Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC316-4041 | 9 - Community education | The ESA Community Education and Engagement program be adapted to include an expanded role for RFS volunteers and include a wider set of stakeholders who are more vulnerable to the impact of bushfire. A plan would require wider involvement across stakeholder organisations such as Directorates who have existing relationships with vulnerable groups. |
REC316-4020 | 16 - Training and behaviour | EPSDD and ESA work together to develop values officer training and accreditation. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC291-1246 | 18 - Access to fire ground | The State Emergency Management Committee to review the policy for traffic management at emergency incidents so it reflects national ‘best practice’. This includes the production and issuing of an aide-memoire to guide traffic management, emergency and incident management personnel. |
REC291-1236 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Departments of Parks and Wildlife and Fire and Emergency Services to develop options for the expansion of the ‘Bushfire Mitigation Grant Scheme’ 20 January 2016 Waroona Fire Special Inquiry utilising both State and Commonwealth Government funding to enable the implementation of hazard reduction works identified through the Bushfire Risk Management Planning process. This will target hazard reduction projects on land owned by private landholders in rural-urban interface areas, critical infrastructure protection, local government land, roadsides and land managed by utilities. |
REC291-1245 | 18 - Access to fire ground | The Department of Fire and Emergency Services to issue a photo identification card to DFES members, members of Bush Fire Brigades, volunteer emergency services, Incident Management Teams, forestry industry brigade members and Networked Government Emergency Agency members. DFES also to consider temporary windscreen signage to identify vehicles carrying such personnel. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC290-1215 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Appropriate and scalable resourcing models for remote locations |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC276-1178 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Within six months, consider improved processes for consulting with and engaging volunteers and continue to work with LGs to improve information sharing and communication. Specifically, DFES should improve communication around its decisions on equipment and training as well as provide better information about access to services. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC265-1122 | 18 - Access to fire ground | DFES, in consultation with bushfire volunteers should develop a procedure for the controlled entry and exit of volunteers to the fire ground |
REC265-1103 | 16 - Training and behaviour | DFES should review its training courses and Standard Operating Procedures to satisfy itself that all incident management personnel have the required level of understanding of WA emergency management arrangements, including those that relate to the roles of the Incident Management Team and Incident Support Group and the declaration of incident levels. |
REC265-1108 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Appropriately equipped Incident Control Centres should be identified and/or established throughout the Perth Hills to meet the requirements of a fully resourced Incident Management Team in future bushfire events. |
REC265-1121 | 18 - Access to fire ground | A Restricted Access Permit system for the entry/ re-entry of residents, based on the one developed for the Parkerville Stoneville Mt Helena Bushfire should be finalised. |
REC265-1120 | 9 - Community education | DFES should prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for the conduct of community meetings, and have available the appropriate audio visual and other equipment, to ensure that such meetings are able to fulfil their function in providing information and direction |
REC265-1101 | 9 - Community education | Staff and consultants skilled in community engagement practice should be specifically included in bushfire risk management planning and preparedness building programs undertaken by State agencies and/or local government. |
REC265-1115 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Training and awareness raising should be conducted to enhance the appreciation and understanding of DFES State and Regional operational personnel, including potential Incident Management Team members, of the nationally adopted Bushfire Alert and Messaging Matrix, in order to ensure that the most appropriate alert levels and associated community messaging are applied during bushfire incidents. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC254-1583 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Once Recommendation 1 has been actioned, all agencies give greater priority to the promulgation of Red Flag warnings in order to enhance situational awareness on the fireground. |
REC254-1581 | 16 - Training and behaviour | All agencies ensure fire managers are trained to correctly interpret the new Spot Fire Weather Forecast and to familiarise themselves with the entire format – ensuring consideration of the whole forecast - not just the tabular data containing the 12 hour forecast. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC228-1625 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should improve information capture and sharing by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC226-0549 | 4 - Fire season preparation | All forms of fuel modification should be available to fire managers. |
REC226-0541 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Experienced forecasters and fire behaviour experts should be embedded in DEC at least at a state level to ensure that fire risks are properly understood by decision makers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC225-0532 | 16 - Training and behaviour | All agencies ensure fire managers are trained to correctly interpret the new Spot Fire Weather Forecast and to familiarise themselves with the entire format – ensuring consideration of the whole forecast - not just the tabular data containing the 12 hour forecast. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC223-0521 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Environment and Conservation develop and implement a strategy to better inform the community about the complexities and decisions surrounding prescribed burns when they are undertaken in the rural urban area. |
