Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC316-4019 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | In collaboration with other jurisdictions the ACT share the learnings for this bushfire event and work to officially embedded values officers and RRATs as key elements of bushfire response. |
REC316-4030 | 17 - Assets and technology | Continue to explore options in the short term to improve the functionality and relationship with NSW RFS ‘Fires Near Me’ with respect to ACT specific information before the 2020-21 bushfire season. |
REC316-4039 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Establish a Communications Working Group (CWG) with representatives from across key Directorates (CMTEDD, ESA, ACT Policing, Health, CHS, EPSDD for example) to review the CCIP and to further identify how the CCIP can be best implemented and utilised. The CWG should report its progress though SEMSOG and coordinate with other WG’s. Bringing together a small Taskforce of staff from across government for a set period would assist the working group in delivering the work needed to address these and other recommendations. |
REC316-4017 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The working group (Rec 1) should include relevant stakeholders deciding collectively what the declaration might mean for such things as sub and supporting plans and the relevant community messages and calls to action. |
REC316-4029 | 17 - Assets and technology | ACT Government continues to develop the concept for an ACT specific emergency app whilst also using national coordination mechanisms to support an affordable nationally standard all-hazards mobile app. |
REC316-4037 | 17 - Assets and technology | Consideration be given to developing alternate website contingency in the event of a critical failure and an assurance review across all community facing Government websites. |
REC316-4016 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Plan be amended to include considerations for declaring a State of Alert or Emergency (and also wind back from these) and guidance as to what actions and decisions at a minimum should be taken as a consequence of such a declaration. |
REC316-4027 | 12 - EM agency and authority | All organisations who have a role in the ECC should review their existing arrangements to ensure there is a sufficient cohort of staff to maintain a presence in the ECC at a level and with an imprimatur sufficient to make decisions and allocate resources and have access to senior executive levels if needed. |
REC316-4036 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Government give consideration to investment in professional specialities such as fire behaviour analysts, airbase managers, aerial firefighting technical specialists etc for the RFS. |
REC316-4015 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The working group should report to SEMSOG on progress. |
REC316-4046 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Emergency Plan and Recovery sub-plans should be amended to better define recovery mechanisms and responsibilities, including hand over points to recovery authorities and community engagement for the delivery of long term recovery mechanisms. |
REC316-4026 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The role, level, requirements and expectations of an ECC LO be clarified in the Emergency Plan and ECC Ops Sub-plan. |
REC316-4034 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Efforts be increased to build trust, confidence and a common operating picture across PCS and RFS and seek mechanisms that identifies RFS and PCS as equitable partners in delivery of fire management across the territory. |
REC316-4043 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | NDIA be engaged in regard to information sharing in emergencies as part of the above actions. |
REC316-4022 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That when determining their Management Executive, at a minimum the EC should consider appointing Director-General JACS and the PIC as standing members. |
REC316-4031 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The ESA hold bi-lateral executive level meetings with the utility providers on a regular basis in consultation with other relevant Government stakeholders. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC291-1242 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Departments of Fire and Emergency Services and Parks and Wildlife to investigate and adopt an emergency services resource management system that will enable the registration, tasking, tracking, management and coordination of emergency management personnel, vehicles, plant and aircraft. |
REC291-1241 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The State Emergency Management Committee, in consultation with Western Australian Farmers Federation, the Association of Bush Fire Brigades, the Contractors Association of WA, and the Forest Industries Federation of WA, to establish systems for the voluntary registration of: · farmer firefighting units; · contractor firefighting resources; and · forestry industry brigades. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC290-1213 | 34 - Local knowledge | Structures to incorporate local knowledge and situational awareness into the fire response |
REC290-1212 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Resourcing models appropriate to local needs, including fire risk and remoteness |
REC290-1210 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Co‐designed arrangements that support a unified response to fire |
REC290-1219 | 17 - Assets and technology | Live resource tracking system that can be used by all response agencies |
REC290-1209 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Coordinated and targeted mitigation of fire risk |
REC290-1217 | 12 - EM agency and authority | IAP formats and processes appropriate to the nature of the emergency response. |
REC290-1208 | 12 - EM agency and authority | A unified and integrated fire sector across the whole fire hazard |
