Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC321-4209 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | We recommend that DEWLP and CFA (in consultation with FRV) systemically documents and publicly reports reasons why it does not complete planned burns. |
REC321-4210 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that CFA (in consultation with FRV) improves its values checks by providing ongoing state-wide support to regional vegetation management officers and leveraging any relevant systems or capabilities from DELWP to conduct values checks through guidance, training and ongoing funding. |
REC321-4203 | 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). |
REC321-4213 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that DELWP improves the effectiveness, consistency and transparency of its environmental and cultural values checks by: - finalising its review of operational values checking processes and committing to an implementation plan - clarifying and formalising principles and procedures, making them publicly available where possible - improving capability and capacity among staff responsible for carrying out values checks, for example through training - developing a long-term program of work and investment to improve the quality, consistency and comprehensiveness of underlying datasets - increasing alignment in regard to values checks between agencies carrying out fuel management. |
REC321-4206 | 3 - Biodiversity | We recommend that DELWP conducts more effective ecosystem resilience monitoring by: - setting a target for regions on the quantity of ecosystem resilience monitoring assessments that they should complete annually - setting an outcomes-level target that defines desirable values for key ecosystem resilience metrics - reporting publicly against all of the metrics in its Measuring Ecosystem Resilience in Strategic Bushfire Management Planning policy in its fuel management reports. |
REC321-4216 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | We recommend that DELWP enhances bushfire modelling by: - exploring multiple bushfire modelling tools to lower the uncertainty and limitations associated with using a single modelling tool - applying more detailed fire-severity data - validating and updating fuel accumulation curves - establishing and regularly updating an archive of well-documented fire events and using this to systematically test it against a broad range of burning and fuel conditions - establishing and implementing processes to routinely review and update its underlying datasets. |
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. |
REC321-4217 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | We recommend that DELWP in partnership with Country Fire Authority and Fire Rescue Victoria develops, implements and publicly reports on a holistic suite of performance metrics to demonstrate: - the impact that planned burning has on public and private land on bushfire risk - the impact that planned burning has on public and private land on ecosystem resilience - the impact that non-burn fuel management activities have on public and private land on bushfire risk - the impact that its activities at local and regional levels have on bushfire risk - the cost-effectiveness of its fuel management activities on public and private land. |
REC321-4208 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | We recommend that DEWLP and CFA (in consultation with FRV) develops financial reporting to monitor fuel management costs and estimate future costs. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC319-4193 | 9 - Community education | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, coordinate ongoing education campaigns to increase public awareness of community roles and responsibilities during periods of emergency relief and recovery. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC318-4184 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria collaborate with the emergency management sector to develop a capacity model that considers current and future: |
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: |
REC318-4178 | 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: |
REC318-4183 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in consultation with relevant agencies – develop a system to manage personnel and asset deployments to all tiers of incident management to meet the needs of the emergency and support the health and wellbeing of personnel. Where appropriate and within occupational health and safety requirements, this may include: |
REC318-4177 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | 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 conjunction with legislated fuel management organisations – develop a common set of objectives, metrics and reporting requirements for fuel management that form part of a compulsory regime that enables the Victorian Government to report publicly on a holistic fuel management program. The reporting requirements 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: |
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: |
REC318-4186 | 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: |
REC318-4173 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that in conjunction with Inquiry Recommendation 2, the State establish or assign responsibility to a single body or entity to lead and coordinate the implementation of evidence-based fuel management policy, practice and assurance and reporting on activities on both public and private land in Victoria. |
REC318-4181 | 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: |
REC318-4185 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria works with the emergency management sector and relevant emergency management entities in New South Wales and South Australia to identify and address key cross border operational and resource management issues. This engagement should aim to enhance interoperability and maximise the capability and capacity of agencies to work together during emergencies along Victoria’s borders. |
REC318-4179 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in accepting that emergency management is a ‘shared responsibility’ - collaborate with the emergency management sector and community to: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC314-3269 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Develop and practice procedures for the CFS, DEW and local governments to access and deploy heavy plant and machinery for fuel reduction operations both before and during bushfires. |
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. |
REC314-3260 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Align risk assessment tools and processes to Risk Management Standard ISO 31000 and the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines (NERAG) and communicate these on public-facing platforms. Make Bushfire Management Area Plans (BMAP) accountable for managing and reporting on region-specific risk and identifying critical infrastructure such as mobile phone towers as key risks. |
