Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC324-4294 | 34 - Local knowledge | Environment: That, to maximise protection for the environment in and around floodplains, Government, working with local communities especially Indigenous communities, the NSWRA, other agencies and local councils ensure Indigenous voices are well heard in land use planning and natural resource management by: |
REC324-4314 | 8 - Communications and warnings | PIFAC function: That, to ensure the community can better understand the threat of flood, storm and tsunami activity, the Department of Customer Service (DCS) be made accountable for PIFAC in all emergencies. This will improve access to clear, reliable and consistent messaging prior to and during emergencies. This transfers the PIFAC role from NSW Police Force to Service NSW. Under this PIFAC function, DCS would be responsible for: |
REC324-4295 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | Roads: That, to improve the planning and protection of road infrastructure and to ensure communities, freight movers, combat agencies and emergency services have appropriate access and egress during and following a flood event, Government, through TfNSW and NSWRA and working with combat agencies and local and federal governments as needed, should: |
REC324-4319 | 26 - Research | Climate and weather research: That, to enable effective mitigation and adaptation measures in response to changing climate risks, Government establish NSW as a world centre of disaster research and technology development. This should include: |
REC324-4307 | 9 - Community education | Flood education: That, to build disaster resilience in future generations as floods and other natural disasters are a fact of Australian life, the Department of Education should design, implement and deliver an evidence-based, targeted education campaign (like sun exposure) in schools (new disaster curriculum). |
REC324-4308 | 26 - Research | Compound mental helath studies: That, to inform Government policies and programs for mental health and disasters, Government commission a longitudinal study on the effect of consecutive disasters on community mental health. |
REC324-4312 | 17 - Assets and technology | Impact to essential services: That, to minimise disruption to essential services, including outages which compromise basic communication coverage, and to ensure access to safe water supply and power during flood events, Government work directly or together with the Australian and other state governments and/or their relevant power and telecommunications regulatory, policy and market bodies to: |
REC324-4293 | 17 - Assets and technology | Essential services and floodplain infrastructure: That, to minimise disruption to essential services (power, communications, water, sewerage) and to ensure flood infrastructure is fully serviceable before flooding, Government ensure: |
REC324-4313 | 8 - Communications and warnings | NSW disaster app: That, to improve community confidence in government messaging and warnings, the SEOCON and DCS develop a single ‘NSW disaster app’. This: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC323-4286 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government advocate through the National Cabinet for the Bureau of Meteorology to review its rain data infrastructure and flood modelling tools, to ensure forecasting locations, rain and flood gauges and other infrastructure are appropriately placed, maintained and updated. |
REC323-4274 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That the NSW Government establish a standing workforce from within the public service to staff evacuation and recovery centres, with this workforce to be trained ahead of time and mobilised as soon as a natural disaster occurs. |
REC323-4256 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government work with relevant agencies and local landowners to find ways to improve the management of drainage channels including looking for recommendations to reduce red and green tape. |
REC323-4287 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW State Emergency Service, in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, investigate ways in which local communities and local media with local knowledge can play a stronger role in flood predictions and warnings. |
REC323-4275 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government, in partnership with community groups, including First Nations groups, develop initiatives to build community resilience, particularly in regions at high risk of future natural disaster events. |
REC323-4263 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government prioritise support for the full restoration of sewage treatment facilities on the Richmond River, for the benefit of communities in the Northern Rivers region. |
REC323-4288 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the NSW Government work with the Commonwealth to develop a national cross-agency app to integrate all community services and agencies into a single platform so that everyone can receive accurate and timely information from one source during emergencies. |
REC323-4276 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government ensure that community groups, both existing and emerging, including First Nations groups, are well integrated into disaster recovery, by incorporating them into state recovery plans and engaging with them in between and in the lead up to natural disasters. |
REC323-4283 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the NSW Government work with the community broadcasting sector to identify ways in which community broadcasters could be better supported to provide critical services during natural disasters, with a view to providing them adequate long term funding. |
REC323-4264 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government work in partnership with key Aboriginal stakeholders, including the Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council, to prioritise the rebuild of Cabbage Tree Island, and ensure a safe and resourced evacuation plan is in place. |
REC323-4290 | 20 - Role of police | That the NSW Government embed into its emergency plans the appointment of a senior police officer with combat experience to lead recovery efforts following natural disasters. |
