Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC325-4325 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review and implement State Emergency Service (SES) protocol by 1 November 2023 outlining procedures to be undertaken to ensure persons uplifted from places of immediate danger or risk are transferred to a place of safety. |
REC325-4334 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services develop and publish an operationally based quick reference guide that complements the training offered (as per Recommendation 5) by 1 November 2022. The guide will identify key and critical aspects of the Emergency Alert system in relation to the development, composition, request for and authorising of Emergency Alerts and will include a template and an example of ‘good’ messaging using concise, minimal language and Clear Explicit Translatable Language (CETL). |
REC325-4335 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services update and deliver training on the workflow reviewed (as per Recommendation 3) of the current Emergency Alert system to all persons responsible at a local, district and state level by 1 November 2022. Training should address system constraints and system complexities in addition to the process of requesting, composing (including Clear Explicit Translatable Language [CETL]), authorising and issuing Emergency Alerts. |
REC325-4324 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the tasking protocols used to manage State Emergency Service (SES) tasks undertaken in the response phase of a disaster to enable more complete recording of details for all ‘jobs of opportunity’ (including the personal details of those assisted and/or rescued) to enable better coordination of tasks and reflect outcomes of activities by 1 November 2023. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC322-4238 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science ensure that all Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service regions develop a Disaster Management Operations Plan based on a standardised format. The plans should include provision for annual review to ensure they remain contemporary, interoperable with relevant disaster management plans and aligned to the Department of Environment and Science Emergency Management Plan. |
REC322-4229 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services identifies stakeholders that would benefit from predictive service products. Suitable advice and training should be provided to these stakeholders to assist with using and interpreting the products. |
REC322-4241 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services consider expanding specialist Remote Area Firefighting Team capability to assist in responding to significant bushfire events which occur in rugged or inaccessible terrain. |
REC322-4233 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Science review the current description of Level 1, 2, and 3 bushfire incidents and the implied meaning of property in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. This review should identify and agree on clear criteria and decision points for the transfer of control and develop a standard process and templates. |
REC322-4244 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review its training framework and minimum mandatory training requirements for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Incident Controllers to ensure they are appropriately trained to manage significant events. |
REC322-4234 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review its suite of operational doctrine to ensure arrangements for situational reporting and requests for assistance are aligned to recognised multi-agency practices used in disaster management. |
REC322-4247 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a collaborative review of firelines, tracks and trails on K’gari be undertaken by the Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with the Locality Specific Area Fire Management Group and the Butchulla people, to ensure an adequate network is agreed by relevant stakeholders, and roles and responsibilities for maintenance are agreed and documented. |
REC322-4236 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the arrangements and requirements for situational reporting when an incident is under the control of the Department of Environment and Science be detailed in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. These arrangements should also be outlined in relevant joint entity agreements and operational doctrine. |
REC322-4237 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science develop and implement a Wildfire Response Plan for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Coastal and Islands Region, to be included in the region’s Disaster Management Operations Plan. |
REC322-4222 | 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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC316-4024 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Government consider amendments to the Emergencies Act to include provision for a Deputy ESA Commissioner. |
REC316-4035 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Review, refine and implement the joint ESA/EPSDD Arrangement for Fire Management in the ACT with the previous recommendation in mind. |
REC316-4049 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to allow for the appointment of the EC to be made for a discretionary time period of up to 28 days with the requirement for a legislated review of the appointment to be removed. Alternatively, a period of review should fall within the Chief Ministers discretion for up to seven (7) days following appointment. |
REC316-4022 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That when determining their Management Executive, at a minimum the EC should consider appointing Director-General JACS and the PIC as standing members. |
REC316-4031 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The ESA hold bi-lateral executive level meetings with the utility providers on a regular basis in consultation with other relevant Government stakeholders. |
REC316-4048 | 37 - Funding | Government consider adopting a similar model to NSW for the management of emergency costs and reimbursements within ACT Government agencies. |
REC316-4021 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Plan be amended to better reflect the intent of the Emergencies Act in the establishment of a Management Executive, separate to SEMSOG, on the appointment of an EC. It should describe the role of SEMSOG and the Management Executive as distinct in the emergency management architecture. |
REC316-4027 | 12 - EM agency and authority | All organisations who have a role in the ECC should review their existing arrangements to ensure there is a sufficient cohort of staff to maintain a presence in the ECC at a level and with an imprimatur sufficient to make decisions and allocate resources and have access to senior executive levels if needed. |
REC316-4047 | 37 - Funding | Government consider an alternative funding arrangement for extraordinary costs borne by Government agencies in combating emergencies such as bushfires. |
REC316-4020 | 16 - Training and behaviour | EPSDD and ESA work together to develop values officer training and accreditation. |
REC316-4052 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The ACT Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to clarify that the powers of the EC encompass the power to direct agencies and directorates to share personal information for the preservation of life and protection of Canberrans. |
REC316-4026 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The role, level, requirements and expectations of an ECC LO be clarified in the Emergency Plan and ECC Ops Sub-plan. |
REC316-4039 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Establish a Communications Working Group (CWG) with representatives from across key Directorates (CMTEDD, ESA, ACT Policing, Health, CHS, EPSDD for example) to review the CCIP and to further identify how the CCIP can be best implemented and utilised. The CWG should report its progress though SEMSOG and coordinate with other WG’s. 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. |
REC316-4016 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Plan be amended to include considerations for declaring a State of Alert or Emergency (and also wind back from these) and guidance as to what actions and decisions at a minimum should be taken as a consequence of such a declaration. |
REC316-4051 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended so that the powers, including delegations, available to an EC be granted on their appointment and remain in place under the same section of the Act for the duration of their appointment rather than being drawn from different sections of the Act that are dependent on the existing alert state for the specified event. |
REC316-4025 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Plan and ECC Ops Plan be amended to better articulate the delivery of emergency management vs the delivery of the emergency plan. The Plan should facilitate principles for emergency management and clear role delineations whilst allowing flexibility in how the mechanisms are structured. |
