Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC319-4194 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and / or the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, work with councils and government to refine an operational relief and recovery public communications strategy that: |
REC319-4186 | 34 - Local knowledge | Supporting local recovery: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department work with councils and communities before, during and after emergencies to strengthen: |
REC319-4190 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | Humanitarian relief: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions work with the Municipal Association of Victoria and councils to build contingencies into emergency relief centre planning to ensure places of shelter are inclusive, recognise diversity and are better placed to support all displaced people in circumstances of: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC318-4183 | 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: |
REC318-4180 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Victoria Police – in collaboration with the community and the emergency management sector – reflect on events of the 2019–20 fire season to review and enhance evacuation plans and processes with consideration of: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC216-2867 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: refining IT tools to process the intelligence. |
REC216-2866 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: provide clarity and certainty in specific roles and responsibilities for each agency. |
REC216-2870 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: streamlining the authorisation processes for urgent warnings. |
REC216-2869 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: developing tools and workflows to quickly and reliably transform technical data into intelligence that can be used to construct messages for community information that are timely, relevant, tailored and effective. |
REC216-2868 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: a more comprehensive approach to planning, including the number of personnel, their training and better use of on-the-ground intelligence in the affected areas that enables immediate and strategic decision-making to be concurrent processes. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC215-1873 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Fire services can improve outcomes by implementing standard procedures that ensure the welfare and safety of crews and the public are not compromised |
REC215-1871 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Fire services can improve outcomes by developing a checklist for use by incident controllers |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC209-1646 | 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. |
REC209-1645 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Ensure that adequate administrative personnel are available within the incident control structure to provide administrative and knowledge management support for incident management. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC198-2905 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that there is a single standard for the tabards worn by the IMT on the fireground and in control centres to ensure consistency and aid interoperability. |
REC198-2902 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services Commissioner clarifies the role of regional controller for major fires and incidents other than bushfire. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC196-0236 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the use of the terms in the templates e.g. ‘out of control’ so that community misconceptions are minimised. |
REC196-0241 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review OSOM to enable monitoring or tracking of where messages were sent, who they were sent to and when they are due for review. |
REC196-0246 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the suite of community bushfire warning systems available to tourists across the State. |
REC196-0234 | 34 - Local knowledge | Ensure that local knowledge, local flavour and local language is used where possible in the development of all community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0240 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Improve links and interactions between the communication systems e.g. customise OSOM messages to each of the communication mechanisms, link OSOM with Emergency Alert. |
REC196-0245 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Develop a robust evaluation framework to review community bushfire warning policies, processes, systems and procedures both internally and with communities at regular intervals and immediately after a major bushfire event. |
REC196-0231 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Allow the MFB and SES access to using OSOM. |
REC196-0239 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review Emergency Alert and OSOM systems to improve ease of use. |
REC196-0244 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Educate and engage with fire-affected landholders about the types of warnings, what they might expect from the warnings and their responsibility for response to prevent loss of life. |
REC196-0229 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Amend SOP J4.01and other strategic and procedural documents to reflect the goal of ‘timely, relevant and tailored’ for community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0238 | 34 - Local knowledge | Encourage ICCs to use local knowledge to review templates prior to release. |
REC196-0243 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the potential use of ‘crowdsourcing’ sites such as Bushfire Connect in community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0237 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Ensure that warning terminology used in the templates and FireWeb is consistent. |
REC196-0242 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Integrate social media into the OSOM system. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC195-0325 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services evaluate the new information and warning systems to identify ways to integrate them and improve their capacity to issue timely, relevant and tailored messages. This should include the use of social media. |
REC195-0324 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services, in consultation with media outlets, develop a more effective strategy for informing the community of Total Fire Ban days. |
REC195-0323 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Incident Controllers ensure that Emergency Management Teams consider, provide advice, and manage the broader consequences of actions, such as reopening roads, the resumption of public transport and school buses, and the welfare of those impacted by traffic management points. |
REC195-0331 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure information and warning projects are able to be integrated with a common operating platform. |
REC195-0317 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services ensure that an incident action plan (summary) is developed in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure J3.03. |
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 |
REC195-0316 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services continue to develop fire behaviour analysis and predictive science capability by ensuring the Fire Behaviour Analysis Team is appropriately resourced with accredited staff and available to provide services to the IMT. |
REC195-0328 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure that information and warnings are developed in accordance with the Victorian Warning Protocol |
REC195-0315 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services, as part of the regular review of Incident Management Teams – Readiness Arrangements, reassess current resource sustainability and identify opportunities for a more flexible application. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC156-3491 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service improve its communication with local governments, especially in relation to severe weather and storm warning information. |
REC156-3515 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The electricity distribution businesses enhance power outage information on their websites which are accessible to electricity retail businesses, the media and the public and also consider improving their capacity to communicate with customers. |
REC156-3509 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service, Department of Primary Industries, Energy Safe Victoria and the energy sector develop a coordinated set of safety messaging about preparedness for storm events and clearly outline the responsibilities for delivering these messages before during and after an emergency. |