REC314-3259 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Implement previous review recommendations for bushfire management including those relating to the 2009 amendments to the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005, State Bushfire Coordination Committee operation, State Bushfire Management Plan, as well as urgent completion of Codes of Practice for fuel hazard reduction on all land tenures, and redevelopment of Bushfire Management Area Plans accompanied by effective community engagement to build an understanding of risk. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC299-1338 | 19 - Offences | The Government introduce an amendment to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or other instruments which imposes significant penalties and strengthens enforcement, including via infringement notices, for offences against Total Fire Ban requirements before the 2017‑2018 fire season. |
REC299-1337 | 19 - Offences | The Government should: |
REC299-1347 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | In order to manage a reduced time window available to undertake the current types of planned burns, alternative methods, including the indigenous mosaic ‘cool’ burns, should be examined and trialled as they may extend the period in which planned burns can be undertaken while reducing overall risk and fuel loads. |
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 |
REC299-1341 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in conjunction with a risk‑based approach, a minimum hectare target is also maintained that can be measured and compared. This minimum target should not be below the 5% target established by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC275-1174 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | IGEM recommends that fire agencies consider an earlier classification of Level 3 incident for fires that present significant complexity such as was evident in the Wye River – Jamieson Track event. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC273-1133 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That a complete review of current naming conventions of personnel and centres, in accordance with the outcomes of the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission is undertaken, to ensure clarity around command, control and coordination within SA. |
REC273-1132 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Noting the implementation of Common Incident Command and Control System (CICCS) in SA that fire and emergency services together with police (including through AFAC and ANZPAA), continue to liaise regarding the development of a national incident management. |
REC273-1131 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the Emergency Management Australia’s ‘Arrangements for Interstate Assistance (Fire and Emergency Services)’ be applied to all future requests for assistance by the SACFS, SAMFS and SASES. |
REC273-1145 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Review relevant Legislation associated Acts and Plans to establish a consistent approach to fire and emergency management to minimise duplication and risk of contradiction. That the Hazard and Functional area plans be amalgamated and establish a SA Bushfire Plan, under the SEMP, which clearly define role of SACFS. |
REC273-1129 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Incorporating ‘triggers’ within Chief Officers Standing Orders No. 17, which requires the escalation of the State Controller role to the rank of Assistant Chief Officer or greater, depending on the increased risk or activity. |
REC273-1143 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That SACFS in consultation with SAMFS consider adopting common terminology and capability requirements for strike teams being ‘4-5 appliances and a group officer’ in line with other jurisdictions. |
REC273-1128 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Incorporate in operational doctrine the ability for the State Controller to determine the operational readiness levels of the state or regions based on either the predicted and/or actual risk and/or activity to some or all of the regions. |
REC273-1141 | 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government | SACFS and the BoM review current weather, fuel loads and curing rates to determine the most appropriate and accurate forecast is prepared, issued and validated against current conditions. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC264-1080 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State develop and widely disseminate an integrated State Smoke Guide, to: • incorporate the proposed State Smoke Plan for the management of public health impacts from large scale, extended smoke events; • include updated Bushfre Smoke, carbon monoxide and PM protocols; and 2.5 • provide practical advice and support materials to employers, communities and individuals on how to minimise the harmful effects of smoke. |
REC264-1088 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | GDF Suez adopt and apply the firefghter carbon monoxide response protocol. |
REC264-1074 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State enact legislation, to: • require Integrated Fire Management Planning; and • authorise the Emergency Management Commissioner to develop and implement regional and municipal fire management plans. |
REC264-1079 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State review and revise the Bushfre Smoke Protocol and the PM Health Protection Protocol, to: 2.5 • ensure both protocols are consistent with each other; and • ensure both protocols include assessment methods and trigger points for specifc responses. |
REC264-1087 | 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 |
REC264-1073 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The State establish, for any future incident, integrated incident management teams with GDF Suez and other Victorian essential industry providers, to: • essential industry providers; and require that emergency services personnel work with GDF Suez and other appropriate • implement the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System. |
REC264-1078 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State review and revise the community carbon monoxide response protocol and the firefghter carbon monoxide response protocol, to: |
REC264-1086 | 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. |
REC264-1077 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State take the lead in advocating for a national compliance standard for PM |
REC264-1084 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | GDF Suez revise its Emergency Response Plan, to: • require an increased state of readiness on days of Total Fire Ban; • require pre-establishment of an Emergency Command Centre; • require pre-positioning of an accredited Incident Controller as Emergency Commander; and • require any persons nominated as Emergency Commander to have incident controller accreditation and profciency in the use of the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System. |
REC264-1076 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The State equip itself to undertake rapid air quality monitoring in any location in Victoria, to: • collect all relevant data, including data on PM , carbon monoxide and ozone; and 2.5 • ensure this data is used to inform decision-making within 24 hours of the incident occurring. |