REC290-1216 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Resolve reoccurring issues with systems and processes |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC265-1127 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Consultation should be undertaken with agencies and organisations that are engaged in emergency welfare provision to identify more effective ways to provide a consistent message to the community that non-cash donations are not required. |
REC265-1104 | 12 - EM agency and authority | DFES should increase and maintain urban interface bushfire skills and expertise. Appointments to senior roles within the agency should include people with experience and credibility in bushfire firefighting and management. |
REC265-1116 | 17 - Assets and technology | Procedures should be established to monitor the use of heavy plant during a bushfire incident, including the tasking of support appliances. Procedures should provide for the appointment of a dedicated Machinery Supervisor as prescribed within the Australasian Interservice Incident Management System. |
REC265-1126 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Development of a template contract for the clean-up of affected properties to speed-up the process; |
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. |
REC265-1112 | 17 - Assets and technology | Radio infrastructure in the Perth Hills should be reviewed to assess whether it is practicable for radio and/or mobile phone coverage to be improved to achieve better coverage across the area. |
REC265-1125 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Consultation with the Board of the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund and other disaster appeal organisers should be undertaken to determine the potential for software development to consolidate the application and approval process, including provision of templates and application forms; |
REC265-1111 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | All agencies engaged in bushfire response should develop expeditious procedures for the mobilisation of resources in support of other agencies. See discussion in Section 7.1. |
REC265-1123 | 17 - Assets and technology | Every effort should be made to enhance the ability of communications personnel to cope with fast moving and time critical fire events by providing and maintaining: ongoing extensive communications training; advanced vehicle capability for clear communication within areas of radio coverage dead spots; ability to receive Air intelligence live streaming; map production facilities; deployment of multiple Incident Control Vehicles when required; all Incident Control Vehicles with access to DFES Information Technology Systems. |
REC265-1106 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | In addition to regular meetings of the DFES/DPaW Interagency Bushfire Management Committee, the two organisations should use joint exercises to identify agreed firefighting approaches for common or likely scenarios. |
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 |
REC265-1105 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Executive Teams of both DFES and DPaW should meet quarterly to review and agree joint improvements relating to issues of interoperability, complementarity and the alignment of firefighting doctrine. The establishment of a unified command in joint State Operations Centre, Regional Operations Centre and Incident Management Teams should be pursued as an overarching goal. |
REC265-1117 | 17 - Assets and technology | Automatic Vehicle Location technology should be adopted to enable a better appreciation of the deployment and location of appliances at an incident, in order to increase situational awareness |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC254-1589 | 12 - EM agency and authority | In due course, acts of bravery are considered and recommendations for awards are submitted, including commendations for the delivery of First Aid. |
REC254-1586 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Future coordination/support/control of integrated emergency management across all agencies in Albany needs to be merged and located in a single joint facility. This issue needs to be reviewed statewide. |
REC254-1582 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC252-2573 | 12 - EM agency and authority | St John Ambulance should build on its regionalisation model and improve engagement with local services in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions |
REC252-2572 | 12 - EM agency and authority | St John Ambulance should explore opportunities for extending the community paramedic model to other areas of identified need |
REC252-2568 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Western Australia Health should develop criteria with St John Ambulance for the allocation of paramedics across the state |
REC252-2567 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Western Australia Health should re-engage with St John Ambulance at a senior level to address strategic and complex issues including long term solutions to ramping |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC228-1624 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency should: |
REC228-1623 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should develop and routinely review a strategic bushfire capability for the ACT. The contribution of ACT Fire and Rescue (including the Community Fire Units) and the ACT Rural Fire Service (including Parks Brigade) should be explicitly stated. |
REC228-1622 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should continue to improve working arrangements between the ACT Rural Fire Service Parks Brigade and the ACT Rural Fire Service headquarters, by: |
REC228-1627 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency (ACT Rural Fire Service headquarters) should implement a system to provide assurance to the Chief Officer of the ACT Rural Fire Service that personnel and equipment readiness meets requirements. |
