Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC321-4203 | 9 - Community education | We recommend that DELWP provides advice to government, in consultation with Country Fire Authority, Fire Rescue Victoria and councils, on options to improve owner and occupier awareness of and accountability for bushfire management overlay planning controls (see Section 4.3). |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC319-4190 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | Humanitarian relief: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions work with the Municipal Association of Victoria and councils to build contingencies into emergency relief centre planning to ensure places of shelter are inclusive, recognise diversity and are better placed to support all displaced people in circumstances of: |
REC319-4193 | 9 - Community education | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, coordinate ongoing education campaigns to increase public awareness of community roles and responsibilities during periods of emergency relief and recovery. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC318-4180 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Victoria Police – in collaboration with the community and the emergency management sector – reflect on events of the 2019–20 fire season to review and enhance evacuation plans and processes with consideration of: |
REC318-4179 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in accepting that emergency management is a ‘shared responsibility’ - collaborate with the emergency management sector and community to: |
REC318-4186 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the emergency management sector – develops and implements processes to ensure greater dissemination and improved understanding of information for all Victorians, and visitors to Victoria in an emergency event. This should consider but not be exclusive to individuals who: |
REC318-4174 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – with support from all legislated fuel management organisations for public and private land – lead a community engagement process to improve the Victorian community’s understanding of: |
REC318-4185 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria works with the emergency management sector and relevant emergency management entities in New South Wales and South Australia to identify and address key cross border operational and resource management issues. This engagement should aim to enhance interoperability and maximise the capability and capacity of agencies to work together during emergencies along Victoria’s borders. |
REC318-4173 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that in conjunction with Inquiry Recommendation 2, the State establish or assign responsibility to a single body or entity to lead and coordinate the implementation of evidence-based fuel management policy, practice and assurance and reporting on activities on both public and private land in Victoria. |
REC318-4184 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria collaborate with the emergency management sector to develop a capacity model that considers current and future: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC301-2388 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | TFS, PWS and STT should establish a State Air Desk, to be staffed by specialist staff year-round, with responsibility for managing both preparatory and contractual issues out of season as well as aircraft management when fires or other emergency events are occurring. |
REC301-2387 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | TFS, PWS and STT agree an updated version of the Interagency Fire Management Protocol which maintains the principle that there will be one state-wide point of command for major unwanted fires burning in the State of Tasmania, explicitly recognises the right of each of TFS, PWS and STT to have their objectives prioritised in incident action planning and adequate resources applied to those objectives, and provides a mechanism for executive decision-makers from TFS, PWS and STT to come together and agree objectives and resourcing levels that will then be operationalised by whole-of-State control structures. |
REC301-2386 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | TFS, PWS and STT should work with government and each other to continue to pursue a whole-of-state fuel management and burning program that encompasses all land tenures, meets the range of outcomes required by the state (township protection, risk reduction and landscape-scale burns) and is inclusive of private landholders and local communities as well as all fire agencies. |
REC301-2383 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Tasmanian Fire Service (TFS), Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) and Sustainable Timber Tasmania (STT) initiate a discussion among their Australasian peers about good practice around managing new fire starts in remote terrain, to include issues around identification, predictive analysis, risk management and suppression activities. The outcome should be a document which allows for benchmarking to accepted good practice across Australasia, from which Tasmanian fire agencies can develop protocols against which the management of future events can be tested. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC288-1192 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that section 107 of the Fire Service Act should be amended to provide greater clarity in relation to discretionary spending by the Chief Officer or alternatively, the Act should be amended to include the authorisation for the State Fire Commission to directly fund the State Emergency Service. |
REC288-1191 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that a review and reform of the Fire Services Act 1979 is necessary. An investigation should be undertaken to assess how the legislation can be amended or replaced to best service the organisations subject to the Act and should be undertaken and completed within 12 months. The Fire Services Act 1979 must be reformed or replaced to allow for: (1) A centralised funding model for the State Emergency Services; (2) Streamlined approach to fire fighting between Tasmania Fire Service, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service, Forestry Tasmania and other relevant agencies; (3) Resources to be allocated according to the risk and not according to local government municipal boundaries; (4) The continuation of Tasmania having a singular fire service; (5) Clear reporting lines; (6) Improved governance structure; and, (7) Include the fire permit system and inter- agency protocols. |
REC288-1200 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that the State Government should establish an independent Chair to govern the State Fire Commission and that this governance arrangement should be included in the reform of the governing legislation. |
REC288-1198 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that the Government should undertake a review of how firefighting equipment and gear in Tasmania can be better standardised with interstate equipment and gear to improve cross-jurisdiction resource utilisation. |