REC323-4278 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That the NSW Government ensure that the current review of evacuation centres considers the role, accreditation and support of community evacuation centres, with the outcomes of this review to be made public and incorporated into the update of state emergency plans. |
REC323-4284 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the NSW Government review its public awareness and communication strategies in relation to natural disasters. |
REC323-4265 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government work with First Nations peoples to support Aboriginal organisations in their capacity to operate and respond in times of natural disasters. |
REC323-4285 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government, in consultation with telecommunication providers and satellite communication providers, investigate ways to minimise the complete loss of telecommunication services in natural disasters, including: |
REC323-4268 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That the NSW Government accelerate its caravan program and ensure it is made available as an option to all displaced residents from the February-March 2022 floods. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC315-3854 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That, in order to ensure emergency response agencies can communicate across state and territory borders, the Commonwealth Government allocate 10 + 10 MHz as a dedicated spectrum for Public Safety Mobile Broadband (PSMB) at no cost to states and territories. |
REC315-3829 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That, in order to ensure outcomes-based roadside vegetation management to reduce roadside tree fall and grass ignitions in planning and preparing for bush fire, Transport for NSW, working with local government and NSW RFS, establish a consistent framework for roadside vegetation management that analyses road priority, utility, amenity, strategic value and risk. The framework should: |
REC315-3865 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the NSW RFS include the following priorities in the Fires Near Me improvements roadmap: |
REC315-3806 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the NSW RFS work with AFAC to analyse the impact of changing fire seasons on inter- jurisdictional resource sharing agreements, both domestic and international, and determine any flow-on effects for NSW fire fighting personnel capacity. |
REC315-3837 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve firefighter safety, Government fire authorities: |
REC315-3845 | 26 - Research | That Government commission further research on the potential risks and benefits of backburning during severe, extreme and catastrophic conditions and/or in particular terrain, and that the NSW RFS use this research to inform future backburning protocols and training. |
REC315-3872 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That, in order to improve support for people evacuating with animals, the Department of Primary Industries: |
REC315-3816 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government re-commit to the current, regionally based approach to planning and coordinating hazard reduction activities across all tenures through Bush Fire Management Committees but ensure that it is actually being implemented at a high-level of quality across NSW. Getting it to a high-level of quality requires: |
REC315-3853 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That, in order to ensure the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) can maintain communications during emergencies, the Government provide the SEOC with independent Public Safety Network functionality. |
REC315-3828 | 9 - Community education | That, in order to improve bush fire planning and protection of road infrastructure and to ensure communities, freight movers and fire fighting agencies have appropriate access and egress in a bush fire event, Government, working with local government as needed: |
REC315-3864 | 9 - Community education | That, in order to ensure people can access clear information on cross-border fires, the NSW RFS: |
REC315-3802 | 26 - Research | That Government establish NSW as a major world centre of bush fire research, and technology development and commercialisation. This should include: |
REC315-3836 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure frontline personnel have appropriate personal protective clothing during bush fires: |
REC315-3843 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve early fire suppression, the NSW RFS trial initial aerial dispatch in areas of high bush fire risk. The trial should identify the most appropriate and cost-effective mix of aircraft, and any associated infrastructure improvements that would be required. |
REC315-3871 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That, in order to ensure equitable access to evacuation centres and associated support services for people in border communities, Resilience NSW ensure cross-border access arrangements are reflected in evacuation centre management guidelines. |
REC315-3815 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to equip NSW RFS with comprehensive information on all structures and assets at risk of bush fire, Government ensures that: |
REC315-3852 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That, in order to improve fireground communications between NSW agencies and interstate personnel: a) Government ensure all NSW fire authority personnel and vehicles can access and utilise the Public Safety Network (PSN). This should include access to NSW RFS Private Mobile Radio networks where PSN coverage is not yet available. |
REC315-3821 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That government agencies managing land (at all levels and through all agencies) be the best neighbours possible by considering their neighbours when undertaking activities related to bush fire preparation and having clear, two-way communication about these activities, with the aspiration that government landholders will be seen as highly desirable neighbours. |