REC228-1626 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should clarify the timing of the requirement for meeting firefighter fitness requirements, as set out in ACT Rural Fire Service operating procedures and the Territory and Municipal Directorate’s Enterprise Agreement, and give priority to meeting that requirement. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC227-2850 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that the AFP be provided with a search and rescue vessel which is suitable to the specific conditions of Christmas Island. I further recommend that steps be taken to ensure that if for any reason the search and rescue vessel is not available, there is a replacement vessel on Christmas Island capable of providing an emergency response in difficult sea conditions. |
REC227-2859 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that the issue of RHIB jet intake protection be allocated a high priority and that there be ongoing investigation of possible solutions to reduce the problem. |
REC227-2848 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that the AFP take steps to determine whether access can be obtained to the National Search and Rescue Council endorsed SARMAP program covering the Australian Search and Rescue Region as well as adjoining tiles for Indonesia. Steps should be taken to ensure that if possible coverage would include high traffic areas where SIEVs enter the Australian Search and Rescue region allowing timely search and rescue plans to be drawn up for any potential incidents. |
REC227-2856 | 12 - EM agency and authority | I recommend that BPC establish an onshore presence as recommended by Lieutenant Commander Livingstone. |
REC227-2847 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | I recommend that Border Protection Command implement a surveillance strategy, possibly with the assistance of other Commonwealth authorities and organisations on the island such as the AFP, which heightens its coverage at times when the weather and sea conditions are rough. |
REC227-2854 | 12 - EM agency and authority | I recommend that the Christmas Island VMRS be given autonomy to maintain operational readiness for the VMRS rescue vessel(s) and an appropriate budget be provided to allow this to take place. |
REC227-2846 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that Border Protection Command continues to examine ways of improving its surveillance capability around Christmas Island so that the risk of SIEVs arriving undetected is reduced. |
REC227-2851 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that consideration should be given to acquiring two personal water craft for deployment by appropriately trained and equipped staff of the AFP or the VMRS or both on Christmas Island. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC226-0548 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Inter-agency cooperation to manage fire precincts in a tenure-blind fashion is necessary for effective fire suppression. |
REC226-0583 | 17 - Assets and technology | The state should converge on a single communications platform for all emergency management and support agencies. |
REC226-0582 | 17 - Assets and technology | The state should progressively align on a shared platform, such as WebEOC, to establish a COP [Common Operating Picture or Platform?]. |
REC226-0598 | 33 - Relief and recovery | When communities are grieving there is a need to provide special forms of support to affected residents. |
REC226-0578 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | There would be benefit in progressively aligning the geographic boundaries of each of the agencies and seeking to co-locate their headquarters within those boundaries. |
REC226-0596 | 33 - Relief and recovery | An early decision on relief funding enables timely responses. D CP should review their communication of relief arrangements to ensure that they are clear. |
REC226-0561 | 34 - Local knowledge | Suitably experienced local representatives should be engaged to provide advice to the IMT in all Level 2 and Level 3 incidents at the earliest opportunity. |
REC226-0595 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Shire experiences in managing these traumatic events should be captured and passed into emergency management procedures. |
REC226-0560 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | There would be value in progressively aligning the geographical boundaries of emergency management agencies and co-locating where possible within regions and districts. |
REC226-0594 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Procedures to resolve issues surrounding financial assistance need to be reviewed to ensure they are as smooth, fast and transparent as possible possible. Review and streamline current financial relief procedures. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC225-0533 | 17 - Assets and technology | As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC224-1633 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Treasurer undertake a review by the next bushfire season of the ability of RiskCover to efficiently undertake loss assessing and compensation activities for victims of major natural disasters, such as a bushfire, in an empathic and timely fashion. |
REC224-1632 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The State Government prepare a consistent policy on how to assist or compensate the victims of future major natural disasters, such as bushfires, in an equitable fashion. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC223-0520 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Department of Environment and Conservation review the utility of its current regional model in terms of the capability of operational centres such as Kirup to service major fire activity on land proximate to the rural urban area (this recommendation should also be considered in the context of Recommendation 5). |