REC316-4036 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Government give consideration to investment in professional specialities such as fire behaviour analysts, airbase managers, aerial firefighting technical specialists etc for the RFS. |
REC316-4015 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The working group should report to SEMSOG on progress. |
REC316-4050 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to allow for the provision for a Deputy Emergency Controller to be appointed, independent of the initial appointment of an EC. The powers and functions of this appointment to be contingent on the absence of the EC. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC307-2432 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Legislation at state and local level requiring landholders to reduce fire risk on their property should be actively applied |
REC307-2443 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Planning for response to bushfire risk should identify all stakeholders to be engaged in the response phase and their roles and responsibilities should be clearly documented. |
REC307-2427 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Wherever possible, the antecedents that will lead to catastrophic fire weather conditions existing for a particular area should be identified and documented within fire management plan relevant to the area. |
REC307-2442 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Hazard-specific plans and guidelines should be published on external websites for access by relevant stakeholders. |
REC307-2426 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Queensland's plans and arrangements for heatwave should be reviewed to provide for an intergrated multi-agency approach to their management. A single agency should lead and oversee this process. |
REC307-2441 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Hazard-specific and disaster management guidelines and plans should explain the circumstances and process for hazard-specific activation of the disaster management arrangements in support of an incident. They should be relevant to local authorities and local and district groups, and used during events. |
REC307-2435 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Building capacity in fire simulation and predictive capabilities, including the capability of people to read and interpret these products through training, should be investigated and considered. |
REC307-2434 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Given an increasing risk of intense fires, the framework of legislation relating to vegetation management, bushfire mitigation and preparation priorities should be re-assessed. The re-assessment should aim to enable more appropriate and flexible means at the local level for the reduction of intense fires. |
REC307-2445 | 16 - Training and behaviour | All agencies should identify the capacity and appropriate positions for the role of liaison officers, and ensure sufficient numbers are trained. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC306-2423 | 37 - Funding | We recommend that, in the absence of stand-alone catchment management authorities, the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning as a matter of priority, establish what funding is reasonably required and complete all elements of the Brisbane River Catchment Flood Studies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC271-1532 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The evacuation sub-plan component of the Local Disaster Managment Plan should be reviewed, including any identified triggers for activation. Ideally, the plan should be tested in a live, multi-agency exercise prior to next summer. |
REC271-1531 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Banana Shire Council completes business continuity planning as a matter of priority, including documentation and testing of the plan. |
REC271-1530 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Local Disaster Coordination Centre capability and capacity should be reviewed to ensure adequate staffing arrangements are in place to fill key positions, and that operational protocols are known and practiced across all functions to provide redundancy. Assistance for review and necessary training should be sought from key Local Disaster Management Group member agencies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC270-1146 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Strengthens its oversight role as lead agency for mitigating Queensland's bushfire risk to acceptable levels by: · coordinating land managers' efforts to assess and mitigate bushfire risk · formalising the role of fire management groups to manage Queensland's fuel loads, including reporting planned and conducted hazard reduction burns and the effectiveness of hazard reduction burns · amending its bushfire mitigation planning to address prevention, preparedness, response and recovery and to manage Queensland's residual bushfire risk · developing and implementing a coordinated strategy to address arson, deterring would-be offenders and rehabilitating convicted offenders · working with local councils to develop and communicate local bushfire plans for communities located in high risk, bushfire-prone areas |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC241-0962 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Rural Fire Service Queensland consider service delivery needs with a view to establishing boundary/ staff/budget changes according to State standards. |
REC241-0983 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the current Primary Producer Brigade manual be withdrawn and a working group comprising Rural Fire Service Queensland staff, Rural Fire Brigade Association of Queensland representatives and Primary Producer Brigade volunteers and as a priority produce a new, simpler and less bureaucratic booklet. |
REC241-1008 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the colour of Rural Fire Service Queensland Brigade operational vehicles remain yellow and that they retain the Rural Fire Service Queensland logo. |
REC241-1035 | 37 - Funding | That the State Government contribution towards the purchase of operational vehicles is to be retained at 80 percent but that the District Inspector can recommend full Government subsidy of vehicles for Brigades experiencing financial hardship. |
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. |
REC241-0988 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the planning system is to have a two tiered structure comprising District Fire Management Groups and linking to the State Disaster Management Group. |
REC241-1015 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That the First Officer or Brigade Officer retain the ability to seek assistance from any person whose services are available at the fire. Any person appointed to provide this assistance should be protected under relevant Workplace Health and Safety and Workcover legislation. |
REC241-0956 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That, wherever possible, combined training take place between volunteers across a wide range of volunteer organisations. |
REC241-0976 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That Rural Fire Service Queensland recognise training and experience in rural fire Brigades as equal to experience gained in other rural fire services when considering candidates for employment. |
REC241-0993 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That wherever possible, for future appointments of Fire Wardens, where that Wardens’ district is totally covered a by Rural Fire Brigade, consideration should be given that the appointed Fire Warden is a Rural Brigade Member. |
REC241-1021 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Brigades that do not have a truck and are currently classified as Rural conduct a self-determination to ascertain if they wish to be reclassified as a Primary Producer Brigade. |
REC241-0961 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That staffing at Rural Fire Service Queensland District offices remain at current levels within establishment and, if needed, base staffing levels be increased. |
REC241-0982 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the requirement for Primary Producer Brigade members to undertake a Firefighter Minimum Skills course be removed and replaced with a ‘Primary Producer Brigade Induction’ course. |
REC241-1007 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland consider a less formal uniform which volunteers can better identify with, and that National rank markings be retained. |
REC241-1034 | 37 - Funding | That the State Government contribution towards the construction of Brigade sheds be changed from $10,000 to a maximum of 25 percent, subject to the approval of the Deputy Chief Officer, Rural Fire Service Queensland. |
REC241-0966 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That District offices be located in areas that enhance ease of access for out of town volunteers and the general public and also provide suitable parking, onsite storage and be suitable for operational use. |
REC241-0987 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That to assist the Rural Fire Service Queensland and other agencies in managing wildfire risk, a planning system for wildfire management be established in legislation that complements the existing disaster management arrangements. |
