Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC327-4347 | 36 - Volunteers | By December 2023, the Rural Fire Service should: develop a strategy to ensure that local brigade volunteers are adequate in numbers and appropriately trained to operate fleet appliances in the RFS Districts where they are required. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC326-4342 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To promote integrity and transparency, the Department of Regional NSW should ensure that for all future grant programs it: ensures staff declare conflicts of interest prior to the commencement of a grants stream, and that these conflicts of interest are recorded and managed. |
REC326-4343 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To promote integrity and transparency, the Department of Regional NSW should ensure that for all future grant programs it: ensures a communications plan is in place, including the communication of guidelines to potential applicants. |
REC326-4344 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To promote integrity and transparency, the Department of Regional NSW should ensure that for all future grant programs it: establishes and follows guidelines that align with relevant good practice guidance including accountabilities, key assessment steps and clear assessment criteria. |
REC326-4340 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To promote integrity and transparency, the Department of Regional NSW should ensure that for all future grant programs it: documents all key decisions and approvals in line with record keeping obligations. |
REC326-4341 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To promote integrity and transparency, the Department of Regional NSW should ensure that for all future grant programs it: ensures regular monitoring is in place as part of funding deeds. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC325-4326 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lead an inter-agency IT system assessment with Queensland Police Service and local governments to identify disaster management systems currently in use and develop options to enhance connectivity and interoperability between systems. Outputs to be considered include, but are not limited to, consideration of requests for assistance (RFA) and the production of situation reports. |
REC325-4321 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends this report be returned to the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management to monitor, evaluate, and report on progress and implementation of the recommendations that are accepted in whole or in part by government. |
REC325-4327 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends all local governments that offer an opt-in system develop strategies to increase the number of subscribers who elect to use this service. As part of the annual disaster management plan assessment process for the period 2023–2025, the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management will request information from the relevant local disaster management groups to highlight and share innovative practices that have led to an increase in subscription levels for opt-in services. |
REC325-4328 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services establish a community education program by 1 November 2023 that complements the implementation of the Australian Warning System. An evaluation process should be incorporated into the program to determine effectiveness. |
REC325-4338 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and the Bureau of Meteorology investigate options for the consolidation of ownership, renewed capital and maintenance in the flood warning network in consultation with flood warning infrastructure asset owners. |
REC325-4322 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends the Dam Safety Regulator review the Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline with particular regard to the distinction between the process required by a flood event as compared to a dam failure event by 1 November 2023. The Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline review will be informed by a discussion, facilitated by the Dam Safety Regulator, between dam owner Seqwater, the Brisbane City Council Flood Information Centre, the Brisbane Local Disaster Management Group and the Brisbane District Disaster Management Group. The purpose of the facilitation is to achieve inter-agency understanding of warning and notification responsibilities. The reviewed Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline should be published, promoted and shared via a stakeholder engagement exercise with Queensland’s referable dam owners, disaster management stakeholders including local disaster management groups and district disaster management group. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC324-4315 | 36 - Volunteers | The Community First Responders Program: That, to better coordinate community efforts to save life and property during a disaster, Government create a ‘Community First Responders Program’, funding appropriate community equipment and training, particularly in high-risk catchments along the east coast of NSW. This training would be delivered by combat and/or other appropriate government agencies. This program could support and empower community led initiatives such as disaster response, evacuation centres and the provision of services such as psychological first aid. |
REC324-4293 | 17 - Assets and technology | Essential services and floodplain infrastructure: That, to minimise disruption to essential services (power, communications, water, sewerage) and to ensure flood infrastructure is fully serviceable before flooding, Government ensure: |
REC324-4307 | 9 - Community education | Flood education: That, to build disaster resilience in future generations as floods and other natural disasters are a fact of Australian life, the Department of Education should design, implement and deliver an evidence-based, targeted education campaign (like sun exposure) in schools (new disaster curriculum). |
REC324-4312 | 17 - Assets and technology | Impact to essential services: That, to minimise disruption to essential services, including outages which compromise basic communication coverage, and to ensure access to safe water supply and power during flood events, Government work directly or together with the Australian and other state governments and/or their relevant power and telecommunications regulatory, policy and market bodies to: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC323-4256 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government work with relevant agencies and local landowners to find ways to improve the management of drainage channels including looking for recommendations to reduce red and green tape. |
REC323-4263 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government prioritise support for the full restoration of sewage treatment facilities on the Richmond River, for the benefit of communities in the Northern Rivers region. |
REC319-4199 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Relief and recovery capability: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department – in collaboration with the relevant relief and recovery organisations: |
REC323-4285 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government, in consultation with telecommunication providers and satellite communication providers, investigate ways to minimise the complete loss of telecommunication services in natural disasters, including: |
REC323-4286 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government advocate through the National Cabinet for the Bureau of Meteorology to review its rain data infrastructure and flood modelling tools, to ensure forecasting locations, rain and flood gauges and other infrastructure are appropriately placed, maintained and updated. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC322-4252 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of the Queensland Bushfire Plan with land managers and stakeholders, including disaster management groups. A review should occur in line with any material change to the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan, the Disaster Management Act 2003, the Prevention Preparedness Response and Recovery Guideline, or after major bushfire events, to ensure appropriate alignment and currency. |
REC322-4226 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan for Fraser Coast Area Fire Management Group include a schedule of planned engagement activities, or a community engagement sub-plan outlining these activities, and be publicly available. |
REC322-4218 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends this report be returned to the IGEM to monitor, evaluate and report on progress and implementation of the recommendations that are accepted in whole or in part by government. |
REC322-4249 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends all Area Fire Management Groups in Queensland make their Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plans, bushfire risk mapping and methodology easily understood and available to the community. All public plans should be dated to ensure currency and incorporate mechanisms for community feedback. |
REC322-4219 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends should a Queensland Government Action Plan be considered, clarity about the intent of the recommendations be sought from the Inspector-General Emergency Management to assist in informing this process. |
REC322-4220 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Science monitor the progress of relevant improvement activities resulting from the K’gari (Fraser Island) Bushfire Review, through their respective lessons management programs. |
REC322-4240 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the next review of the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan examines and provides guidance in respect to the application of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements to support hazard specific events such as bushfire. |
REC322-4222 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science undertake a review of campfire locations on K’gari, including all relevant signage on and off the island, maps and visitor permit information, to promote a consistent message about lighting campfires on K’gari. |
REC322-4246 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Interagency Protocol for Fire Management be reviewed by all relevant entities, including representatives of the Butchulla people, and be updated as a matter of priority. Entities responsible for the protocol should implement a process for regular review and evaluation of its effectiveness. This review process should be conducted after a major bushfire event, or to reflect any material change to applicable legislation and policy. It should also consider pre-arranged approvals and a range of agreed fiscal protocols between the agencies. |
REC322-4221 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Department of Environment and Science implement an awareness and engagement strategy aimed at deterring the lighting of campfires to encourage behavioural change amongst visitors. |
REC322-4224 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science examines the utilisation of technology, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, to improve the collection of visitor numbers and movement data. This could include, for example, expanding the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology to K’gari and examining the suitability of mobile phone check-in applications. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC321-4207 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | We recommend that DELWP reviews its target for the number of fuel hazard assessments conducted and ensures that this measure is evidence based, accurately reflects regional performance, and that the department monitors and reports on each region’s performance against it. |
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). |
REC321-4204 | 4 - Fire season preparation | We recommend that DEWLP and CFA (in consultation with FRV) in partnership with councils, provide advice to government in line with the Safer Together: A new approach to reducing the risk of bushfire in Victoria policy on options to better resource the assessment of risk on private land, its treatment and activities to enforce compliance of land owners with risk-reduction treatments. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC319-4197 | 36 - Volunteers | Relief and recovery capability: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department develop and resource an ongoing strategy to coordinate spontaneous volunteers that can be activated before, during or after emergencies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC318-4175 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – supported by other organisations with a legislated responsibility for fuel management – plan for and increase the application of non-burning fuel management treatments including mechanical means. The annual fuel management report should include the non-burn component of fuel management treatment, track annual change, and provide a comparison to the previous three years. |
REC318-4171 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the State review (and where necessary amend) legislation including but not limited to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958, Forest Act 1958 and Local Government Act 2020 to: |
REC318-4170 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that responder agencies and Emergency Management Victoria review preparedness arrangements to ensure procedural documentation (including plans), recruitment, briefings and training are completed before significant seasonal events are likely to occur. Seasonal preparedness should culminate in attestations of assurance to confirm that: |
REC318-4182 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in partnership with agencies engaged in state, regional and incident control centres: |
REC318-4181 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the emergency management sector and as part of the emergency management planning reforms: |
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: |
REC318-4178 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – in collaboration with the Country Fire Authority and local government – undertake a review of the current residual risk target to ensure that it remains contemporary in terms of its designated percentage value. The review should: |
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: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC317-4097 | 9 - Community education | State and territory governments should ensure that the implementation of the Australian Warning System is accompanied by a carefully developed national education campaign that considers the needs of all Australians. |
REC317-4058 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Australian Government should enhance national preparedness for, and response to, natural disasters, building on the responsibilities of Emergency Management Australia, to include facilitating resource sharing decisions of governments and stress testing national disaster plans. |
REC317-4123 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should ensure that personal information of individuals affected by a natural disaster is able to be appropriately shared between all levels of government, agencies, insurers, charities and organisations delivering recovery services, taking account of all necessary safeguards to ensure the sharing is only for recovery purposes. |
REC317-4095 | 9 - Community education | State and territory governments should deliver education to ensure that the public understands the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System ratings, the potential danger attached to each rating, and the action that should be taken in response to each rating. |
REC317-4102 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Australian, state and territory governments should review Australian Medical Assistance Team capabilities and procedures and develop necessary training, exercising and other arrangements to build capacity for domestic deployments. |
REC317-4056 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian Government agencies should work together across all phases of disaster management. |
REC317-4101 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should develop national air quality forecasting capabilities, which include broad coverage of population centres and apply to smoke and other airborne pollutants, such as dust and pollen, to predict plume behaviour. |
REC317-4084 | 9 - Community education | State and territory governments should continue to deliver, evaluate and improve education and engagement programs aimed at promoting disaster resilience for individuals and communities. |
REC317-4074 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Australian Government should review the content of the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community manual to ensure consistency of language and application with a revised COMDISPLAN. |
REC317-4112 | 9 - Community education | State and territory governments should: |
REC317-4054 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should establish an authoritative advisory body to consolidate advice on strategic policy and relevant operational considerations for ministers in relation to natural disasters. |
REC317-4078 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should adopt procurement and contracting strategies that support and develop a broader Australian-based sovereign aerial firefighting industry. |
REC317-4108 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Australian, state and territory governments should review the assessment and approval processes relating to vegetation management, bushfire mitigation and hazard reduction to: |
REC317-4053 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should restructure and reinvigorate ministerial forums with a view to enabling timely and informed strategic decision-making in respect of: |
REC317-4073 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should take steps to ensure that there is better interaction, planning and ongoing understanding of Australian Defence Force capabilities and processes by state and territory fire and emergency service agencies and local governments. |
REC317-4107 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Public land managers should clearly convey and make available to the public their fuel load management strategies, including the rationale behind them, as well as report annually on the implementation and outcomes of those strategies. |
REC317-4100 | 9 - Community education | Australian, state and territory governments should: |
REC317-4069 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should update and implement the National Framework to Improve Government Radio Communications Interoperability, or otherwise agree a new strategy, to achieve interoperable communications across jurisdictions. |
REC317-4131 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Each state and territory government should establish an independent accountability and assurance mechanism to promote continuous improvement and best practice in natural disaster arrangements. |
REC317-4087 | 4 - Fire season preparation | State and territory governments, working with local governments and fire and emergency service agencies, should ensure that there are appropriate arrangements for roadside vegetation management that take into account, among other things: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC316-4033 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The BFC Terms of Reference be reviewed to ensure they are contemporary and reflect learnings from this and recent bushfire seasons. |