REC264-1083 | 9 - Community education | The State, led by Emergency Management Victoria, develop a community engagement model for emergency management to ensure all State agencies and local governments engage with communities and already identifed trusted networks as an integral component of emergency management planning. |
REC264-1075 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State: • bring forward the commencement date of s.16 of the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Amendment Act 2014 (Vic), to facilitate the requirement that approved work plans specifcally address fre prevention, mitigation and suppression; and • acquire the expertise necessary to monitor and enforce compliance with fre risk measures adopted by the Victorian coal mining industry under both the mine licensing and occupational health and safety regimes. |
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 |
---|---|---|
REC195-0311 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services ensure that agency specific operational procedures fully align with the arrangements. |
REC195-0329 | 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government | The Fire Services Commissioner requests the Federal Government to revise the National SEWS Guidelines |
REC195-0309 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services, and other emergency management agencies, use the Tostaree fire as a scenario exercise to improve understanding of fast-running fires and enhance interoperability and control strategies |
REC195-0327 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that the inter-relationship between Information Sections at all levels is understood. |
REC195-0337 | 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. |
REC195-0318 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire Services develop a joint protocol for each Fire Service to notify the other of fires reported from fire towers |
REC195-0333 | 9 - Community education | The Fire Services identify opportunities for the community to learn about, engage with and influence local emergency management planning. |
REC195-0313 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services expedite programmed work on joint operational command and control, including standards, procedures and training |
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. |
REC195-0312 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that joint fireground command and control, integration and escalation procedures are developed, particularly for ‘fastrunning’ fires |
REC195-0330 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Fire Services develop a program that enables all communication mediums, including social media and agency websites, to be monitored in real time to provide quality assurance for outgoing messages and additional sources of information and intelligence relating to an emergency |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC192-1923 | 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government | The Committee recommends that Parliament establish a standing committee for natural disasters. The purpose of this committee would be to ensure that Government agencies and emergency services are fully prepared to deal with natural disasters and to provide an opportunity for Members of Parliament, as opposed to Cabinet, to have input into disaster management. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC181-0181 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Municipal councils include in their municipal fire prevention plans for areas of high bushfire risk provision for the identification of hazard trees and for notifying the responsible entities with a view to having the situation redressed. |
REC181-0201 | 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. |
REC181-0209 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Department of Sustainability and Environment amend the Code of Practice for Fire Management on Public Land in order to achieve the following: ■ provide a clear statement of objectives, expressed as measurable outcomes; ■ include an explicit risk-analysis model for more objective and transparent resolution of competing objectives, where human life is the highest priority; ■ specify the characteristics of fire management zones—including burn size, percentage area burnt within the prescribed burn, and residual fuel loading; ■ adopt the use of the term ‘bushfire’ rather than ‘wildfire’. |
REC181-0153 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State establish mechanisms for helping municipal councils to undertake local planning that tailors bushfire safety options to the needs of individual communities. In doing this planning, councils should: ■ urgently develop for communities at risk of bushfire local plans that contain contingency options such as evacuation and shelter; ■ document in municipal emergency management plans and other relevant plans facilities where vulnerable people are likely to be situated—for example, aged care facilities, hospitals, schools and child care centres; ■ compile and maintain a list of vulnerable residents who need tailored advice of a recommendation to evacuate and provide this list to local police and anyone else with pre-arranged responsibility for helping vulnerable residents evacuate. |
REC181-0186 | 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government | The Commonwealth, states and territories continue to pursue the National Action Plan to Reduce Bushfire Arson in Australia, giving priority to producing a nationally consistent framework for data collection and evaluating current and proposed programs in order to identify and share best-practice approaches. |
REC181-0162 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider either amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 or adopting a standing practice to require the Minister for Police and Emergency Services or the Chief Commissioner of Police to consult the Premier about the possibility of declaring a state of disaster for all of or any part of Victoria whenever the Minister or the Chief Commissioner of Police becomes aware of circumstances that make it a reasonable possibility that the criteria for making such a declaration will be satisfied. |
REC181-0172 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment standardise their operating systems and information and communications technologies with the aim of achieving greater efficiency and interoperability between agencies. |
REC181-0195 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State press municipal councils—in particular, Murrindindi Shire Council—to urgently adopt a bushfire policy in their Local Planning Policy Framework and incorporate bushfire risk management in their planning policies and strategies for rebuilding communities such as Marysville, Kinglake and others affected by the January–February 2009 fires. |
REC181-0208 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Department of Sustainability and Environment significantly upgrade its program of long-term data collection to monitor and model the effects of its prescribed burning programs and of bushfires on biodiversity in Victoria. |