REC241-1014 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland should engage a private provider offsite and outside the Government firewall to establish an email address for each Brigade and Fire Warden. The email address would reflect the Brigade name and Fire Warden district. E.g.: GreenbankRFB@msn.com.au |
REC241-1041 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That, as with Recommendation 23 related to Rural Fire employees, all State Emergency Service employees should have a recorded history of volunteering. |
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. |
REC241-0975 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That employee selection panels for field staff positions only comprise three members and include a Rural Fire Service Queensland representative, a Rural Fire Brigades Association of Queensland representative and one representative from the District Fire Management Group. |
REC241-0992 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That District Inspectors be responsible for consultation with Fire Wardens during the development of District fire management plans. |
REC241-1020 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That members of Village and Izone classified Brigades only be required to conduct a criminal history check when they first join a Brigade. Criminal history checks will no longer be required when a Member who has already undergone a criminal history check takes an office bearing role within a Brigade or changes Brigades. Criminal history checks are to still be conducted on Rural Fire Service volunteers undertaking interstate deployments. Members of other voluntary organisations in Queensland (e.g. State Emergency Service, Volunteer Marine Rescue) who wish to join the Rural Fire Service Queensland will not be required to undertake an additional criminal history check with an internal check to be conducted by the Department of Community Safety. |
REC241-0960 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Rural Fire Service Queensland District offices remain at least at their current number of 14, with consideration given by the Rural Fire Service Queensland to expanding the number of District offices by opening an office in the South Burnett, considering a new office in the southern Central Highlands, and the option of part time offices on a risk/need/growth basis, particularly in north-west Queensland. |
REC241-0981 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That Rural Fire Service Queensland utilise external Registered Training Organisations for the training of volunteers and other stakeholders. |
REC241-1006 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Brigades’ financial contributions to groups must be voluntary and approved by a recorded minute at a meeting of that brigade. |
REC241-1033 | 37 - Funding | When a local Rural Fire Brigade requests an equipment and maintenance levy from a local government authority, that authority will either supply the brigade’s equipment and maintenance costs or raise the requested levy. The amount to be collected is to be agreed between the local Brigade and the local government authority. |
REC241-0965 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That the number of Bushfire Safety Officer positions be, over time, increased so that one BSO operates out of each District office. |
REC241-0986 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the founding principle of the Rural Fire Service, that Brigades are formed on the principle of neighbour helping neighbour to collectively manage fire events, remains on of the foundation of Rural Fire Service Queensland. |
REC241-1013 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Rural Fire Service Queensland undertake a risk management process for rural fire Brigade profiles across Queensland based on the principles in the Rural Fire Brigade Risk Management Guide, July 1999, and updated as necessary. |
REC241-1040 | 36 - Volunteers | That RFSQ review local SAP function and delegation to enable effective and timely support for volunteers. |
REC241-0953 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That a separate area of responsibility be established to provide independent oversight and monitor disaster readiness across all hazards. |
REC241-0974 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That all employees of Rural Fire Service Queensland MUST demonstrate a background in, knowledge or experience of land management and volunteering. |
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. |
REC241-1019 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That a local committee consisting of Elders and community leaders be formed in remote and Indigenous communities to determine Brigade membership applications. |
REC241-0959 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Rural Fire Service Queensland District offices report directly to the Deputy Chief Officer. |
REC241-0980 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That Rural Fire Service Queensland to have its own training support coordinators who, in conjunction with external Registered Training Organisations, co-ordinate the training curriculum throughout Queensland. |
REC241-1005 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That fire groups can only be formed through the agreement of all brigades that will become a part of that group, and the management and operational procedures of the group must be approved by the contributing brigades. Local District Inspectors are to provide mentoring and support when brigades form a group. |
REC241-1032 | 37 - Funding | That the current Urban Fire Levy be changed to the Queensland Fire Levy. |
REC241-0964 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the position of Regional Manager Rural Operations be re-designated to Regional Co-ordinator in the North, Central and South-East regions to emphasise the supporting role the position will take. |
REC241-0985 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Department of Community Safety review Rural Fire Service Queensland and other volunteer organisation records and consider options to simplify recognition of training records and competencies, criminal history checks, equipment capacities and other background information for volunteers who belong to more than one volunteer organisation. |
REC241-1011 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the focus of Rural Fire Service Queensland will be the protection of life, property and the environment from the threat and impact of wildfire. |
REC241-1038 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That District Inspectors retain the discretion to allocate gratuity to Fire Wardens for out of pocket expenses if required. |
REC241-0952 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That an operational organisation be established comprising of three streams – a. urban fire service; b. rural fire service; and c. the state emergency service. Each of the three organisations will be led by a Deputy Chief Officer, reporting to a Chief Officer. |
REC241-0972 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Rural Fire Service Queensland designate a position of Lands Procurement Officer to support volunteers by project managing the acquisition of land for Brigade sheds and their construction where required. |
REC241-0990 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Membership of the District Fire Management Group is at the discretion of the Chair of the District Fire Management Group, however members must have the necessary expertise and experience for the role and membership should include where applicable, the District Inspector - Rural Fire Service Queensland, a representative of relevant local governments and representatives of agencies responsible for parks and wildlife, transport and main roads, forestry and natural resources among other appropriate representatives. |
REC241-1018 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That members of Primary Producer and Rural Classified Brigades will only require a Criminal History Check if they become an office bearer of that Brigade. |
REC241-0958 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Rural Operations division currently sitting within the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service become an autonomous unit called Rural Fire Service Queensland and be led by a Deputy Chief Officer. Structure and Leadership of the Rural Fire Service |
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. |
REC241-1000 | 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 |
REC241-1031 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the State Government recognises the legal status of rural fire brigades as per Crown Law advice and addressed by Recommendations from this Review. |
REC241-0963 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That there be three (3) RFSQ regions in Queensland - North, Central and South-East. |
REC241-0984 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That Rural Fire Service Queensland work with the State Emergency Service, Surf Life Saving Queensland and other volunteer organisations to develop training programs which can be recognised by all organisations (E.G. chainsaw training, Four-wheel drive training) |