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. |
REC316-4018 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The five year review of the Emergencies Act examine amendments to better define the rationale for a State of Alert / State of Emergency whilst ensuring that the relevant Minister / Chief Minister still has sufficient discretion to make a declaration based on advice from relevant Government officials and committees. |
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. |
REC316-4014 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACS) lead a working group from across relevant organisations to undertake the five year review of the Emergencies Act in conjunction with a wholistic review of the Emergency Plan and relevant sub-plans; and recommendations from this review, to the extent they are accepted by Government. Bringing together a small Taskforce of staff from across government for a set period would assist the working group in delivering the work needed to address these and other recommendations. |
REC316-4042 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | ACT Government undertake a detailed legislative review to ensure that information regarding vulnerable community members can be appropriately accessed, provided and used during an emergency event. |
REC316-4041 | 9 - Community education | The ESA Community Education and Engagement program be adapted to include an expanded role for RFS volunteers and include a wider set of stakeholders who are more vulnerable to the impact of bushfire. A plan would require wider involvement across stakeholder organisations such as Directorates who have existing relationships with vulnerable groups. |
REC316-4038 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The CCIP be reviewed in conjunction with the review of the Emergency Plan and the two synchronised. A workable approach to delivering operational emergency communications and strategic WhoG communications is developed with simple and clear reporting arrangements. |
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 |
---|---|---|
REC315-3815 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to equip NSW RFS with comprehensive information on all structures and assets at risk of bush fire, Government ensures that: |
REC315-3829 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That, in order to ensure outcomes-based roadside vegetation management to reduce roadside tree fall and grass ignitions in planning and preparing for bush fire, Transport for NSW, working with local government and NSW RFS, establish a consistent framework for roadside vegetation management that analyses road priority, utility, amenity, strategic value and risk. The framework should: |
REC315-3859 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That, in order to ensure State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) interoperability during all natural disasters, Resilience NSW review the current SEOC arrangements and location including responsibilities for ongoing resourcing and maintenance. |
REC315-3864 | 9 - Community education | That, in order to ensure people can access clear information on cross-border fires, the NSW RFS: |
REC315-3848 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s ability to improve situational awareness, Government expand FRNSW’s Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) capability (both capital assets and trained operators) to major regional centres and ensure the NSW RFS and other NSW government agencies can access this capability as required. |
REC315-3842 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, in order to prioritise early suppression and keep fires small: |
REC315-3821 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That government agencies managing land (at all levels and through all agencies) be the best neighbours possible by considering their neighbours when undertaking activities related to bush fire preparation and having clear, two-way communication about these activities, with the aspiration that government landholders will be seen as highly desirable neighbours. |
REC315-3858 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That, in order to improve cross-agency communication and coordination during bush fires, the NSW RFS review Fire Control Centres (FCCs) in areas that were heavily affected by fire. The results should be combined with the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Facilities Review to identify areas that would benefit from a purpose-built FCC, enabling co-location with the EOC. |
REC315-3847 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure Australia’s fire fighting aerial capacity capitalises on existing assets and is made up of the right mix, Government: |
REC315-3810 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, to ensure updated resource-sharing arrangements are in place, the NSW and Victorian Governments progress and finalise a multi-agency Memorandum of Understanding before the 2020-21 fire season commences. |
REC315-3813 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That, in order to ensure tourism businesses are prepared for natural disasters including bush fires, Resilience NSW work with NSW RFS and Destination NSW to develop bush fire preparedness support for tourism businesses, based on research into existing models. Over time, this support could be expanded to include other natural hazards. |
REC315-3812 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That Government commit to: |
REC315-3828 | 9 - Community education | That, in order to improve bush fire planning and protection of road infrastructure and to ensure communities, freight movers and fire fighting agencies have appropriate access and egress in a bush fire event, Government, working with local government as needed: |
REC315-3843 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve early fire suppression, the NSW RFS trial initial aerial dispatch in areas of high bush fire risk. The trial should identify the most appropriate and cost-effective mix of aircraft, and any associated infrastructure improvements that would be required. |
REC315-3798 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That, in order to ensure recommendations accepted by the Government are implemented in a timely and transparent manner, Government establish a central accountability mechanism to track implementation of recommendations from bush fire-related reviews and inquiries and consider expanding this to other policy areas. |
REC315-3837 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve firefighter safety, Government fire authorities: |
REC315-3873 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That Resilience NSW review existing functional area arrangements to ensure they are closely aligned to agencies responsible for direct service delivery. |
REC315-3799 | 9 - Community education | That at the start of each fire season, based on advice from the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee, Government provide a public statement with an evaluation of the likely fire season risk and the effectiveness of the planning and preparation for the upcoming season. This should be based on sophisticated monitoring of the key risk factors and signals for an extreme fire season. It should form the basis for clear public communication about these risks on a regional basis and the actions that Government proposes in preparation. |
REC315-3836 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure frontline personnel have appropriate personal protective clothing during bush fires: |
REC315-3860 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That, in order to ensure the guiding principles and approval processes are contemporary, streamlined and more flexible, the NSW and Commonwealth Governments review the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) arrangements. This review should include the circumstances in which the State can request Commonwealth assistance, and the level of information provided by the ADF to the State on available resources and capabilities. |
REC315-3849 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s fire fighting capacity, Government trial aerial fire fighting at night in the 2020-21 season with a view to full implementation if successful. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC314-3261 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Consider amending the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 to align SAFECOM Board operations with accepted governance standards with the Minister appointing an Independent Chair of the SAFECOM Board. The SAFECOM Chief Executive (CE) should report to the Board and maintain SAFECOM’s role at the direction of the Board. Alternatively, SAFECOM could be abolished, moving to a model of a Department of Fire and Emergency Services where the departmental head reports to the Minister but the value proposition of any such machinery of government change would need to be thoroughly examined. |
REC314-3270 | 17 - Assets and technology | Review the use of aviation assets including facilities to operate them given the increased pressure from extended fire seasons on northern and southern hemisphere resources. Review line scanning capability with a view to providing real time data to the IMTs on where fires are burning using aviation assets as an intelligence tool rather than just a fire suppression capability. |
REC314-3263 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Clarify and streamline processes and educate the community about their roles and responsibilities in managing native vegetation to improve hazard reduction on both public and private land. Provide additional resources to manage fuel in a shorter off fire season and develop a risk reduction target linked to prioritised objectives. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC311-2500 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, Bundaberg and North Burnett regional councils and Sunwater undertake a community-informed audible test of the Paradise Dam siren. |
REC311-2505 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | This report be returned to the InspectorGeneral Emergency Management to monitor, evaluate and report on progress and implementation of the recommendation(s) that are accepted in whole or in part by government. |
REC311-2489 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to have a shared understanding of risks and enhance community engagement, flood scenarios in Emergency Action Plans be published, and in a format that can be utilised by public mapping systems. |
REC311-2504 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | To enable entities in the sector to proactively work to achieve better results for the community, the recommendations and lessons of this review should be evaluated through the lessons management processes of entities involved in dam safety for their value and relevance. |
REC311-2503 | 9 - Community education | To enable the casual/itinerant worker and tourism sector, including those who do not have English as a first language, to make informed choices about disaster management, community engagement and communication strategies about Paradise Dam and floods in the Burnett river system be tailored to this sector. |
REC311-2502 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, Sunwater develop and deliver a sustainable long-term communication strategy on the community safety issues and |
REC311-2501 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, a joint Sunwater/council community engagement program be conducted to prepare the community downstream from Paradise Dam for events in the 2019/2020 storm and cyclone season, including the possibility of a Paradise Dam failure. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC309-2467 | 9 - Community education | Further work be undertaken to develop effective public flood risk messaging and community education materials that are easy to understand and tested with the community to ensure flood risk is understood. |
REC309-2471 | 17 - Assets and technology | As part of the annual Emergency Action Plan review for the Ross River Dam, consideration should be given to the potential impacts of operating the gate outside automatic mode and whether this event has provided any new information and learnings which can be incorporated into the Emergency Action Plan. This should occur prior to the 2019/20 wet season. |
REC309-2478 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The progress of recovery for this event be reviewed incrementally over the next 2 to 3 years, with a formal, independent report provided on the effectiveness of the recovery after 3 years. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC307-2439 | 9 - Community education | Education on bushfires should include information about: |
REC307-2431 | 9 - Community education | Area Fire Management Groups should share seasonal risk information with local groups and actively and appropriately contribute to disaster management planning. |
REC307-2430 | 9 - Community education | All Area Fire Management Groups should adopt and be guided by a good neighbour policy. |
REC307-2433 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To make planned burning and land clearing easier to understand and implement for landholders, a single point of contact for all bushfire mitigation inquiries and permits should be established. |
REC307-2429 | 9 - Community education | A good neighbour policy such as that of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, setting out clear expectations, be developed to guide all landholders. |
REC307-2448 | 9 - Community education | Targeted education about the short- and long-term effects of chemical suppressants should reach those likely to be exposed to them before aerial chemical suppressants are used in Queensland again. |
REC307-2447 | 9 - Community education | Clear public messaging regarding risks (if any) from the use of suppressants, including to 'organic' producers, should be developed and socialised before the next fire season and be readily available for dissemination when needed. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC306-2425 | 24 - Govt responsibility | We recommend that the Department of Natural Resources and Mines and the four councils work together to effectively and economically regulate levee banks. |
REC306-2422 | 24 - Govt responsibility | We recommend that, in the absence of stand-alone catchment management authorities, the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning fulfil its obligation under the State Disaster Management Plan to drive the enhancement of flood resilience in the four catchments by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC304-2405 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Retain the Bushfires Council as a Ministerial advisory body. |
REC304-2416 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Establish a capacity to prescribe bushfire management arrangements for individual properties based on bushfire risk assessment. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC302-2399 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Implement a fully integrated civilianised single call and dispatch centre, that includes a redundancy option outside the Sydney CBD, which will adopt an agnostic approach to deploy the quickest most suitable resource to an emergency. Such a centre should be managed by either a non uniformed public servant staffed organisation like the Office for Emergency Management, or the NSW Police Force |
REC302-2402 | 17 - Assets and technology | Explore better options for call and dispatch, telecommunications and information sharing capability across the emergency management portfolio including the adoption of a multi-agency emergency management operations complex |
REC302-2398 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a matter of priority commence the roll out of AVL capability for the Rural Fire Service fleet, completing as much work as possible before the 2018/19 bushfire season, capitalising where necessary on current and future work undertaken with the NSW Government Radio Network to ensure both officer safety and situational awareness |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC301-2384 | 36 - Volunteers | TFS should pursue the creation of a cadre of volunteer remote area firefighters. In doing so the TFS should not consider itself limited to upskilling of current volunteer brigade members, but should carry out a cost benefit analysis of creating one or more remote area firefighting units based in urban areas, in order to tap into the potential of those members of the urban-based Tasmanian community who may have advanced knowledge and skills relating to navigation and survival in wilderness areas. |
REC301-2385 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | TFS should initiate a policy review (seeking support from government as appropriate) to clearly identify what body or agency is responsible for planning, carrying out and enforcing fuel management on private property at a township level. If current arrangements are unclear or ineffective, TFS should request government to consider making this a statutory responsibility of TFS and provide any additional funding required to support this function. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC299-1348 | 4 - Fire season preparation | In keeping with the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s findings and recommendations, human life has primacy in bushfire‑related regulations and it is important that this is maintained in the implementation of bushfire management overlays and relevant vegetation removal exemptions should reflect the primacy of human life. |
REC299-1345 | 36 - Volunteers | That issues of animal welfare be given a higher practical priority in the planned burning process on the ground, including: |
REC299-1344 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That a review of the cross‑tenure approach be undertaken to determine its effectiveness and to address issues that arise in fire prevention on private and public land. |
REC299-1343 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Government conduct a review of fire prevention |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC297-1255 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government establishes a central flood policy unit responsible for coordinating flood policy across all government agencies, including Government Businesses, and ensures that such a unit has a whole-of-government and community focus. |
REC297-1273 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the State Emergency Management Committee allocates resources to reviewing all findings and recommendations in the Productivity Commission Report No. 74 relevant to Tasmania and, for those identified as relevant, actions taken and, if none, why not. |
REC297-1264 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Flood Warning Consultative Committee reviews flood classification levels in the Service Level Specifications with BoM specifically relating to flood level triggers on gauges. |
REC297-1259 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DPIPWE examines the Forest Practice Code 2015 for relevance of its concepts to farming and other business activities near rivers, streams and naturally occurring dams and makes recommendations to Government accordingly. |
REC297-1256 | 9 - Community education | That SES and Tasmania Fire Service share resources and align their community education programs and adopt an all-hazards approach to awareness. |
REC297-1269 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That Government engages with non-government organisations that may provide services during emergency events to clarify the terms and conditions for support through a written arrangement (MOU or similar). |