REC315-3863 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That, in order to provide real-time information on evacuation doorknocking during emergency events, Government explore a shared data gateway for NSW agencies based on the NSW State Emergency Service Collector app and a common mapping and analytics platform. |
REC315-3801 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, in order to improve capability to detect ignitions and monitor accurately all fire edge intensity and progression automatically across the State in near real time, Government establish a spatial technology acceleration program to maximise the information available from the various remote sensing technologies currently in use and to plan for inclusion of new remote sensing systems that can sense precisely and rapidly through heavy smoke, cloud, fog and dust. This will require work within the State and with partners nationally and internationally. |
REC315-3835 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That, in order to ensure the safety of local landholders on firegrounds, the NSW RFS emphasises the importance of local landholders using protective clothing while fire fighting as part of the RFS’ ‘Farm Fire Unit Integration’ priority for 2020-21. |
REC315-3870 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That, in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people during an evacuation, Resilience NSW: |
REC315-3814 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That the NSW RFS identifies remote bush fire prone areas that do not already have an indoor Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP) and upgrades the relevant NSW RFS Stations to meet NSP guidelines. These stations would require adequate Asset Protection Zones and active/passive protection systems to provide short-term protection. |
REC315-3840 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That, in order to ensure firefighter sustenance is of sufficient volume and quality, the NSW RFS reviews food standards and procedures in consultation with volunteers. The review should include catering service standards, including food safety, as well as the viability of sourcing commercial contracts and providing 12-hour food packs to firefighters. |
REC315-3849 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s fire fighting capacity, Government trial aerial fire fighting at night in the 2020-21 season with a view to full implementation if successful. |
REC315-3819 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, as part of the spatial technology acceleration program, Government support deployment of remote sensing and picture processing technologies to monitor and audit how well Asset Protection Zones and defendable space are being maintained, especially around towns. |
REC315-3862 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That, in order to improve information flows and increase public awareness of ABC emergency broadcasts, Government: |
REC315-3800 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Government, along with other Australian governments, ask AFAC to establish a national bush fire database. This database would enable: |
REC315-3832 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That, in order to improve the provision of evidence-based public health messaging about air quality during bush fire events, Government develop a public education campaign and supporting systems before the next bush fire season. This should include: |
REC315-3867 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That, in order to ensure evacuation centres are fit-for-purpose, Resilience NSW work with Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) to: a) update the guidelines for LEMCs identifying evacuation centres to require a risk assessment of potential locations, which should include identifying alternate sources of power for use by evacuation centres and recording these appropriately |
REC315-3811 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That in order to provide greater consistency in public information and warnings, especially in border areas: |
REC315-3839 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That, to ensure firefighters can access mental health support through GPs, Government work with the Commonwealth Government to: |
REC315-3848 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s ability to improve situational awareness, Government expand FRNSW’s Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) capability (both capital assets and trained operators) to major regional centres and ensure the NSW RFS and other NSW government agencies can access this capability as required. |
REC315-3818 | 26 - Research | That, in order to improve understanding of optimal hazard reduction techniques and their application in the landscape: |
REC315-3855 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That, in order to ensure all agencies have a clear understanding of cross-border communication channels during bush fires, all MoUs between state or territory agencies include an agreed protocol about how agencies will communicate across borders and that these are reflected in Incident Action Plans. |
REC315-3799 | 9 - Community education | That at the start of each fire season, based on advice from the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee, Government provide a public statement with an evaluation of the likely fire season risk and the effectiveness of the planning and preparation for the upcoming season. This should be based on sophisticated monitoring of the key risk factors and signals for an extreme fire season. It should form the basis for clear public communication about these risks on a regional basis and the actions that Government proposes in preparation. |
REC315-3831 | 26 - Research | That, in order to capture and understand the impacts of bush fire smoke better, Government invest in operational air quality forecasting and alert systems, and public health research and policy development. This would involve investment to: |
REC315-3866 | 11 - Evacuation and shelters | That, in order to ensure evacuation arrangements can be scaled up when needed, Resilience NSW: |
REC315-3808 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That, in order to strengthen the capability of local councils in future emergency events: |