REC181-0152 | 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. |
REC181-0164 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Victorian fire agencies amend the AIIMS framework before the 2010–11 fire season in order to do the following: ■ designate the Information Unit as a separate section reporting directly to the Incident Controller and require that the Information Unit contain a dedicated Public Information Officer whenever a full incident management team is required; ■ specify a set of functions in relation to which the Deputy Incident Controller for a level 3 incident will have oversight, which may be adjustable for a particular incident by agreement between the Incident Controller and the Deputy Incident Controller; ■ ensure that an individual with local knowledge is incorporated in an incident management team |
REC181-0161 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 and the Emergency Management Manual Victoria in order to achieve the following: ■ remove the title of Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management from the Minister for Police and Emergency Services; ■ clarify the function and powers of the Minister; ■ designate the Chief Commissioner of Police as Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management, who would have primary responsibility for keeping the Minister informed during an emergency. |
REC181-0166 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment improve mapping support in the following ways: ■ DSE providing mapping data free of charge to emergency response agencies; ■ greatly increasing the CFA’s ‘write’ access to FireMap for incident management team staff; ■ establishing a joint DSE–CFA training program to ensure that mapping officers in level 2 and 3 incident management teams are fully trained in using FireMap, including in producing fire prediction maps; ■ requiring before the 2010–11 fire season that FireMap be used for joint incidents. |
REC181-0194 | 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. |
REC181-0207 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Department of Sustainability and Environment report annually on prescribed burning outcomes in a manner that meets public accountability objectives, including publishing details of targets, area burnt, funds expended on the program, and impacts on biodiversity. |
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. |
REC181-0158 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment amend their procedures to require the following: ■ that at locations that attract preparedness levels A or B there be a full incident management team under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of code red fire danger and a core incident management team (eight personnel) under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of extreme fire danger; ■ that at locations that attract preparedness levels A or B there be a full incident management team under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of code red fire danger and a core incident management team (eight personnel) under the leadership of an accredited level 3 Incident Controller in position by 10.00 am on days of extreme fire danger. |
REC181-0193 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The Department of Sustainability and Environment conduct biodiversity mapping identifying flora, fauna and any threatened species throughout Victoria and make the results publicly available. The format used should be compatible with that used for Bushfire-prone Area mapping. |
REC181-0206 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The State fund and commit to implementing a long-term program of prescribed burning based on an annual rolling target of 5 per cent minimum of public land. |
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. |
REC181-0157 | 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. |
REC181-0187 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The State identify a central point of responsibility for and expertise in mapping bushfire risk to: ■ review urgently the mapping criteria at present used by the Country Fire Authority to map the Wildfire Management Overlay, to ensure that the mapping used to determine building and planning controls is based on the best available science and takes account of all relevant aspects of bushfire risk; ■ map and designate Bushfire-prone Areas for the purposes of planning and building controls, in consultation with municipal councils and fire agencies; ■ finalise the alignment of site-assessment methods for planning and building purposes, taking into account bushfire risk to human safety as well as to property. |
REC181-0163 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State consider amending the Emergency Management Act 1986 to introduce a graded scale of emergency declarations short of a state of disaster. |
REC181-0202 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State develop and implement, in consultation with local government, a mechanism for sign-off by municipal councils of any permit conditions imposed under the Bushfire-prone Overlay and the regular assessment of landowners’ compliance with conditions. |
REC181-0213 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State enact legislation designed to achieve two specific ends: ■ appoint a Fire Commissioner as an independent statutory officer responsible to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and as the senior operational firefighter in Victoria; ■ make the Chief Fire Officer of the Department of Sustainability and Environment a statutory appointment. The Fire Commissioner should have responsibility for the following: ■ promoting and directing reform aimed at increasing the operational capability, interoperability and resilience of Victoria’s fire services; ■ developing and building operational capacity to prepare for the days of highest bushfire risk and exercising control over level 3 fires as the permanent State Controller; ■ providing to government periodic advice on the metropolitan fire district boundary on the basis of triggers, frequency and criteria approved by government; ■ representing Victorian interests on operational matters in national committees. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC155-3478 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That all information pertaining to current and planned prescribed burns be published more prominently on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website, with a single prominent link to this material on the website homepage. |
REC155-3468 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industries, Parks Victoria & VicForests separately cost, and report, annual expenditure on fuel reduction burning, ecological burning and regeneration burning in their Annual Reports. |