REC297-1258 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DPIPWE examines the WMAwater report along with its own, analyses the differences, consults with the Forest Practices Authority and Environment Protection Authority, and proposes an appropriate course of action to Government. |
REC297-1251 | 9 - Community education | That all councils include an easily identifiable website link for the public to locate their Municipal Emergency Management Plan and community safety information. |
REC297-1270 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, in the event of a major emergency such as the June floods, a government department (DPAC or State Growth) be appointed to coordinate infrastructure repair, to the extent that funding allows, for the whole state. Individual entities will still have the right and responsibility to repair and maintain their own assets, but some central oversight and coordination is, in our view, likely to be beneficial. |
REC297-1257 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That in the event that Hydro Tasmania decides to start cloud seeding again, water managers, represented by DPIPWE, work with Hydro Tasmania to ensure appropriate, best practice application of the guidelines issued by the Agricultural and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand. |
REC297-1268 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That DPAC becomes the Management Authority for recovery in Tasmania. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC295-1328 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Update the SEMP Part 3, Annex F ‘Debriefs’ to provide more guidance regarding the types of debriefs, when they are required to be undertaken and at what level and guidance for undertaking and recording debriefs, and implementing lessons identified. |
REC295-1308 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Department of the Premier and Cabinet revise the ministerial documents relating to emergency management. |
REC295-1327 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Establish a lessons management capability across the SA emergency management sector to collect, analyse and track lessons identified during debriefs and reviews following events and other sources such as interstate and oversees reviews and inquiries. |
REC295-1306 | 9 - Community education | Develop practical policy outcomes to support resilience (e.g. the 72- hour model) and promote this broadly to community through media, awareness campaigns, policies etc. Research should be undertaken to gain insight into the types of messaging and activities that have the most impact on sustained behaviour change within the community before committing to a particular model. |
REC295-1291 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Flood Reform Task Group, as proposed by the Department |
REC295-1317 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Review representation in the State Emergency Centre including: a) determining if there is a more suitable functional support group e.g. the Procurement Functional Support Group, to replace the Logistics Functional Support Group, and if so, Chief Procurement Officer, DPC, has responsibility for the management of this role within the State Emergency Centre. b) That when the State Crisis Centre is not operating from a physical location, a State Crisis Centre liaison officer is attached to the State Emergency Centre. |
REC295-1319 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a single emergency service multi-agency control centre be established with sufficient capacity and capability to deal with all types of emergency incidents in SA. Also consider Police and State Emergency Centre. |
REC295-1274 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That relevant agencies, such as the Department of State Development, SA Police and emergency services, collaborate to establish an education campaign to encourage businesses in South Australia to develop Business Continuity Plans which, among other potential hazards such as flood and fire, also take into account the potential impact of an extended power outage. |
REC295-1288 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Attorney General’s Department explore options to overcome fatigue and welfare issues of SAGRN staff associated with emergency events of extended duration. |
REC295-1320 | 17 - Assets and technology | Review existing electronic information systems used by emergency services organisations and other government agencies, and: a) establish a single incident information system across the Emergency Services Sector (MFS, CFS and SES), and b) identify opportunities to consolidate incident information systems of other agencies |
REC295-1315 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That a review of the role and effectiveness of the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) including: the legislative functions; membership including the chair; roles and responsibilities; and, SEMC Advisory Groups be undertaken. |
REC295-1318 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the recommendation made following the Pinery bushfire, ‘to review control facilities at State, region and incident level’, be expanded to include all emergency services facilities that will be utilised for major incidents other than bushfire e.g. flood and earthquake and to also be extended into metropolitan areas, and implemented. |
REC295-1300 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the State Emergency Service explores options for providing suitable personal protective clothing to personnel from supporting emergency services during major flooding events and sandbagging operations. |
REC295-1297 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Engage an independent business analyst to review the current call, receipt and dispatch process for emergency services i.e. the Metropolitan Fire Service, Country Fire Service and State Emergency Service, from the initial call for assistance through to response of emergency service resources, including the allocation and coordination of multiple taskings. |
REC295-1316 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the position of Deputy Director, Office for Digital Government is dedicated to the Office for Digital Government; and that people throughout DPC are identified and trained to perform appropriate roles within the State Crisis Centre |
REC295-1299 | 17 - Assets and technology | That systems for Automatic Vehicle Location and personnel tracking be implemented within the emergency services sector. |
REC295-1276 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That SA Health undertake a review of their emergency management arrangements. Health State Controllers should be consulted during this review and arrangements should be consistent throughout the department and across the State and compatible with State emergency management arrangements and information systems |
REC295-1312 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Department of Education and Child Development be included as a member of State Emergency Management Council and represented in the State Emergency Centre. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC291-1233 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State Government to explore options for streamlining the functions and the independence of the State Emergency Management Committee Secretariat and the Office of Bushfire Risk Management with a view to including an inspectorate function, and appointing a person who is dedicated to that role. The purpose is to provide assurance and reporting, and to inquire into, monitor and report transparently on emergency management standards, preparedness, capability, service delivery and investment performance outcomes. Within two years of the establishment of this arrangement the State Government to review and assess whether it is meeting the desired outcomes. |
REC291-1248 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Emergency Management Committee to establish a State Bushfire Coordinating Committee as a sub-committee of SEMC. The State Bushfire Coordinating Committee will be chaired by the Director of the Office of Bushfire Risk Management and will have the primary responsibility to: · develop a State Bushfire Management Policy and a set of long term bushfire risk management objectives; · provide a forum for key bushfire risk management stakeholder agencies; · advise the SEMC on matters pertaining to bushfire, in particular, to report against the investment in, and achievement of the bushfire risk management objectives; · provide advice and support to the proposed Chief Officer of the Rural Fire Service on bushfire risk management matters; and · report to SEMC and to the community on bushfire risk management matters on at least an annual basis. |
REC291-1236 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Departments of Parks and Wildlife and Fire and Emergency Services to develop options for the expansion of the ‘Bushfire Mitigation Grant Scheme’ 20 January 2016 Waroona Fire Special Inquiry utilising both State and Commonwealth Government funding to enable the implementation of hazard reduction works identified through the Bushfire Risk Management Planning process. This will target hazard reduction projects on land owned by private landholders in rural-urban interface areas, critical infrastructure protection, local government land, roadsides and land managed by utilities. |
REC291-1249 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of the Premier and Cabinet to conduct an independent review of the current arrangement for the management and distribution of the Emergency Services Levy. The review will have the specific purpose of: · seeking input from key entities including the Departments of Treasury, Finance, Fire and Emergency Services, Lands, and Parks and Wildlife, WA Local Government Association, and the Office of Bushfire Risk Management. · ensuring the arrangement has the flexibility and agility to deal with emerging bushfire risk priorities. · establishing a budget process that enables a shift in investment towards prevention, mitigation and building community resilience and capability. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC290-1219 | 17 - Assets and technology | Live resource tracking system that can be used by all response agencies |
REC290-1215 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Appropriate and scalable resourcing models for remote locations |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
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. |
REC288-1199 | 36 - Volunteers | The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that volunteer firefighters are at risk of being undervalued and underrated and that the Government should use best endeavours to ensure the full acknowledgement and recognition of these services. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC287-1188 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Tasmanian fire agencies commission a review into the efectiveness of aerial firefghting in the 2016 fires, in order to better understand and to document for future reference the cost-efectiveness of specifc fire suppression strategies and tactics in different vegetation types. The Review should include a comparative analysis of fire suppression options whether aerial or ground-based. |
REC287-1184 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Tasmanian fire agencies think more broadly about how staff who are already employed by Government could support the management of future emergencies. |
REC287-1185 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Tasmanian fire agencies take steps at a national level to share learnings from the 2016 fires about the administration of interstate assistance and support the codifcation of the workings, structure and reporting lines of an Interstate and International Liaison Unit for future complex deployments within Australia and New Zealand. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC281-1201 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Preventing Flood Related Fatalities: The NSW Government consider the recommendations from the Preventing Flood Related Fatalities Report when it is released. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC280-1381 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC280-1379 | 9 - Community education | That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns. |
REC280-1393 | 36 - Volunteers | That the NSW Rural Fire Service formally recognise the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association as a legitimate advocacy organisation representing volunteer bush fire fighters, and duly consult with it on policy and operational matters. |
REC280-1396 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated. |
REC280-1392 | 36 - Volunteers | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires: |
REC280-1388 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: |
REC280-1386 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC280-1382 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC272-1418 | 24 - Govt responsibility | A state-wide engagement strategy is coordinated to ensure community messaging is consistent across all levels of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements. |
REC272-1415 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | An audit of all local government areas vulnerable to storm tide events is completed and opportunities identified to resolve gaps in evacuation zone planning to ensure consistency with the Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups and neighbouring local government areas. |
REC272-1416 | 24 - Govt responsibility | A state-wide strategy, including a common definition, is developed for identifying and engaging vulnerable people in emergencies. |
REC272-1420 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Housing and Public Works should consider preparing an annual communique to asset owners of, and local governments with access to public cyclone shelters, outlining the maintenance and certification process and pre-season status. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC271-1524 | 9 - Community education | SunWater provide downstream residents with easily understood information regarding operation of the dam, and the impacts that various outflows may have for them, in accordance with mapping prepared for the Emergency Action Plan. This information should be complementary to any information from the Banana Shire Council. |
REC271-1523 | 9 - Community education | Banana Shire Council coordinates the development of a strategy to significantly enhance public education regarding local disaster management arrangements within the Banana Shire, focusing on key identified risks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC270-1147 | 9 - Community education | improves engagement with communities to prepare for and respond to bushfires by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC267-1154 | 36 - Volunteers | Coordination of Volunteer Support |
REC267-1157 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | Improvements to the Targeting of Government Support to Build Primary Industry Resilience |
REC267-1159 | 9 - Community education | Improving Community Preparedness and Resilience |
REC267-1150 | 9 - Community education | Media Engagement Consideration should be given on future recovery operations to adopting a more structured approach to media engagement, with regular media briefings undertaken at a frequency dependent upon the phase of the recovery activities and the level of media interest. These briefings could be conducted at different locations around the region, if appropriate, and would provide the opportunity for communication of key messages and provide journalists with the opportunity to ask questions regarding the recovery. This could be complemented by media coverage of community engagement visits. For all recovery operations, |
REC267-1151 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Government Communications Coordination |
REC267-1153 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Planning for Access to Potentially Isolated Communities |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC265-1108 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Appropriately equipped Incident Control Centres should be identified and/or established throughout the Perth Hills to meet the requirements of a fully resourced Incident Management Team in future bushfire events. |
REC265-1120 | 9 - Community education | DFES should prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for the conduct of community meetings, and have available the appropriate audio visual and other equipment, to ensure that such meetings are able to fulfil their function in providing information and direction |
REC265-1112 | 17 - Assets and technology | Radio infrastructure in the Perth Hills should be reviewed to assess whether it is practicable for radio and/or mobile phone coverage to be improved to achieve better coverage across the area. |
REC265-1101 | 9 - Community education | Staff and consultants skilled in community engagement practice should be specifically included in bushfire risk management planning and preparedness building programs undertaken by State agencies and/or local government. |
REC265-1123 | 17 - Assets and technology | Every effort should be made to enhance the ability of communications personnel to cope with fast moving and time critical fire events by providing and maintaining: ongoing extensive communications training; advanced vehicle capability for clear communication within areas of radio coverage dead spots; ability to receive Air intelligence live streaming; map production facilities; deployment of multiple Incident Control Vehicles when required; all Incident Control Vehicles with access to DFES Information Technology Systems. |
REC265-1117 | 17 - Assets and technology | Automatic Vehicle Location technology should be adopted to enable a better appreciation of the deployment and location of appliances at an incident, in order to increase situational awareness |
REC265-1102 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | SEMC Secretariat Community Emergency Management Officers should work with the Shire to document the Shire of Mundaring’s learnings from the Parkerville Stoneville Mt Helena fire with a view to sharing this with other local authorities particularly those facing similar situations in order to extend the range of tools available to assist local governments to understand their roles and responsibilities in future emergencies. |
REC265-1119 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Relevant policies and Westplans should be amended to require that full consultation occurs between the Controlling Agency and the Department for Child Protection and Family Support regarding the location of the evacuation centre(s) in a bushfire incident. |
REC265-1116 | 17 - Assets and technology | Procedures should be established to monitor the use of heavy plant during a bushfire incident, including the tasking of support appliances. Procedures should provide for the appointment of a dedicated Machinery Supervisor as prescribed within the Australasian Interservice Incident Management System. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC264-1087 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | GDF Suez: • practice and ensures that, by taking a risk management approach, it is suitable for fire prevention, mitigation and suppression in all parts of the Hazelwood mine; and review its ‘Mine Fire Service Policy and Code of Practice’ so that it refects industry best • work plan for the Hazelwood mine. incorporate the revised ‘Mine Fire Service Policy and Code of Practice’ into the approved |