REC241-1010 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That where a Brigade supports another community and this involves the use of any brigade equipment it shall be the decision of that brigade in relation to the deployment and use of their equipment and resources. |
REC241-1037 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That Rural Fire Service Queensland and its staff be exempt from the Travel Management System. The Travel Management System does not work in the rural fire operation areas as it is not flexible in the rapid escalation of wild fire events or cater for volunteering timeframes. It has been proven to be inefficient and costly. |
REC241-0969 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That a mobile training program be established for areas with identified above average fire risk to train in fire behaviour and Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System principles across land tenures. |
REC241-0989 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the first tier comprise at least one District Fire Management Group in each Rural Fire Service Queensland District. The District Fire Management Group will be chaired by a person with the necessary expertise and experience, nominated by the community and appointed by Government. Chairs will hold the deciding vote in matters related to fire management at the local level. |
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. |
REC241-0957 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That a strong emphasis be placed on the establishment and recruitment of PCYC emergency cadets. |
REC241-0977 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That all volunteer training conducted by the Rural Fire Service Queensland will be relevant to employment levels within the Rural Fire Service Queensland. |
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. |
REC241-1022 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That Rural Fire Service Queensland in consultation with the Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland will undertake a full review of the medical and health protocols to support the new Volunteer organisation. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC228-1617 | 37 - Funding | The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should annually (and on a cumulative basis) track and report on funds allocated for, and spent on, its Bushfire Operations Plan to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. |
REC228-1626 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should clarify the timing of the requirement for meeting firefighter fitness requirements, as set out in ACT Rural Fire Service operating procedures and the Territory and Municipal Directorate’s Enterprise Agreement, and give priority to meeting that requirement. |
REC228-1607 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Justice and Community Safety Directorate, in managing future amendments to the Emergencies Act 2004, should propose amendments which require the Emergency Services Agency to maintain information on privately-owned assets of public interest that are vulnerable to bushfire without the need to include this information in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan. |
REC228-1616 | 37 - Funding | The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should enhance internal monitoring of its implementation of bushfire management activities and spending under the Bushfire Operations Plan by routinely reconciling figures in this plan with those in the Directorate’s corporate financial system. |
REC228-1625 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should improve information capture and sharing by: |
REC228-1606 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should comply with the Emergencies Act 2004 requirements for the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan by including in this Plan an explicit statement of all resources needed to meet the objectives of the Plan. |
REC228-1613 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should continue to work with National Land managers and develop a National Land bushfire management framework to address bushfire risks on National Land. |
REC228-1624 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency should: |
REC228-1612 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should develop a strategy for monitoring the development and implementation of all Government land managers’ operational plans. |
REC228-1621 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should improve its management of the Community Fire Unit Program by: |
REC228-1611 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should specify preparation and approval requirements for bushfire operational plans, particularly those for lands in the Bushfire Abatement Zone. |
REC228-1619 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, in consultation with the Emergency Services Agency, should improve its management of Land Management Agreements, with respect to rural leaseholders’ fire management responsibilities, by: |
REC228-1627 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency (ACT Rural Fire Service headquarters) should implement a system to provide assurance to the Chief Officer of the ACT Rural Fire Service that personnel and equipment readiness meets requirements. |
REC228-1608 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should review the operations of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan Implementation Working Group to determine if it is the most appropriate mechanism for ‘monitoring the scope and effectiveness’ of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan. If it is retained, ways to improve its effectiveness should be identified and implemented. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC210-0749 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should amend the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 to designate the Minister as the person who must approve a flood mitigation manual. |
REC210-0625 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should change Temporary State Planning Policy 2/11: Planning for stronger more resilient floodplains to remove the possibility of councils’ using the interim floodplain assessment overlay mapping and Model Code as part of a permanent amendment to their existing planning scheme or as part of a new planning scheme. |
REC210-0645 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should amend its information sheet about applications for a material change of use for environmentally relevant activities so that applicants are prompted to include information (if any) about the risk of flooding at the site where the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0674 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the ‘Limitation’ section of the proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, to allow for the possible application of ‘acceptable solution A1’ to a building located on a lot if: • it is reasonable to expect the part of the lot on which the building work is proposed to be subjected to a maximum velocity of less than 1.5 metres per second, or • the part of the lot on which the building work is proposed is located in an inactive flow or backwater area. |
REC210-0714 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so that it allows for the relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, as to discharge of water: • pre-emptively, in advance of rainfall or flooding events, or • for all mines in a catchment that is flooding. |
REC210-0770 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should legislate to oblige each owner of a referable dam to have an emergency action plan approved by the appropriate Queensland Government agency. Such plans should be reviewed periodically |
REC210-0631 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a model flood overlay code that consolidates assessment criteria relating to flood. |
REC210-0654 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider drafting assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls which require that works in a floodplain: • do not reduce on-site flood storage capacity • counteract any changes the works will cause to flood behaviour of all floods up to and including the applicable defined flood event by measures taken within the subject site (for example, use of compensatory works, detention basins or other engineering mechanisms) • do not change the flood characteristics outside the subject site in ways that result in: – loss of flood storage – loss of/changes to flow paths – acceleration or retardation of flows, or – any reduction in flood warning times elsewhere on the floodplain. |
REC210-0684 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should consider amending their planning schemes to include provisions directed to consideration of the flood resilience of basements as a factor in determining the appropriateness of a material change of use. |
REC210-0729 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Emergency Management Queensland should ensure its staff, SES members and disaster managers are familiar with the directive when it is developed. |
