Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC321-4216 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | We recommend that DELWP enhances bushfire modelling by: - exploring multiple bushfire modelling tools to lower the uncertainty and limitations associated with using a single modelling tool - applying more detailed fire-severity data - validating and updating fuel accumulation curves - establishing and regularly updating an archive of well-documented fire events and using this to systematically test it against a broad range of burning and fuel conditions - establishing and implementing processes to routinely review and update its underlying datasets. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC318-4183 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in consultation with relevant agencies – develop a system to manage personnel and asset deployments to all tiers of incident management to meet the needs of the emergency and support the health and wellbeing of personnel. Where appropriate and within occupational health and safety requirements, this may include: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC316-4030 | 17 - Assets and technology | Continue to explore options in the short term to improve the functionality and relationship with NSW RFS ‘Fires Near Me’ with respect to ACT specific information before the 2020-21 bushfire season. |
REC316-4029 | 17 - Assets and technology | ACT Government continues to develop the concept for an ACT specific emergency app whilst also using national coordination mechanisms to support an affordable nationally standard all-hazards mobile app. |
REC316-4020 | 16 - Training and behaviour | EPSDD and ESA work together to develop values officer training and accreditation. |
REC316-4037 | 17 - Assets and technology | Consideration be given to developing alternate website contingency in the event of a critical failure and an assurance review across all community facing Government websites. |
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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REC264-1076 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The State equip itself to undertake rapid air quality monitoring in any location in Victoria, to: • collect all relevant data, including data on PM , carbon monoxide and ozone; and 2.5 • ensure this data is used to inform decision-making within 24 hours of the incident occurring. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC217-1826 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should identify and assign roles and responsibilities for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and flood mitigation: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC199-0410 | 17 - Assets and technology | the state take the necessary measures to upgrade existing manual stream and rain gauges and ensure that all future gauges provide a seamless transfer of data from the gauges to the Bureau of Meteorology. |
REC199-0475 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the Department of Planning and Community Development review the volunteer register and examine additional options to support councils in volunteer management, including the development of tools and staffing support. |
REC199-0420 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | the state establish standards for flood mapping to ensure they are kept contemporary and meet the purposes of landuse risk planning and emergency response. In doing so, maps should extend where appropriate to include Probable Maximum Flood, over a range of Annual Exceedence Probability levels and be explicitly linked to a stream gauge. |
REC199-0449 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure that interoperable information management practices are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible. |
REC199-0408 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | the state, in consultation with Bureau of Meteorology and Melbourne Water, take the necessary action to ensure that all flood warnings issued are linked to the geographical location of the gauge the data was derived from. |
REC199-0463 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the state: • ensure an appropriate regime of regular emergency management training and exercising is introduced. This must be ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency focused and include all relevant stakeholders • designate an accountable officer to hold ongoing responsibility for conducting such exercises; and • designate the Emergency Services Commissioner as holding ongoing responsibility for auditing and reviewing this training and exercising. |
REC199-0418 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state develop an efficient process to ensure that, during flood events, temporary construction of flood mitigation works, such as levees, is controlled so as not to unacceptably impact on flood intelligence. |
REC199-0448 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the state ensure that sector wide familiarity and understanding of the various systems for incident management is developed and maintained. Primarily, this should be achieved through multi-agency emergency management training and exercising involving usage of the various agency incident management systems. |
REC199-0462 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the state introduce a joint emergency management leadership training program that will deliver critical core competencies for all levels of management of major emergencies. Future appointments to senior operational emergency management positions should require successful accreditation at the appropriate level. |
REC199-0417 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | the state ensure that regional and local flood plans incorporate all available flood mapping and intelligence, including assessments of levees and flood consequence information. |
REC199-0447 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure that common and interoperable resource management systems are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible. |
REC199-0460 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | the state formalise and continue the Emergency Response Legal Advisers Forum. |
REC199-0415 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the state ensure that all personnel who are likely to become involved in incident management teams for floods receive basic flood awareness training prior to such involvement. |
REC199-0446 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state commit to securing effective multi-agency interoperable communications as a high level priority and that all future communications projects and upgrades incorporate compliance provisions mandating interoperability requirements. |