REC264-1086 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | GDF Suez: • consequences of fire in the worked out areas of the Hazelwood mine, and an assessment of the most effective fre protection for the exposed coal surfaces; conduct, assisted by an independent consultant, a risk assessment of the likelihood and • controls are in place to eliminate or reduce the risk of fre; and prepare an implementation plan that ensures the most effective and reasonably practicable • implement the plan |
REC264-1072 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State empower and require the Auditor-General or another appropriate agency, to: • oversee the implementation of these recommendations and the commitments made by the State and GDF Suez during this Inquiry; and • report publicly every year for the next three years on the progress made in implementing recommendations and commitments. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC261-1510 | 36 - Volunteers | That the NSW Rural Fire Service formally recognise the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association as a legitimate advocacy organisation representing volunteer bush fire fighters, and duly consult with it on policy and operational matters. |
REC261-1499 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC261-1498 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC261-1513 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated. |
REC261-1494 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC261-1515 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC261-1507 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out. |
REC261-1508 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information. |
REC261-1503 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC261-1505 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: |
REC261-1502 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
REC261-1496 | 9 - Community education | That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC260-1071 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The NPWS to consider developing a land management policy that requires hazard reduction around identified assets within the Park and the clearing of fire trials within the Park before the bush fire season commences. Consideration should also be given to developing additional fire trails in the Park, bearing in mind the lack of available fire trails to the south of the John Renshaw Parkway in the park. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC259-1045 | 9 - Community education | That recovery policy incorporates the need for regular public meetings which give access to officials and representatives of agencies, as required |
REC259-1044 | 9 - Community education | That where, in the future a similar process for land clearing is adopted, the rationale and process is better explained and widely promulgated. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC257-1542 | 17 - Assets and technology | Firefighitng capability at Marrangaroo Training Area be upgraded so that Australian Defence Force members are not placed in situations of unacceptable risk. Specifically, those participating in range practices must have access to a firefighting vehicle close by and easily deployed, and capable of throwing a large quantity of water an appreciable distance into areas adjacent to the ranges, should a fire occur. |
REC257-1548 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Regional Director-Defence Support-Northern NSW, make contact with Deputy Commissioner ~~~~~ Director of Operational Services Rural Fire Service, to arrange a headquarters driven bipartite review of the events of 16 October 2013 with a review to mitigation of future fire events generally, and with specific reference to: |
REC257-1541 | 17 - Assets and technology | A Stryker unit, or an upgraded firefighting unit, be present at the range sentry point, remain manned and ready to deploy during range activites, with its driver in direct radio contact with the Range Safety Officer. Upon the range being declared clear by the Safety Officer inspecting the range after a demolition serial, the firefighting unit must proceed forward to the range wile the periphery of the range continues to be inspected by the Safety Officer, and remain on the range until the Safety officer declares that the area is clear of fire or that it is otherwise appropriate for the fireghting unit to leave the range area. |
REC257-1546 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Defence undertake a review of its ability to respond to a fire within Marrangaroo Training Area, whether bushfire or structural. The underlying assumption should be that the only response available to fight a fire within Marrangaroo Training Area will be provided by Defence. Further, such response must occur while a fire is in its initial stages. A review must either acknowledge the risk of fire occurring in th future, or upgrade Defence's firefighting capability at Marrangaroo Training Area. |
REC257-1539 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Defence Security Authority conduct an investigation into the whereabouts of items of anaccounted explosive ordnance issued to Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School Exercise Marrangaroo. |
REC257-1544 | 17 - Assets and technology | Defence should not procure any firefighting vehicle for Marrangaroo Training Area without first consulting relevant personnel within the Rural Fire Service on an appropriate type of vehicle, and obtaining training for the personnel proposed to use it. Alternatively, Defence should explore contracted firefighitng support during periods of live-fire on Marrangaroo Training Area. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC254-1582 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC250-0796 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of Premier and Cabinet should lead: x the development of an evaluation framework, based on work undertaken to date by the Department of Human Services, to be used in assessing the impact of relief and recovery programs in the recent floods and in future disaster events x an evaluation of the impact of relief and recovery programs in the recent floods, using this framework. |
REC250-0790 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of Justice should review the current model for rapid impact assessment to improve the quality of the information collected. |
REC250-0794 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Rural Finance Corporation (Department of Treasury and Finance) and Regional Development Victoria should coordinate any future disaster relief and recovery programs for businesses. |
REC250-0793 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Premier and Cabinet should develop clear guidelines for departments in designing community disaster relief and recovery programs. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC247-0873 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | If it is considered more information is required on action to suppress the fires in Dunalley and why fire operations did not continue, the Department of Justice should conduct an independent examination of this matter. |
REC247-0927 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That an accountability process be established for managing improvement in the emergency management arrangements, including annual State of Readiness Reports by relevant departments and agencies and on the overall emergency management arrangements. |
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. |
REC247-0880 | 17 - Assets and technology | That bushfire agencies develop, implement and maintain air operations procedures. |
REC247-0935 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the State Emergency Management Committee includes in its planning, the development of contingency emergency management plans for areas of high risk due to local conditions. |
REC247-0926 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That membership of the State Emergency Management Committee, and other processes to link in appropriate agencies and organisations to emergency management, be included in the recommended review of the emergency management arrangements. |
REC247-0891 | 9 - Community education | That emergency management plans specifically include processes for effectively engaging with local communities and using community resources, including volunteers. |
REC247-0879 | 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. |
REC247-0934 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the State Fire Management Committee considers developing a structured, systemic and proactive bushfire hazard reduction program with municipal councils and Tasmania Fire Service; and advises the Government on any legislative or other changes required to implement such a program. |
REC247-0923 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That a process be established for the timely implementation of approved recommendations from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. |
REC247-0928 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Government take into account demographic change in its assessment of the consequences of climate change on emergency events. |
REC247-0878 | 17 - Assets and technology | That bushfire agencies evaluate the use and effectiveness of fixed wing water bombing aircraft. |
REC247-0894 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the police and other emergency service organisations discuss their resource issues for emergency operations with the Government. |
REC247-0933 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the Government considers whether a peak body should be established, with authority to effectively implement a bushfire mitigation plan. |
REC247-0909 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the plans for social recovery be reviewed, and plans and procedures are established ready for implementation. |
REC247-0951 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That an independent means of monitoring and reporting on the implementation of approved recommendations is established. |
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. |
REC247-0893 | 17 - Assets and technology | That further options to appropriately supplement the resources available for emergency management operations be examined. |
REC247-0931 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a specific risk prevention and mitigation advisory body be established for the State Emergency Management Committee. |
REC247-0903 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the role of Red Cross in emergency management plans and procedures for the activation of Red Cross be reviewed. |
REC247-0941 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Strategic Fuel Management Plan includes measurable targets and they are actively monitored and reported on to the community. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC246-0787 | 9 - Community education | TFS make their community education and safety material available to the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Tasmania. |
REC246-0788 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | TFS seek to address the following outstanding items from the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. § 45 out of 53 Community Bushfire Response Plans for “at risk” communities have been finalized. The remaining eight should be completed as a priority action. § That TFS progress the development of Community Bushfire Mitigation Plans for the 53 at risk communities, possibly as an action for reactivated Fire Management Area Committees. § TFS, together with other ESOs and local government, should develop a common comprehensive approach to the option of planned evacuation from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas to safer areas and eventual return. § TFS should include factors for consideration for evacuation during a bushfire into their training doctrine for Incident Controllers. § The IAP Template and its application be reinforced as an important operational requirement for IMT’s during the 2013-14 pre-season briefing program. 10 § That TFS review their use of IRMS to ascertain if either its full potential is not being realized through a lack of operator training or it is in fact not providing the required functionality and there is a need to research an improved resource management system which enhances interoperability. § The TFS Publication: Guidelines for Development in Bushfire Prone Areas of Tasmania http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/userfiles/stuartp/file/Publications/BushDeve… s2012.pdf requires an update to reflect the provisions of Planning Directive #5 Bushfire-Prone Areas Code. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC241-1028 | 17 - Assets and technology | That vehicles are fit for the purpose and the Brigade locality for which they are intended. A group of two volunteers, in conjunction with the Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland, should be charged with reviewing current models and providing Recommendations on vehicle suitability. |
REC241-1001 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the extent of forest and plantation fuel load fire risk in South East Queensland requires a designated government resources fire team to manage this risk and proactively conduct fuel mitigation burning; and provide a wildfire response to government land. |
REC241-1009 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the reflective livery on Rural Fire Service Queensland staff vehicles be kept to a minimum of a light bar and affixed Rural Fire Service Queensland logo. These vehicles are to be appropriate to the task and location. |
REC241-0968 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a Mitigation Officer position be created to assist the District offices and District Fire Management Groups (refer to Recommendations 40 to 46) in developing their fire management plans and to ensure mitigation work is being conducted. |
REC241-1040 | 36 - Volunteers | That RFSQ review local SAP function and delegation to enable effective and timely support for volunteers. |
REC241-1027 | 17 - Assets and technology | That Rural Fire Service Queensland, in consultation with Primary Producer Brigade volunteers, redesign and reconfigure slip-on units to bring the total cost below the level required for asset registration. The redesign should allow for the foam system to be optional. |
REC241-0979 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Queensland Government liaise with the Federal Government with a view to securing incentives for employers that recognise loss of income and employee time for emergency operations. |
REC241-1042 | 17 - Assets and technology | The issue of red and blue lights for RFSQ and SES vehicles be further pursued by the Department of Community Safety |
REC241-0973 | 17 - Assets and technology | That all land on which rural fire brigade sheds are located be re-evaluated to formalise enforceable lease agreements. |
REC241-1017 | 36 - Volunteers | That each District office establish and maintain a register of suitably qualified Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System trained volunteers who are prepared to undertake the management of operations and provide these to the District Fire Management Group. |
REC241-1026 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland catalogue accurately reflects the range of equipment available. |
REC241-1000 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the provisions of the Vegetation Management Act 1999 should be clarified to ensure that effective and accessible firebreaks or fire control lines are established in order that assets can be protected. The decision on the construction of these firebreaks and fire control lines is to be made by the landowner in conjunctions with the local Rural Fire Brigade or Fire Warden |
REC241-0954 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a Ministerial Advisory Council be established to inform the Minister of matters relating to Rural Fire Service and SES volunteers. |
REC241-1039 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the State Government supply and logistics for Personal Protective Equipment and other equipment be urgently reviewed with a focus on timely and cost effective delivery to volunteer members. |
REC241-0970 | 17 - Assets and technology | That RFSQ retain responsibility for Air Operations and re-evaluate avenues for cost recovery when aircraft are used by other agencies. The coordination of incendiary tasking to support mitigation should sit with the RFSQ in coordination with other agencies |
REC241-0978 | 36 - Volunteers | That in recognition of their commitment to the community volunteers employed by the State Government should be released to assist as volunteers for up to five (5) days per year in appropriately identified emergency operations. |
REC241-1025 | 17 - Assets and technology | That an ‘Options Paper’ be developed by District Inspectors on the suitability and supply of PPE and equipment to volunteers for their district. |
REC241-0998 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That Rural Fire Service Queensland instigates a hazard mitigation operational period, (E.G. Operation Cold Burn), at suitable times each year as appropriate by area. |
REC241-1030 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That Rural Fire Brigades only be required to conduct an audit of finances if the Brigades income exceeds $5,000 for a financial year. RFSQ District offices should investigate options for savings on the costs of auditing Brigades in their district through either an in-house or external provider. Legal Status of Brigades |
REC241-1036 | 17 - Assets and technology | That each District Inspector prepare a report on vehicles required over the next ten years based on current age of fleet. |
REC241-0955 | 36 - Volunteers | That corporate support, such as administration and finance, to volunteer services be shared to enable a closer working relationship between the services. |
REC241-1024 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland revoke its current 20 year maximum age policy on volunteer Brigade vehicles to allow Brigades wanting to retain their vehicle to do so, providing the vehicle has an annual mechanical certificate. A 30 year maximum age policy for vehicles will replace the 20 year policy. |
REC241-0992 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That District Inspectors be responsible for consultation with Fire Wardens during the development of District fire management plans. |
REC241-1029 | 17 - Assets and technology | That a policy be developed around the ownership, insurance and safe use and operation of All Terrain Vehicle 4WD vehicles by brigades for fire fighting purposes. |
REC241-1012 | 17 - Assets and technology | Use of private aircraft to be at the discretion of District Inspector or Incident Control and reimbursement of fuel to be authorised accordingly. |
REC241-0991 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That annual planning be undertaken at each level that addresses hazard actions across all disaster management phases (ie: prevention, preparation, response and recovery), with a focus on vegetation and land management. This planning is to be consistent with the hazard- specific planning envisaged under the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements and be supported by guidelines to be developed and issued by Rural Fire Service Queensland. District plans are to be approved by the Director- General or equivalent for the Department of Community Safety and will inform a State Wildfire Management Plan to be approved by the State Disaster Management Group. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC238-0809 | 9 - Community education | Ensure the SES has the long-term capacity to plan and exercise for the full range of flood events in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley |
REC238-0802 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Review the NSW state-wide governance arrangements for flood risk management so that broader issues identified by this Review can be most effectively addressed. |
REC238-0812 | 9 - Community education | Develop mechanisms and arrangements to promote and provide greater access to flood risk information. |
REC238-0811 | 9 - Community education | Monitor, investigate and address community response to flood warnings |
REC238-0810 | 9 - Community education | Undertake, coordinate and evaluate community education programs on flood risk and response. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC228-1618 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Emergency Services Agency, the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should strengthen across-Government delivery of major projects in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan and Regional Fire Management Plans by collectively: |
REC228-1610 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Emergency Services Agency should annually review fire management zones and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should subsequently update the Regional Fire Management Plans. |
REC228-1625 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should improve information capture and sharing by: |
REC228-1605 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Justice and Community Safety Directorate should continue to review its strategic and accountability indicators and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should commence a review of its strategic and accountability indicators. The directorates should consult to develop complementary measures which better assess their bushfire management activities. |
REC228-1620 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Emergency Services Agency, in consultation with the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, should review the Farm FireWise Program, including: |
REC228-1614 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Emergency Services Agency, in consultation with the ACT Bushfire Council, should conduct a review of the ACT Bushfire Council against its recently developed terms of reference (July 2013) within two years. |
REC228-1609 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Emergency Services Agency should undertake audits to meet the requirements in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan for the preparation, sharing and publication of annual progress reports. Annual progress reports should be made available to the ACT Bushfire Council. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC226-0541 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Experienced forecasters and fire behaviour experts should be embedded in DEC at least at a state level to ensure that fire risks are properly understood by decision makers. |
REC226-0581 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Increased acceptance of mutual obligations will be fundamental to the management of fire risk across the state |
REC226-0571 | 24 - Govt responsibility | A review of the manner in which resourcing is conducted across all agencies needs to occur with a review identifying the best manner to ensure all agencies adapt to the same process. |
REC226-0568 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State-wide all agency reporting should be established to facilitate the interactions of emergency management agencies, support agencies and governments. |
REC226-0583 | 17 - Assets and technology | The state should converge on a single communications platform for all emergency management and support agencies. |
REC226-0549 | 4 - Fire season preparation | All forms of fuel modification should be available to fire managers. |
REC226-0582 | 17 - Assets and technology | The state should progressively align on a shared platform, such as WebEOC, to establish a COP [Common Operating Picture or Platform?]. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC225-0533 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields. |
REC225-0540 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | : In due course, acts of bravery are considered and recommendations for awards are submitted, including commendations for the delivery of First Aid. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC224-1631 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government prepare a strategy before the 2013-14 bushfire season on how the main firefighting agencies should deal with a drier South West region where fewer prescribed burns can be completed each year. |
REC224-1629 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Minister for Emergency Services must ensure that future post-incident analyses are completed and made public within eight weeks of a natural disaster. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC223-0522 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The response operation to the Margaret River bushfire in November 2011 be the subject of a review with independent oversight. |
REC223-0516 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of Environment and Conservation review its implementation of the findings of the Ferguson Review conducted in 2010. |
REC223-0523 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Government consider enacting legislation to facilitate the review of all future major incidents, including but not limited to fire, earthquake, storm and marine inundation, and the emergency response to them. |
REC223-0521 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Environment and Conservation develop and implement a strategy to better inform the community about the complexities and decisions surrounding prescribed burns when they are undertaken in the rural urban area. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC217-1823 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Victorian Government should work with the New South Wales Government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to establish an appropriate floodplain management committee and to develop a floodplain management strategy for the Murray River. The strategy will define priority regions for the development of floodplain management plans, address ways of improving the management of all levees on the Murray River, and seek agreement in relation to improved approvals processes, levee heights and maintenance regimes. |
REC217-1843 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 10 in relation to the datums used to describe river and stream heights. |
REC217-1822 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The state government will work with Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and stakeholders to determine ongoing ownership and associated responsibilities for redundant channel infrastructure in the Wimmera and the Mallee. |
REC217-1839 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The state government accept recommendations 25 to 28, inclusive, of the Victorian Floods Review. |
REC217-1835 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Within the jurisdiction of Melbourne Water, it shares with local councils the responsibility to manage local drainage systems as outlined under the Water Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 1989 respectively: |
REC217-1827 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The role of flood risk management planning rests with CMAs and Melbourne Water (under the Water Act 1989), and is a shared responsibility with local government. Shared responsibilities for flood risk management planning and implementation will be consistently reflected in government policy. |
REC217-1840 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 8, to review the flood gauging network. As part of the review, consideration should also be given to the use of portable telemetered river gauges, and to the replacement of manual gauges with telemetered gauges over time and where appropriate. |
REC217-1824 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Victorian Government to implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the development and implementation of appropriate flood mitigation and protection strategies for essential services. |
REC217-1846 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The state government should implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the creation of resilience committees and resilience plans, with responsible authorities. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC216-2865 | 9 - Community education | Management of community expectations: further development of tools that would allow the community to more easily |
REC216-2864 | 9 - Community education | Management of community expectations: continued community education. |
REC216-2863 | 9 - Community education | Management of community expectations: better understanding of what different groups within a community expect. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC210-0618 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should endeavour to ensure that Queensland conditions are appropriately considered in the National Flood Risk Advisory Group’s review of best practice principles. |
REC210-0773 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prioritise dam safety audits according to risk. The risk assessment should be informed by criteria including: • structure and materials used in construction • age of the dam • time since last inspection • occurrence of a flood event since last audit and the size of that flood event • population at risk if the dam were to fail • experience and capability of dam owner • dam owner compliance history • time since last audit. |
REC210-0720 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should determine which of its agencies should take responsibility for the management of all existing and new abandoned mine sites in Queensland. |
REC210-0615 | 9 - Community education | Flood maps, and property specific flooding information intended for use by the general public, should be readily interpretable and should, where necessary, be accompanied by a comprehensible explanatory note. |
REC210-0737 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should ensure that an independent and appropriately qualified person immediately starts the task of reviewing the March flood event report to ensure that the review is completed before the start of the 2012/2013 wet season. |
REC210-0752 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Prior to approving a flood mitigation manual, the Queensland Government should be satisfied that its terms are expressed in a manner that allows a determination of compliance with it to be made by reference to objective standards. |
REC210-0710 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should assist mine operators in their applications for amended environmental authorities to ensure, as far as possible, that each environmental authority contains a tailored version of Table 4 of the model conditions. The Department of Environment and Resource Management should provide to mining companies its monitoring data and its suggested values for Table 4 on the basis of an assessment of the catchment which takes into account the cumulative effect of different operators’ releases. |
REC210-0774 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Environment and Resource Management and Emergency Management Queensland should ensure that each has copies of current emergency action plans for all dams in Queensland. |
REC210-0772 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Prior to each wet season, the Department of Environment and Resource Management should audit the compliance of each owner of a referable dam with the obligation to have an emergency action plan approved by the Queensland Government. |
REC210-0718 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should make public the procedural guide used by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers to decide whether to grant an emergency direction. |
REC210-0763 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | Seqwater should ensure that the Somerset Dam gallery is not susceptible to flooding during overtopping events. |
REC210-0614 | 9 - Community education | Councils and the Queensland Government should display on their websites all flood mapping they have commissioned or adopted. |
REC210-0736 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Seqwater should ensure that proper support and oversight mechanisms are put in place around both the substantive and procedural aspects of drafting flood event reports. Seqwater should consider engaging consultants with expertise in the production of reports following significant events to advise on these mechanisms. Measures to be considered should include: • ensuring appropriate systems are in place to ensure the recollections of flood engineers and other parties are recorded immediately after the event, perhaps by engaging an external party to interview the flood engineers and other parties • ensuring that a methodology for writing the report is set out clearly in advance, in writing, and that the final report includes a statement of that methodology • putting in place systems to ensure that members of senior management have sufficient understanding of both the methodology and process by which the report is prepared to allow themselves to be satisfied that these are appropriate. |
REC210-0751 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should continue to assess and review the adequacy of work procedures DS 5.1 and 5.3, having regard to the need for flood mitigation manuals to reflect the will of the executive. |
REC210-0707 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should conduct risk assessments in time for site inspections, and the implementation of solutions to problems identified at inspections, to take place before 1 November of each year. |
REC210-0771 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should, in consultation with the Department of Environment and Resource Management and Emergency Management Queensland, determine which agency is appropriate to review and approve emergency action plans for referable dams. |
REC210-0762 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Seqwater should consider commissioning an investigation into the extent of cracking below the level of the upper gallery of Somerset Dam and the impact of any such cracking on the dam’s stability and, in turn, its operation. |
REC210-0716 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should make public the procedural guide used by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers to decide whether to grant a transitional environmental program. |
REC210-0708 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | The Queensland Government should work collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government and mine operators to ensure co-ordinated and effective monitoring of salts, metals and other contaminants in marine environments that may be affected by mine discharges. |
REC210-0604 | 9 - Community education | By reference to the order of priority determined in accordance with recommendation 2.5, the Queensland Government and councils should together ensure that the council responsible for each urban area in Queensland has access to current flood study information. This will include determining: a. a process or processes by which the flood studies will be completed, including the involvement of the Queensland Government and relevant councils b. how, and from whom, the necessary technical and financial resources will be obtained c. a reasonable timeframe by which all flood studies required will be completed. |
REC210-0726 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service should require that each region records in writing the results of its risk assessment undertaken as part of its annual review of its special operations functional plan. |
REC210-0748 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should consider whether North Pine Dam should be operated as a flood mitigation dam when it considers possible operating strategies and full supply levels as part of the longer term review of the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at North Pine Dam. |
REC210-0706 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prepare a list of relevant considerations to be taken into account in performing a risk assessment to decide which sites to inspect. Bureau of Meteorology forecasts should be one consideration. |
REC210-0765 | 24 - Govt responsibility | As part of the longer term review of the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam, the Queensland Government should consider the impact of possible upgrades of bridges downstream of Wivenhoe Dam on different operating strategies for the dam. |
REC210-0743 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Seqwater should, in creating the new Wivenhoe and North Pine flood mitigation manuals, comprehensively consider: • the amount of discretion that is able to be exercised by the flood engineers and the senior flood engineers, and the description of the circumstances in which such discretion may be exercised • the circumstances in which it might be appropriate to release water in advance of an impending flood on the basis of forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology • if strategies of the form of strategy W2 and W3 in Revision 7 are included in the revised manual, or any strategy defined as a ‘transition strategy’, when and how those strategies should be implemented • if the concept of ‘urban inundation’ is relevant to the operation of the dam, how it should be defined, and if the definition involves diverse concepts, how those concepts can be related back to the strategies, so that flood engineers can reach a clear understanding of their objectives and primary considerations • if the concept of ‘natural peak flow’ is relevant, how it should be defined. |
REC210-0715 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should prepare a procedural guide for officers deciding whether to grant a relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, with guidance as to: • the meaning of each criterion • examples of the types of things that may be relevant to each criterion • the priority, if any, to be afforded to different criteria. |
REC210-0603 | 9 - Community education | The Queensland Government, in consultation with councils, should determine which urban areas in Queensland do not have access to flood information from a current flood study. The Queensland Government should rank those areas in order of priority in accordance with their need for updated flood information by reference to factors including: a. population b. sophistication of land use planning and emergency management measures already in place in those areas c. currency of any flood risk information available to the council d. approximate frequency of damaging floods in the area according to the historical record |
REC210-0620 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should determine whether existing guidelines are sufficient for councils to understand best practice in the performance of flood studies and the production of flood maps. If a lack of current guidelines is identified, the government should create and circulate guidance material for councils. |
REC210-0745 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should ensure that all flood mitigation manuals include the requirement that those operating the dam during flood events hold current registrations as professional engineers. |
