Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC325-4339 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review and update the State Disaster Risk Report, including re-evaluating the risk of flooding by all types. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should publish the updated State Disaster Risk Report by 1 November 2023. |
REC325-4331 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services conduct annual exercises with every local disaster management group and district disaster management group to confirm the process for developing, approving and issuing of an Emergency Alert, including the use of pre-formatted polygons and messages. Upon completion of the initial statewide exercise, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services will furnish an exercise evaluation report to the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management by 1 November 2023. |
REC325-4322 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends the Dam Safety Regulator review the Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline with particular regard to the distinction between the process required by a flood event as compared to a dam failure event by 1 November 2023. The Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline review will be informed by a discussion, facilitated by the Dam Safety Regulator, between dam owner Seqwater, the Brisbane City Council Flood Information Centre, the Brisbane Local Disaster Management Group and the Brisbane District Disaster Management Group. The purpose of the facilitation is to achieve inter-agency understanding of warning and notification responsibilities. The reviewed Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline should be published, promoted and shared via a stakeholder engagement exercise with Queensland’s referable dam owners, disaster management stakeholders including local disaster management groups and district disaster management group. |
REC325-4332 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that all local governments that do not have pre-formatted messages and polygons engage with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and determine whether their local disaster management group capability could be improved through the development of pre-formatted polygons and messages. |
REC325-4328 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services establish a community education program by 1 November 2023 that complements the implementation of the Australian Warning System. An evaluation process should be incorporated into the program to determine effectiveness. |
REC325-4332 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that all local governments that currently use pre-formatted messages within the Emergency Alert system review and, where necessary, redraft messages using the principles of Clear Explicit Translatable Language (CETL). |
REC325-4329 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services implement the Australian Warning System for all nationally agreed hazards by 1 November 2023. Implementation should include guidance and training to all local governments and agencies operationally involved in disaster management, with emphasis on those agencies with hazard specific responsibility. |
REC325-4336 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, in consultation with the Queensland Police Service, incorporate into the workflow of the current Emergency Alert system a process that ensures the inclusion of an ‘urgent approval and distribution without delay’ process for Emergency Alert messages by 1 November 2022. |
REC325-4330 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the Queensland Emergency Alert Manual – M.1.174 in its entirety by 1 November 2023. The manual should specifically address the authorising environment, legislative obligations and the capability and complexities of the Emergency Alert system. |
REC325-4337 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lead an urgent multi-agency (including but not limited to the Queensland Police Service and Brisbane City Council) review of the workflow, of the current Emergency Alert system, including requesting, composing, authorising and issuing of Emergency Alerts by 1 November 2022. |
REC325-4330 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the Queensland Emergency Alert Manual – M.1.174 in its entirety by 1 November 2023. The manual should specifically address the authorising environment, legislative obligations and the capability and complexities of the Emergency Alert system. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC322-4226 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan for Fraser Coast Area Fire Management Group include a schedule of planned engagement activities, or a community engagement sub-plan outlining these activities, and be publicly available. |
REC322-4228 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a public information resource be developed by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services to inform the community and stakeholders about aerial assets utilised in bushfire response. |
REC322-4231 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services examines the use of predictive service capability to inform prevention and preparedness in addition to response activities. |
REC322-4242 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review the format and delivery of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service annual fire refresher training to include a scenario-based exercise. |
REC322-4221 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Department of Environment and Science implement an awareness and engagement strategy aimed at deterring the lighting of campfires to encourage behavioural change amongst visitors. |
REC322-4249 | 9 - Community education | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends all Area Fire Management Groups in Queensland make their Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plans, bushfire risk mapping and methodology easily understood and available to the community. All public plans should be dated to ensure currency and incorporate mechanisms for community feedback. |
REC322-4225 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Maryborough District Disaster Management Group works with the Fraser Coast Local Disaster Management Group to prepare and exercise a communications sub-plan with all responsible agencies, to clarify the roles, responsibilities and communication channels used for restricting access to K’gari. |