REC223-0518 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Department of Environment and Conservation explore human resourcing models that: · make succession planning a priority; · look at options for the attraction and retention of staff; and · review how the salary levels of staff matches the decision making required in major activities such as prescribed burns. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC222-1867 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that the Fire and Emergency Services Authority’s peer support program is rejuvenated as soon as possible with increased funding to provided added training for staff volunteering for this program |
REC222-1865 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Minister for Police immediately instigate processes to ensure that the psychological well-being of officers is at the forefront of the Western Australia Police’s staff planning. These processes should include all officers being trained in psychological first aid, with subsequent regular refresher courses. Senior officers should be the first priority for psychological first aid training. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC203-0292 | 18 - Access to fire ground | There is a need for community education on how road-blocks and VCPs operate in the event of an emergency. |
REC203-0291 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Local knowledge should be accessed to inform the placement and operation of VCPs. |
REC203-0290 | 18 - Access to fire ground | VCPs are one of the instruments by which the Incident Controller manages the emergency. VCPs without communications cannot be fully effective in their role. Determine and implement an appropriate communications platform for emergency management |
REC203-0289 | 18 - Access to fire ground | There needs to be a better appreciation of the role of Vehicle Control Points (VCPs) and how they are managed in bushfire emergencies by all key agencies and the community |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC202-0494 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Minister for Emergency Services introduce by the 2012-13 bushfire season psychological testing of all FESA career staff and bushfire and rescue volunteers. |
REC202-0512 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on an assessment of the success of FESA’s Total Fire Ban community education campaign in improving the community’s knowledge on this issue. |
REC202-0511 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on the best practices in other jurisdictions to increase the rate of residents likely to be effected by a bushfire who properly prepare their properties before the bushfire season. |
REC202-0510 | 9 - Community education | The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government provide additional resources to FESA, DEC and WALGA in the 2012-13 Budget to improve the Western Australian community’s knowledge of bushfire safety and to allow these agencies to involve the public in their exercises. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC200-1686 | 9 - Community education | Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices. |
REC200-1730 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments examine the current competencies of Chief Bushfire Control Officers and Community Emergency Services Managers (or Community Fire Managers) and consider what further development is needed to ensure these staff are capable of: |
REC200-0349 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia and local governments to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the use of mobile variable message boards to alert the community to the declaration of a total fire ban and what it means. |
REC200-1685 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments. |
REC200-0369 | 18 - Access to fire ground | The Western Australian Police and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority jointly examine the Traffic Management System developed in response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires and seek its adaptation to use in WA with additional attention to the access and egress by bona fide residents to areas that are evacuated. |
REC200-0348 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority consider alternative wording to Total Fire Ban that ensures people gain a more complete understanding of what actions are prohibited. |
REC200-0390 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments examine the current competencies of Chief Bushfire Control Officers and Community Emergency Services Managers (or Community Fire Managers) and consider what further development is needed to ensure these staff are capable of: measuring and mapping fuel loads maintaining fuel load databases drawing up prescriptions for, and overseeing controlled burns building effective working relationships with all relevant stakeholders. |
REC200-1684 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises: |
REC200-1700 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Interagency Bushfire Management committee develop and oversee a work program to: |
REC200-0347 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum. |
REC200-1688 | 9 - Community education | The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum. |
REC200-0344 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments. |
REC200-0360 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Interagency Bushfire Management committee develop and oversee a work program to: conduct site specific assessments to assess current fuel loads assess, analyse and prioritise bushfire risk on land within and adjacent to communities develop a three year rolling mitigation works program with annual implementation and review. This work should commence independently of any decision on the most effective online integrated system. All data collected should be uploaded to the SLIP. |