REC315-3838 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | That, in order to ensure all NSW RFS members can access the mental health support they need, the NSW RFS expands in-house mental health support for members. |
REC315-3847 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure Australia’s fire fighting aerial capacity capitalises on existing assets and is made up of the right mix, Government: |
REC315-3817 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government, noting that hazard reduction targeted in proximity to assets is on balance more likely to provide help than hinder, should: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC302-2398 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a matter of priority commence the roll out of AVL capability for the Rural Fire Service fleet, completing as much work as possible before the 2018/19 bushfire season, capitalising where necessary on current and future work undertaken with the NSW Government Radio Network to ensure both officer safety and situational awareness |
REC302-2396 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Commissioners of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and the RFS issue an instruction to FRNSW ComCen that while AVL capability is being made available to the RFS vehicle fleet, no offers of assistance by one agency to the other in combatting a fire is rejected or delayed if what is being offered is appropriate |
REC302-2394 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Take immediate steps to eliminate fire boundaries for call and dispatch purposes to create an agnostic approach to the threat of fires from both a departmental and organisational perspective |
REC302-2404 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the effectiveness of emergency public information arrangements, and give consideration to embedding an ABC Manager (not a journalist) into the RFS headquarters during emergencies to broadcast warnings to the community that can be pooled to commercial media outlets |
REC302-2393 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | In recognising the success of the work of both the volunteer based Rural Fire Service and the full time Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) members in joint operations – both agencies should be represented at major briefings or press conferences to reinforce successful integrated collaborative efforts rather than individual agency achievements |
REC302-2402 | 17 - Assets and technology | Explore better options for call and dispatch, telecommunications and information sharing capability across the emergency management portfolio including the adoption of a multi-agency emergency management operations complex |
REC302-2400 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Until a single call centre is developed, continue deployments of a senior RFS officer to Fire and Rescue NSW ComCen on a 24/7 day basis. This arrangement should determine the quickest most suitable resource and who is ‘in charge’ of an incident |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC002-4006 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Commisison would not insist upon a barometer being provided at each mine. Experience has proved that this is a tardy index to atmospheric conditions. Serious changes in the atmospheric pressure occur and are felt before they are indicated by a barometer. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC292-2360 | 2 - Emergency powers | I recommend that the Commissioner of Police consider seeking an agreement with news media outlets whereby the New South Wales Police Force will establish a way for such outlets to rapidly and confidentially determine whether publishing specific material could compromise the response to an ongoing high-risk incident and the media in turn will agree not to publish such material without first alerting a nominated senior police officer of their intention to do so. |
REC292-2348 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that if it has not already done so, the New South Wales Police Force acquires the audio surveillance technology that in similar circumstances would allow a device to be monitored in the Police Forward Command Post and/or the Police Operations Centre and that the organisation ensures that its capacity in this regard keeps pace with technological advances in the area. |
REC292-2342 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The development of an integrated intelligence system that allows police officers secure access to all information platforms should also provide for the recording of all command decisions, the reasons for them, and the dissemination of those decisions. |
REC292-2369 | 26 - Research | I recommend that the New South Wales Police Force evaluate whether the use of noise-attenuation devices should be mandated when explosive distraction devices are used. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC281-1203 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Impact Assessment Data Sharing The Office of Emergency Management: · with the SEOCON, jointly provides further guidance to Regional Emergency Management Officers about their role in facilitating local council access to the Impact Assessment Data Base · with REMOs and the SEOCON jointly provides further information to local councils about Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements and the data available through this mechanism · includes information about the Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements in the Local Recovery Toolkit · develops a mechanism to allow local councils to have direct access to the collated impact data. |
REC281-1202 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Impact Assessment Data Collection: The Office of Emergency Management continues to progress the Impact Assessment Data Collection Project and: · incorporate recovery schema in Rapid Impact Assessments · review procedures for collection of Rapid Impact Assessment Data · review and combine current templates into one, single template for Impact Assessment Reports that is used by all agencies · further develop Impact Assessment Guidelines for agency personnel undertaking impact assessments |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC280-1386 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC280-1377 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC280-1382 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC280-1376 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC280-1381 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC280-1375 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service five year hazard reduction program past 2016. |