REC288-1197 | 9 - Community education | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, the State Fire Commission introduces key performance indicators reporting in relation to its work in community engagement to measure its success in program delivery and community engagement. |
REC288-1196 | 9 - Community education | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that the State Fire Commission should assess whether community engagement programs of the State Fire Services and State Emergency should be centralised. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC287-1186 | 9 - Community education | The Tasmanian fire agencies review: • their pre-season engagement with groups such as (but not limited to) environmental groups who might beneft from a greater understanding of fire management tactics, in order to inform them of and receive feedback on intended approaches to firefghting and fire management the work of the Public Information Section at incident management, regional and State level, to develop an increased appreciation of what information management might be most appropriate to serve the public interest in understanding the progress of the incident and to identify ways of providing surge capacity to resource effective information management in protracted and signifcant incidents. |
REC287-1182 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The fire agencies consider how the Regional Fire Operations Centre (RFOC) as a concept adds value once a level 3 IMT is up and running in a region. |
REC287-1180 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Tasmanian fire agencies consider the development of fire operational guidelines to avoid long-term environmental impacts such as: • • • strategies and tactics that will minimise the impact of fire management activities conditions under which earthmoving equipment and fire chemicals may be used information on seasonal conditions and the times of year when various strategies and tactics should be applied, and fuel management strategies. |
REC287-1179 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Tasmanian fire agencies develop a joint multi-agency Fire Preparedness Matrix to guide decision-making in response to severe fire weather conditions or capacity issues. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC275-1174 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | IGEM recommends that fire agencies consider an earlier classification of Level 3 incident for fires that present significant complexity such as was evident in the Wye River – Jamieson Track event. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC264-1073 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The State establish, for any future incident, integrated incident management teams with GDF Suez and other Victorian essential industry providers, to: • essential industry providers; and require that emergency services personnel work with GDF Suez and other appropriate • implement the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System. |
REC264-1079 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State review and revise the Bushfre Smoke Protocol and the PM Health Protection Protocol, to: 2.5 • ensure both protocols are consistent with each other; and • ensure both protocols include assessment methods and trigger points for specifc responses. |
REC264-1078 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State review and revise the community carbon monoxide response protocol and the firefghter carbon monoxide response protocol, to: |
REC264-1088 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | GDF Suez adopt and apply the firefghter carbon monoxide response protocol. |
REC264-1077 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State take the lead in advocating for a national compliance standard for PM |
REC264-1084 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | GDF Suez revise its Emergency Response Plan, to: • require an increased state of readiness on days of Total Fire Ban; • require pre-establishment of an Emergency Command Centre; • require pre-positioning of an accredited Incident Controller as Emergency Commander; and • require any persons nominated as Emergency Commander to have incident controller accreditation and profciency in the use of the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System. |
REC264-1075 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State: • bring forward the commencement date of s.16 of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Act 2014 (Vic), to facilitate the requirement that approved work plans specifcally address fre prevention, mitigation and suppression; and • acquire the expertise necessary to monitor and enforce compliance with fre risk measures adopted by the Victorian coal mining industry under both the mine licensing and occupational health and safety regimes. |
REC264-1083 | 9 - Community education | The State, led by Emergency Management Victoria, develop a community engagement model for emergency management to ensure all State agencies and local governments engage with communities and already identifed trusted networks as an integral component of emergency management planning. |
REC264-1074 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State enact legislation, to: • require Integrated Fire Management Planning; and • authorise the Emergency Management Commissioner to develop and implement regional and municipal fire management plans. |
REC264-1080 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State develop and widely disseminate an integrated State Smoke Guide, to: • incorporate the proposed State Smoke Plan for the management of public health impacts from large scale, extended smoke events; • include updated Bushfre Smoke, carbon monoxide and PM protocols; and 2.5 • provide practical advice and support materials to employers, communities and individuals on how to minimise the harmful effects of smoke. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC247-0876 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its approach to blacking out and mopping up, including its policies, operating procedures and training. |
REC247-0894 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the police and other emergency service organisations discuss their resource issues for emergency operations with the Government. |
REC247-0881 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service establishes sufficient resources and expertise to research, develop, implement and review its policies and operations. |
REC247-0912 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Fire Commission finalise its position on the Tasmania Bushfire Safety Policy without further delay. |
REC247-0864 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its position on fire ground management to determine whether a unified command model at the fire ground should be adopted. |
REC247-0888 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That arrangements are made and appropriate pre-planning occurs to effectively implement the policy on evacuation. |
REC247-0940 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Government actively support the timely development and implementation of an ongoing Strategic Fuel Management Plan. |
