Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC321-4202 | 10 - Infrastructure | We recommend that DELWP investigates incentives and advises government on options to accelerate burying and insulating the remaining high-voltage bare-wire powerlines in the 33 highest risk areas. |
REC321-4201 | 10 - Infrastructure | We recommend that DELWP improves the Powerline Bushfire Safety Program's transparency by publicly reporting on activities, costs and risk-reduction outcomes. |
REC321-4205 | 26 - Research | We recommend that DELWP in partnership with Parks Victoria, Country Fire Authority, Fire Rescue Victoria and councils as appropriate, collect empirical evidence after bushfire events to assess the effectiveness of different fuel management treatments, including planned burning, mulching, slashing and mineral earth breaks, and build an evidence base to the effectiveness of these treatments. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC319-4194 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Public communications: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and / or the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department, work with councils and government to refine an operational relief and recovery public communications strategy that: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC318-4176 | 26 - Research | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) lead the development and distribution of evidence-based land and fuel management tools for use by all legislated fuel management organisations to ensure a common approach to fuel management. |
REC318-4172 | 26 - Research | The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the State support the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) and its partners to expand the Safer Together program to: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC299-1338 | 19 - Offences | The Government introduce an amendment to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or other instruments which imposes significant penalties and strengthens enforcement, including via infringement notices, for offences against Total Fire Ban requirements before the 2017‑2018 fire season. |
REC299-1346 | 26 - Research | DELWP and its partner agencies, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services, should undertake research into the specific effects on health of people affected by planned burns and the information should be made public. The study should include the direct impact of smoke on affected populations and impacts on water, food supplies and livestock. |
REC299-1337 | 19 - Offences | The Government should: |
REC299-1340 | 26 - Research | That any such pilot program ought to be managed by the relevant indigenous organisations, with support provided by DELWP and its partner agencies and the development and the evaluation of any pilot program should be overseen by an independent and reputable academic or research institution. |
REC299-1339 | 26 - Research | That Government provide support in the form of funding for the Return to the Firestick project, and that a formal pilot scheme be established where data can be collected, collated and analysed and the effectiveness of this approach be compared against current burning practices. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC297-1267 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That emergency management authorities react with heightened awareness and action when BoM issues flood watches and related warnings. |
REC297-1266 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Government supports the anticipated SES State Flood Warning proposals aimed at improving public warnings and communication, and that the proposed warning system is consistent with the National Frameworks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC286-2031 | 10 - Infrastructure | Improve information about electricity demand during heatwaves. |
REC286-1456 | 26 - Research | Improve understanding of the weather systems that cause storm surge events to improve predictability and warnings. |
REC286-2032 | 26 - Research | Quantify the effect of heatwaves on vulnerable people. |
REC286-2092 | 26 - Research | Investigate usefulness of satellite data for PPRR (prevention, preparedness, response, recovery) planning. |
REC286-2024 | 26 - Research | Improve knowledge and understanding of the effect heatwaves coinciding with other hazard events have on the effectiveness and capability of response and recovery capabilities |
REC286-1475 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Integrate existing capabilities into a Total Flood Warning System. |
REC286-2090 | 26 - Research | Increase understanding of the Puysegur Trench dynamics to improve certainty around the likelihood and magnitude of future Tsunamis. |
REC286-2079 | 26 - Research | Develop capacity to utilise the new high-resolution satellite products now available. |
REC286-2074 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Continue the enhancement of forecast and warning services. |
REC286-1480 | 26 - Research | Deliver Flood Studies. |
REC286-2048 | 26 - Research | Conduct research into changes of owners’ and occupiers stated and revealed risk tolerance and preference for treatment measures before and after natural hazard events. |
REC286-2028 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review community information and warning systems to ensure they cater for heatwave messages |
REC286-2084 | 10 - Infrastructure | Establish emergency services ICT redundancy arrangements for damage loss of communications infrastructure. |
REC286-1457 | 26 - Research | Improve understanding of how coastal inundation events interact with riverine flood events. |
REC286-1443 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Build capacity to enable Incident Management Teams to manage the likely increased frequency and intensity of major fire events. |
REC286-2045 | 26 - Research | Investigate the potential effectiveness of economic and financial mechanisms to manage the risk appetites of land owners. |
REC286-2027 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Develop arrangements to identify and communicate with people vulnerable to heat stress |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC274-1412 | 20 - Role of police | That Victoria Police assesses and where practical addresses limitations to available data and trials the use of response times for internal performance measurement. |
REC274-1408 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Department of Health & Human Services uses Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority Computer Aided Dispatch data to report ambulance emergency response time performance. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC264-1082 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The State review and revise its communication strategy, to: • needed for effective and rapid public communications during an emergency; and ensure all emergency response agencies have, or have access to, the capability and resources • ensure, where appropriate, that private operators of essential infrastructure are included in the coordination of public communications during an emergency concerning that infrastructure. |