REC322-4251 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services facilitate an annual state level exercise of the Queensland Bushfire Plan that includes all relevant stakeholders and land managers. The exercise should focus on roles, responsibilities, interagency arrangements and handover arrangements between agencies and land managers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC312-2506 | 9 - Community education | The chairpersons of disaster management groups within the Townsville Disaster District, supported by the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority develop a district action plan based on the capability enhancement strategy. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC311-2493 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | To increase shared understanding of risks and enhance capability integration and collaborative planning, both Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) participate in the exercising of the Paradise Dam Emergency Action Plan. |
REC311-2489 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to have a shared understanding of risks and enhance community engagement, flood scenarios in Emergency Action Plans be published, and in a format that can be utilised by public mapping systems. |
REC311-2503 | 9 - Community education | To enable the casual/itinerant worker and tourism sector, including those who do not have English as a first language, to make informed choices about disaster management, community engagement and communication strategies about Paradise Dam and floods in the Burnett river system be tailored to this sector. |
REC311-2502 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, Sunwater develop and deliver a sustainable long-term communication strategy on the community safety issues and |
REC311-2501 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, a joint Sunwater/council community engagement program be conducted to prepare the community downstream from Paradise Dam for events in the 2019/2020 storm and cyclone season, including the possibility of a Paradise Dam failure. |
REC311-2500 | 9 - Community education | To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, Bundaberg and North Burnett regional councils and Sunwater undertake a community-informed audible test of the Paradise Dam siren. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC310-2486 | 9 - Community education | State arrangements for on-the-ground support to recovering local governments should be in line with Queensland’s disaster management arrangements, and ensure the best balance between local relationships, suitable capability and sufficient capacity. |
REC310-2483 | 9 - Community education | 09-Community education/engagement/preparedness |
REC310-2482 | 9 - Community education | Practical guidance on what community-led recovery means, and how it can be best implemented should be captured and shared with all who have responsibility for it. This should be done to help individuals and communities to take the lead in recovery and so that community-led recovery becomes the norm following disasters and other events. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC309-2472 | 38 - Agency/Department Reporting | A single point of truth be established for accurately capturing and reporting on disaster management group activation levels for any given timeframe. |
REC309-2467 | 9 - Community education | Further work be undertaken to develop effective public flood risk messaging and community education materials that are easy to understand and tested with the community to ensure flood risk is understood. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC308-2466 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Exercising should focus on vertical integration and include all levels of the system. A strategic program of exercises should be developed and implemented. |
REC308-2461 | 24 - Govt responsibility | A strategy should be developed between the key tourism and transport operators, and local and state government. It should address the arrival of visitors and tourists after a disaster, and should ensure that their arrival matches communities’ needs for recovery and return to normal business. The Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games should monitor its implementation. |
REC308-2457 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efforts are made to improve the timeliness, accuracy and targeting of Emergency Alert messaging by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC307-2448 | 9 - Community education | Targeted education about the short- and long-term effects of chemical suppressants should reach those likely to be exposed to them before aerial chemical suppressants are used in Queensland again. |
REC307-2437 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The ability to share, analyse, interrogate and display information from disparate entities should be progressed as a matter of some urgency. |
REC307-2447 | 9 - Community education | Clear public messaging regarding risks (if any) from the use of suppressants, including to 'organic' producers, should be developed and socialised before the next fire season and be readily available for dissemination when needed. |
REC307-2433 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To make planned burning and land clearing easier to understand and implement for landholders, a single point of contact for all bushfire mitigation inquiries and permits should be established. |
REC307-2444 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | All disaster management groups should run an exercise that has full involvement of a hazard-specific primary agency in the next 12 months and regularly thereafter. |
REC307-2431 | 9 - Community education | Area Fire Management Groups should share seasonal risk information with local groups and actively and appropriately contribute to disaster management planning. |
REC307-2440 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Communications protocols about hazard-specific events should be developed to clarify responsibilities and the principles for the release of information and warnings. They should be included in all related hazard-specific plans and published on relevant websites, and used during events. |
REC307-2430 | 9 - Community education | All Area Fire Management Groups should adopt and be guided by a good neighbour policy. |
REC307-2439 | 9 - Community education | Education on bushfires should include information about: |
REC307-2429 | 9 - Community education | A good neighbour policy such as that of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, setting out clear expectations, be developed to guide all landholders. |