REC210-0689 | 9 - Community education | Councils should conduct education campaigns directed to ensuring that all residents and property owners in areas identified as being at risk of backflow flooding are aware of the circumstances in which backflow flooding can occur, the hazard it presents and what should be done if it occurs. |
REC210-0764 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Transport and Main Roads, in conjunction with Brisbane City Council and Somerset Regional Council, should investigate options for the upgrade of Brisbane River crossings between Wivenhoe Dam and Colleges Crossing and undertake a cost-benefit analysis of these to determine the outcome which best serves the public interest. |
REC210-0738 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Seqwater should ensure that any future peer review process: • is co-ordinated by someone independent of those who wrote the report • entails the provision of all relevant information to the peer reviewers • permits sufficient time for the review • documents all contact between those whose actions are under review and the reviewers. |
REC210-0713 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should refine the criteria which must be considered in assessment of applications for relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, in response to flood. |
REC210-0619 | 24 - Govt responsibility | In the event that the review does not adequately account for Queensland conditions, the Queensland Government should produce a document that provides appropriate guidelines for floodplain management in the Queensland context. |
REC210-0742 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Queensland Government should ensure that, when it considers options for the operational strategies to |
REC210-0680 | 9 - Community education | Queensland Urban Utilities, and other distributor-retailers and councils, that have identified a practice of stormwater drains being connected to sewerage infrastructure, should conduct a program of education to raise public awareness that this practice is illegal and impedes the operation of the sewerage infrastructure. |
REC210-0753 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prepare formal work procedures for the review of flood event reports created under emergency action plans and flood mitigation manuals. These should include procedures for: • making enquiries with the owners of referable dams that have catchments that have been subject to heavy rainfall (or where there is other reason to believe the emergency action plan has been triggered) as to whether the emergency action plans have been triggered • reminding owners of referable dams that have had emergency action plans triggered of their obligation to submit a flood event report • upon receipt of a flood event report, reviewing it, identifying any dam safety or other issues or areas where insufficient detail has been provided, raising those matters with the dam owner or other affected party and identifying appropriate remedial steps 28 Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry | Final Report Complete list of Final Report recommendations • raising any issues identified in the report that are beyond the expertise of the Department of Environment and Resource Management, or are likely to be of particular interest to another body, with the appropriate body • keeping a record of the process and results of the review of the flood event report • fixing an appropriate timeline for the completion of each of the above steps: the time required may depend on specific circumstances, but must allow for any potential safety issues to be identified and remedied efficiently. |
REC210-0711 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Unless the Department of Environment and Resource Management has decided not to permit discharges, it should assist each mine operator in its application for an environmental authority to ensure, as far as possible, that each authority includes provisions for discharges during times of heavy rainfall and flood. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC209-1673 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a trial be commissioned to assess the most effective means of road verge management, including regional variations, for future application across the Territory. |
REC209-1655 | 9 - Community education | Professional communications and educational resources be contracted to develop an integrated communications and engagement strategy and program for implementation by Bushfires NT. |
REC209-1672 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Annual property inspections assessing access and fuel loads are conducted in all peri urban areas. |
REC209-1653 | 9 - Community education | Develop a continuing education program for new members of the Bushfires Council, the Regional Committees and stakeholders’ representatives, to ensure that all stakeholders clearly understand the role and processes involved in the Bushfires Council advisory function. |
REC209-1660 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Better alignment between divisions within DNRETAS be achieved through the development of an integrated strategy that addresses the combined objectives of weed management, land management, carbon farming and biodiversity management using fire across the Territory. |
REC209-1647 | 9 - Community education | A comprehensive pre bushfire season communications strategy, that supplements and extends the information provided on the DNRETAS website, be implemented to inform and educate landholders. |
REC209-1643 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | An evaluation be conducted into the integration of the appropriate elements of the South Australian Country Fire Service “Crimson” networking system into Bushfires NT ICT. |
REC209-1661 | 9 - Community education | Arrange a forum that includes all stakeholders in large scale fire management for the purposes of aligning the various stakeholder strategies across the Territory. |
REC209-1654 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Director Bushfires NT NOT be appointed as a member of Council. |
REC209-1657 | 9 - Community education | Information for all landholders, in appropriate cultural and language formats be developed and distributed through events and multiple media. |
REC209-1656 | 9 - Community education | Ensure educational material is available prior to the commencement of each fire season in each region. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC202-0512 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on an assessment of the success of FESA’s Total Fire Ban community education campaign in improving the community’s knowledge on this issue. |
REC202-0498 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Minister for Planning report to Parliament by May 2012 on the urgent actions undertaken by the Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas to the WAPC. |
REC202-0509 | 36 - Volunteers | The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Environment develop by December 2012 a Volunteer Charter that recognises the important work undertaken by the State’s volunteer bushfire and emergency services personnel. |
REC202-0511 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on the best practices in other jurisdictions to increase the rate of residents likely to be effected by a bushfire who properly prepare their properties before the bushfire season. |
REC202-0506 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that FESA has the funds to implement the installation and use of WebEOC for use during the 2011-12 bushfire season and immediately put in place common protocols with the Police and DEC to record significant events during a bushfire. |
REC202-0508 | 36 - Volunteers | The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government review and report to Parliament by May 2012 on ways in which the State’s volunteer firefighters and rescue workers can be more effectively managed and valued. |
REC202-0497 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Minister for Local Government have urgent discussions with the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) as to why they are not supporting the full Recommendations addressed to local government in the Keelty Report. The Minister ensure that by May 2012 WALGA and its member councils have the resources to fully implement theimplementation of the Recommendations. |
REC202-0510 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government provide additional resources to FESA, DEC and WALGA in the 2012-13 Budget to improve the Western Australian community’s knowledge of bushfire safety and to allow these agencies to involve the public in their exercises. |
REC202-0496 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that a whole-of-government equipment register of the firefighting equipment held by FESA, DEC and local government authorities is in place for the 2012-13 bushfire season. |
REC202-0495 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | At the conclusion to the 2011-12 bushfire season, the Minister for Emergency Services institute a thorough review of the operations of FESA, the Police and DEC in protecting the State from bushfires and other natural disasters, with a primary focus on: · staffing levels; · equipment levels and coordination; and · training needs. The Minister report to Parliament by June 2012 on any changes that need to be made to the current departmental structures to optimise the State’s preparedness for the 2012-13 bushfire season. |
REC202-0493 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Minister for Emergency Services report to Parliament every six months on the progress made in completing all of the outstanding Recommendations of the Keelty Report. |
REC202-0503 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for the Environment report to Parliament by December each year as to the state of readiness of the main State Government agencies tasked with fighting bushfires. |
REC202-0500 | 24 - Govt responsibility | In implementing the Keelty Report’s Recommendation 42, the Ministers for Emergency Services and Environment jointly report to Parliament by May 2012 on the likely impacts on, and implications for, the future bushfire operations of the State Government of the drying climate in the State’s South West region. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC201-0249 | 17 - Assets and technology | FRS fire appliance allocation and training needs to be reviewed to enhance offensive bushfire capability within the metropolitan area. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC200-1719 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government recognise the projected changes in climate and potential impact on future fire events. |
REC200-1732 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State Government review implementation of the Special Inquiry's recommendations in two years. |
REC200-0392 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State Government review implementation of the Special Inquiry’s Recommendations in two years. |
REC200-0388 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog. |
REC200-1685 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments. |
REC200-0349 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia and local governments to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the use of mobile variable message boards to alert the community to the declaration of a total fire ban and what it means. |
REC200-1681 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas from local government to the Western Australian Planning Commission. The Western Australian Planning Commission should urgently assess those areas that should be declared bushfire prone. |
REC200-1717 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government mandate that the title deeds for relevant properties be amended to indicate if the property is in a declared bushfire prone area. |
REC200-1701 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority convene a facilitated debriefing session between the families who remained behind to protect their properties, and the incident controllers. |
REC200-0384 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | Emergency Management Western Australia develop mechanisms to calculate the estimated total cost of a fire to the community. |
REC200-0387 | 17 - Assets and technology | The State Government transfer responsibility for the installation, removal, maintenance of fire hydrants to the Water Corporation, in accordance with the Recommendations of the 2006 CDJSC Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation. |
REC200-1684 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises: |
REC200-1718 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | Western Power and the Water Corporation continue to work collaboratively to assess options to better protect the power supply to water pumping stations in bushfire prone areas. |
REC200-0348 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority consider alternative wording to Total Fire Ban that ensures people gain a more complete understanding of what actions are prohibited. |
REC200-1716 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and locals governments: |
REC200-1728 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog. |
REC200-0361 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority convene a facilitated debriefing session between the families who remained behind to protect their properties, and the incident controllers. This session should include open discussion and explain the decisions of all parties – including how the incident controllers determined priorities, and why residents chose not follow their advice to evacuate. The learning outcomes should be promulgated across all agencies and incorporated in future level 3 incident controller training programs. |
REC200-0379 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government recognise the projected changes in climate and potential impact on future fire events. |
REC200-0378 | 17 - Assets and technology | Western Power and the Water Corporation continue to work collaboratively to assess options to better protect the power supply to water pumping stations in bushfire prone areas. |
REC200-0360 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Interagency Bushfire Management committee develop and oversee a work program to: conduct site specific assessments to assess current fuel loads assess, analyse and prioritise bushfire risk on land within and adjacent to communities develop a three year rolling mitigation works program with annual implementation and review. This work should commence independently of any decision on the most effective online integrated system. All data collected should be uploaded to the SLIP. |
REC200-0347 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum. |
REC200-1688 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum. |
REC200-1699 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government ensure that the continued development of the Fire and Emergency Service Authority's Integrated Bushfire Risk Management System is dependent on an independent comparative assessment of its functionality and cost-effectiveness against the Spatial Support System used by the Department of Environment and Conservation. |
REC200-1727 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government transfer responsibility for the installation, removal, maintenance of fire hydrants to the Water Corporation, in accordance with the recommendations of the 2006 CDJSC Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation. |
REC200-0365 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its program to decommission vehicles and ensure that when such vehicles are offered during an incident that FESA staff adhere to FESA’s own policy of ‘Use of Private Vehicles in Fires’. |
REC200-0344 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments. |
REC200-1687 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia to develop a package of information for new residents moving into bushfire prone areas, and a process to ensure this information is provided through real estate agents. |
REC200-1694 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government give its full support to the Western Australian Local Government Association's Send to Solve initiative. |
REC200-1723 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government restructure the Fire and Emergency Services Authority as a Department. As part of this restructure, Emergency Management Western Australia should either |
REC200-0364 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority review its use of the Australian Interagency Incident Management System to ensure that the most appropriate resources (including aerial resources) are used to respond to an incident. If resources are rejected during an incident either through the decision making process or other grounds, the reason for the decision should be documented. |
REC200-1700 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Interagency Bushfire Management committee develop and oversee a work program to: |
REC200-0343 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises: Water supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Power supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Saving life will be a priority over saving property so expect to be evacuated Once evacuated, access to affected areas may not be possible for several days Water ‘bombing’ by aircraft cannot be guaranteed in bushfire SMS warnings are advice only and may not be timely. |
REC200-1686 | 9 - Community education | Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices. |
REC200-1682 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The State Government give legislative effect to the Planning for Bush Fire Protection Guidelines. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC199-0406 | 24 - Govt responsibility | the state expand the Regional Water Monitoring Partnerships model to include all flood warning gauges. |
REC199-0427 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | the state require dam owners and operators provide regular situational reports to the relevant control agency where dam issues may impact incident management. |
REC199-0450 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state ensure that appropriate record management processes are developed and implemented and that these processes also provide record accountability for multi-agency operations. Agency processes should be standardised to the fullest extent possible |
REC199-0400 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The state take the necessary measures to clarify roles, responsibilities and cost-sharing arrangements for flood warning systems, including tasking state and regional bodies to be responsible for the flood warning system. This will require engaging with the commonwealth to amend the 2001 arrangements, updating the 1998 floodplain management strategy accordingly and continuing to support commonwealth initiatives designed to improve flood mapping standards and associated issues. |
REC199-0426 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | the state require that dam owners and operators inform people situated downstream of water storages if the owners/operators become aware of an immediate threat arising from the dam to the safety of those people. The owner/operators should provide this information as soon as the owner/operators become aware of the threat. |
REC199-0441 | 4 - Fire season preparation | the state undertake further trials to explore the opportunity for greater use of social media as a credible source of information to and from the public during an emergency |