REC210-0616 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils that do not currently do so should consider offering an online database which allows the public to conduct a search on a parcel of land to find development approvals relevant to that parcel of land. |
REC210-0637 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Urban Land Development Authority Act 2007, the South Bank Corporation Act 1989, the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 insofar as it governs state development areas, and other legislation which establishes alternative planning systems that operate independently of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, to require that: • any planning scheme, interim or otherwise, appropriately reflects any state planning policy with respect to flood • flood risk be considered in the assessment of any development application. |
REC210-0660 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | There should be a consistent process for the determination of applications to build levees. That process should include: • consulting landholders who may be affected by the proposed levee • obtaining or commissioning appropriate hydrological and hydraulic studies to assess the impacts of the proposed levee. |
REC210-0697 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Queensland Rail and QR National should continue to investigate opportunities for increasing the flood resilience of their networks, including raising the height of critical equipment. |
REC210-0734 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Emergency Management Queensland should simplify the process by which SES members gain recognition for prior qualifications so that unnecessary duplication of training can be avoided. |
REC210-0624 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should ensure that the circumstances in which the Department of Community Safety is to consult the Department of Environment and Resource Management about a planning scheme’s flood modelling and flood mapping are clear. |
REC210-0644 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should ensure that the criteria under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 that apply to the assessment of development applications for material change of use for environmentally relevant activities include consideration of the risk of flooding at the site on which the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0673 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, should be amended so that the performance requirements about utilities and sanitary drains (Performance Requirement P2 and P3) for building on a lot will only be triggered where the council has: • designated part of its area as a natural hazard management area (flood) under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, and • either: – declared a height to be the expected flood level under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, or – adopted a highest recorded flood level for the lot. |
REC210-0712 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should legislate to clarify the purposes for which a transitional environmental program can be granted. In particular, if the government considers the transitional environmental program the appropriate regulatory mechanism to deal with the discharge of water from mines during flood, section 330 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 should be clarified to make it clear that it extends to that use. |
REC210-0766 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Wide Bay Water should, in addition to its usual wet season preparations and maintenance, undertake the following activities in advance of each wet season: Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry | Final Report 29 Complete list of Final Report recommendations • conduct training for personnel on dam operation, including contingency plans for the situation in which one or more of the gates is inoperable • hold meetings of key personnel of Wide Bay Water involved in the operation of the dam during floods, which: – in addition to any other matters, inform staff about the current status of the gates, dam operation strategies and contingency plans for the situation in which one or more of the gates is inoperable – are recorded in minutes which document the information provided and are made available to all operational staff. |
REC210-0629 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a requirement that councils have a flood overlay map in their planning schemes. The map should identify the areas of the council region: • that are known not to be affected by flood • that are affected by flood and on which councils impose planning controls (there may be subsets in each area to which different planning controls attach) • for which there is no flood information available to council. |
REC210-0652 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should review the code for development applications for prescribed tidal work in the Coastal Protection and Management Regulation 2003 to consider whether the design and construction standards should be made more stringent than the existing standards. |
REC210-0682 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should review the Queensland Urban Drainage Manual to determine whether it requires updating or improvement, in particular, to reflect the current law and to take into account insights gained from the 2010/2011 floods. |
REC210-0728 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Emergency Management Queensland, in consultation with councils, should develop a directive that makes clear the authority of an officer of that agency to command a major SES operation. This could be expected to occur when a deployment of additional SES members is made to a region because the response needed is beyond the capacity of its local units. The directive should make clear the powers of the officer and his or her reporting responsibilities to disaster managers in these circumstances. Emergency Management Queensland must also ensure that any officer who assumes such a role has adequate training and skills in the conduct of disaster operations. |
REC210-0613 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should ensure that areas for which there has been no assessment of the likelihood of flooding are indicated on a map and that, as part of the development assessment process for these, there is at least some enquiry into whether a site proposed for development could be subject to flooding. |
REC210-0636 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider allowing councils to amend a planning scheme to update existing flood mapping information by way of the minor amendment process, provided that adequate public consultation has occurred. |
REC210-0659 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consult with councils to formulate a definition of ‘levee’ to identify what should be regulated. |
REC210-0694 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider whether there should be a legislative requirement that customer dedicated assets be built at or above the applicable defined flood level and if so, the Queensland Government should consider which legislation should contain such a requirement. |
REC210-0733 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Emergency Management Queensland should pursue the execution of the ‘Local Arrangements’ with councils where a Memorandum of Agreement is in place. The contents of the arrangements should be reviewed and updated regularly |
REC210-0623 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Community Safety should put in place administrative arrangements which ensure it can readily ascertain whether its comments are being reflected in council planning schemes. If the Department of Community Safety becomes aware that its comments are not being adequately addressed, it should take steps to follow this up with the Department of Local Government and Planning. |
REC210-0642 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require the impact of flood on commercial property to be minimised. |
REC210-0672 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, should be amended so that the performance requirement relating to building design and construction (Performance Requirement P1) for building on a lot will only be triggered where the council has: • designated part of its area as a natural hazard management area (flood) under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, and • either: – declared a height to be the expected flood level under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, or – adopted a highest recorded flood level for the lot, and • either: – declared a velocity to be the expected maximum velocity of flood water for the area in which the lot is located, or – designated the area in which the lot is located an inactive flow or backwater area. |
REC210-0760 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | CS Energy should amend its business procedure to remove any ambiguity as to the establishment of communications with Seqwater and to acknowledge the formal communications protocol regarding releases. |