REC307-2438 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The national messages for catastrophic fire danger ratings should be integrated with all existing and new community bushfire safety information. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC304-2419 | 28 - Personal responsibility | Further define the principle of landholder responsibility for fire management and strengthen its fundamental place in the Act. This should include a clear requirement for landholders to prevent fire on their land from spreading to neighbouring properties. |
REC304-2405 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Retain the Bushfires Council as a Ministerial advisory body. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC209-1644 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | A regular program that tests fire based incidents of command, control and coordination of operational procedures using scenario planning, training simulations and coordination of emergency responses between NTFRS, NTES and NT Police be instituted. |
REC209-1655 | 9 - Community education | Professional communications and educational resources be contracted to develop an integrated communications and engagement strategy and program for implementation by Bushfires NT. |
REC209-1661 | 9 - Community education | Arrange a forum that includes all stakeholders in large scale fire management for the purposes of aligning the various stakeholder strategies across the Territory. |
REC209-1654 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Director Bushfires NT NOT be appointed as a member of Council. |
REC209-1660 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Better alignment between divisions within DNRETAS be achieved through the development of an integrated strategy that addresses the combined objectives of weed management, land management, carbon farming and biodiversity management using fire across the Territory. |
REC209-1653 | 9 - Community education | Develop a continuing education program for new members of the Bushfires Council, the Regional Committees and stakeholders’ representatives, to ensure that all stakeholders clearly understand the role and processes involved in the Bushfires Council advisory function. |
REC209-1658 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Continue the use of Warnings and Alerts, in various languages, and through multiple broadcast media, including Indigenous language versions to engage with all people as to the risks of bushfire. |
REC209-1647 | 9 - Community education | A comprehensive pre bushfire season communications strategy, that supplements and extends the information provided on the DNRETAS website, be implemented to inform and educate landholders. |
REC209-1657 | 9 - Community education | Information for all landholders, in appropriate cultural and language formats be developed and distributed through events and multiple media. |
REC209-1646 | 28 - Personal responsibility | Spreading the message of enforcement of landholder’s obligations and responsibilities through active consultation and ultimately the issuing of infringement notices be adopted as a planned strategic intervention to promote the importance of compliance with the Bushfires Act. |
REC209-1656 | 9 - Community education | Ensure educational material is available prior to the commencement of each fire season in each region. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC126-1976 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency have authority over the land management agencies and other landholders in order to implement preparedness and prevention measures – including fuel-reduction works where there are failures in compliance |
REC126-2005 | 9 - Community education | That community education programs include unambiguous information that at times of unusually high water demand there might be a drop in or loss of water pressure and it might be appropriate for residents who intend to remain and fight a fire to have auxilary water pumps or booster pumps |
REC126-1990 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency take measures to ensure that the community regularly receives up-to-date information on the risks of bushfires |
REC126-1996 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency develop a clear policy for disseminating information to the public and the media in times of emergency and that, as required, that policy incorporate advance door-knocking of homes in the area affected, as well as regular broadcasts by local radio and television stations and regular updates on the relevant website - be that Canberra Connect or a different ACT government website - as well as the Emergency Services Agency's website |
REC126-1962 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, because of the small jurisdiction of the ACT (equivalent to one fire district in NSW) the ACT Government consider all possible options for the provision of fire services to the ACT, among them: |
REC126-2003 | 9 - Community education | That the community be made aware of the risk presented by heavy loads of garden fuels and certain types of vegetation around their houses and take active, regular measures to reduce that risk |
REC126-1985 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the suport of the ACT Government, seek to establish with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service a protocol that will provide for the establishment of a joint incident management team as part of unified control arrangements based on adoption of the following principles: |
REC126-1994 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Emergnecy Services Agency publicise and demonstrate the use of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal and provide to the community adequate explanation of the application of the signal. This should occur at least annually, in conjunction with any pre-summer fire awareness initiatives |
REC126-1960 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That an appropriate geographic information systems capability be maintained to enable the production of fire-specific maps as the need arises and that personnel from the Emergency Services Agency and other agencies be trained in the operation of map production systems, so that 9maps can be modified to include fire-specific information as required |
REC126-2001 | 9 - Community education | That community education programs provide information about fire behaviour, urban design principles that contribute to a specific level of risk, and the benefits of fitting basic ember protection materials in areas at risk from bushfire |