REC155-3477 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That the details of any variation or amendment of a Fire Operations Plan, including: the carrying forward or postponement of burns within the three-year period covered by a Fire Operations Plan; the carry over, removal or rescheduling of burns between past, present and future Fire Operations Plans; and the alteration of burn boundaries (including alterations of less than 25 per cent); should appear on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website at the time of the change and be included in the Fire Operations Plan for the following year. |
REC155-3467 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | The Department of Sustainability and Environment should report its performance against the increased prescribed burning target in its annual report, which should also include the following details: |
REC155-3476 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That finalised Fire Operations Plans be made publicly available in their entirety (with the exception of any private information) on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website and in hard-copy, and that this requirement be clearly stated in future Codes of Practice. This should include the “district burns list”, or its future equivalents, and a map which shows the corresponding burns for each Fire District. Each map should be provided in a format which can be downloaded directly from the Department’s website without the need for further data manipulation by the user. An identical hardcopy version of the map for each Fire District should be also be available to members of the public on request and free of charge. |
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. |
REC155-3466 | 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. |
REC155-3475 | 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. |
REC155-3482 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Victorian Government, and responsible agencies, expedite the implementation of the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework. |
REC155-3465 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in order to enhance the protection of community and ecological assets, the Department of Sustainability and Environment increase its annual prescribed burning target from 130,000 hectares to 385,000 hectares. This should be treated as a rolling target, with any shortfalls to be made up in subsequent 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. |
REC155-3479 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That a process of year round community engagement in the preparation of Fire Operations Plans be established. In addition a record of year round community engagement, as contained in the Gippsland Fire Operations Plan, should be a requirement of all Fire Operations Plans. |
REC155-3464 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment implement remote sensing imagery as a routine part of its pre-burn and post-burn assessment process for prescribed burning. Maps of every prescribed burn should be produced in a similar format to those used in Western Australia, indicating the boundary of each burn and the varying fire intensities achieved within the burn area. The boundaries of all Fuel Management Zones within each burn should also be indicated. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC153-1805 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Minister for Environment, the Chief Officer of the CFS and the Native Vegetation Council, together develop a Code of Practice relating to the management of native vegetation as it affects bushfire prevention. |
REC153-1774 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the President of the Farmers’ Federation of South Australia and the Minister for Local Government, with a view to developing a Code of Practice, establish a body to investigate the impact of existing farming practices on bushfire risk and prevention. |
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 |
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 |
REC153-1790 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident |
REC153-1780 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That the Minister for Local Government cause rural councils to appoint an Officer whose duties consist entirely of bushfire prevention, such Officer being required to become a trained, operative member of the South Australian Country Fire Service during the currency of his or her appointment. |
REC153-1789 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident |
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 |
REC153-1788 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident |
REC153-1777 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government consider the enactment of legislation that would empower Local Government to require the owners or occupiers of rural land to create fire breaks on the land of a kind that Local Government may determine and/or to require the removal of flammable materials from the land, as measures for preventing the outbreak of a bushfire, or for preventing the spread or extension of a bushfire. |
REC153-1787 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Minister for Emergency Services, the South Australian Country Fire Service, the South Australia Police and the South Australian Farmers’ Federation together continue to develop strategies to reduce the risk of harm to private firefighters and in particular: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC139-3546 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Local Government to be maintained as an important component of bushfire management in South Australia because of the link with the community. |
REC139-3535 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The requirement to establish Regional Bushfire Prevention Committees under section 73 of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005, is removed. |
REC139-3540 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State Bushfire Coordination Committee will have the following members with experience in bushfire management: |
REC139-3545 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | SA Country Fire Service to be responsible for Bushfire Management Plan preparation, analysis of future risks trends based on investigation and executive support to Bushfire Management Committees. |
REC139-3534 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The SA Bushfire Prevention Advisory Committee established under section 71 of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005, is removed and replaced with the State Bushfire Coordination Committee. |
REC139-3539 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State Bushfire Coordination Committee will have the following functions: |
REC139-3544 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The area of responsibility for Bushfire Management Committees will be established based on bushfire risk and the capacity of the area to cooperate and collaborate. |
REC139-3550 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The State Bushfire Coordination Committee work with the Native Vegetation Council to develop more streamlined processes for the prescribed burning of native vegetation for hazard reduction. |
REC139-3538 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The requirement to establish a Bushfire Management Committee is inserted into the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005. |