REC199-0445 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state develop and implement operational performance standards for each state agency involved in emergency management response and recovery and that: • each agency be assessed by the Emergency Services Commissioner periodically against these performance standards for both capability and capacity; and • where performance against these standards for either capability or capacity cannot be demonstrated by any agency – appropriate advice is communicated to the relevant Minister, departmental/agency head and State Emergency Response Coordinator; and – an action plan is developed and implemented to address the relevant capability or capacity deficiency in both the short and longer term. |
REC199-0481 | 24 - Govt responsibility | the state (consistent with recommendation 46) develop a model for determining the capability and capacity of departments and agencies with roles and responsibilities in large scale or protracted emergencies. The issues of capability and capacity should be addressed at all levels of emergency management planning. |
REC199-0425 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | the state require that dam owners and operators inform the control agency and the Bureau of Meteorology about the management and operation of dams and weirs consistent with the flood warning requirements of the relevant river systems, including providing telemetry at sites as necessary. This may require the state proactively liaising with other states to ensure equivalent obligations are placed on interstate dam operators where the dam may impact Victorian communities. |
REC199-0428 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state clarify which agency is responsible for collecting post-flood extent and related data. This should include: • the development of guidelines to ensure consistent standards are applied to post-flood data collection; and • an appropriate process to ensure funding availability for such activities. |
REC199-0466 | 24 - Govt responsibility | the Departments of Health and Human Services finalise the definition of ‘vulnerable person’ and the list of facility types where vulnerable people are located and ensure that the definition and associated policy(ies) are applicable across ‘all hazards’. |
REC199-0422 | 36 - Volunteers | the state establish a process for volunteer community member accreditation to allow volunteers to provide flood information to the control agency during a flood event. This process should establish a base competency standard and provide appropriate emergency management and Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System training to accredited community volunteers. |
REC199-0483 | 9 - Community education | the state ensure: • where external assistance is provided to Victoria during emergencies, communities are advised of the specific purpose of that assistance, through media and other information channels; and • all agencies provide incident management personnel with information regarding the arrangements for tasking Australian Defence Force resources and that this advice is reinforced during emergencies where Australian Defence Force support is provided. |
REC199-0424 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | the state require dam owners and operators to review storage operating manuals to incorporate lessons from the 2010–11 floods and make this information publicly available. The manuals should include a clear policy on dam surcharging and pre-release. |
REC199-0407 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state: • undertake a strategic review to identify areas at risk from flash or riverine flooding. Shortcomings in the flood gauging networks identified in the review should then be the focus of remedial action • seek to address as a priority any notable gaps in the total flood warning system as apparent in the 2010–11 floods (including south west Victoria, Wimmera and north central region) by enhancing mapping, gauging and education programs; and • seek a commitment from the Bureau of Meteorology to ensure any new gauges installed are utilised to enhance flood prediction capability and coverage. |
REC199-0465 | 24 - Govt responsibility | the state undertake major reform of Victoria’s emergency management arrangements to bring about an effective ‘all hazards, all agencies’ approach, incorporating: • clarity of command and control in all emergencies • common operating platforms, including communications and information technology • interoperability between all agencies • regular joint training and exercising by all agencies • the development and implementation of performance standards for each emergency management agency • the development and maintenance of effective planning arrangements at all levels of emergency management • a meaningful monitoring and audit regime for designated standards and planning requirements; and • an effective accountability mechanism to support the maintenance of legislative and other agency obligations. |
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. |
REC199-0431 | 9 - Community education | the state allocate core funding for the ongoing delivery of the ‘FloodSafe’ program to flood prone communities across Victoria. |
REC199-0401 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state task the Emergency Services Commissioner with the responsibility to establish an effective audit regime of the total flood warning system. |
REC199-0455 | 24 - Govt responsibility | the state conduct an ‘all hazards’ needs analysis to determine requirements for level 3 Incident Control Centres with a focus on ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency capability. Following this analysis, the state take steps to ensure the availability of sufficient and functional level 3 Incident Control Centres across the state with an ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency capability |
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. |
REC199-0482 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | the state task the Emergency Services Commissioner with the responsibility to develop and undertake the regular audit of emergency management plans at all levels. |
REC199-0430 | 9 - Community education | the state undertake a community education program to inform households of their respective flood risk. This may include information on rate notices of heights of houses above flood level and educating people about flash flooding. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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 |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC195-0333 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services identify opportunities for the community to learn about, engage with and influence local emergency management planning. |
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. |
REC195-0334 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Fire Services Commissioner leads a task force to: a. identify legislation, policies and guidelines that impact on vegetation management and recommend necessary changes b. develop a set of risk-based standards for vegetation management with respect to strategic firebreaks and the assets being protected c. integrate maintenance standards across all areas of responsibility and tenure. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC191-0267 | 9 - Community education | that the Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State establish with local government a communication strategy to inform all residents about their fire prevention responsibilities. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC183-0120 | 17 - Assets and technology | Maintaining the DEC fleet of tankers, bulldozers and low loaders is crucial to DEC’s fire management and control capability. |
REC183-0119 | 17 - Assets and technology | The development of a three year aerial firefighting strategy for W.A. would ensure optimal development of a joint air capability. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC182-0127 | 9 - Community education | FESA strengthens its planning process to ensure learnings are incorporated and communicated, levels of preparedness are linked to threat analyses and public awareness and education activities are sustained. |
REC182-0134 | 17 - Assets and technology | FESA reviews its air reconnaissance capability and determines if multiple multi-sensor air reconnaissance aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles are required for managing concurrent and/or complex incidents. |
REC182-0126 | 9 - Community education | FESA promotes a whole-of-community approach, involving FESA, Local Governments and the community, in fire prevention functions, activities and planning. |
REC182-0132 | 9 - Community education | FESA implements an education and awareness campaign to promote the purpose and utility of community information systems. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC181-0211 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The State and Commonwealth provide for municipal councils adequate guidance on resolving the competing tensions arising from the legislation affecting roadside clearing and, where necessary, amend environment protection legislation to facilitate annual bushfire-prevention activities by the appropriate agencies. |
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. |
REC181-0194 | 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. |
REC181-0210 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The State amend the exemptions in clause 52.17-6 of the Victoria Planning Provisions to ensure that the provisions allow for a broad range of roadside works capable of reducing fire risk and provide specifically for a new exemption where the purpose of the works is to reduce bushfire risk. |
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. |
REC181-0170 | 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. |
REC181-0192 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Department of Sustainability and Environment develop and administer a collective offset solution for individual landholders who are permitted to remove native vegetation for the purpose of fire protection. |
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. |
REC181-0217 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State consider the development of legislation for the conduct of inquiries in Victoria —in particular, the conduct of royal commissions. |
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. |
REC181-0216 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The State appoint an independent monitor or the Victorian Auditor-General to assess progress with implementing the Commission’s recommendations and report to the Parliament and the people of Victoria by 31 July 2012. |
REC181-0212 | 4 - Fire season preparation | VicRoads implement a systematic statewide program of bushfire risk assessment for all roads for which it is responsible, to ensure conformity with the obligations in s. 43 of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and with the objectives expressed in the VicRoads 1985 Code of Practice. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC176-0140 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Commonwealth seek agreement from the states and territories that would enable it to evaluate the adequacy of fuel reduction programs applied by public land management agencies in high bushfire risk areas, and audit their implementation against the program's stated objectives. |
REC176-0150 | 17 - Assets and technology | The committee recommends that the Commonwealth co-ordinate a national approach to the pooling of ground fire fighting resources across agencies and jurisdictions to maximise the efficiency of their use. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC173-0101 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The prioritisation, by the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC), of bushfire preparedness activities including updating WESTPLAN - BUSHFIRE and coordinating bushfire exercises prior to the 2009/10 bushfire season. |
REC173-0103 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Minister for Emergency Services consider the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer, Department of Environment and Conservation as a member of the State Emergency Management Committee. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC172-0047 | 17 - Assets and technology | There is an established need to develop mobile accommodation and accommodation facility support solutions that allows an acceptable standard of accommodation to be provided to fire fighters in close proximity to the incident. |
REC172-0025 | 17 - Assets and technology | Suppression resources should be ordered and mobilised as 2 truck Strike Teams with a STL and consistently deployed to the fire ground as a unit. |
REC172-0046 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Perishable food should be ‘stamped’ with an expiry date. |
REC172-0019 | 17 - Assets and technology | A centralised, regional, multi-agency resource coordination and tracking system/facility be established to accommodate and coordinate the movement of resources from all agencies within and between regions. |
REC172-0045 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Food storage should be a design consideration in all fire ground appliances |
REC172-0044 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Pre-season arrangements to provide high quality food should be encouraged in all emergency management plans |
REC172-0029 | 17 - Assets and technology | Provide a photocopier in the Mobile Communications Facility or the mobile equipment cache that is capable of large volume production of collated documents. |
REC172-0028 | 17 - Assets and technology | Ensure the S61 helicopter has all appropriate channels for water bombing operations throughout the State by including this requirement on a pre-deployment checklist. |
REC172-0026 | 17 - Assets and technology | At large incidents a communications bus should be provided for the use by Air Ops and a designated work space should be provided for the Air Ops management group. |
REC172-0048 | 4 - Fire season preparation | A standard for signage at fire incidents be developed and caches of this equipment be established at DEC and Local Govt facilitates to enable its rapid and effective deployment by Ground Support Unit at fires. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC171-0069 | 17 - Assets and technology | That in any consideration being given to the allocation of responsibility for control of operations in respect of major fires, consideration be given to the availability of technology and other resources, particularly when particular skills are required to make best use of such technology or resources. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC164-0073 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | SERCon consider that the proposed State Recovery Committee provide an interim report to government on these and |
REC164-0074 | 9 - Community education | SERCon consider a review of existing community-based educational programs, with a view to informing the community |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC155-3483 | 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. |
REC155-3475 | 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. |
REC155-3466 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | A comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the increased prescribed burning target in meeting ecological and bushfire suppression needs should be conducted every three years. |
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 |
---|---|---|
REC153-1804 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That the Chief Officer and the Editors of all newspapers and other media outlets develop a Memorandum of Understanding that ensures that all CFS press releases concerning total fire ban days and ongoing bushfire incidents are published in full. |
REC153-1785 | 9 - Community education | That the Minister for Emergency Services in conjunction with the South Australian Country Fire Service conduct tuition courses to be made available to the general public to enable members of the public to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to implement their preparation and planning for bushfires |
REC153-1778 | 9 - Community education | That the President of the South Australian Farmers’ Federation of South Australia draws these recommendations and findings to the attention of its members and constituents |
REC153-1803 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Minister for Emergency Services give further consideration to acquiring a firefighting helicopter to be permanently or primarily stationed in South Australia. |
REC153-1779 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the South Australian Farmers’ Federation encourage its members and constituents to keep and maintain on rural land in proper working order machinery that is capable of removing, modifying or reducing cropping stubble at short notice in order to minimise or mitigate bushfire risk. |
REC153-1786 | 9 - Community education | That the Minister for Emergency Services and the South Australian Country Fire Service implement programs to develop in the minds of citizens a heightened awareness of bushfire risk, and in particular to encourage citizens to listen for radio announcements relating to the progression of a fire during the course of a bushfire incident |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC126-1979 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the policy and practice just recommended be the subject of a memorandum of understanding between the Emergency Services Agency and the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (previously the Department of Urban Services) or other relevant department or agency, so as to ensure that the land management agency on whose land a fire starts has responsibility to respond immediately to that fire in accordance with the applicable standards for weight of response. Further, the land management agency should be responsible for efforts to suppress fire until such time as it becomes clear that the suppression task is beyond capacity of the agency, at which point the ACT Rural Fire Service should assume direct responsibility for coordinating the ongoing response |
REC126-1996 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency develop a clear policy for disseminating information to the public and the media in times of emergency and that, as required, that policy incorporate advance door-knocking of homes in the area affected, as well as regular broadcasts by local radio and television stations and regular updates on the relevant website - be that Canberra Connect or a different ACT government website - as well as the Emergency Services Agency's website |
REC126-2011 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the taskforce review the recommendations of the seven reviews of the Emergency Services Bureau carried out before the McLeod inquiry and ensure implementation of any of those recommendations that remain relevant but have not been implemented |
REC126-2012 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If they are willing and available to participate, that the taskforce's membership include Mr Phil Cheney, Mr Tony Bartlett, Mr Val Jeffery and Mr John Lowe |
REC126-1977 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a program be implemented to ensure that existing fire tracks and trails are cleared and accessible at all times and that a network of additional fire trails be established so as to allow direct fire suppression operations without undue delay in the event of a wildfire |
REC126-1976 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency have authority over the land management agencies and other landholders in order to implement preparedness and prevention measures – including fuel-reduction works where there are failures in compliance |