REC247-0874 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews operational practices to ensure there is continuity of fire operations when fire suppression action is required. |
REC247-0893 | 17 - Assets and technology | That further options to appropriately supplement the resources available for emergency management operations be examined. |
REC247-0950 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That resources are committed to developing and implementing approved reforms to the emergency management arrangements. |
REC247-0880 | 17 - Assets and technology | That bushfire agencies develop, implement and maintain air operations procedures. |
REC247-0908 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Emergency Management Committee examine whether there are any legal issues associated with continuing recovery operations where the overarching emergency management arrangements have ceased. |
REC247-0855 | 17 - Assets and technology | That a structure and facilities be established for the State Controller or other person managing multi-agency response and recovery operations. |
REC247-0887 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That qualifying the evacuation authority in section 47 of the Fire Service Act 1979 be considered — by exempting those people with a pecuniary interest in a property from a directed evacuation where it is reasonable for them to remain. |
REC247-0930 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Emergency Management Committee determine suitable risk management tools, such as the Bushfire Risk Assessment Model, and encourages their use in assessing bushfire risk in a consistent manner. |
REC247-0872 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service considers what adjustments may be necessary to the promotion and use of the Six Operational Priorities to ensure plans are suitable for the circumstances of each fire. |
REC247-0892 | 17 - Assets and technology | That a review be conducted of the resource capacity and capability to provide effective and efficient emergency operations, including approved improvements. |
REC247-0949 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That following any review, the Emergency Management Act 2006 be amended. |
REC247-0879 | 17 - Assets and technology | That bushfire agencies develop procedures for the automatic activation of aircraft to fires at pre-determined trigger points on high fire risk days. |
REC247-0901 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That evacuation centres and other centres have plans and arrangements for electrical power redundancy. |
REC247-0854 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That in multi-agency response and recovery operations, arrangements be made so it is unambiguous who is in charge of these operations. |
REC247-0886 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That a state-level policy on evacuations be developed in the emergency management plans, including specific requirements for vulnerable people and guidelines for its implementation. |
REC247-0929 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Emergency Management Committee considers structuring the Tasmania Emergency Management Plan in a way that provides more specific guidance, commitment to and accountability for action to be taken. |
REC247-0871 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service critically reviews the operation of the Six Operational Priorities to determine whether they are appropriate and effective. |
REC247-0891 | 9 - Community education | That emergency management plans specifically include processes for effectively engaging with local communities and using community resources, including volunteers. |
REC247-0948 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the Department of Justice conduct an independent review to develop a suitable model for integrated and interoperable emergency management arrangements in Tasmania. |
REC247-0878 | 17 - Assets and technology | That bushfire agencies evaluate the use and effectiveness of fixed wing water bombing aircraft. |
REC247-0898 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Special Emergency Plan–Recovery and the emergency management structure for recovery be reviewed. |
REC247-0852 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the role and expected duties of the State Controller be clearly defined in the Emergency Management Act 2006. |
REC247-0883 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Police ensures planning for emergency operations includes a proactive approach wherever possible. |
REC247-0914 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Tasmanian Emergency Management Plan includes a comprehensive all hazards communications policy and plan. |
REC247-0870 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service considers adopting a primary tactic of an aggressive first attack on fires. |
REC247-0890 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That decisions to open Community Fire Refuges and evacuation centres be coordinated with Tasmania Police. |
REC247-0944 | 9 - Community education | That the State Emergency Management Committee develops and coordinates a whole-of-government community resilience strategy for emergencies in a form that can be practically implemented, as a priority. |
REC247-0877 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its approach to fire management operations at night, and develop and effectively implement unambiguous policy and operating procedures. |
REC247-0897 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That a standing plan is developed to manage the transition from immediate recovery to medium and long-term recovery, and arrangements are made to ensure this plan can be effectively implemented in a timely way. |
REC247-0882 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service documents and publishes its operational policies and procedures so they are accessible to and suitable for operational personnel. |
REC247-0913 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Fire Commission structures its Tasmania Bushfire Safety Policy so policy outcomes are identifiable and progress in achieving outcomes can be evaluated. |
REC247-0869 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Tasmania Fire Service ensures that planning for active fires includes a proactive approach wherever possible. |
REC247-0889 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That Tasmania Police be identified as the lead agency on evacuations. |
REC247-0943 | 9 - Community education | That a bushfire community education and information strategy be professionally developed and coordinated across the fire authorities by Tasmania Fire Service. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC246-0776 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | All Tasmanian fire agencies seek to have the State Bushfire Policy finalised and signed-off at the required level of government. |
REC246-0784 | 17 - Assets and technology | Recommendation 9 TFS should review the capacity of its Fire Information Line to handle very large scale events, and explore additional options for a surge capability for the Fire Information Line. |