REC200-1687 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia to develop a package of information for new residents moving into bushfire prone areas, and a process to ensure this information is provided through real estate agents. |
REC200-0343 | 9 - Community education | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises: Water supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Power supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Saving life will be a priority over saving property so expect to be evacuated Once evacuated, access to affected areas may not be possible for several days Water ‘bombing’ by aircraft cannot be guaranteed in bushfire SMS warnings are advice only and may not be timely. |
REC200-1731 | 16 - Training and behaviour | The Interagency Bushfire Management Committee develop a consistent program of education, training (including media), testing and review of Level 3 Incident Controllers. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC183-0122 | 16 - Training and behaviour | A staff recognition and reward framework for service to fire management should be considered for DEC fire staff. |
REC183-0110 | 16 - Training and behaviour | DEC should emphasise the principle of foresight by adopting an appreciation and decision making process and training staff in that process. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC182-0132 | 9 - Community education | FESA implements an education and awareness campaign to promote the purpose and utility of community information systems. |
REC182-0127 | 9 - Community education | FESA strengthens its planning process to ensure learnings are incorporated and communicated, levels of preparedness are linked to threat analyses and public awareness and education activities are sustained. |
REC182-0126 | 9 - Community education | FESA promotes a whole-of-community approach, involving FESA, Local Governments and the community, in fire prevention functions, activities and planning. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC173-0101 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The prioritisation, by the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC), of bushfire preparedness activities including updating WESTPLAN - BUSHFIRE and coordinating bushfire exercises prior to the 2009/10 bushfire season. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC172-0031 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Pre-season refresher training to include an emphasis on check in/out procedures |
REC172-0013 | 18 - Access to fire ground | In preparing traffic management plans consideration should be given to which VCP’s are critical and need to be resourced with uniformed Police Officers and which VCP’s can be manned with civilian contractors. |
REC172-0048 | 4 - Fire season preparation | A standard for signage at fire incidents be developed and caches of this equipment be established at DEC and Local Govt facilitates to enable its rapid and effective deployment by Ground Support Unit at fires. |
REC172-0023 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Pre-season multi- agency refresher training for Ground Controllers should be undertaken each year. |
REC172-0012 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Main Roads Western Australia, Police and LGA’s be encouraged via State emergency arrangements to establish a distributed cache of “hard” road barriers for deployment to major incidents |
REC172-0046 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Perishable food should be ‘stamped’ with an expiry date. |
REC172-0039 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Dedicated information packages should be made available to personnel operating Vehicle Control Points at the shift briefing. |
REC172-0011 | 18 - Access to fire ground | At Level 3 incidents the position of ‘Traffic Operations Officer’ –be established and filled by a WAPOL officer. A role description for this position is required and should be included in the “Guidelines for the Operations of Road Closures During Bushfires 2008”. This officer is to be supported by a suitably qualified officer from MRWA that is capable of developing Traffic Management Plans that address risk and are cognisant of considerations associated with road type, appropriate speed limitations, signage requirements, traffic volumes, detours for local traffic and heavy haulage etc. This role should report to the IC and have strong links to the Operations Section, Planning Section (particularly the Situation Unit) and the Information Unit. |
REC172-0045 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Food storage should be a design consideration in all fire ground appliances |
REC172-0017 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Information packs to be provided to road traffic personnel to assist with enquiries by public or provision to members of public and landholders who are defending homes/stock etc |
REC172-0044 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Pre-season arrangements to provide high quality food should be encouraged in all emergency management plans |
REC172-0016 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Full briefings of traffic management personnel should be provided prior to dispatch to work areas – why road closed, what their authority level is, level of current risk etc |
REC172-0041 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Media liaison personnel are needed to ‘ride’ shotgun’ on media personnel to facilitate them getting their stories without imposing on the effectiveness of operations. |
REC172-0014 | 18 - Access to fire ground | The Interagency Guidelines for Road closure needs to be reviewed to incorporate a mechanism to identify bone-fide local landholders to facilitate their movement in and out of cordoned areas in sympathy with the Stay and Defend requirements. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC170-0065 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Agencies should: train their staff who will be involved in emergencies in incident management. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC144-3399 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the Emergency Services Agency post all its publications, which are not internal working documents or otherwise confidential, on its website. |