REC280-1380 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public. |
REC280-1379 | 9 - Community education | That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns. |
REC280-1378 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: -improve accountability in relation to the implementation of bush fire risk management plans as a means of delivering more hazard reduction. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC267-1159 | 9 - Community education | Improving Community Preparedness and Resilience |
REC267-1153 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Planning for Access to Potentially Isolated Communities |
REC267-1152 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Impact Assessment Data Sharing Project |
REC267-1150 | 9 - Community education | Media Engagement Consideration should be given on future recovery operations to adopting a more structured approach to media engagement, with regular media briefings undertaken at a frequency dependent upon the phase of the recovery activities and the level of media interest. These briefings could be conducted at different locations around the region, if appropriate, and would provide the opportunity for communication of key messages and provide journalists with the opportunity to ask questions regarding the recovery. This could be complemented by media coverage of community engagement visits. For all recovery operations, |
REC267-1149 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | PES External Surge Program The success of the PES External Surge Program and the willingness of participants to deploy at short notice to support the recovery effort is commendable, as is the readiness of their supervisors to release them from their duties to enable deployment. The Program, supported by an appropriate training program, is one that should be sustained as part of the whole of Government recovery readiness effort. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC261-1497 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public. |
REC261-1509 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires: |
REC261-1496 | 9 - Community education | That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns. |
REC261-1503 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC261-1495 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: |
REC261-1502 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
REC261-1494 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC261-1499 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC261-1515 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC261-1493 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC261-1498 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC261-1513 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC260-1071 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The NPWS to consider developing a land management policy that requires hazard reduction around identified assets within the Park and the clearing of fire trials within the Park before the bush fire season commences. Consideration should also be given to developing additional fire trails in the Park, bearing in mind the lack of available fire trails to the south of the John Renshaw Parkway in the park. |
REC260-1052 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the Rural Fire Service consider amending its fire prediction reports to include a checklist of significant factors that have not been able to be considered in the prediction model and a warning to be alert for them and seek intelligence on them from fire ground managers. |
REC260-1060 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service review the procedures for requesting aerial support in ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions to ensure that delays in providing it are reduced to the minimum time possible. |
REC260-1070 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The NPWS conduct a review of its prescribed burns program to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that all necessary managerial approvals for a prescribed burn are provided as promptly as possible. |
REC260-1051 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Rural Fire Service consider redrafting the disclaimer in its fire predictions to make abundantly clear where the potential errors or omissions may affect the prediction and how to detect them if they are there (for example, by comparing them with linescans) and what other factors (such as VLS) may affect the predictions and in what way. |
REC260-1059 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Rural Fire Service and National Parks and Wildlife Service consider amending their protocols for upgrading advices to higher levels to emphasise the significance and urgency of raising warning levels as soon as the potential dangers of fire to lives or property materially increase. |
REC260-1067 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That as part of the adoption of such a posture in ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions, the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider alerting, at an early stage, all relevant persons and organisations, such as shire councils, heavy plant operators, the local RFS captains, Fire & Rescue NSW and other emergency services, that it is doing so, and that their assistance may be required at short notice. |
REC260-1050 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Alternatively, I recommend that the RFS consider developing such capacity to deploy weather balloons itself, in conjunction with mobile weather stations, for this purpose. |