REC246-0780 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | TFS develop MOUs with interstate fire agencies and land management authorities to formalise agency to agency resource sharing/mutual aid protocols that ensure the effective deployment of interstate resources for all roles from fire ground to state control, and management of those resources within pre-established criteria. |
REC246-0779 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | TFS review all areas in which the SFOC has a role and ensure that robust policy and protocols are finalised to ensure that corporate knowledge is widely accessible and is not held solely by individuals. |
REC246-0778 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | TFS review the Inter-Agency Fire Management Protocol and the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Multi-Agency Coordination Group (MAC), to ensure that the Inter-Agency Fire Management Protocol accurately reflects the role and functions of the State Fire Operations Centre (SFOC) and clearly establishes and communicates the role and functions of the MAC Group. |
REC246-0777 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | TFS finalise and sign off the State Fire Protection Plan (SFPP). All the documents named in the SFPP should be finalised and available to relevant stakeholders to support the SFPP. |
REC246-0787 | 9 - Community education | TFS make their community education and safety material available to the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Tasmania. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC215-1878 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Regulators can help to achieve improved outcomes by acknowledging that changes to legislation and the BPEM guidelines may be required to help address the identified issues |
REC215-1874 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Fire services can improve outcomes by working with EPA as the regulator and licensing authority to achieve improved compliance with the required outcomes specified in the BPEM guidelines |
REC215-1872 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | 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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REC198-2903 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The CFA works with MFB to ensure that the MFB control unit is available for responding to large fires and multi-agency incidents in fringe CFA areas |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC197-1741 | 9 - Community education | A. The CFA further develop community education programs to specifically engage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities to address the importance of ethnic diversity. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC196-0230 | 9 - Community education | Explain the meaning of ‘timely, relevant and tailored’ community bushfire warnings through training and meetings particularly of Information Section staff and Incident Controllers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC195-0313 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services expedite programmed work on joint operational command and control, including standards, procedures and training |
REC195-0337 | 9 - Community education | DSE enhance community engagement programs in East Gippsland to ensure that local communities are more informed about the complexities and interdependencies of prescribed burning and encourage local input. |
REC195-0312 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that joint fireground command and control, integration and escalation procedures are developed, particularly for ‘fastrunning’ fires |
REC195-0333 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services identify opportunities for the community to learn about, engage with and influence local emergency management planning. |
REC195-0311 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services ensure that agency specific operational procedures fully align with the arrangements. |
REC195-0332 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services, in consultation with the community, develop a methodology for measuring community preparedness. They should also develop tailored education and information sharing opportunities to improve community understanding of bushfire risk, mitigation and preparedness. |
REC195-0309 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services, and other emergency management agencies, use the Tostaree fire as a scenario exercise to improve understanding of fast-running fires and enhance interoperability and control strategies |
REC195-0327 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that the inter-relationship between Information Sections at all levels is understood. |
REC195-0318 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services develop a joint protocol for each Fire Service to notify the other of fires reported from fire towers |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC193-0224 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State Fire Management Council work with all entities with responsibility for bushfire management to develop a state-wide position on performance indicators and promote that view nationally. |
REC193-0223 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State Fire Management Council support the further development of the Bushfire Risk Assessment Model with a view to it becoming the central information source for use by all entities with responsibility for fire management and mitigation. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC181-0154 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | The State introduce a comprehensive approach to shelter options that includes the following: ■ developing standards for community refuges as a matter of priority and replacing the 2005 Fire Refuges in Victoria: Policy and Practice; ■ designating community refuges—particularly in areas of very high risk—where other bushfire safety options are limited; ■ working with municipal councils to ensure that appropriate criteria are used for bushfire shelters, so that people are not discouraged from using a bushfire shelter if there is no better option available; ■ acknowledging personal shelters around their homes as a fallback option for individuals. |
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. |
REC181-0161 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 and the Emergency Management Manual Victoria in order to achieve the following: ■ remove the title of Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management from the Minister for Police and Emergency Services; ■ clarify the function and powers of the Minister; ■ designate the Chief Commissioner of Police as Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management, who would have primary responsibility for keeping the Minister informed during an emergency. |