REC139-3543 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Bushfire Management Committees be given the appropriate powers under the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 to ensure that bushfire management strategies that have been identified in a Bushfire Management Plan or any other action to reduce bushfire risk, are completed by individuals, the community, agencies or organisations. |
REC139-3548 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The current provisions for permit to light and maintain fire under Section 81 of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act and Regulations 2005 to be reviewed for improvement with an accreditation for a self-regulation process. |
REC139-3537 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The requirement for a rural council to appoint a suitably qualified Fire Prevention Officer under section 77 of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 is removed. |
REC139-3542 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Bushfire Management Committees will have the following members who reside and/or are employed/assigned in the area of responsibility, with experience in bushfire management: |
REC139-3547 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The principle of developing Codes of Practice for Bushfire Management, referenced in the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act and Regulations 2005 be endorsed and further developed by the State Bushfire Coordination Committee. |
REC139-3536 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The requirement for a rural council to establish a District Bushfire Prevention Committees under section 75 of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 is removed. |
REC139-3541 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Bushfire Management Committees will have the following functions: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC132-3592 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Clarifying protocols for activating VBIL beyond normal working hours and for 24 hour activations |
REC132-3591 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Joint development of templates for provision of core incident information by regional Incident Management Teams to CFA and DSE emergency coordination centres as basis for updates to the VBIL and other authorised information recipients |
REC132-3597 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Investigate engaging with other agencies involved in emergency management including SES, VicRoads, VicPolice, OESC and DHS to establish a single united emergency information line for Victoria that can be used to provide information to the public from all agencies involved. |
REC132-3595 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Development of framework document investigating future direction of VBIL including its role during incidents and its role in the transition from bushfire preparation to incident to bushfire recovery phases |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC124-3885 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | Align policies and processes, within the year round 365 day focus on fire management, to provide consistency in the approach to fire regardless of its origins,- that is fuel reduction burning, regeneration and ecological burning or unplanned fire; |
REC124-3884 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | Develop new prescriptions for prescribed burning to accommodate local conditions in those areas where standard prescriptions are assessed to be inappropriate: |
REC124-3883 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Integrate information management systems relating to the prescribed burning program to provide consistency across the networked emergency organisation: |
REC124-3889 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Develop a component of the DSE Workforce Strategy to build organisational capacity and sustainability of the prescribed burning program across the networked emergency organisation: |
REC124-3887 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Give priority to the establishment of risk management processes across all stages of prescribed burning within the Department’s broader risk management strategy: |
REC124-3886 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Clarify, strengthen and document roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of DSE and its partner organisations in the prescribed burning program: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC122-3795 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that the government assess the impact on fauna movement prior to managing native vegetation. |
REC122-3788 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council have a consistent approach to prescribed burning on both public and private lands. |
REC122-3794 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that when preparing the plan for fire management (including identifying where and when to undertake prescribed burning, firebreaks and fire access tracks) consideration must be given to the impact on local fauna. |
REC122-3786 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Act be amended to allow for prescribed burning. |
REC122-3793 | 3 - Biodiversity | The committee recommends that the government actively manage native vegetation for fuel loads, weeds and pests. |
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. |
REC122-3792 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that, after a fire, as much vegetation as feasible be retained to minimise soil erosion from wind and first rains. |
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. |
REC122-3790 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that prescribed burning should only be undertaken by professionally trained personnel. |
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. |
REC122-3789 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the native vegetation planning and approval process for prescribed burning be amended to allow flexibility for burning on optimum days. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC104-2206 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB: |
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. |
REC104-2266 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE and CFA review their joint planning for Incident Control Centres to ensure that, wherever safe and practicable, those Centres are located close to the fire area. |
REC104-2295 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That more emphasis should be given to communication and discussion in regard to State Aircraft Unit’s roles, responsibilities, practices and procedures. |
REC104-2333 | 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. |
REC104-2193 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That if ‘link’ burns continue to be used, then on-site weather sequences and fuel conditions marking successful (‘within explicit prescription’) and unsuccessful burns be documented. |
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. |