REC126-1984 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the support of the ACT Government, develop a single, new memorandum of understanding with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service, providing for liaison and joint operations as soon as it becomes apparent to whichever jurisdiction is managing a fire that the fire will probably affect the other jurisdiction. Joint operations should not be limited to when an incident occurs on both sides of the border, as is the current arrangement |
REC126-2012 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If they are willing and available to participate, that the taskforce's membership include Mr Phil Cheney, Mr Tony Bartlett, Mr Val Jeffery and Mr John Lowe |
REC126-1993 | 9 - Community education | That consulations and negotiations occur between the Emergncy Services Agency and the NSW Rural Fire Service to ensure that fire risk and safety messages to the community are coordinated. Maximum use should be made of television and radio announcements throughout the ACT and southern NSW, consistent with NSW timetables for targeted programs in conjunction with the United Firefighters Union ACT Branch and volunteer fire brigade representative. The Emergency Services Agency should consider using ACT Fire Brigade staff and ACT Rural Fire Service volunteers to talk to groups in the community on request, thus furthering face-to-face community education in high-risk suburban areas of the ACT |
REC126-1959 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Emergency Services Agency introduce a program with land management agencies in the ACT to ensure that maps of all public and private land in the ACT are subjected to regular review and amendment as required. Maps of a scale sufficient to facilitate fire management operations should be available in printed form and maintained on an electronic database capable of modification to add relevant features during a firefighting operation |
REC126-1999 | 9 - Community education | That the Canberra Urban Development Working Group referred to in Mr Peter Dunn's letter consider the report prepared by Mr Leonard and note particularly that the community awareness information currently available to householders in connection with measures they can take to better protect their homes from bushfires does not refer to the potential of wooden fences, conifers and outbuildings to contribute greatly to fire spread, particularly in suburban areas. Also noteworthy is Mr Leonard's evidence that the linear sitting of homes on house blocks in Canberra seems to be an important factor contributing to house-to-house fire spread and that this should be avoided in future developments on the urban fringe |
REC126-1982 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency agree on a policy on community safety and evacuation during bushfires, based on the Australasian Fire Authorities Council position outlined in its paper Community Safety and Evacuation during Bushfires. Community education programs should incorporate advice on this, including the ‘stay or go’ policy |
REC126-2009 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a taskforce be established to give effect to the recommendations in this report |
REC126-1992 | 9 - Community education | That implementation of the Bushfire Wise Program continue and include a letterbox drop of the updated Bushfire Information Booklet |
REC126-1948 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency be removed from the Department of Justice and Community Safety and transformed into an independent statutory authority reporting directly to the responsible Minister. Note in this regard that Mr McLeod made a similar recommendation, and I endorse it unequivocally. Placing the agency within a government department puts unnecessary layers of bureaucracy between the agency and the responsible Minister, and the bureaucrats concerned usually have no special knowledge of or experience in emergency management, regardless of their seniority in the bureaucracy |
REC126-1998 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That a system of public warnings that uses grid references shown on the maps in the Canberra telephone directory be adopted |
REC126-1979 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the policy and practice just recommended be the subject of a memorandum of understanding between the Emergency Services Agency and the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (previously the Department of Urban Services) or other relevant department or agency, so as to ensure that the land management agency on whose land a fire starts has responsibility to respond immediately to that fire in accordance with the applicable standards for weight of response. Further, the land management agency should be responsible for efforts to suppress fire until such time as it becomes clear that the suppression task is beyond capacity of the agency, at which point the ACT Rural Fire Service should assume direct responsibility for coordinating the ongoing response |
REC126-2006 | 24 - Govt responsibility | I recommend that, as appropriate, the ACT cooperate with the Commonwealth in the implementation of the committee's recommendations and, in particular, give careful consideration to adoption of the following recommendations: |
REC126-1991 | 9 - Community education | That the Emergency Services Agency establish annual targets for the introduction of community education programs and provide resources to conduct regular independent assessments of the level of community preparedness engendered as a result of the programs |
REC126-1942 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the ACT Attorney-General and the ACT Government - in consulation with the Chief Justice of the ACT and the ACT Chief Magistrate - take legislative action that would have the effect of funds being directly appropriated annually to the courts, preferable along the lines of the Commonwealth model as it applies to the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court. Alternatively, the funds could be appropriated in accordance with the South Australian model, which has a seperate Courts Administartion Authority. |
REC126-1997 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Emergency Services Agency conduct investigations - and liase with emergency services agencies in other jurisdicions - in order to ascertain what technologies exist and are effective for use in disseminating warnings and associated information to the community of the ACT |