REC181-0152 | 9 - Community education | The State revise the approach to community bushfire safety education in order to: ■ ensure that its publications and educational materials reflect the revised bushfire safety policy; ■ equip all fire agency personnel with the information needed to effectively communicate the policy to the public as required; ■ ensure that in content and delivery the program is flexible enough to engage individuals, households and communities and to accommodate their needs and circumstances; ■ regularly evaluate the effectiveness of community education programs and amend them as necessary. |
REC181-0158 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment amend their procedures to require the following: ■ that at locations that attract preparedness levels A or B there be a full incident management team under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of code red fire danger and a core incident management team (eight personnel) under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of extreme fire danger; ■ that at locations that attract preparedness levels A or B there be a full incident management team under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of code red fire danger and a core incident management team (eight personnel) under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of extreme fire danger. |
REC181-0213 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State enact legislation designed to achieve two specific ends: ■ appoint a Fire Commissioner as an independent statutory officer responsible to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and as the senior operational firefighter in Victoria; ■ make the Chief Fire Officer of the Department of Sustainability and Environment a statutory appointment. The Fire Commissioner should have responsibility for the following: ■ promoting and directing reform aimed at increasing the operational capability, interoperability and resilience of Victoria’s fire services; ■ developing and building operational capacity to prepare for the days of highest bushfire risk and exercising control over level 3 fires as the permanent State Controller; ■ providing to government periodic advice on the metropolitan fire district boundary on the basis of triggers, frequency and criteria approved by government; ■ representing Victorian interests on operational matters in national committees. |
REC181-0151 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | The State revise its bushfire safety policy. While adopting the national Prepare. Act. Survive. framework in Victoria, the policy should do the following: ■ enhance the role of warnings—including providing for timely and informative advice about the predicted passage of a fire and the actions to be taken by people in areas potentially in its path; ■ emphasise that all fires are different in ways that require an awareness of fire conditions, local circumstances and personal capacity; ■ recognise that the heightened risk on the worst days demands a different response; ■ retain those elements of the existing bushfire policy that have proved effective; ■ strengthen the range of options available in the face of fire, including community refuges, bushfire shelters and evacuation; ■ ensure that local solutions are tailored and known to communities through local bushfire planning; ■ improve advice on the nature of fire and house defendability, taking account of broader landscape risks. |
REC181-0157 | 9 - Community education | The Commonwealth lead an initiative through the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, facilitated by Emergency Management Australia, to develop a national bushfire awareness campaign. |
REC181-0209 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Sustainability and Environment amend the Code of Practice for Fire Management on Public Land in order to achieve the following: ■ provide a clear statement of objectives, expressed as measurable outcomes; ■ include an explicit risk-analysis model for more objective and transparent resolution of competing objectives, where human life is the highest priority; ■ specify the characteristics of fire management zones—including burn size, percentage area burnt within the prescribed burn, and residual fuel loading; ■ adopt the use of the term ‘bushfire’ rather than ‘wildfire’. |
REC181-0156 | 9 - Community education | Victoria lead an initiative of the Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs to ensure that the national curriculum incorporates the history of bushfire in Australia and that existing curriculum areas such as geography, science and environmental studies include elements of bushfire education. |
REC181-0172 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment standardise their operating systems and information and communications technologies with the aim of achieving greater efficiency and interoperability between agencies. |
REC181-0163 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 to introduce a graded scale of emergency declarations short of a state of disaster. |
REC181-0201 | 9 - Community education | The Victorian Building Commission, in conjunction with the Country Fire Authority, develop, publish and provide to the community and industry information about ways in which existing buildings in bushfire-prone areas can be modified to incorporate bushfire safety measures. |
REC181-0164 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Victorian fire agencies amend the AIIMS framework before the 2010–11 fire season in order to do the following: ■ designate the Information Unit as a separate section reporting directly to the Incident Controller and require that the Information Unit contain a dedicated Public Information Officer whenever a full incident management team is required; ■ specify a set of functions in relation to which the Deputy Incident Controller for a level 3 incident will have oversight, which may be adjustable for a particular incident by agreement between the Incident Controller and the Deputy Incident Controller; ■ ensure that an individual with local knowledge is incorporated in an incident management team |
REC181-0155 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | The State introduce a comprehensive approach to evacuation, so that this option is planned, considered and implemented when it is likely to offer a higher level of protection than other contingency options. The approach should: ■ encourage individuals—especially vulnerable people—to relocate early; ■ include consideration of plans for assisted evacuation of vulnerable people; ■ include consideration of plans for assisted evacuation of vulnerable people. |
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. |
REC181-0162 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider either amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 or adopting a standing practice to require the Minister for Police and Emergency Services or the Chief Commissioner of Police to consult the Premier about the possibility of declaring a state of disaster for all of or any part of Victoria whenever the Minister or the Chief Commissioner of Police becomes aware of circumstances that make it a reasonable possibility that the criteria for making such a declaration will be satisfied. |
REC181-0194 | 9 - Community education | The Country Fire Authority produce for community guidance material on fire-resistant landscape and garden design, including a list of fire-resistant species. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC166-3007 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That Tasmania Fire Service implement Recommendation 5 above; and that Aurora continue to co-operate with that Service. |
