Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC321-4210 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that CFA (in consultation with FRV) improves its values checks by providing ongoing state-wide support to regional vegetation management officers and leveraging any relevant systems or capabilities from DELWP to conduct values checks through guidance, training and ongoing funding. |
REC321-4213 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that DELWP improves the effectiveness, consistency and transparency of its environmental and cultural values checks by: - finalising its review of operational values checking processes and committing to an implementation plan - clarifying and formalising principles and procedures, making them publicly available where possible - improving capability and capacity among staff responsible for carrying out values checks, for example through training - developing a long-term program of work and investment to improve the quality, consistency and comprehensiveness of underlying datasets - increasing alignment in regard to values checks between agencies carrying out fuel management. |
REC321-4206 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that DELWP conducts more effective ecosystem resilience monitoring by: - setting a target for regions on the quantity of ecosystem resilience monitoring assessments that they should complete annually - setting an outcomes-level target that defines desirable values for key ecosystem resilience metrics - reporting publicly against all of the metrics in its Measuring Ecosystem Resilience in Strategic Bushfire Management Planning policy in its fuel management reports. |
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: |
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: |
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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REC195-0326 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire Services recognise the specialised role of Information Sections and enhance training and resources accordingly. |
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.) |
REC195-0310 | 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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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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. |
REC181-0154 | 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. |
REC181-0202 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State develop and implement, in consultation with local government, a mechanism for sign-off by municipal councils of any permit conditions imposed under the Bushfire-prone Overlay and the regular assessment of landowners’ compliance with conditions. |
REC181-0153 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State establish mechanisms for helping municipal councils to undertake local planning that tailors bushfire safety options to the needs of individual communities. In doing this planning, councils should: ■ urgently develop for communities at risk of bushfire local plans that contain contingency options such as evacuation and shelter; ■ document in municipal emergency management plans and other relevant plans facilities where vulnerable people are likely to be situated—for example, aged care facilities, hospitals, schools and child care centres; ■ compile and maintain a list of vulnerable residents who need tailored advice of a recommendation to evacuate and provide this list to local police and anyone else with pre-arranged responsibility for helping vulnerable residents evacuate. |
REC181-0181 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Municipal councils include in their municipal fire prevention plans for areas of high bushfire risk provision for the identification of hazard trees and for notifying the responsible entities with a view to having the situation redressed. |
REC181-0195 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State press municipal councils—in particular, Murrindindi Shire Council—to urgently adopt a bushfire policy in their Local Planning Policy Framework and incorporate bushfire risk management in their planning policies and strategies for rebuilding communities such as Marysville, Kinglake and others affected by the January–February 2009 fires. |
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. |
REC181-0175 | 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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REC156-3495 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Department of Primary Industries should work through the appropriate Ministerial Councils to seek alignment of competency standards for line workers across jurisdictions. |
REC156-3492 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The review of the municipal emergency management planning guidelines being led by the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner clarify local governments’ role in community information about emergencies. |
REC156-3490 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Human Services improve its communication with councils to enhance delivery of recovery services. |
REC156-3486 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The emergency management arrangements include the development of partnerships between the public and private sectors, in particular the involvement of government departments and essential services. |
REC156-3518 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner and other relevant departments conduct further work to determine the need for a power to appoint a coordinator of essential services restoration. |
REC156-3514 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government endorse the establishment of the Victorian Emergency Information Line and it is developed with appropriate protocols to ensure linkages and information flows to the energy sector. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC155-3473 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victorian Government expedite the implementation of its 2006 election commitment to provide four wheel drive clubs with access to management vehicle only tracks. |
REC155-3474 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victorian Government consider all available means, consistent with conservation values, for substantially increasing the access of apiarists to the public land estate. |
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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REC104-2230 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That DSE investigates whether such agreements should exist with other government Departments and agencies, particularly those with officers located in rural Victoria who may be involved in fire response and support operations in the future, based on their expertise and experience. |
REC104-2304 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That Municipal Emergency Resource Officers develop registers of volunteers willing and available to provide assistance and support during the response to, and recovery from, emergency incidents. |
REC104-2249 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2259 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the MFESB continue to give priority to appropriate bushfire training for its firefighters. |
REC104-2225 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Victoria Emergency Management Council establish a sub-committee by June 2004 to ensure an all-agency and appropriate industries’ policy framework is developed and agreed in respect to the planning for fire prevention, mitigation and suppression. |
REC104-2303 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Interstate Agreements prepared by the fire agencies be reviewed to include protocols for the joint release of consistent and appropriate information relating to fires burning across State borders. |
REC104-2247 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That an appropriately resourced, national aerial firefighting strategy is urgently required, and that the Victorian Government make representations to the Commonwealth to support the Australasian Fire Authorities Council recommendations |
REC104-2331 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a State Emergency Operations Centre be established to replace the existing separate fire agency centres. This could, if necessary, be initially confined to being a State Fire Operations Centre as recommended in Chapter 18, Part D. |
REC104-2256 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the State Emergency Operations Centre develop and maintain strong and close links with the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre, if collocation is not possible. |
REC104-2222 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That Municipal Councils: |
REC104-2294 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That training and competency programs for Incident Controllers should include aircraft firefighting capability training. |
REC104-2239 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That any local level agreements developed to address geographically specific risks or issues must be consistent with State-level arrangements. |
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. |
REC104-2255 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the options of collocating the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre with the new State Emergency Operations Centre |
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 |
REC104-2264 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That CFA and DSE provide media training to all Level 2 and Level 3 Incident Controllers. |
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. |
REC104-2321 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government confirms that the Model of Fire Cover/Fire Safety Victoria strategy should be a seamless model for the whole of the State and include both private and public land. |
REC104-2254 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a single state-of-the-art all hazards State Emergency Operations Centre be established for Victoria. This could, if necessary, be implemented in stages, initially incorporating DSE, CFA, MFESB and the State Aircraft Unit. |
REC104-2192 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, according to available scientific evidence, a decision regarding cattle grazing in the High Country should not be based on the argument that ‘grazing prevents blazing.’ |
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 |
REC104-2232 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government in the development of its statewide water policy includes appropriate consideration of access to water for firefighting. |
REC104-2315 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Privacy Commissioner be asked for advice in the development of this model. |
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. |
REC104-2260 | 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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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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. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC015_3954 | 24 - Govt responsibility | It is recommended that each public department or body which may now or hereafter control forest areas be allowed to pursue its own policy of fire prevention and suppression. As each such body is responsible directly or indirectly to Parliament it must be allowed to carry its responsibility in its own manner. It is strongly recommended that no such department be given authority over any other body in matters relating to fire prevention or suppression. If it is ultimately shown that a department is unfit to discharge the duty involved other measures may be taken. |
REC015_3956 | 24 - Govt responsibility | It is strongly recommended that no public department of possible combination of public departments interested in forests should be permitted to gain control of this authority. |