REC156-3507 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Victoria progress, as a matter of priority, a telephony based public emergency notification system to reduce demand on Triple Zero and other emergency telephone lines during a major emergency. |
REC156-3503 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations review their use of Emergency Alerting System paging message categories to ensure that priority messages are not compromised by inappropriate use. An education program may be required to ensure that all users understand message categories, their intended use and ramifications of each category on network and message delivery sequence. |
REC156-3497 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations work with government departments, local governments and private industry to identify and implement a model for communication flow during an emergency incident. |
REC156-3516 | 28 - Personal responsibility | All Victorians should: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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 |
REC126-1982 | 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 |
REC126-2008 | 34 - Local knowledge | That, if he is willing to participate, Mr John Lowe be made a member of the implementation taskforce to which I refer in recommendation 70 |
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 |
REC126-2007 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the views and concerns expressed by the ACT Sustainable Rural Lands Group be taken into account when implementing the recommendations in this report |
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 |
REC126-1998 | 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 |
REC126-1953 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That appointments of personnel to functional positions within the incident management team be based solely on competence and experience and be made by the Chief of the ACT Rural Fire Service or, in the absence of that officer, the Deputy Chief of the ACT Rural Fire Service |
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 |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC124-3888 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Strengthen internal and external communications to ensure adequate stakeholder involvement throughout the prescribed burning program: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC104-2233 | 34 - Local knowledge | That communities, public land managers, Water Authorities and Catchment Management Authorities jointly identify and implement local and environmentally sound solutions to improve the availability of water for firefighting through the Municipal Fire Management Planning process. |
REC104-2297 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the model of community engagement developed by DSE and CFA and applied during the 2002-2003 fires is further developed and refined, particularly in regard to short-duration, rapidly escalating incidents. |
REC104-2267 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA develop an agreed process for the effective transfer of control from one Incident Control Centre to another, including processes for communicating this change to fire ground supervisors and local communities. |
REC104-2302 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That opportunities be explored to use community radio to complement other methods of communication with isolated communities. |
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. |
REC104-2275 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the ‘Incident Objectives’ established for any response should reflect the endorsed Statewide ‘Fire Control Priorities’, and the relevant Municipal Fire Management Plan. |
REC104-2216 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria include an agenda item for both the National Emergency Management Committee and the National Meeting of Emergency Services Ministers recommending that the Australian Communications Authority review both the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice and Guidelines, and Community Broadcasting Codes of Practice, to ensure they provide necessary guidance and obligations on radio stations during emergencies and in relation to emergency warnings. |
REC104-2296 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That in relation to the provision of information to communities affected by fires and other emergencies, DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2262 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the practice of appointing Deputy Planning Officer, Deputy Operations Officer and Deputy Logistics Officer in an Incident Management Team be abandoned. This recommendation acknowledges the benefits of retaining a Deputy Incident Controller from the support agency (in accordance with section 4.2.6 of the Emergency Management Manual Victoria), to ensure that the command structure of that agency is preserved. |
REC104-2301 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That CFA and DSE work with Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio to identify black spots, and explore opportunities to further improve coverage for broadcasting emergency information. |
REC104-2273 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That personnel assigned the roles of Division Commander, Sector Commander and Strike Team Leader be given flexibility to alter tactics to take advantage of changed conditions on the fire ground. |
REC104-2215 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs the Media sub-committee of the State Emergency Response Committee to review the use of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal and its accompanying message. |
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. |
REC104-2258 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That, wherever possible, Incident Management Team members from DSE, CFA and MFESB who are likely to be deployed together to manage fire, should train and exercise together. |
REC104-2300 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria Police Media Unit coordinate work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the emergency service agencies to implement this arrangement. |
REC104-2272 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That personnel assigned the roles of Division Commander, Sector Commander and Strike Team Leader on the fire ground are actively encouraged to provide input into the selection of strategies and tactics. |
REC104-2203 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That CFA further develops the information supporting the decision to stay or go, to incorporate a better understanding of both the likely consequences of leaving home at inappropriate times, and the conditions and |
REC104-2287 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That DSE and CFA work with the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications to ensure that rural communication issues are appropriately addressed in the Statewide Integrated Public Safety and Communications Strategy, and that priorities and business cases are agreed for critical issues. |
REC104-2251 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That Victoria Police ensure all police members understand the Victorian legislation in relation to evacuation, and that any decision to recommend evacuation remains with the Incident Controller. |
REC104-2299 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That consideration be given to formalising Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio as the official emergency radio station for Victoria, given it is the only radio station that can cover the whole of the State. |
REC104-2271 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA ensure that agreed strategy and tactics, and the rationale, be communicated to personnel involved in the fire fight and be included in briefings for fire line personnel. |
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. |
REC104-2202 | 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. |
REC104-2280 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2246 | 34 - Local knowledge | That DSE undertake community consultation on policies relating to roads and access tracks on public land, particularly in respect to fire management. |
REC104-2298 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That relevant Government agencies including Emergency Communications Victoria, the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications and the Victoria Police Media Unit, evaluate the proposals put forward by the Australian Communications Authority with respect to the hearing impaired. |
REC104-2269 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the fire agencies ensure that Incident Action Plans developed by Incident Management Teams are consistent with, and built on, the agreed Fire Control Priorities. |
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. |
REC104-2191 | 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. |
REC104-2279 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That operational briefings in multi-agency fires should, wherever possible, be joint briefings of all agencies involved. |