REC166-3005 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Coroner prepare a discussion paper and draft guidelines for the clarification of investigative roles of the Tasmania Police Service, the Tasmania Fire Service, and the Coroners Office for adoption in relation to future fires where a Coroner’s Inquest is established. |
REC166-3004 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Tasmania Fire Service consider improvements in radio units installed in breathing apparatus: |
REC166-3000 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Tasmania Fire Service establish clear systems and protocols for dealing with fires. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC156-3501 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Country Fire Authority review their procedures regarding receipt of Triple Zero calls on the Brigade Spectrum Preset Conference including training material, testing procedures and interface back to the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority Computer Aided Dispatch system. |
REC156-3511 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The operational protocols of the Emergency Management Joint Public Information Committee be formally endorsed by the State Emergency Response Planning Committee and the Victorian Emergency Management |
REC156-3499 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Primary Industries clearly document responsibilities within the Department to ensure better co-ordination of public information during emergencies. |
REC156-3510 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Victoria’s emergency management arrangements as they relate to the Emergency Management Joint Public Information Committee be enhanced to include greater clarity of its operational role in the Emergency Management Manual Victoria. |
REC156-3498 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Primary Industries, Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner review and clarify energy sector emergency event trigger points for the activation of Central Government Response Committee. |
REC156-3508 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian Broadcast Corporation and Emergency Services Organisations redevelop the protocols for the use of the Memorandum of Understanding; and all relevant emergency services and ABC staff are trained in the use of the protocols. |
REC156-3489 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Primary Industries responsibility for emergency management within the energy sector needs to be reinforced consistent with Recommendation 5. |
REC156-3505 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Service Organisations and the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority agree on the direct telephone numbers to be used for contacting the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority in relation to emergency incidents. The Emergency Service Organisations need to ensure an effective process is in place to educate their personnel in relation to the use of these numbers. |
REC156-3517 | 9 - Community education | The Victoria State Emergency Service work with the electricity distribution businesses, Department of Primary Industries and Energy Safe Victoria to develop and implement a joint community education program for public safety during and after storms and power outages. |
REC156-3485 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The integrated Emergency Coordination Centre be utilised during all significant multi-agency or multi-incident events with effective liaison with the State Emergency Response Coordinator. |
REC156-3504 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority develop a protocol to direct the suspension or cessation of scheduled telecommunication maintenance or testing to emergency alert systems during an emergency event. |
REC156-3513 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Primary Industries in consultation with the energy sector develop and implement a Memorandum of Understanding or similar authorising instrument that provides a single contact for emergency |
REC156-3484 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Victoria State Emergency Service finalise its development of strategic emergency response management plans including severe weather and storm events. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC155-3483 | 9 - Community education | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies continue to develop a proactive approach to engagement with the local and wider media to achieve continuous improvement in the standard of community information and education. |
REC155-3482 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Victorian Government, and responsible agencies, expedite the implementation of the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework. |
REC155-3479 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That a process of year round community engagement in the preparation of Fire Operations Plans be established. In addition a record of year round community engagement, as contained in the Gippsland Fire Operations Plan, should be a requirement of all Fire Operations Plans. |
REC155-3475 | 9 - Community education | That in relation to Fire Operations Plans, the Department Sustainability and Environment extends the number of community meetings during the public consultation period to a minimum of one meeting for each Fire District, with the possibility of repeat visits to particular areas. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC132-3595 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Development of framework document investigating future direction of VBIL including its role during incidents and its role in the transition from bushfire preparation to incident to bushfire recovery phases |
REC132-3592 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Clarifying protocols for activating VBIL beyond normal working hours and for 24 hour activations |
REC132-3591 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Joint development of templates for provision of core incident information by regional Incident Management Teams to CFA and DSE emergency coordination centres as basis for updates to the VBIL and other authorised information recipients |
REC132-3597 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Investigate engaging with other agencies involved in emergency management including SES, VicRoads, VicPolice, OESC and DHS to establish a single united emergency information line for Victoria that can be used to provide information to the public from all agencies involved. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC124-3889 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Develop a component of the DSE Workforce Strategy to build organisational capacity and sustainability of the prescribed burning program across the networked emergency organisation: |
REC124-3887 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Give priority to the establishment of risk management processes across all stages of prescribed burning within the Department’s broader risk management strategy: |