REC260-1055 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the Rural Fire Service together with other land managers develop a program whereby local stakeholders come together regularly (every 2 months during non-fire season and monthly during the fire season) to share intelligence and to consider hazard and incident management measures for implementation. |
REC260-1066 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That during periods of ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions, that the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider adopting a posture of pre-emptive planning and deployment of incident management teams in national parks similar to the manner in which the Rural Fire Service does. |
REC260-1049 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Rural Fire Service consider proposing an arrangement with the Bureau of Meteorology to deploy weather balloons specifically for the purpose of assessing atmospheric instability during periods of severe to catastrophic fire danger in locations most likely to be severely affected, for example, areas in which a very high C-Haines index reading is registered and local fires have been identified. |
REC260-1054 | 2 - Emergency powers | That the Rural Fire Service consider extending pre-emptive section 44 to whole of Castlereagh RFS/Warrumbungle Shire area. |
REC260-1063 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider reviewing its guidelines and protocols in respect of hazard reduction planning and burning-off operations in the light of the evidence from experts witnesses in these proceedings that the incidence of, and intensity of, major fires is increasing and in the light of expert evidence given in these proceedings concerning the dangers of vorticity-driven lateral spread. |
REC260-1053 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That in Class 3 fire-fighting operations, the Rural Fire Service consider including a fire behaviour analyst in the incident management team if feasible. |
REC260-1061 | 18 - Access to fire ground | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service, in consultation with the relevant local Council(s), devise a policy that enables the John Renshaw Parkway to be closed at either end of the Warrumbungle National Park during a bush fire in such a way that its closure would not impede access by emergency services vehicles into the park. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC259-1045 | 9 - Community education | That recovery policy incorporates the need for regular public meetings which give access to officials and representatives of agencies, as required |
REC259-1044 | 9 - Community education | That where, in the future a similar process for land clearing is adopted, the rationale and process is better explained and widely promulgated. |
REC259-1048 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That State and Local Government agencies maximise communication to the residents owning bushfire prone properties to be aware of their level of exposure by having access to the BAL relevant to their property. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC238-0804 | 26 - Research | Clarify roles, responsibilities and consider funding options for post-event collection of data and flood intelligence. |
REC238-0812 | 9 - Community education | Develop mechanisms and arrangements to promote and provide greater access to flood risk information. |
REC238-0799 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Develop and implement a program of cost-effective road improvement works that can enhance flood evacuation capacity in the short-medium term. |
REC238-0811 | 9 - Community education | Monitor, investigate and address community response to flood warnings |
REC238-0810 | 9 - Community education | Undertake, coordinate and evaluate community education programs on flood risk and response. |
REC238-0809 | 9 - Community education | Ensure the SES has the long-term capacity to plan and exercise for the full range of flood events in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley |
REC238-0807 | 26 - Research | Develop a comprehensive road evacuation network model for floods in the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain to inform evacuation capacity assessments and strategic transport and land use planning, and to assist with the real-time operational management of evacuation during floods. |
REC238-0813 | 26 - Research | Develop and maintain a comprehensive flood model and flood modelling framework for the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC237-0830 | 9 - Community education | That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be tabled at Local Emergency Management Committees for comment. |
REC237-0829 | 9 - Community education | That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be posted on the NSW Rural Fire Service website. |
REC237-0828 | 9 - Community education | That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop a strategy to better inform the community and NSW Rural Fire Service members about the NSW bush fire management system and its components. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC208-0525 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Office of Environment and Heritage amend its operating procedures for the Environment Line to ensure that there are clear obligations to pass on information relevant to other agencies, to those agencies in a timely manner. |
REC208-0524 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Premier issue clear and unambiguous guidelines to all Government Ministers specifying the timing of notifications to the public of any matters that may affect public health or safety. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC164-0074 | 9 - Community education | SERCon consider a review of existing community-based educational programs, with a view to informing the community |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC163-1939 | 2 - Emergency powers | That the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to provide to designated Fire Investigation Officers of the Rural Fire Service the power to enter any land upon which a bushfire has occurred for the purposes of investigation for a period of up to 24 hours after a fire has been declared out. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC129-3629 | 8 - Communications and warnings | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and continue to improve communication mechanisms with those, such as GPs, likely to be affected in major infectious disease outbreaks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC128-3600 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Department of Primary Industries continue to consult local community about emergency planning and sites for disposal to retain confidence in the event of a genuine emergency. |