REC210-0628 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft model flood planning controls, using a similar format and structure to that in the Queensland Planning Provisions, that councils can adapt for local conditions. The Queensland Government should require these controls to be reflected in new planning schemes. This may be achieved by including the controls in either: • a state planning policy dealing with flood, with an accompanying amendment to the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, or • the Queensland Planning Provisions. The Queensland Government should consult councils to determine which of the two state planning instruments is the more appropriate to include the model flood planning controls. |
REC210-0649 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require that: a. the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) take place above a certain flood level, determined following an appropriate risk based assessment, or b. structures on land susceptible to flooding and used for the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) be designed to prevent the intrusion of floodwaters. |
REC210-0677 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Authorities responsible for the management of sewerage infrastructure should conduct a review of their existing infrastructure to identify electrical infrastructure that may be vulnerable to inundation and perform risk and cost/benefit assessments to determine if it should be relocated to a higher level. |
REC210-0725 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The fire service should ensure that station officers are familiar with the procedure for contacting management when requesting the calling in of additional staff; and, in particular, that they have available to them the names and current telephone numbers of the officers to be contacted in the first instance, with alternative contact details in the event that those officers prove unavailable. |
REC210-0612 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | For non-urban areas or areas where limited development is expected to occur councils should consider, on a risk basis, what level of information about flood risk is required for the area, and undertake the highest ranked of the following options which is appropriate to that need and within the capacities (financial and technical) of the council: a. a map showing ‘zones of risk’ (at least three) derived from information about the likelihood and behaviour of flooding b. a map showing the extent of floods of a range of likelihoods (at least three) c. a flood map based on historic flood levels that have been subjected to a flood frequency analysis to estimate the annual exceedance probability of the selected historical flood d. a historic flood map without flood frequency analysis e. the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Interim Floodplain Assessment Overlay as a way to determine those areas for which further flood studies are required, or f. the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Interim Floodplain Assessment Overlay (preferably refined using local flood information) as a trigger for development assessment. |
REC210-0635 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to expressly provide either a power to remake or a power to extend a temporary local planning instrument containing interim flood regulation for a further limited period. The power to remake or extend should: a. permit the modification of the temporary local planning instrument to the extent required to ensure its provisions remain relevant, having regard to any requirement that may have been introduced or any information that may have become available while the original temporary local planning instrument was in force b. be contingent on the Minister’s being satisfied that the circumstances listed in section 105 of the Sustainable Planning Act continue to exist and that there are proper grounds for the failure to make a permanent scheme amendment while the original temporary local planning instrument was in force. |
REC210-0658 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consult with councils to determine an effective method for the regulation of the construction of levees in Queensland. In particular, the Queensland Government should consider: • requiring a development permit for the construction of a levee by designating levees as assessable development in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009, or • requiring, by way of a state planning policy or mandatory provision in the Queensland Planning Provisions, that councils nominate the construction of a levee as assessable development in their planning schemes. |
REC210-0691 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require critical infrastructure in assessable substation developments is built to remain operational during and immediately after a flood of a particular magnitude. That magnitude should be determined by an appropriate risk assessment. |
REC210-0732 | 37 - Funding | Emergency Management Queensland should develop and implement a new formula for the distribution of its recurrent SES subsidy, which takes into account relevant factors including the size of a local SES contingent and the population, area and natural hazard risk profile of the local government area concerned. |
REC210-0622 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If, as part of a state interest review process, the Department of Local Government and Planning decides that no condition should be imposed requiring a council’s proposed planning scheme to incorporate the effect of the Department of Community Safety’s comments about State Planning Policy 1/03: Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Flood, Bushfire and Landslide, it should advise the Department of Community Safety of the reasons for its decision. |
REC210-0640 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require community infrastructure (including the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood) to be located and designed to function effectively during and immediately after a flood of a specified level of risk. |
REC210-0666 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft a model planning scheme policy to be included in the model flood planning controls that sets out the information to be provided in development applications in relation to stormwater and flooding. The policy should specify: • the type of models and maps to be provided • the substantive information required to be shown in the development application • how the assumptions and methodologies used in preparing the models and maps should be presented • the form in which the information on stormwater and flooding is to be presented in the application. |
REC210-0759 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | CS Energy should review its emergency action plan and business procedures to ensure they are wholly consistent and give appropriate consideration to flooding as a possible emergency event. |
REC210-0627 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to require that consideration be given to the risk of flooding in the preparation or revision of a regional plan. |
REC210-0647 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should ensure that, when applications for a material change of use for an environmentally relevant activity are approved by the department, the details of those activities, including their nature and location, are provided to the council within whose area the activity will be conducted. |
REC210-0676 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Authorities responsible for the construction of sewerage infrastructure should, when embarking on new works, undertake risk and cost/benefit assessments to determine the level at which electrical infrastructure that may be vulnerable to inundation should be placed. |
REC210-0719 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so as to permit an emergency direction to be given orally where it is not practicable to provide the direction in writing, with provision for its subsequent confirmation in writing |
REC210-0611 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | For urban areas or areas where development is expected to occur: a. councils with the requisite resources should develop a flood map which shows ‘zones of risk’ (at least three) derived from information about the likelihood and behaviour of flooding b. councils without the requisite resources to produce a flood behaviour map should develop a flood map which shows the extent of floods of a range of likelihoods (at least three). |
REC210-0634 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If the Queensland Government does not include such a policy in the model flood planning controls, councils should include in their planning schemes a planning scheme policy that: • for development proposed on land susceptible to flooding, outlines what additional information an applicant should provide to the assessment manager as a part of the development application, or • for development proposed on land where potential for flooding is unknown requires an applicant to provide: – as part of the development application, information to enable an assessment of whether the subject land is susceptible to flooding, and – upon a determination the subject land is susceptible to flooding, more detailed information to allow an assessment of the flood risk. |
REC210-0657 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Levees should be regulated. |