REC199-0458 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure: • a common, functional and accessible system be introduced to enable effective Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre and Incident Control Centre communications • a regime of regular Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre exercising is introduced with oversight by an appropriate independent body. Such exercising should include testing of systems utilised for Incident Control Centre and Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre communications • those required to perform Emergency Management Liaison Officer roles have undertaken appropriate training; and • resource requesting arrangements are clarified and documented so that control and coordination functions do not overlap. |
REC199-0414 | 16 - Training and behaviour | the state ensure that all personnel who, because of their particular flood expertise, are likely to be potential participants in an Incident Control Centre are familiar with the requirements of the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System structure |
REC199-0476 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | the Department of Planning and Community Development examine strategies to address and clarify insurance coverage of community volunteers in emergency events |
REC199-0429 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | the state take into account any outcomes from the Commonwealth Government’s flood mapping reviews in the continual development of the Victorian flood database and to incorporate into the database flood data currently held by Melbourne Water. |
REC199-0452 | 17 - Assets and technology | the state ensure that any new systems and equipment purchased by state emergency management agencies are interoperable with other relevant agencies to the fullest extent possible. This should involve the state establishing a procurement gateway process with input from the Emergency Services Commissioner. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC196-0233 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Further train Incident Controllers in the management of the Information Section and its roles. |
REC196-0232 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Increase the regularity of training for ICC Information Section staff and encourage pre-season drilling and trials in the use of OSOM and Emergency Alert particularly under critical capacity conditions. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC195-0319 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services introduce systems, procedures and operational training that promote information sharing and consistent situational awareness at every level, including to and from the fireground. This should include agencies such as police members on duty at roadblocks |
REC195-0314 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire Services enhance and increase joint training and exercise programs at all levels of command and control, including the State Control Centre. (These programs need to enable volunteer participation.) |
REC195-0330 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Fire Services develop a program that enables all communication mediums, including social media and agency websites, to be monitored in real time to provide quality assurance for outgoing messages and additional sources of information and intelligence relating to an emergency |
REC195-0310 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that there is a comprehensive understanding of the State Command and Control Arrangements for Bushfires in Victoria across the Fire Services. |
REC195-0326 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire Services recognise the specialised role of Information Sections and enhance training and resources accordingly. |
REC195-0322 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services investigate the reported technical communication issues for this fire |
REC195-0321 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services move towards a common and more disciplined approach to fireground communications. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC181-0173 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Country Fire Authority review and improve its communications strategy as a matter of priority and develop a program for identifying and responding to black spots in radio coverage. |
REC181-0208 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Department of Sustainability and Environment significantly upgrade its program of long-term data collection to monitor and model the effects of its prescribed burning programs and of bushfires on biodiversity in Victoria. |
REC181-0171 | 17 - Assets and technology | The State, in conjunction with Emergency Management Australia and the Department of Defence, develop an agreement that allows Commonwealth aerial resources that are suitable for firefighting and support activities to be incorporated in preparedness plans and used on days of high fire risk. |
REC181-0193 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Department of Sustainability and Environment conduct biodiversity mapping identifying flora, fauna and any threatened species throughout Victoria and make the results publicly available. The format used should be compatible with that used for Bushfire-prone Area mapping. |
REC181-0170 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment amend their policies on aerial preparedness and standby arrangements, their dispatch protocols and the management of aircraft in order to do the following: ■ require that at locations that attract the risk assessment or preparedness level A on code red days all personnel needed for air operations must be on standby by 10.00 am; ■ establish a system that enables the dispatch of aircraft to fires in high-risk areas without requiring a request from an Incident Controller or the State Duty Officer. |
REC181-0187 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The State identify a central point of responsibility for and expertise in mapping bushfire risk to: ■ review urgently the mapping criteria at present used by the Country Fire Authority to map the Wildfire Management Overlay, to ensure that the mapping used to determine building and planning controls is based on the best available science and takes account of all relevant aspects of bushfire risk; ■ map and designate Bushfire-prone Areas for the purposes of planning and building controls, in consultation with municipal councils and fire agencies; ■ finalise the alignment of site-assessment methods for planning and building purposes, taking into account bushfire risk to human safety as well as to property. |
REC181-0166 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment improve mapping support in the following ways: ■ DSE providing mapping data free of charge to emergency response agencies; ■ greatly increasing the CFA’s ‘write’ access to FireMap for incident management team staff; ■ establishing a joint DSE–CFA training program to ensure that mapping officers in level 2 and 3 incident management teams are fully trained in using FireMap, including in producing fire prediction maps; ■ requiring before the 2010–11 fire season that FireMap be used for joint incidents. |
