-agency approach to their management. A single agency should lead and oversee this process. |
REC307-2441 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Hazard-specific and disaster management guidelines and plans should explain the circumstances and process for hazard-specific activation of the disaster management arrangements in support of an incident. They should be relevant to local authorities and local and district groups, and used during events. |
REC307-2437 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The ability to share, analyse, interrogate and display information from disparate entities should be progressed as a matter of some urgency. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC302-2395 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Remove those policies, guidelines, memoranda of understanding and committees that are made redundant as a result of adopting recommendation #2 while updating any remaining policies that are considered to still be relevant |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC280-1380 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public. |
REC280-1397 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding. A final fencing agreement would be negotiated no earlier than six months following a major national park fire. |
REC280-1395 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Rural Fire Service reassess the protection of pastoral assets during bush fires to ensure that priority for protection is not simply afforded to the homestead, and that land holders are, within reason, able to request which of their own assets are protected. |
REC280-1403 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especially recovery centres and mental health services, are provided for an adequate length of time, with gradual transition to normal service delivery when those services are no longer required. |
REC280-1391 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information. |
REC280-1402 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and NSW Treasury: |
REC280-1390 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out. |
REC280-1401 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the NSW Government take all reasonable steps to expedite the process of establishing any legal liability for the losses incurred by property owners as a result of the Wambelong fire, and in the event that it is found liable, expedite the process of paying compensation claims. |
REC280-1389 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Government, as a matter of urgency, amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 to codify the current interim arrangements for command and notification requirements for class 1 and class 2 fires, which clarify that the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW: |
REC280-1400 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Office of State Revenue investigate mechanisms to enhance the affordability of insurance for properties and assets in fire affected areas. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC261-1512 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Rural Fire Service reassess the protection of pastoral assets during bush fires to ensure that priority for protection is not simply afforded to the homestead, and that land holders are, within reason, able to request which of their own assets are protected. |
REC261-1520 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especially recovery centres and mental health services, are provided for an adequate length of time, with gradual transition to normal service delivery when those services are no longer required. |
REC261-1506 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW Government, as a matter of urgency, amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 to codify the current interim arrangements for command and notification requirements for class 1 and class 2 fires, which clarify that the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW: |
REC261-1519 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and NSW Treasury: |
REC261-1518 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the NSW Government take all reasonable steps to expedite the process of establishing any legal liability for the losses incurred by property owners as a result of the Wambelong fire, and in the event that it is found liable, expedite the process of paying compensation claims. |
REC261-1517 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the Office of State Revenue investigate mechanisms to enhance the affordability of insurance for properties and assets in fire affected areas. |
REC261-1516 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC260-1050 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Alternatively, I recommend that the RFS consider developing such capacity to deploy weather balloons itself, in conjunction with mobile weather stations, for this purpose. |
REC260-1049 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Rural Fire Service consider proposing an arrangement with the Bureau of Meteorology to deploy weather balloons specifically for the purpose of assessing atmospheric instability during periods of severe to catastrophic fire danger in locations most likely to be severely affected, for example, areas in which a very high C-Haines index reading is registered and local fires have been identified. |
REC260-1069 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That NPWS conduct a review of its hazard reduction policies to ensure all assets within and on the boundary of the Park are clearly identified and an adequate policy or management plan exists for the protection of all assets, including a procedure pursuant to which progress in meeting hazard reduction targets is regularly and comprehensively assessed. |
REC260-1065 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service review its procedures for monitoring Class 1 fires occurring in ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions that cannot be reconnoitred at ground level adequately due to terrain or dangerous conditions, and consider including aerial surveillance (if reasonably practicable) as a standard procedure in such circumstances. |
REC260-1064 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service review its protocols for control of Class 1 fires under its control to ensure that incident controllers managing fires in ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions receive as much incident management planning support as is reasonably practicable in the circumstances. |