REC223-0519 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Department of Environment and Conservation review its practices and procedures in the undertaking of prescribed burns so as to fully utilise the skills available to it in a seamless way including but not limited to: · volunteer bushfire brigades, especially in regard to use as a source of local advice; and · staff of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC222-1860 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Police provide additional resources so that the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Western Australia Police can at least double their number of peer support officers, with an aim to increase the number in regional areas of the State. |
REC222-1857 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Ministers for Health, Police, and Emergency Services ensure that the Western Australia Police, the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and St John Ambulance establish a formal platform to share their knowledge and experience in delivering programs to their staff and volunteers to address issues of stress from disasters and critical incidents, as is done in other Australian jurisdictions. |
REC222-1851 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police request their departments to place some of their staff and resources providing trauma-related services in regional Western Australia. |
REC222-1868 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation and Western Australia Police explore the usefulness of using retired staff as mentors or peer supporters, either directly employed or through a suitable nongovernment organisation. |
REC222-1866 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The State’s emergency response agencies should offer exit interviews to all of their staff and volunteers and use the information they gather to improve their trauma management procedures. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC204-1920 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Attorney General gives urgent consideration to determining an ex gratia payment for: |
REC204-1914 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | FESA, WA Police and St John Ambulance establish a uniform protocol for handling multiple agency emergency responses that does not involve callers having to make multiple calls to 000. |
REC204-1910 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | As part of its review of its contract management processes, Tourism WA (with the Board of Tourism WA taking a lead role) should amend its contract template for event sponsorship to ensure that: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC203-0288 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The State Duty Officer from DEC and the State Duty Director, FES A need to confer whenever a Level 2 or 3 incident is declared to satisfy themselves that they have appropriate incident management structures and resources across the state are at an appropriate level of preparedness. |
REC203-0301 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Early in an incident, close and effective liaison needs to be established with local government agencies. |
REC203-0287 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | On a regional basis there would be value in closer working relationship between DEC crews and VBFBs to build mutual trust and confidence. This could be done by opportunity engagement of VBFBs in DEC fire management or through exercises. |
REC203-0299 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The state should converge on a single communications platform for all emergency management and support agencies. |
REC203-0298 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The state should progressively align on a shared platform, such as WebEO C , to establish a Common Operating Picture (COP). |
REC203-0295 | 12 - EM agency and authority | There would be benefit in progressively aligning the geographic boundaries of each of the agencies and seeking to co-locate their headquarters within those boundaries. |
REC203-0293 | 34 - Local knowledge | Suitably experienced personnel with local knowledge should be connected to the Operations and Planning section in all Level 3 incidents in the vicinity of substantial settlements. |
REC203-0308 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Early resolution and clear communication of the financial and other support measures that will be available to affected residents is an important contributor to community resilience. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC202-0506 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that FESA has the funds to implement the installation and use of WebEOC for use during the 2011-12 bushfire season and immediately put in place common protocols with the Police and DEC to record significant events during a bushfire. |
REC202-0504 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that the annual budget of FESA contains the funds it requires to coordinate an annual multi-agency bushfire field exercise, alongside other desktop exercises, to be held in different regions of the State each year. The outcomes of this field exercise should be included in the proposed annual Ministerial statement to Parliament on bushfire readiness before each season. |