REC104-2238 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the Victorian fire agencies negotiate with their counterparts in New South Wales and South Australia to put in place agreements for mutual aid and the development of cross border strategy for the management of fires burning in the vicinity of, or across, State borders, and these agreements are reviewed annually. |
REC104-2281 | 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. |
REC104-2315 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Privacy Commissioner be asked for advice in the development of this model. |
REC104-2198 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That an explicit formulation of the interactions between terrain, fuel, ignition pattern, time of day and weather be created to better define those days suited to prescribed burning. |
REC104-2221 | 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. |
REC104-2254 | 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. |
REC104-2288 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA develop protocols to integrate Ultra High Frequency and Citizen Band radios into their communication structures. |
REC104-2323 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That CFA, DSE, MFESB, VICSES, Victoria Police and OESC, in consultation with the Municipal Association of Victoria, consult on the proposal to combine Municipal Councils’ current responsibilities for the development of an emergency management plan/committee, as required by the Emergency Management Act 1986 and a fire prevention plan/committee as required by the Country Fire Authority Act 1958. |
REC104-2205 | 9 - Community education | That CFA should remain the lead agency in delivering the community education and information program to rural Victoria. |
REC104-2227 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Municipal Fire Management Plan amendment includes appropriate provisions for the audit of the plans including: |
REC104-2265 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That in the review of Incident Control Centre locations, DSE and CFA give due consideration to: |
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. |
REC104-2332 | 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: |
REC104-2192 | 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.’ |
REC104-2210 | 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. |
REC104-2236 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Statewide Fire Control Priorities: |
REC104-2278 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That DSE and CFA review the standards and protocols for documentation, including mapping, provided to fire line managers as part of their briefing notes, to ensure these are concise and appropriate. |
REC104-2311 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That all Departments, statutory authorities, utility providers and Local Governments be made aware of the need to develop contingency plans for recovery activities, and that such plans, and the associated public education and information strategies, are included in the Municipal Emergency Management Plans. |
REC104-2197 | 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. |
REC104-2219 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, following the review of Forest Industry Brigades, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to ensure that the Forest Industry Brigades, which are acting in an approved manner, have the same powers and rights as other Brigades when attending fires on public land or interstate. |
REC104-2253 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Victoria Police, CFA and DSE review the relationship between fire service regional co-ordination arrangements and Divisional Emergency Response Plans and that any changes be formalised in the emergency management arrangements. |
REC104-2285 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, as a matter of urgency and in consultation with stakeholders, CFA and DSE develop and communicate clear guidelines on how and when privately owned firefighting equipment should be integrated into the fire response. |
REC104-2322 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE commits appropriate resources to work with OESC in developing the bushfire component of the 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. |
REC104-2226 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the new Municipal Fire Management Plan is informed by the policy directions of the subcommittee of the Victoria Emergency Management Council. |
REC104-2261 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the emergency management arrangements be amended to require Police Divisional Emergency Response Coordinators, in consultation with other response agencies, to establish and document procedures and structures at regional level in order to ensure there is: |
REC104-2292 | 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. |
REC104-2331 | 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. |
REC104-2191 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE and CFA, recognising that the Bureau of Meteorology does not routinely store all variables required to produce the calculations and indices necessary for research and planning into fire occurrence and behaviour, develop appropriate systems to ensure that such current and historical information is readily available and accessible. |
REC104-2209 | 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. |
REC104-2232 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Government in the development of its statewide water policy includes appropriate consideration of access to water for firefighting. |
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. |
REC104-2309 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Management Act 1986 be amended to include a provision that, on the recommendation of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services as Co-ordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management, or of another Minister, the Premier establish a Ministerial Task Force to oversee recovery in situations of extreme natural disaster or other emergency events. |
REC104-2196 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That, as a result of this monitoring, weather conditions for the safe conduct of burning in such operations should be defined. |
REC104-2214 | 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. |
REC104-2252 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That existing DSE and CFA regional co-ordination arrangements be reviewed and any changes, such as the continued use of Integrated Multi-Agency Co-ordination Centres, be reflected in the Victorian emergency management arrangements. |
REC104-2284 | 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review | That DSE and CFA review the management of personnel deployed ensuring that: |
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. |
REC104-2202 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE and CFA map all unplanned fires greater than four hectares on public and private land in order to further develop an understanding of the risk to rural Victoria from unplanned fires. |
REC104-2225 | 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. |