REC124-3886 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Clarify, strengthen and document roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of DSE and its partner organisations in the prescribed burning program: |
REC124-3883 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Integrate information management systems relating to the prescribed burning program to provide consistency across the networked emergency organisation: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC104-2252 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That existing DSE and CFA regional co-ordination arrangements be reviewed and any changes, such as the continued use of Integrated Multi-Agency Co-ordination Centres, be reflected in the Victorian emergency management arrangements. |
REC104-2322 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE commits appropriate resources to work with OESC in developing the bushfire component of the model. |
REC104-2207 | 9 - Community education | That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs that all emergency management agencies review, by June 2004, terminology and language in current communication and public education material to ensure it is clear, easily understood and consistent, particularly with regard to fire. |
REC104-2266 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE and CFA review their joint planning for Incident Control Centres to ensure that, wherever safe and practicable, those Centres are located close to the fire area. |
REC104-2336 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That OESC work with the fire agencies in developing implementation strategies for recommendations agreed by Government. |
REC104-2212 | 9 - Community education | That Community Fireguard Group co-ordinators’ names are supplied to their local municipality for the 2003-2004 fire season, and are updated annually for use in information exchange should a Municipal Emergency Co-ordination Centre or Incident Control Centre be established. |
REC104-2285 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, as a matter of urgency and in consultation with stakeholders, CFA and DSE develop and communicate clear guidelines on how and when privately owned firefighting equipment should be integrated into the fire response. |
REC104-2198 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That an explicit formulation of the interactions between terrain, fuel, ignition pattern, time of day and weather be created to better define those days suited to prescribed burning. |
REC104-2226 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the new Municipal Fire Management Plan is informed by the policy directions of the subcommittee of the Victoria Emergency Management Council. |
REC104-2251 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That Victoria Police ensure all police members understand the Victorian legislation in relation to evacuation, and that any decision to recommend evacuation remains with the Incident Controller. |
REC104-2311 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That all Departments, statutory authorities, utility providers and Local Governments be made aware of the need to develop contingency plans for recovery activities, and that such plans, and the associated public education and information strategies, are included in the Municipal Emergency Management Plans. |
REC104-2206 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB: |
REC104-2265 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That in the review of Incident Control Centre locations, DSE and CFA give due consideration to: |
REC104-2330 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That this unified system include recommendations for the appointment of one person or agency to be responsible for overall control of fire suppression activity in country Victoria, including for any legislative reform considered necessary. |
REC104-2211 | 9 - Community education | That CFA clarifies and restates the roles and function of existing Community Fireguard Groups (including their relationship to the Municipal Fire Prevention Plan) to members, co-ordinators, Incident Controllers and Municipal Emergency Resource Officers, prior to the 2003-2004 fire season. |
REC104-2283 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE, CFA, MFESB and VICSES work cooperatively to establish a common system for resource tracking during major fires and incidents. |
REC104-2196 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, as a result of this monitoring, weather conditions for the safe conduct of burning in such operations should be defined. |
REC104-2224 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to: |
REC104-2309 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Management Act 1986 be amended to include a provision that, on the recommendation of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services as Co-ordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management, or of another Minister, the Premier establish a Ministerial Task Force to oversee recovery in situations of extreme natural disaster or other emergency events. |
REC104-2205 | 9 - Community education | That CFA should remain the lead agency in delivering the community education and information program to rural Victoria. |
REC104-2238 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the Victorian fire agencies negotiate with their counterparts in New South Wales and South Australia to put in place agreements for mutual aid and the development of cross border strategy for the management of fires burning in the vicinity of, or across, State borders, and these agreements are reviewed annually. |
REC104-2261 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the emergency management arrangements be amended to require Police Divisional Emergency Response Coordinators, in consultation with other response agencies, to establish and document procedures and structures at regional level in order to ensure there is: |
REC104-2329 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA, DSE, MFESB and Victoria Police jointly develop a unified command and control system that better integrates with the State's emergency management arrangements, and that this be endorsed by the Victoria Emergency Management Council by July 2004. |
REC104-2210 | 9 - Community education | That CFA reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on recommended solutions and implementation strategies for isolated small communities by June 2004. |
REC104-2278 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That DSE and CFA review the standards and protocols for documentation, including mapping, provided to fire line managers as part of their briefing notes, to ensure these are concise and appropriate. |
REC104-2219 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, following the review of Forest Industry Brigades, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to ensure that the Forest Industry Brigades, which are acting in an approved manner, have the same powers and rights as other Brigades when attending fires on public land or interstate. |