REC202-0496 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that a whole-of-government equipment register of the firefighting equipment held by FESA, DEC and local government authorities is in place for the 2012-13 bushfire season. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC201-0260 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | There are a range of opportunities identified from reviewing the three fires that will improve coordination between FESA and DEC, requiring limited resources, potentially generating some efficiencies and reflecting a joint, tenure blind approach to fire management in WA. The MIR acknowledges the progress made through the IBMC in these matters and notes these measures will require ongoing strong leadership. These include: · Clarification and consistent application of the Zone 2 and 2A mobilisation protocols; · Duplicating available information on websites; · Establishing a single State air desk and cross-utilising Air Attack Supervisors; · Completing common training for the conduct of public meetings;· Coordinating IMT training and exercises; · Operating joint IMT‘s during interface fires; FESA utilising the DEC mobile ICC when suitable ICPs are not available; · FESA engaging in daily weather teleconferences with DEC; Engaging a permanent BoM officer to support a common FESA and DEC SOC; · Developing a common ‗Tool Box‘ of forms and operational procedures for fire response; · Developing common jurisdictional arrangements to accommodate interstate support; · Developing a joint FESA/DEC SOC at the new (FESA) Emergency Services facility at Cockburn; · Adopting common and transparent Level 3 IC accreditation · Using a single mapping capability across both agencies and · Using common naming conventions for fires. |
REC201-0249 | 17 - Assets and technology | FRS fire appliance allocation and training needs to be reviewed to enhance offensive bushfire capability within the metropolitan area. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
REC200-1679 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Department of Environment and Conservation develop and finalise their Memorandum of Understanding and commit to working in partnership. |
REC200-0378 | 17 - Assets and technology | Western Power and the Water Corporation continue to work collaboratively to assess options to better protect the power supply to water pumping stations in bushfire prone areas. |
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. |
REC200-0389 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that Community Emergency Service Managers are physically based in local government. |
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. |
REC200-0373 | 33 - Relief and recovery | The Department for Child Protection, the Western Australian Police and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority develop improved arrangements for communicating the loss of home and possessions to persons gathered at evacuation centres with a view to increasing privacy. |
REC200-1686 | 9 - Community education | Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices. |
REC200-0388 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog. |
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. |
REC200-0365 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its program to decommission vehicles and ensure that when such vehicles are offered during an incident that FESA staff adhere to FESA’s own policy of ‘Use of Private Vehicles in Fires’. |
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. |
REC200-0387 | 17 - Assets and technology | The State Government transfer responsibility for the installation, removal, maintenance of fire hydrants to the Water Corporation, in accordance with the Recommendations of the 2006 CDJSC Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation. |
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. |
REC200-1724 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Emergency Management Western Australia develop mechanisms to calculate the estimated total cost of a fire to the community. |
REC200-0364 | 17 - Assets and technology | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority review its use of the Australian Interagency Incident Management System to ensure that the most appropriate resources (including aerial resources) are used to respond to an incident. If resources are rejected during an incident either through the decision making process or other grounds, the reason for the decision should be documented. |
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: |
REC200-0386 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Emergency service agencies undertake more consultation and joint exercising involving the Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment, the Western Australian Police, the Department for Child Protection, local governments and volunteers – including Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades. This should include field exercises which test: Evacuation centres Critical infrastructure (including at the local level) Traffic management, including road blocks. Consideration should also be given to involving the community in exercising (see Recommendation 7) and using prescribed burns as exercises (see Recommendation 14) More detailed planning for exercises should be included in a revised WESTPLANBUSHFIRE to be endorsed by the State Emergency Management Committee. |
REC200-0338 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Department of Environment and Conservation develop and finalise their Memorandum of Understanding and commit to working in partnership. |
REC200-1708 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Western Australian Police ensure they receive all necessary legal clarification in relation to Bushfire Responsibilities of Police Officers – Powers Used in Assisting Fire Authorities in Responding to Bushfires, to be promulgated across FESA and WAPOL. |
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. |
REC200-1680 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Emergency Management Western Australia establish an inter-agency working group to continue the development of the new single emergency services Act. |
REC200-0383 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The State Government restructure the Fire and Emergency Services Authority as a Department. 22 As part of this restructure, Emergency Management Western Australia should either be: 1. clearly separated from the fire and emergency services response function (see figure 2); or 2. moved to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (see figures 3 and 4) or 3. moved to the Attorney-General’s department (see figures 3 and 5). |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC183-0119 | 17 - Assets and technology | The development of a three year aerial firefighting strategy for W.A. would ensure optimal development of a joint air capability. |