REC126-1993 | 9 - Community education | That consulations and negotiations occur between the Emergncy Services Agency and the NSW Rural Fire Service to ensure that fire risk and safety messages to the community are coordinated. Maximum use should be made of television and radio announcements throughout the ACT and southern NSW, consistent with NSW timetables for targeted programs in conjunction with the United Firefighters Union ACT Branch and volunteer fire brigade representative. The Emergency Services Agency should consider using ACT Fire Brigade staff and ACT Rural Fire Service volunteers to talk to groups in the community on request, thus furthering face-to-face community education in high-risk suburban areas of the ACT |
REC126-2010 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the taskforce review the extent to which the recommendations in the McLeod report have been implemented in order to ensure implementation of those not yet implemented |
REC126-2005 | 9 - Community education | That community education programs include unambiguous information that at times of unusually high water demand there might be a drop in or loss of water pressure and it might be appropriate for residents who intend to remain and fight a fire to have auxilary water pumps or booster pumps |
REC126-2009 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a taskforce be established to give effect to the recommendations in this report |
REC126-1974 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That responsibility for fuel management lie with the land management agency that controls the area and that land managers be given authority to implement prescribed fuel-reduction burns within their area |
REC126-1962 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, because of the small jurisdiction of the ACT (equivalent to one fire district in NSW) the ACT Government consider all possible options for the provision of fire services to the ACT, among them: |
REC126-1992 | 9 - Community education | That implementation of the Bushfire Wise Program continue and include a letterbox drop of the updated Bushfire Information Booklet |
REC126-2003 | 9 - Community education | That the community be made aware of the risk presented by heavy loads of garden fuels and certain types of vegetation around their houses and take active, regular measures to reduce that risk |
REC126-2006 | 24 - Govt responsibility | I recommend that, as appropriate, the ACT cooperate with the Commonwealth in the implementation of the committee's recommendations and, in particular, give careful consideration to adoption of the following recommendations: |
REC126-1951 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That before each fire season the Emergency Services Agency, in conjunction with the Bush Fire Council – after consultation with the relevant ACT agencies, the Bureau of Meteorology, relevant NSW agencies and the community – conduct a qualitative risk analysis of the conditions and circumstances prevailing and forecast and develop strategies to ensure heightened preparedness during seasons identified as severe |
REC126-1952 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That regular periodic reviews be undertaken of changes made to the operational and management arrangements for dealing with wildfires and other emergencies in the ACT, to ensure that those arrangements continue to comply with the Australian Inter-Agency Incident Management System Incident Control System |
REC126-1948 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency be removed from the Department of Justice and Community Safety and transformed into an independent statutory authority reporting directly to the responsible Minister. Note in this regard that Mr McLeod made a similar recommendation, and I endorse it unequivocally. Placing the agency within a government department puts unnecessary layers of bureaucracy between the agency and the responsible Minister, and the bureaucrats concerned usually have no special knowledge of or experience in emergency management, regardless of their seniority in the bureaucracy |
REC126-1991 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency establish annual targets for the introduction of community education programs and provide resources to conduct regular independent assessments of the level of community preparedness engendered as a result of the programs |
REC126-2001 | 9 - Community education | That community education programs provide information about fire behaviour, urban design principles that contribute to a specific level of risk, and the benefits of fitting basic ember protection materials in areas at risk from bushfire |
REC126-1985 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the suport of the ACT Government, seek to establish with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service a protocol that will provide for the establishment of a joint incident management team as part of unified control arrangements based on adoption of the following principles: |
REC126-1947 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the ACT Government commission a review of coroners’ jurisdiction in order to determine whether that jurisdiction ought to be limited or expanded and, if so, to what extend |
REC126-1942 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the ACT Attorney-General and the ACT Government - in consulation with the Chief Justice of the ACT and the ACT Chief Magistrate - take legislative action that would have the effect of funds being directly appropriated annually to the courts, preferable along the lines of the Commonwealth model as it applies to the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court. Alternatively, the funds could be appropriated in accordance with the South Australian model, which has a seperate Courts Administartion Authority. |
REC126-2004 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That the ACT Government and ActewAGL jointly develop and implement protocols that will create a procedure whereby each of the water and sewerage, electricity and gas distribution networks, or parts thereof, can safely and promptly be manipulated, controlled, shut off, isolated or disconnected under emergency conditions. |
REC126-1990 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency take measures to ensure that the community regularly receives up-to-date information on the risks of bushfires |
REC126-1984 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the support of the ACT Government, develop a single, new memorandum of understanding with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service, providing for liaison and joint operations as soon as it becomes apparent to whichever jurisdiction is managing a fire that the fire will probably affect the other jurisdiction. Joint operations should not be limited to when an incident occurs on both sides of the border, as is the current arrangement |
REC126-1999 | 9 - Community education | That the Canberra Urban Development Working Group referred to in Mr Peter Dunn's letter consider the report prepared by Mr Leonard and note particularly that the community awareness information currently available to householders in connection with measures they can take to better protect their homes from bushfires does not refer to the potential of wooden fences, conifers and outbuildings to contribute greatly to fire spread, particularly in suburban areas. Also noteworthy is Mr Leonard's evidence that the linear sitting of homes on house blocks in Canberra seems to be an important factor contributing to house-to-house fire spread and that this should be avoided in future developments on the urban fringe |
REC126-1970 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That the Emergency Services Agency reconsider and revise the arrangement that exists between the ACT Fire Brigade and Canberra airport in relation to the provision of assistance |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC125-3893 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That Melbourne Water ensures that stakeholders (and especially local councils) are fully consulted before and during the development of drainage strategies and plans. These plans should consider councils’ drainage systems. |
REC125-3892 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That Melbourne Water ensures stakeholder expectations are fully considered when setting flood risk reduction targets. |
REC125-3898 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That agencies develop a detailed improvement plan and commit resources to its implementation. |
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 |
---|---|---|
REC122-3782 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities prepare a management plan that includes firebreaks and access tracks in the region, including the location of current breaks and access tracks and where breaks and tracks need to be established. |
REC122-3797 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council continue to seek mechanisms to interact with, and educate the individual farmer and landholder with respect to the Native Vegetation Act, its regulations and exemptions. |
REC122-3781 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities assess fire tracks and breaks to determine if firebreaks and access tracks need to be wider and/or native vegetation removed so that it does not impinge on firebreaks or tracks. |
REC122-3796 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the government undertake public education programs to increase the awareness of the community to bushfires, the role fire plays in ecosystems and what steps they should take to minimise the impact of a fire. |
REC122-3780 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities identify if: sufficient firebreaks and access track exist; they are strategically located; and they are being managed. |
REC122-3787 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council provide landholders with assistance for applications for prescribed burning (via a guide, a proforma or staff). |
REC122-3779 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that relevant government departments implement an ongoing management program for the eradication of feral pests and weeds. |
REC122-3785 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the government, via the CFS, coordinate the preparation and implementation of native vegetation management plans that incorporate management of fuel loads and includes a prescribed burning regime for the area. |
REC122-3783 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the government establish designated fire safety areas within native vegetation and at road intersections. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC104-2333 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That in doing so, this Review must consult with the agencies mentioned above, and others such as VICSES and the Departments of Human Services and Primary Industries. |
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. |
REC104-2303 | 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. |
REC104-2286 | 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. |
REC104-2281 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DSE and CFA work cooperatively to review the management and application of bulldozers in fire suppression operations to ensure that they are used effectively, appropriately and are adequately supervised. |
REC104-2208 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB encourage householders to review their fire safety plan annually. |
REC104-2232 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government in the development of its statewide water policy includes appropriate consideration of access to water for firefighting. |
REC104-2332 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Review of emergency operations centres by the Departments of Premier and Cabinet and Treasury and Finance and the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner: |
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. |
REC104-2256 | 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. |
REC104-2277 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DSE and CFA review methods of gathering and processing fire information to ensure all methods are pursued to greatest effect. |
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. |
REC104-2230 | 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. |
REC104-2293 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That aviation contractors be required to submit a copy of their annual independent regulatory compliance audit prepared for Civil Aviation Safety Authority to the State Aircraft Unit. |
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. |
REC104-2255 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the options of collocating the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre with the new State Emergency Operations Centre |
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. |
REC104-2228 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That the Government identifies an appropriate body, or bodies, to undertake the audit of the Municipal Fire Management Plans. |
REC104-2206 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB: |
REC104-2328 | 36 - Volunteers | That CFA, VICSES and other volunteer-based emergency service organisations develop proposals in support of the strategies for sustainable volunteerism, and that the State Government advocate these initiatives to the Federal Government. |
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. |
REC104-2292 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That a systematic performance audit of State Aircraft Fleet contractors be conducted jointly by agency and SAU personnel. |
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. |
REC104-2254 | 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. |
REC104-2221 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | That CFA and the Plantation Industry jointly develop and agree on Fire Prevention Guidelines for Plantations by June 2004, to be then promoted and distributed by the Industry. |
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. |
REC104-2197 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That a review of the fuel management zones be implemented with a view to reducing the number of zones so as to focus clearly on (i) asset protection (especially at the Public/Private land interface), and (ii) ecological burns. |
REC104-2205 | 9 - Community education | That CFA should remain the lead agency in delivering the community education and information program to rural Victoria. |
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.’ |
REC104-2284 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DSE and CFA review the management of personnel deployed ensuring that: |
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. |
REC104-2247 | 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 |
REC104-2268 | 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. |
REC104-2315 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Privacy Commissioner be asked for advice in the development of this model. |
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. |
REC104-2282 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That quality control or performance assessments are routinely completed post fire season, to ensure that contractors who have not performed to an agreed standard are not re-engaged for the consequential rehabilitation works. |
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. |
REC104-2239 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That any local level agreements developed to address geographically specific risks or issues must be consistent with State-level arrangements. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC098-2174 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia coordinates a public education campaign aimed at illustrating the importance of asset protection and how this can be achieved (that is, insurance products). |
REC098-2139 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments initiate consideration of the relaxation of restrictions on the movement of fire fighting equipment |
REC098-2173 | 36 - Volunteers | The Committee suggests that registered volunteer fire fighters be exempt from paying Fire Levy tax to help offset some of the expense they incur during active duty. The exemption could be for a period of 12 months |
REC098-2155 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia initiate a process involving Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the Australian Assembly of Volunteer Fire Brigades Association to review |
REC098-2156 | 36 - Volunteers | The Committee recommends that: |
REC098-2131 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the Council of Australian Governments ensure that states and territories have adequate controls to ensure that local governments implement required fuel management standards on private property and land under their control. |
REC098-2136 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the National Heritage Trust assist the states and territories in the construction, maintenance and signage of fire trail networks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC037-4169 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Mitigation and preparedness be enhanced and maintained for the future. Some co—ordinating mechanism or system be introduced at State Government level for this purpose. [Reference paragraphs: 114 to 128] |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC019-4133 | 9 - Community education | The Bush Fires Board take a more active part in enlightening the public generally and the local communities in particular to their responsibilites on fire control. |
REC019-4153 | 17 - Assets and technology | No opportunity be lost by the Forests Department to improve the efficiency of their fire fighting gangs, radio and other equipment in the light of the latest practical and scientific developments. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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_3952 | 4 - Fire season preparation | It is recommended that the question of the future responsibility be made certain and that the body so made responsible keep the grounds of the hospital free from undergrowth and trees wherever their presence may be a possible source of future danger. |
REC016_3950 | 4 - Fire season preparation | It is recommended that on days of abnormal danger loads of briquettes be not kept in the station yard. The real danger, which transcends in gravity the danger of time destruction of loads of briquettes, is that the prevailing wind or a change of wind might carry showers of burning embers to the town, which is but the width of a road away, and thereby cause material damage in the town. It is further recommended that the yard and its surroundings be kept clear of scrub and growth; and that special provision be made for quelling fire which may break out in the deposits of inflammable dust which lie in time yard. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC015_3962 | 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry | It is recommended that the matter be submitted to experts, of which there are many in the Public Service; and that such experts determine the best manner of construction. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC013_3978 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Where possible to build stone or brick fireplaces for the use of travellers, teamsters, and drovers on the camping areas that are mostly used and where there is a risk of fire. |
REC013_3976 | 4 - Fire season preparation | To burn camping areas at suitable water and camping reserves. |