REC128-3615 | 9 - Community education | That the Department of Primary Industries should continue to raise awareness among producers of OJD risks and the operation of Sheep Health Statements. |
REC128-3613 | 9 - Community education | That the Department of Primary Industries and Rural Lands Protection Boards employ outreach activities to alert these small producers to their responsibilities and improve their awareness of animal and plant pests and diseases. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC121-3663 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The incident command system should clearly identify the roles of the rail commander, site controller, police commander and commanders of the other emergency services, and the way in which each is to work together during the recovery phase of any rail accident. |
REC121-3732 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | If ITSRR accepts such a plan as an appropriate response to the existing weak safety culture, ITSRR should approve it and monitor the effectiveness of the plan. |
REC121-3764 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The ITSRR should not grant accreditation to any rail organisation unless it has an integrated safety management system in accordance with any safety management system regulation and the guidelines published from time to time by ITSRR. |
REC121-3680 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All trains must be fitted with a minimum of two independent engineering defences to minimise the risk of derailment or collision in the event of train driver incapacitation. |
REC121-3738 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All passenger trains must be fitted with an internal passenger emergency door release. |
REC121-3707 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The safety document management system should provide for the distribution of electronic versions of safety documentation to relevant staff. |
REC121-3747 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All trains should have windows available through which passengers can escape. |
REC121-3656 | 17 - Assets and technology | Satellite telephones should be provided by RailCorp to all rail commanders at any emergency. |
REC121-3731 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp should develop a plan to be submitted to ITSRR to address the deficiencies in the safety culture of RailCorp, including: |
REC121-3759 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | A Safety Reform Program Director (hereafter referred to as SRPD), reporting directly to the Chief Executive of RailCorp, should be retained to manage, as head of a Safety Reform Program Office, any safety reform program being undertaken by RailCorp. The SRPD should work with the Chief Executive and senior management to ensure the implementation of an integrated safety management system and the cultural change required. The SRPD must have qualifications suitable for recognition by the Australian Institute of Project Management as a master program director. He or she should report to and be under the control of the Chief Executive, to ensure that the accountability of the Chief Executive is not reduced. The SRPD should co-ordinate and integrate any existing rail safety reform programs and, in consultation with and with the authority of the Chief Executive he or she should: |
REC121-3676 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | A direct line of communication should be established between the RMC and Emergency Services Operations Control Centre by a “tie line” or otherwise, so as to ensure that in the case of a serious rail accident there is an open line of communication between the officer in charge of the management of the incident at the RMC and the various emergency response services. |
REC121-3737 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | There must be a minimum of two independent methods of self-initiated emergency escape for passengers from all trains at all times. |
REC121-3706 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp should establish a comprehensive safety document management system. |
REC121-3743 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All passenger trains operating in New South Wales must have the external emergency door release clearly marked with the words “Emergency Door Release”. |
REC121-3652 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | A designated staff member at the RMC should act as the rail emergency management co-ordinator. He or she should be the sole point of contact at the RMC with other rail personnel involved in the rail accident and emergency services personnel during the rescue phase of the emergency response. |
REC121-3725 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The data and information management system should be compatible with any data and information management system established by the ATSB for the designated interstate rail network, provided that the establishment of a compatible system does not reduce the amount or quality of the information obtained by ITSRR below the optimum levels which it needs to conduct trend analysis, and otherwise properly manage the safety of rail operations in New South Wales. |
REC121-3755 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The RailCorp Board should require a full review of the safety competence of RailCorp managers to ensure that each has the ability to bring about those safety reforms recommended in this report which are applicable to his or her position. |
REC121-3666 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The rail commander should have complete authority to direct and control any rail employees attending the site of a rail accident, in accordance with directions given or arrangements put in place by the site controller, until the rescue phase of the emergency response to the rail accident has been completed. |