REC104-2257 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Management Act 1986 be amended to require the development of agreements that describe joint operational arrangements between emergency response agencies. |
REC104-2291 | 28 - Personal responsibility | That after each fire season, measures of the effectiveness of aerial firefighting be collated, analysed and used for the assessment of the State Aircraft Fleet composition and the adequacy of Training and Accreditation programs. |
REC104-2330 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That this unified system include recommendations for the appointment of one person or agency to be responsible for overall control of fire suppression activity in country Victoria, including for any legislative reform considered necessary. |
REC104-2190 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That DSE institute additional routine data storage and analysis to supplement current climate records with at least daily 3 pm values for the Grassland and Forest Fire Danger Index, and Keetch-Byram Drought Index, for selected high quality stations representing a cross-section of environments throughout Victoria. |
REC104-2208 | 9 - Community education | That CFA and MFESB encourage householders to review their fire safety plan annually. |
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. |
REC104-2276 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA and DSE jointly develop procedures to ensure that a more consistent strategic approach can be maintained at shift and tour of duty changes. |
REC104-2304 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That Municipal Emergency Resource Officers develop registers of volunteers willing and available to provide assistance and support during the response to, and recovery from, emergency incidents. |
REC104-2195 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That the creation of buffers by chaining and then burning swaths of mallee be explicitly monitored for: |
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. |
REC104-2247 | 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 |
REC104-2283 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That DSE, CFA, MFESB and VICSES work cooperatively to establish a common system for resource tracking during major fires and incidents. |
REC104-2320 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That Government acknowledge the importance of spatial information as a key element of planning, operations and program evaluation, and support the Geospatial Emergency Information Network as a means of ensuring integrated and co-ordinated information management on a whole-ofGovernment basis. |
REC104-2200 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That DSE: |
REC104-2224 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to: |
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. |
REC104-2290 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That instances where demand for air support outstrips the supply of State Fleet Aircraft available are recorded. |
REC104-2329 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That CFA, DSE, MFESB and Victoria Police jointly develop a unified command and control system that better integrates with the State's emergency management arrangements, and that this be endorsed by the Victoria Emergency Management Council by July 2004. |
REC104-2207 | 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. |
REC104-2229 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That DSE and the Department of Primary Industries formalise an agreement by the 2003-2004 fire season documenting the policies, procedures and financial arrangements relating to the availability of Department of Primary Industries staff to be trained and released for fire prevention and suppression activities on public land. |
REC104-2268 | 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. |
REC104-2303 | 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. |
REC104-2336 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That OESC work with the fire agencies in developing implementation strategies for recommendations agreed by Government. |
REC104-2194 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That the success of current buffers in terms of assisting suppression operations be continually reviewed, evaluated and documented. |
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. |
REC104-2239 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That any local level agreements developed to address geographically specific risks or issues must be consistent with State-level arrangements. |
REC104-2282 | 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. |
REC104-2319 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That all emergency service agencies, CFA and DSE in particular, give greater priority to information management – especially the collection, maintenance and quality control of base data sets necessary for planning, operations and program evaluation. |
REC104-2199 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That evidence of the rekindling or otherwise of spring prescribed burns in forests be assembled and a model constructed and tested to see whether or not some days in spring could be used for prescribed burning in certain circumstances and places, especially in Zone 1. |
REC104-2222 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That Municipal Councils: |
REC104-2255 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the options of collocating the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre with the new State Emergency Operations Centre |
REC104-2289 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | That the joint agencies introduce a system of performance measures for reporting the effectiveness of aircraft in firefighting operations. |
REC104-2324 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That this group reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on proposed legislative amendments to the Emergency Management Act 1986, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and any associated legislation by June 2004. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC016_3953 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is therefore recommended that the State Electricity Commission should be advised by someone whose profession it is to consider and devise methods of forest fire protection and suppression; that he should collaborate with others to devise a general scheme of organized protection of the undertaking and township of Yallourn; and that above all, he should have direct access to the Commissioners themselves, lest his advice should lose something of its strength and reality in its journey through the “proper channels” of the Commission’s organization. |
REC016_3947 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | It is recommended that the services of this body [Air Raids Precautions Body] be used in future if to do so be thought desirable. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
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_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. |