REC181-0175 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment require without exception that all relevant staff be trained in the need for Incident Controller approval to be obtained before a back-burn is lit. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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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. |
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: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC154-3463 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Biosecurity Victoria should enhance controls to provide assurance regarding data integrity. This process should include: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC126-1983 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency ensure that personnel in their respective organisations are fully briefed on the agreed policy on evacuations |
REC126-1959 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Emergency Services Agency introduce a program with land management agencies in the ACT to ensure that maps of all public and private land in the ACT are subjected to regular review and amendment as required. Maps of a scale sufficient to facilitate fire management operations should be available in printed form and maintained on an electronic database capable of modification to add relevant features during a firefighting operation |
REC126-1980 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That public land management agencies ensure that their senior personnel have appropriate experience in fire management and are provided with adequate resources and suitable experienced and trained staff to effectively implement fire management programs |
REC126-1957 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Emergency Services Agency review the level of understanding among firefighting personnel of the latest information available nationally and internationally about wildfire behaviour and suppression and provide additional training if warranted |
REC126-1969 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That a review be conducted of the adequacy of training and the numbers of firefighters experienced in performing effective, safe large-scale back-burning operations |
REC126-1988 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That protocols and arrangements between the ACT and NSW require that each jurisdiction be fully involved in examining and planning for the threat posed by any fire likely to affect one or other jurisdiction and in coordinating the response to that fire |
REC126-1955 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That training of all personnel involved with emergency services be under constant review |
REC126-1968 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That land managers ensure their staff are properly trained in the effective use of large bulldozers at wildfires and that staff are available to be assigned to supervise bulldozer operations |
REC126-1987 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That measures be taken to ensure that ACT and NSW Rural Fire Service radio communications systems are integrated, so that ACT and NSW firefighting units can communicate with each other |
REC126-1950 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the Emergency Services Agency adopt a more rigorous risk management approach to incident management and prediction – with particular emphasis on the development of improved community information strategies and protocols |
REC126-1961 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Emergency Services Agency review the communications systems used by the four services (the ACT Ambulance Service, the ACT Rural Fire Service, the ACT State Emergency Service and the ACT Fire Brigade), by the Australian Federal Police, by NSW emergency services and by aircraft and ensure the systems are compatible |
REC126-1986 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the ACT and NSW authorities conduct a comprehensive risk analysis based on the most up to date knowledge relating to fire behaviour and spread in order to establish the degree of risk to each others' jurisdiction from fires ignitting in the other jurisdiction and to ensure that both jurisdictions remain fully informed and participate in risk assessments, the development of suppression strategies, and the development and dissemination of community information messages or warnings |
REC126-1960 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That an appropriate geographic information systems capability be maintained to enable the production of fire-specific maps as the need arises and that personnel from the Emergency Services Agency and other agencies be trained in the operation of map production systems, so that 9maps can be modified to include fire-specific information as required |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC125-3897 | 17 - Assets and technology | That agencies assess the cost-effectiveness of establishing a dedicated and proven asset management information system which is integrated with the other information systems used to manage drainage assets. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC124-3890 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Update education and training programs relating to prescribed burning to reflect revised organisational priorities including year round (365 day) fire management program: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC112-3925 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DPI establishes a system to ensure the security of all samples at all times, but particularly during their handling and transport. |
REC112-3921 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the recommendations of the 2000 DPI report into the reference collection’s storage facility be implemented, to secure the collection in a purpose-built facility. |
REC112-3931 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DPI ensures that AIIMS training includes information to ensure that everyone understands their role, and how information will be managed internally and externally, in the event of an incursion. |
REC112-3916 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DPI reviews the work of entry level graduates to ensure career paths are clear and encourage the retention of staff. |
REC112-3930 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DPI provides plant incursion-specific AIIMS training for anyone who might be involved in, or providing resources for, an incursion response. This includes senior management, field and research staff, contractors and industry participants. |
REC112-3927 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | That PSB and PIRVIC review their service agreement to ensure that PIRVIC is compensated for its costs in providing PSB with the specified level of service. |