REC183-0118 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | A Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Chief Executives of DEC and FESA would be a valuable statement of joint commitment between the two agencies. |
REC183-0117 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Interagency Bushfire Management Committee and its sub-committees are the logical central platform for developing and strengthening future joint bushfire strategies and common systems of work between bushfire management agencies in Western Australia. |
REC183-0116 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Triggers and a process for transfer of command and control from DEC to FESA should be developed and documented. |
REC183-0121 | 12 - EM agency and authority | A DEC fire management staff succession plan would minimise the loss of core fire management skills and experience in the future and provide a planned approach to development of prospective fire management staff. |
REC183-0106 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The DEC corporate statement should affirm a strong commitment to fire management. |
REC183-0120 | 17 - Assets and technology | Maintaining the DEC fleet of tankers, bulldozers and low loaders is crucial to DEC’s fire management and control capability. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC182-0134 | 17 - Assets and technology | FESA reviews its air reconnaissance capability and determines if multiple multi-sensor air reconnaissance aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicles are required for managing concurrent and/or complex incidents. |
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. |
REC182-0132 | 9 - Community education | FESA implements an education and awareness campaign to promote the purpose and utility of community information systems. |
REC182-0125 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | FESA, in partnership with other agencies and the community, develops Western Australia’s urban interface fire fighting capability and capacity. |
REC182-0130 | 12 - EM agency and authority | FESA identifies and documents its information requirements for end-to-end information exchange and then assess the adequacy of current systems to meet these information requirements. |
REC182-0124 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | FESA and DEC take a whole of capability approach to joint operations, including developing joint doctrine that provides a common and articulated understanding of roles and responsibilities, resources and capabilities |
REC182-0129 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | FESA maintains inter-agency relationships and arrangements, and develops formalised arrangements across the entire emergency management cycle for joint activities such as training, exercises and procedure development. |
REC182-0128 | 12 - EM agency and authority | FESA establishes a process (and associated systems and policies) to mobilise staff to an incident, incorporating pre-formed multi-agency Incident Management Teams. The development of Incident Management Teams should align with the principles of seamless and integrated escalation of command and control arrangements, and be based on a whole of capability approach (people, organisations, systems, training, procedures etc.). |
REC182-0135 | 33 - Relief and recovery | FESA revises its standard operating procedures to provide guidance on the format and timing of post-incident community meetings. |
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC172-0026 | 17 - Assets and technology | At large incidents a communications bus should be provided for the use by Air Ops and a designated work space should be provided for the Air Ops management group. |
REC172-0025 | 17 - Assets and technology | Suppression resources should be ordered and mobilised as 2 truck Strike Teams with a STL and consistently deployed to the fire ground as a unit. |
REC172-0024 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Transport plans for BFB resources should be prepared by the Ground Support Unit in close liaison with FESA who will liaise with the home jurisdictions of the brigades. Moving personnel whilst leaving the equipment at the fire ground staging areas is preferred to moving equipment in and out with every shift. |
REC172-0022 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The declaration of a potential Level 3 incident should be notified to FESA who can facilitate an early warning to CFCO’s in the Shire and surrounding LGA’s. |
REC172-0029 | 17 - Assets and technology | Provide a photocopier in the Mobile Communications Facility or the mobile equipment cache that is capable of large volume production of collated documents. |
REC172-0020 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The role of ‘BFB Task Force Liaison’ be defined and appropriately trained personnel be provided by the HMA (possibly from support brigades) to facilitate brigade movements on and off the fire ground. |
REC172-0047 | 17 - Assets and technology | There is an established need to develop mobile accommodation and accommodation facility support solutions that allows an acceptable standard of accommodation to be provided to fire fighters in close proximity to the incident. |
REC172-0028 | 17 - Assets and technology | Ensure the S61 helicopter has all appropriate channels for water bombing operations throughout the State by including this requirement on a pre-deployment checklist. |
REC172-0019 | 17 - Assets and technology | A centralised, regional, multi-agency resource coordination and tracking system/facility be established to accommodate and coordinate the movement of resources from all agencies within and between regions. |