REC210-0690 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require critical infrastructure in assessable substation developments is built to remain operational during and immediately after a flood of a particular magnitude. That magnitude should be determined by an appropriate risk assessment. |
REC210-0731 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Emergency Management Queensland should ensure its staff, SES members and disaster managers are familiar with the directives it develops in relation to these matters. |
REC210-0621 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should: a. narrow the definition of ‘development commitment’ in State Planning Policy 1/03: Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Flood, Bushfire and Landslide to ensure more development applications are assessed for compatibility with flood, and b. investigate whether the compensation provisions of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 act as a deterrent to the inclusion of flood controls in a planning scheme and consider whether they ought be amended. |
REC210-0639 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider extending the application of a state planning policy dealing with flood to the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood. |
REC210-0662 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that address: • the prospect of isolation or hindered evacuation • the impact of isolation or hindered evacuation. |
REC210-0750 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The assessment of flood mitigation manuals should be completed by a person with appropriate expertise who has had no involvement in its development, at any stage, and who can be seen to be independent of all individuals who were so involved. |
REC210-0626 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should consider using the limited development (constrained land) zone in their planning schemes for areas that have a very high flood risk. |
REC210-0646 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should amend the template assessment report used to assess applications for a material change of use for environmentally relevant activities so that it prompts departmental officers to give specific consideration, as part of the assessment process, to the risk of flooding at the site where the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0675 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider including in the criteria in the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code a requirement that the risk of leakage from private on-site sewerage systems during floods be minimised. |
REC210-0717 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to provide a definition of the term ‘emergency’ for the purposes of section 468 of that Act. |
REC210-0775 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should conduct periodic dam safety information and education sessions with emergency management personnel including those from Emergency Management Queensland, local and district disaster management groups and local councils. Priority should be given to sessions if the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a wet season with a greater than 50 per cent chance of above median rainfall. |
REC210-0633 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a model planning scheme policy that: • for development proposed on land susceptible to flooding, outlines what additional information an applicant should provide to the assessment manager as part of the development application, or • for development proposed on land where the potential for flooding is unknown, requires an applicant to provide: – as part of the development application, information to enable an assessment of whether the subject land is susceptible to flooding, and – upon a determination the subject land is susceptible to flooding, more detailed information, to allow an assessment of the flood risk. |
REC210-0656 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 so that operational work or plumbing or drainage work (including maintenance and repair work) carried out by or on behalf of a public sector entity authorised under a state law to carry out the work is not exempt development under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 if the development has the potential to reduce floodplain storage. |
REC210-0685 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | In assessing and determining development applications for material change of use in areas susceptible to flood, councils should consider whether the new developments locate essential services infrastructure above basement level, or, alternatively, whether essential services infrastructure located at basement level can be constructed so that it can continue to function during a flood. |
REC210-0730 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Emergency Management Queensland, in consultation with councils, should develop clear directives about: • the communication and reporting that should take place between the SES and disaster managers, including in relation to task allocation and completion, once disaster management groups have been activated • the communication and reporting that should take place between the SES and disaster managers, including in relation to task allocation and completion, once disaster management groups have been activated • the process for dealing with requests for assistance that exceed an SES unit’s capacity to respond them • the process for seeking extra support for an SES unit that has been overwhelmed by a disaster (whether by way of Emergency Management Queensland or the disaster management arrangements or both) • the role of SES liaison officers in communications with disaster managers about SES disaster operations • the role of incident controllers, and their teams, relative to those SES (or Emergency Management Queensland) personnel charged with the command of SES operations. |
REC210-0617 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider implementing a mechanism by which prospective purchasers of property are alerted to the issue of flood risk. To that end, the Queensland Government should consider consulting the Real Estate Institute of Queensland and the Law Society of Queensland as to the appropriateness of amending standard contract conditions so as to include a ‘subject to flood search’ condition, or other means of achieving the same objective. |
REC210-0638 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Coordinator-General should amend the guideline for preparing an ‘initial advice statement’ for a significant project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 so that it specifically requires an applicant to consider and provide information about the project’s flood risk. |
REC210-0661 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | There should be a common set of considerations in the decision whether to approve an application to build a levee, including: • the impacts of the proposed levee on the catchment as a whole • the benefits of the proposed levee to the individual or entity applying to build the levee and to any nearby community as a whole • any adverse impacts on other landholders, including the risk of levee failure • the implications of the proposed levee for land planning and emergency management procedures • whether any structural, land planning or emergency management measures can be taken to mitigate the adverse impacts of the proposed levee. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC191-0269 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS implement procedures to provide a clear grievance process which is available to rural fire brigade volunteers. |
REC191-0274 | 37 - Funding | that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services undertake a thorough review, including consultation with rural fire brigades, regarding the proposed formula for distribution of funding. |
REC191-0266 | 37 - Funding | that QFRS cover the cost of annual vehicle inspection certificates for rural fire brigade registered vehicles. |
REC191-0273 | 37 - Funding | that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services implement system of fire levies for landholders situated in urban, iZone and village brigade areas. |
REC191-0264 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS update its website to include the Rural Fire Service as part of its www.fire.qld.gov.au web presence. |
REC191-0272 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS establish the position of Assistant Commissioner, Rural Fire Service to lead the proposed Rural Fire Service division within QFRS. |
REC191-0263 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS investigate and implement an internal email system for rural fire brigades. |
REC191-0271 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS should establish a Rural Fire Service division within QFRS with the aim of integrating and strengthening the relationship between the urban and rural fire services. |
REC191-0262 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS include consultation with rural fire brigades as mandatory when boundary changes are proposed. |
REC191-0270 | 12 - EM agency and authority | that QFRS implement procedures to ensure that rural fire brigades receive written confirmation of the Commissioner’s approval after office bearer elections in compliance with section 81 of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990. |