REC104-2295 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That more emphasis should be given to communication and discussion in regard to State Aircraft Unit’s roles, responsibilities, practices and procedures. |
REC104-2204 | 9 - Community education | That the three fire agencies (CFA, DSE and MFESB) develop and implement a joint Statewide fire awareness education and information program aimed at encouraging a higher degree of personal and household self-reliance. |
REC104-2236 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Statewide Fire Control Priorities: |
REC104-2257 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Management Act 1986 be amended to require the development of agreements that describe joint operational arrangements between emergency response agencies. |
REC104-2324 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That this group reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on proposed legislative amendments to the Emergency Management Act 1986, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and any associated legislation by June 2004. |
REC104-2209 | 9 - Community education | That CFA, in conjunction with isolated small communities, develop and promote a suite of appropriate fire readiness and fire management strategies to meet their needs. |
REC104-2276 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA and DSE jointly develop procedures to ensure that a more consistent strategic approach can be maintained at shift and tour of duty changes. |
REC104-2214 | 9 - Community education | That CFA, recognising the value of the Community Fireguard Group program, undertake a review by June 2004 to identify opportunities to further develop the program to ensure its continuing appropriateness in preparing communities for fire into the future. |
REC104-2288 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA develop protocols to integrate Ultra High Frequency and Citizen Band radios into their communication structures. |
REC104-2203 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That CFA further develops the information supporting the decision to stay or go, to incorporate a better understanding of both the likely consequences of leaving home at inappropriate times, and the conditions and |
REC104-2229 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That DSE and the Department of Primary Industries formalise an agreement by the 2003-2004 fire season documenting the policies, procedures and financial arrangements relating to the availability of Department of Primary Industries staff to be trained and released for fire prevention and suppression activities on public land. |
REC104-2253 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Victoria Police, CFA and DSE review the relationship between fire service regional co-ordination arrangements and Divisional Emergency Response Plans and that any changes be formalised in the emergency management arrangements. |
REC104-2323 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That CFA, DSE, MFESB, VICSES, Victoria Police and OESC, in consultation with the Municipal Association of Victoria, consult on the proposal to combine Municipal Councils’ current responsibilities for the development of an emergency management plan/committee, as required by the Emergency Management Act 1986 and a fire prevention plan/committee as required by the Country Fire Authority Act 1958. |
REC104-2208 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB encourage householders to review their fire safety plan annually. |
REC104-2268 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and DSE include agreed Fire Control Priorities in community awareness and education material provided to the community before each fire season. |
REC104-2213 | 9 - Community education | That CFA provides technical advice to Community Fireguard Groups in the selection and purchase of appropriate equipment and protective clothing for use on their own land. |
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. |
REC104-2199 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That evidence of the rekindling or otherwise of spring prescribed burns in forests be assembled and a model constructed and tested to see whether or not some days in spring could be used for prescribed burning in certain circumstances and places, especially in Zone 1. |
REC104-2227 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Municipal Fire Management Plan amendment includes appropriate provisions for the audit of the plans including: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC061-3247 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services seek common national fire standards. |
REC061-3413 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services that a joint communications and dispatch facility be established under the Minister's control to implement the following minimum services to the Victoria Police and the emergency services: |
REC061-3244 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that, following the development of standards of fire cover, related standards be established for: |
REC061-3412 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services seek common national fire standards. |
REC061-3410 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that, following the development of standards of fire cover, related standards be established for: |
REC061-3257 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the FireVision concept used by the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board be extended through the Directorate of School Education's Interactive Television Program to all emergency services and in particular to rural fire and emergency services. |
REC061-3248 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services that a joint communications and dispatch facility be established under the Minister's control to implement the following minimum services to the Victoria Police and the emergency services: |
REC061-3422 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the FireVision concept used by the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board be extended through the Directorate of School Education's Interactive Television Program to all emergency services and in particular to rural fire and emergency services. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC016_3947 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is recommended that the services of this body [Air Raids Precautions Body] be used in future if to do so be thought desirable. |
REC016_3953 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is therefore recommended that the State Electricity Commission should be advised by someone whose profession it is to consider and devise methods of forest fire protection and suppression; that he should collaborate with others to devise a general scheme of organized protection of the undertaking and township of Yallourn; and that above all, he should have direct access to the Commissioners themselves, lest his advice should lose something of its strength and reality in its journey through the “proper channels” of the Commission’s organization. |
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. |