REC172-0038 | 34 - Local knowledge | The ISU should be provided with a person with local knowledge at Level 3 incidents. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC171-0069 | 17 - Assets and technology | That in any consideration being given to the allocation of responsibility for control of operations in respect of major fires, consideration be given to the availability of technology and other resources, particularly when particular skills are required to make best use of such technology or resources. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC170-0059 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | SEMC and EM WA should: ensure all agencies use the same approach to managing incidents. |
REC170-0058 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | SEMC and EM WA should: ensure that all agencies can access other agencies’ operations centres when needed and that the procedures to do so are documented |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC159-3052 | 12 - EM agency and authority | ACTAS should develop and implement as a matter of priority, appropriate strategies to address declining response times. |
REC159-3049 | 12 - EM agency and authority | ACTAS should enhance its approach to demand modelling in order to better guide current and future ambulance resourcing by: |
REC159-3048 | 12 - EM agency and authority | ACTAS should enhance its approach to risk management by: |
REC159-3046 | 12 - EM agency and authority | ACT Ambulance Service (ACTAS) should revise its Business Plan to address key priorities and activities for each key service delivery function. This would include clearer expected outputs to be delivered annually and their prioritisation. |
REC159-3054 | 12 - EM agency and authority | ACTAS should improve systems to manage its non-emergency transport services, provide training and guidance to staff on use of these systems, and implement a quality assurance process. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC144-3395 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends that the ACT Emergency Services and the Rural Fire Service in particular institute regular meetings with the NSW Rural Fire Service and other appropriate authorities, such as environment |
REC144-3400 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Committee recommends that each element of the Emergency Services Agency publish organisation charts showing names, positions and contact details on the individual webpages. |
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 |
---|---|---|
REC143-3588 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That, in line with recommendations contained in the 2004 Report to the Council of Australian Governments, greater flexibility should be introduced to WANDRA to enable damaged infrastructure to be upgraded to a more resilient standard where that is both feasible and cost-effective. |
REC143-3587 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The secondment of a resource person(s) to an affected local authority to support the work of that authority in its response to a natural disaster be effected. |
REC143-3585 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the Professional Assistance Grant is formally extended by WANDRA to include non rural businesses and that it be made available to assist with the clean up of disaster related damage to farms and businesses. (The Committee recognises that the amendments to WANDRA as of March 2007 address this recommendation). |
REC143-3583 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the newly proposed index linked limits for Personal Hardship and Distress Relief Payments as outlined in the paper “National Disaster Relief Arrangements - An Analysis and Recommendations for Personal Hardship Distress Measures” be accepted by government. |
REC143-3580 | 17 - Assets and technology | That FESA investigate the use of new technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for supplementing the dissemination of WANDRA information in cases where landlines have been disrupted. |
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 |
---|---|---|
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 |
REC126-2007 | 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 |
REC126-1981 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That senior officers in the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency maintain regular and meaningful contact during fire emergencies, to ensure full dissemination of information and thus facilitate the making of good operational decisions |
REC126-1995 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Services Agency staff the Media Unit within its planning Section with profesisonal, experienced information officers skilled in dissemination of information and media management and liaison |
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 |
REC126-1963 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That priority be given to ensuring that the ACT has an adequate resource of remote area firefighting teams consisting of personnel with high levels of fitness and training in remote fire suppression |
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 |
REC126-2003 | 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 |
REC126-1956 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That courses and programs be conducted to increase the level of Incident Control System training and augment the expertise of people who are likely to perform functions in an incident management team |
REC126-1992 | 9 - Community education | That implementation of the Bushfire Wise Program continue and include a letterbox drop of the updated Bushfire Information Booklet |
REC126-2001 | 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 |
REC126-1954 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That senior officers of the Emergency Services Agency give greater recognition to the skills, knowledge and experience of people from other agencies – particularly the land management agencies – as well as rural residents and private individuals and use these people in roles commensurate with their skills and experience |