REC144-3398 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the Emergency Services Agency update its website to accommodate, at a minimum, a publications menu item and a search function. |
REC144-3397 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate the Victorian Community Fireguard model with a view to implementing a similar scheme in the ACT to enhance community preparedness for and ability to respond to bushfire emergencies. |
REC144-3396 | 9 - Community education | The Committee recommends that information in relation to proposed fuel load activity and controlled burning should be disseminated to the community and in an accessible format. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC143-3579 | 9 - Community education | That FESA develop comprehensive internet-based information including but not limited to detail of WANDRA objectives, assistance measures, administering agencies, eligibility criteria (where applicable) and application forms. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC126-1992 | 9 - Community education | That implementation of the Bushfire Wise Program continue and include a letterbox drop of the updated Bushfire Information Booklet |
REC126-1974 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That responsibility for fuel management lie with the land management agency that controls the area and that land managers be given authority to implement prescribed fuel-reduction burns within their area |
REC126-2003 | 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 |
REC126-1957 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Emergency Services Agency review the level of understanding among firefighting personnel of the latest information available nationally and internationally about wildfire behaviour and suppression and provide additional training if warranted |
REC126-1991 | 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 |
REC126-1951 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That before each fire season the Emergency Services Agency, in conjunction with the Bush Fire Council – after consultation with the relevant ACT agencies, the Bureau of Meteorology, relevant NSW agencies and the community – conduct a qualitative risk analysis of the conditions and circumstances prevailing and forecast and develop strategies to ensure heightened preparedness during seasons identified as severe |
REC126-2001 | 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 |
REC126-1955 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That training of all personnel involved with emergency services be under constant review |
REC126-1983 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency ensure that personnel in their respective organisations are fully briefed on the agreed policy on evacuations |
REC126-1990 | 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 |
REC126-1999 | 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 |
REC126-1980 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That public land management agencies ensure that their senior personnel have appropriate experience in fire management and are provided with adequate resources and suitable experienced and trained staff to effectively implement fire management programs |
REC126-1967 | 40 - Equipment and consumables | That the Emergency Services Agency give priority to ensuring it has guaranteed access to an adequate number and type of bulldozers, as well as experienced operators, during the fire season, for immediate deployment as required |
REC126-1996 | 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 |
REC126-1969 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That a review be conducted of the adequacy of training and the numbers of firefighters experienced in performing effective, safe large-scale back-burning operations |
REC126-1993 | 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 |
REC126-1977 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a program be implemented to ensure that existing fire tracks and trails are cleared and accessible at all times and that a network of additional fire trails be established so as to allow direct fire suppression operations without undue delay in the event of a wildfire |
REC126-2005 | 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 |
REC126-1968 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That land managers ensure their staff are properly trained in the effective use of large bulldozers at wildfires and that staff are available to be assigned to supervise bulldozer operations |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC113-3905 | 16 - Training and behaviour | Firefighting organisations should: address their key training and development issues |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC019-4133 | 9 - Community education | The Bush Fires Board take a more active part in enlightening the public generally and the local communities in particular to their responsibilites on fire control. |
REC019-4157 | 18 - Access to fire ground | Local authorities and if necessary the Minister take active steps to enforce the removal of fire hazards from the vicinity of buildings in rural areas and that special attention be given to the removal of dead trees on the edges of pasture land and on firebreaks in timbered country. |
REC019-4158 | 16 - Training and behaviour | That needs in the direction of a fire emergency service be met as far as practicable by the Bush Fires Board in its training programme and in the tactical organisation of existing brigades for use as reserves in districts other than their own. |
REC019-4144 | 16 - Training and behaviour | No opportunity be lost of encouraging the formation of bush fire brigades and the maintenance of enthusiasm and that the Bush Fires Board assist the brigades in any way possible to obtain adequate training and equipment. |