REC260-1056 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service consider adopting the approach to fire classification suggested by Mr Conway that “classification and resourcing of the fire ground response and incident management capability should reflect the potential of the fire rather than observed fire behaviour. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC259-1047 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That the insurance industry be asked to include in its “Code of Practice” the need to consult policy holders in bushfire prone areas on the issue of Bushfire Attack Level (BAL). This will ensure, to some extent, that policy holders insure their properties to a level commensurate with building costs under a variety of building standards and requirements.(For checking with RFS). |
REC259-1046 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That prior to the commencement of any major clean-up, firm policy be established and made known to the extent to which material removal will be the responsibility of the home owner, the Council or the State led recovery effort. |
REC259-1043 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That a single victim registration form be designed, which captures all relevant details required for use by any support agency both in the Response Phase at Evacuation centres and during the Recovery Phase. That such documents when completed form part of a wider database which can be accessed by all relevant agencies |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC241-1002 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland upgrades its subscription to technology for the Brigade Mapping Toolset to make it available to all Brigades who want it. |
REC241-1023 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That Rural Fire Service Queensland develops a simple data collection system to record the activities of brigades. |
REC241-0971 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the RFSQ central office undertake a review of Firecom procedures in relation to Rural Fire Service callouts. Each Rural Fire Service Queensland district office should also undertake a review of the Firecom data sets/callout information for their district to establish call out protocols are correct. |
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. |
REC241-1013 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Rural Fire Service Queensland undertake a risk management process for rural fire Brigade profiles across Queensland based on the principles in the Rural Fire Brigade Risk Management Guide, July 1999, and updated as necessary. |
REC241-1011 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the focus of Rural Fire Service Queensland will be the protection of life, property and the environment from the threat and impact of wildfire. |
REC241-1003 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Manager of the Geographic Information Systems unit conduct an audit of the Firecom mapping system to ensure that rural Brigade and road addressing is up to date. |
REC241-1031 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Government recognises the legal status of rural fire brigades as per Crown Law advice and addressed by Recommendations from this Review. |
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. |
REC191-0265 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | that QFRS undertake a thorough review of Firecom’s systems, including data integrity and dispatch procedures. |
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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REC150-3115 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | QFRS establish a structured risk management process for rural fire management, which involves regional and area offices, to enhance decision making processes and ensure opportunities are maximised and losses are minimised. This process should be linked to forward planning and incorporate existing processes such as: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC129-3630 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and continue to develop systems to bring all the information relevant to the surge in demand for health resources together in real time. |
REC129-3621 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and establish a time table to finalise all emergency and contingency plans. |
REC129-3620 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and conclude agreements with private health providers specifying roles, and expectations in the case of an infectious disease pandemic. |
REC129-3632 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and develop distinct surge capacity plans within each Area Health Service to manage emergency staffing needs, isolation facilities, intensive care units, assisted ventilation services, hospital beds and medical supplies. |
REC129-3631 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and continue to develop plans to respond to the surge in demand for diagnostic tests and for laboratory personnel. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC128-3599 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | In order to improve the response to animal health emergencies, that the Department of Primary Industries prioritise the finalisation of Memoranda of Understanding with the four jurisdictions bordering New South Wales. |
REC128-3618 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Department of Primary Industries should complete a review of the Memorandum of Understanding and ensure the roles of the Department and Rural Lands Protection Boards are more clearly identified outlined for effective delivery of animal health programs. |
REC128-3610 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Primary Industries consider amending the Stock Diseases Act 1923 to ban the supply of waste swill to pig owners by food retailing businesses such as bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC013_3980 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | To provide that any person desirous of insuring his crops against fire shall first submit his proposal to two responsible persons for their endorsement that, in their opinion, the crop is likely to produce the value for which the insurer proposes to take out the oolicy, and that, in the event of such endorsement not being obtained, the risk be not accepted. |
REC013_3979 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That burning off by "occupiers" on any lands be regulated by permit or by regulation. |
REC013_3969 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The subsidy of such Fire Brigade organisations by the insurance companies and the Government to be given favourable consideration, from a proportion of which the expenses of the Central Administration might be met. |
REC013_3981 | 3 - Biodiversity | To prohibit the preparation of baits for the destruction of rabbits and other noxious animals in which stick phosphorus is used at the time of mixing on any farm, pastoral or grazing area. |