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 |
REC126-1999 | 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 |
REC126-1949 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That the Emergency Services Agency be relocated into accommodation that is purpose-built and more sited to the agency’s operations than the current facility at Curtin |
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 |
REC126-1990 | 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 |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC019-4155 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The management of all National Parks in the State be concentrated under one authority to ensure co-ordination in administration and protective measures. |
REC019-4135 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Bush Fires Board appoint a Standing Committee of about six of its members, all of whom are likely to be available at any time during the bush fire season to meet and take executive action as necessary. |
REC019-4141 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The relative seniority of bush fire control officers be determined with a view to appointing group leaders as chief bush fire control officers. The Shire Clerk should generally be a liaison bush fire control officer rather than a chief fire control officer. |
REC019-4154 | 12 - EM agency and authority | A committee be formed and provided with the finance necessary to enable it to supplement the activities of the local bush fire brigades in districts in the far south-west of the State where ratable values are particularly low and the proportion of Crown lands high, and that the Forests Department be authorised to give approval for control burning of Crown lands throughout the State by bushfire brigades within two miles of a State Forest and that outside this distance the Bush Fires Board through its wardens have similar authority. |
REC019-4134 | 12 - EM agency and authority | All members of the Board be selected for their interest in and experience and knowledge of matters directly associated with bush fire control and not merely as representatives of particular organisations, that the Chairman of the Board be appointed by the Governor instead of being an ex officio appointment of another forester, a member of the timber industry, a police officer and a person with a sound knowledge of weather and its effect upon fire behaviour. |
REC019-4140 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Local authorities select bush fire control officers for their knowledge and experience of bush fires and their qualities of leadership and that as far as practicable, they be captains of bush fire brigades so that the person issuing the permit to burn has the responsibility of extinguishing the fire if it escapes. |
REC019-4153 | 17 - Assets and technology | No opportunity be lost by the Forests Department to improve the efficiency of their fire fighting gangs, radio and other equipment in the light of the latest practical and scientific developments. |
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. |
REC019-4138 | 12 - EM agency and authority | That care be exercised in recommending the application of emergency bush fire periods so that they will not be applied to districts where their application is unnecessary. |
REC019-4150 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The Forests Department direct more staff to the planning and co-ordination of its bush fire control organisation so that emergency conditions can be met immediately by ample reserves of labour and equipment and that co-ordination between the Department, the local authority, sawmills and other sources of man-power and equipment in and around forestry districts is as complete as possible. This particularly includes co-operative protective burning around the boundaries of forest areas. |
REC019-4137 | 12 - EM agency and authority | Before the bush fire season starts, the Minister on the recommendation of the Board nominate a person and a deputy person who will be instructed to take charge of fire fighting operations in each district should a dangerous fire occur and render such an appointment advisable. |
REC019-4147 | 12 - EM agency and authority | All local authorities form advisory committees of persons from bush fire brigades and of bush fire control officers to plan co-operation in effort and co-ordination between brigades, to group brigades under brigade group officers and to advise the local authority upon all matters of fire control, including the planning of the district firebreak layout and prosecuting for breaches of the Bush Fires Act. |
REC019-4159 | 12 - EM agency and authority | The State Emergency Service be used to meet any additional needs but that as far as possible, requests for assistance be directed in the first instance to the Bush Fires Board or at least referred to that Board by the State Emergency Service for advice before action is taken. |
REC019-4136 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Bush Fires Board appoint a Regional Committee of Board members co-opt local members for each climatic region of the State to study the bush fire control problems of the region and advise the Board so that inter alia adequate attention may be given by the Board to co-ordinating the beginning and termination of the prohibited burning times in adjoining districts and to any advisable variations of these duties according to seasonal conditions each year. |
REC019-4146 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Insurance companies be asked to subsidise the bush fire equipment fund by an amount at least equal to the amount they at present remit on premiums received for fire insurance in approved districts and that the Government contribute an amount to the fund at least equal to that contributed by the Insurance Companies. |