REC191-0275 | 37 - Funding | that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services ensure that the formula for distribution of funding as recommended above allows rural fire brigades to control any donation or sponsorship funding raised by individual brigades. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC150-3116 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS implement a brigade issues management process to capture, manage and report specific brigade issues. |
REC150-3121 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS utilise performance information on brigade activity as a factor in determining brigade resource and funding needs. |
REC150-3127 | 16 - Training and behaviour | QFRS improve the capacity to address the brigade training gap by continuing to encourage and facilitate the accreditation of volunteer trainers within brigades where appropriate. |
REC150-3115 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | QFRS establish a structured risk management process for rural fire management, which involves regional and area offices, to enhance decision making processes and ensure opportunities are maximised and losses are minimised. This process should be linked to forward planning and incorporate existing processes such as: |
REC150-3120 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS provide assistance to brigades in determining and budgeting for their resource needs. |
REC150-3126 | 16 - Training and behaviour | QFRS continue to support area training staff in the development and implementation of brigade training programs and calendars. |
REC150-3114 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS implement a process to review brigade plans and incorporate specific issues identified into forward planning at the area and regional levels. |
REC150-3119 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS implement a system to collate and analyse brigade funding information. |
REC150-3124 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS establish a suitable process to reliably capture that information. |
REC150-3113 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS provide guidance and support to rural fire brigades in the development of their one year operational plan and three year management plan. |
REC150-3118 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS review the financial accountability and audit requirements of the rural fire brigades to reflect their status as part of QFRS. |
REC150-3123 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS determine the performance information needed to support effective decision making . |
REC150-3112 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) implement a forward planning process specific to rural fire management as part of the QFRS strategic planning process, which involves regional and area offices and incorporates: |
REC150-3117 | 12 - EM agency and authority | QFRS ensure compliance with the brigade accountability requirements for funding received by rural fire brigades as specified in the Rural Fire Brigade Manual |
REC150-3122 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | QFRS implement a system to monitor the condition and safety of brigade buildings and equipment. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC126-1962 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan be completed and introduced without delay |
REC126-2000 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the ACT Government consider taking measures to implement the provisions of Australian Standard 3959, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas, for the ACT urban area |
REC126-1966 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Services Agency investigate and implement arrangements that will provide the capacity to use fire retardant in remote areas |
REC126-1946 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the ACT Government consider amending the Coroners Act 1997 to include what were ss. 56(1)(d) and 56(2)(c) of the 1956 Coroners Act |
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 |
REC126-1958 | 37 - Funding | That the ACT Government allocate sufficient funds to enable full-time and volunteer firefighters to participate in relevant courses and programs |
REC126-1995 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Services Agency staff the Media Unit within its planning Section with profesisonal, experienced information officers skilled in dissemination of information and media management and liaison |
REC126-1965 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That helicopters be used wherever possible to facilitate the rapid deployment of remote area firefighting crews |
REC126-1945 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That s. 47 of the ACT Coroners Act 1997 be expanded to explicitly state that an inquest and the inquiry are not adversarial in nature and are solely inquisitorial, with a view to establishing the truth |
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 |
REC126-1957 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Emergency Services Agency review the level of understanding among firefighting personnel of the latest information available nationally and internationally about wildfire behaviour and suppression and provide additional training if warranted |
REC126-1989 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That formal protocols be developed and agreed with NSW authorities, so that a concerted effort that combines the resources of both NSW and the ACT can be brought to bear in the future - without impediment caused by lines on a map that make the ACT an island within the state of NSW |
REC126-1964 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That remote area firefighting resources be deployed to a fire in a remote area as a matter of priority and in preference to the deployment of large tankers |
REC126-1944 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That s. 59 of the ACT Coroners ACT 1997 be amended by deleting the words ‘by instrument’ in s. 59(1) and by deleting the words ‘by his or her instrument of appointment’ in s. 59(2)(b) |
REC126-1969 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That a review be conducted of the adequacy of training and the numbers of firefighters experienced in performing effective, safe large-scale back-burning operations |
REC126-1955 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That training of all personnel involved with emergency services be under constant review |
REC126-1983 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency ensure that personnel in their respective organisations are fully briefed on the agreed policy on evacuations |
REC126-1964 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That all firefighting agencies adopt a policy and practice that all fires in remote areas of the ACT be responded to as quickly as possible, with vigorous and sustained efforts made to suppress the fires and not leave them unattended – especially at night – unless there are compelling reasons relating to firefighter safety or lack of resources |
REC126-1943 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1990 be amended by repealing s. 6(d) of the Act |
REC126-1968 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That land managers ensure their staff are properly trained in the effective use of large bulldozers at wildfires and that staff are available to be assigned to supervise bulldozer operations |
REC126-1951 | 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 |
REC126-1980 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That public land management agencies ensure that their senior personnel have appropriate experience in fire management and are provided with adequate resources and suitable experienced and trained staff to effectively implement fire management programs |
REC126-1963 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That priority be given to ensuring that the ACT has an adequate resource of remote area firefighting teams consisting of personnel with high levels of fitness and training in remote fire suppression |
REC126-2002 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That consideration be given when building to the positioning of outbuildings around residential structures such that their potential impact on the main structure is reduced |
REC126-1967 | 40 - Equipment and consumables | That the Emergency Services Agency give priority to ensuring it has guaranteed access to an adequate number and type of bulldozers, as well as experienced operators, during the fire season, for immediate deployment as required |
REC126-1949 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Services Agency be relocated into accommodation that is purpose-built and more sited to the agency’s operations than the current facility at Curtin |
REC126-1978 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That it be a matter of policy and practice that the relevant land management agency is responsible for the initial response to any fire or fires on the land under its care or management – within the overall operational response of the ACT Rural Fire Service |