REC121-3735 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | Risk assessments of occupational health and safety issues by RailCorp should include an analysis of broader public safety risks and not be confined to narrow occupational health and safety issues. |
REC121-3702 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | Random alcohol testing should be continued. |
REC121-3741 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The operation of the train doors should have an override facility whereby the train driver or the guard can override an internal passenger emergency door release system if the door release is interfered with when there is no emergency. There should be an alarm, together with an intercom, in the train guard’s compartment so that, if a passenger attempts to initiate an emergency door release, there is an appropriate delay during which time an alarm sounds in the train guard’s compartment and the guard can then, after first attempting to speak via the intercom to the person concerned, if necessary, override the door release, and make an appropriate announcement over the intercom system in the train. |
REC121-3724 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The ITSRR should establish a data and information management system, containing all data and information that it requires, to continually monitor the safety of the New South Wales rail system. |
REC121-3754 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The RailCorp Board should ensure that RailCorp has an adequate and integrated safety management system, including adequate systems for risk assessment, clearly defined safety responsibilities and accountabilities for persons holding management positions, and specific performance criteria against which evaluations can be made of safety performance and accountability for safety performance of all managers. |
REC121-3665 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The role of the rail commander should be to provide support and assistance to the site controller and emergency services personnel until the rescue phase of the emergency response to any rail accident is completed. |
REC121-3734 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp should integrate its management of occupational health and safety into its overall safety management. |
REC121-3682 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All new rolling stock should be designed to be compatible with at least level 2 automatic train protection discussed in chapter 7 of this report. |
REC121-3740 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The internal passenger emergency door release should be fitted with a facility which prevents it from operating unless the train is stationary. |
REC121-3711 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | The ITSRR should establish an electronic document control system to enable effective and reliable information to be gathered for monitoring the safety of the New South Wales rail system. |
REC121-3749 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All new rolling stock must be designed with an area of the roof through which emergency services personnel can access a rail car without encountering wiring or other equipment. That access point must be clearly marked with words such as “emergency services cut here”. |
REC121-3664 | 20 - Role of police | The location of the command post for site control at the scene of any rail accident should be identified by NSW Police by a distinctive flashing light. |
REC121-3733 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp’s approach to occupational health and safety should be proactive and involve the systematic analysis of all current hazards, risks and controls and an assessment of their adequacy to reduce the risk of injury to, or death of, employees to an acceptable level. |
REC121-3681 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp should progressively implement, within a reasonable time, level 2 automatic train protection with the features identified in chapter 8 of this report. |
REC121-3739 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All passenger trains operating in New South Wales must be fitted with external emergency door releases which do not require any special key or other equipment to operate. |
REC121-3709 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | RailCorp should provide access to electronic versions of safety documentation for all operational staff at their workplace. |
REC121-3748 | 29 - Operational Health and Safety | All new rail cars must have appropriate signage and lighting identifying escape routes in the case of emergency. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC013_3978 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Where possible to build stone or brick fireplaces for the use of travellers, teamsters, and drovers on the camping areas that are mostly used and where there is a risk of fire. |
REC013_3977 | 8 - Communications and warnings | To arrange with settlers who live on hills or have a clear view, and are connected by telephone, to act as " look-outs ", and to communicate with the brigade in the case of fire. |
REC013_3976 | 4 - Fire season preparation | To burn camping areas at suitable water and camping reserves. |
REC013_3975 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | To burn, where necessary, at least 33 feet where there is a risk of fire, on the outside of the railway fence, in conjunction with the railway employees. |
REC013_3968 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Any number of persons, wishing to form a Bush Fire Brigade, may, by a majority vote of the ratepayers in the particular area, requisition the Shire Council to proclaim such area a Bush Fire Brigade area, and the Council may then impose, with the concurrence of a majority of such ratepayers, a special levy for the purpose of equipping such brigades and carrying out its neccessary functions. |
REC013_3967 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Each Shire Council shall divide the lands within their respective shires into suitable areas for the formation of Bush Fire Brigades as requested. |