REC112-3926 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DPI upgrades the Crop Health Services diagnostic database so that it alerts PSB and PIRVIC to the receipt of samples from nearby areas with similar symptoms and can be linked to other PIRVIC diagnostic databases. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC104-2264 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That CFA and DSE provide media training to all Level 2 and Level 3 Incident Controllers. |
REC104-2190 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE institute additional routine data storage and analysis to supplement current climate records with at least daily 3 pm values for the Grassland and Forest Fire Danger Index, and Keetch-Byram Drought Index, for selected high quality stations representing a cross-section of environments throughout Victoria. |
REC104-2319 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That all emergency service agencies, CFA and DSE in particular, give greater priority to information management – especially the collection, maintenance and quality control of base data sets necessary for planning, operations and program evaluation. |
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. |
REC104-2263 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the person appointed by DSE or CFA as Incident Controller for any incident should have formal qualifications and accreditation in the Incident Control System, be fully aware of the Victorian emergency management arrangements and have access to local fire prevention and response planning, including the Municipal Fire Management Plan |
REC104-2189 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That DSE and CFA as part of their long term planning, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, consider ways in which evidence for climate change and El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle impacts on the likelihood of unplanned fire, can be better incorporated into preparedness and response planning. |
REC104-2317 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That DSE, with adequate resourcing, moves to a 12-month cycle of fire management to establish and maintain a more appropriate and balanced work program of prevention/mitigation and suppression. |
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 |
REC104-2260 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That VICSES, with the support of the CFA, includes basic fire safety training as one of the competencies for the VICSES Volunteers. |
REC104-2294 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That training and competency programs for Incident Controllers should include aircraft firefighting capability training. |
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. |
REC104-2327 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That all fire agencies include a formal mentoring scheme as part of their workforce development programs; and that consideration be given to the use of suitably competent and experienced individuals (such as retired staff), to act as coaches or mentors with inexperienced Incident Controllers. |
REC104-2259 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the MFESB continue to give priority to appropriate bushfire training for its firefighters. |
REC104-2286 | 17 - Assets and technology | That CFA, having regard to terrain, continue to review the mix of firefighting appliances currently in service. In particular, consideration should be given to the number and distribution of smaller ‘slip-on’ type equipment. |
REC104-2202 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE and CFA map all unplanned fires greater than four hectares on public and private land in order to further develop an understanding of the risk to rural Victoria from unplanned fires. |
REC104-2325 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That CFA, DSE and MFESB continue to develop the partnership approach for fire safety with Local Government, industry and communities. |
REC104-2249 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2274 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That when Incident Management Teams implement significant changes to objectives and strategies, these are effectively communicated to firefighters, fire ground supervisors and affected communities, and are incorporated into the broader organisational planning. |
REC104-2191 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE and CFA, recognising that the Bureau of Meteorology does not routinely store all variables required to produce the calculations and indices necessary for research and planning into fire occurrence and behaviour, develop appropriate systems to ensure that such current and historical information is readily available and accessible. |
REC104-2320 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That Government acknowledge the importance of spatial information as a key element of planning, operations and program evaluation, and support the Geospatial Emergency Information Network as a means of ensuring integrated and co-ordinated information management on a whole-ofGovernment basis. |
REC104-2235 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DSE and CFA review selection and training programs for Incident Controllers and Incident Management Team members to ensure that they include all necessary competencies in recognition that technical skills are only one component of the required attributes. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC016_3945 | 16 - Training and behaviour | It is recommended that a large proportion of men employed in and about the open-cut be systematically trained in the use of equipment and in the tactical disposition of it. |
REC016_3949 | 17 - Assets and technology | It is recommended that the A.R.P. dams or earth tanks be kept filled during possible danger periods. |
REC016_3948 | 16 - Training and behaviour | It is recommended that workers and volunteers generally be instructed in accordance with a pre-arranged plan, as to what they should do in future times of emergency. Since the fighting of fires is for the greater part a matter of voluntary action, some estimate could perhaps be made, after investigation, of the numbers of men in each department who would be willing to volunteer. It would be necessary that each department should become a component part of an over-riding scheme and that it and its members should be fully instructed in the matter of whistle or siren warnings, places of assembly, reception of messages from the director of proceedings, use of equipment, and the various details which would necessarily be parts of an effective scheme. The training need not be onerous. If given once or twice at the beginning of possible danger periods, it would make for some degree of order and efficiency instead of a probable state of confusion. |