REC264-1085 | 10 - Infrastructure | GDF Suez establish enhanced back-up power supply arrangements that do not depend wholly on mains power, to: • ensure that the Emergency Command Centre can continue to operate if mains power is lost; and • ensure that the reticulated fre services water system can operate with minimal disruption if mains power is lost. |
REC264-1081 | 26 - Research | The State should continue the long-term health study, and: • extend the study to at least 20 years; • appoint an independent board, which includes Latrobe Valley community representatives, to govern the study; and • direct that the independent board publish regular progress reports |
REC264-1089 | 8 - Communications and warnings | GDF Suez improve its crisis management communication strategy for the Hazelwood mine in line with international best practice. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC262-1484 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Ambulance Victoria: |
REC262-1490 | 10 - Infrastructure | That the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority critically reviews: |
REC262-1483 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority includes Victoria State Emergency Service vehicle capability details in the Computer Aided Dispatch database. |
REC262-1489 | 10 - Infrastructure | That the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority reclassifies its State Emergency Communications Centres as critical national infrastructure. |
REC262-1491 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Emergency Management Victoria expedites the expansion of the Rural Mobile Radio network to all emergency services organisations. |
REC262-1487 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, assisted by the Inspector-General for Emergency Management and responder agencies, improves the process for changing call-taking and dispatch procedures by comprehensively appraising the costs, benefits and operational impacts of these changes and agreeing a plan for their implementation with all affected agencies. |
REC262-1486 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Emergency Management Victoria novates the head contract for the StateNet Mobile Radio network to the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority. |
REC262-1485 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Victoria Police implements the recommendations relating to protective services officers in the Service Demand and Dispatcher Capacity Analysis dated September 2013 and: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC250-0792 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Department of Human Services should develop an improved model for communication for future disasters that provides a single point of information and contact for disaster affected communities |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC247-0884 | 18 - Access to fire ground | That Tasmania Police reviews its Emergency Traffic Management Points policy; and develops a multi-agency policy in the emergency management plans for road closures and traffic management, including clarity in decision making, coordination and sufficient operational flexibility. |
REC247-0921 | 26 - Research | That Tasmania Fire Service promotes a structured approach to research across Australia, to provide a shared understanding and the capacity to benchmark and judge performance. |
REC247-0917 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the State Emergency Management Committee makes timely decisions and resource commitments on the appropriate use of social media in emergency management. |
REC247-0945 | 20 - Role of police | That Tasmania Police conducts a review to ensure emergency management is treated as a priority and a core function throughout the organisation, including the development of contemporary capabilities, and is supported by an appropriate culture. |
REC247-0859 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That police and other emergency services examine options for achieving radio interoperability between them in the absence of an integrated radio system. |
REC247-0911 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That emergency management plans specifically include processes and resources for effectively engaging with and using local communities, including volunteers |
REC247-0866 | 26 - Research | That fire agencies continue to develop their predictive modelling capability for use in actively managing fires. |
REC247-0916 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Tasmania Fire Service ensures that the priority on warning communities at risk of active bushfires is not confined to when bushfires are burning out of control. |
REC247-0858 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That all agencies and the Government support moving to an integrated communications technology for police and the emergency services. |
REC247-0922 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Tasmania Fire Service develops a research base from which to inform the design of communication campaigns for communities threatened by bushfire. |
REC247-0862 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That Tasmania Fire Service and its partner agencies establish a means of monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of centralising the location of Incident Management Teams. |
REC247-0849 | 26 - Research | That Tasmania Fire Service supports the relevant authorities to continue developing methodologies to forecast and simulate fire risk. |
REC247-0915 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Tasmania Fire Service actively uses predictive modelling to design emergency communications for communities threatened by bushfire, unless there is a compelling reason for not doing so. |
REC247-0906 | 18 - Access to fire ground | That emergency management plans recognise the need to provide priority access to areas of emergency operations for critical infrastructure providers. |
REC247-0920 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its approach to communicating with communities threatened by bushfire and consider the matters referred to in this Report. |
REC247-0861 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That Tasmania Fire Service examines options for developing and issuing fire management objectives and tactics from Incident Management Teams in a more timely way, including ‘quick’ plans. |
REC247-0937 | 19 - Offences | That the legislation and enforcement arrangements are reviewed to ensure there are suitable offences and penalties, investigation and enforcement capabilities, and a rigorous approach is taken to breaches of the law. |
REC247-0905 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Government consider whether it should discuss options for greater mobile phone coverage and redundancy in areas of high risk in emergency situations where there are presently telecommunications limits. |
REC247-0899 | 18 - Access to fire ground | That appropriate plans are made to mobilise resources quickly to re-open roads affected by emergencies. |
REC247-0919 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Police review their use of modern forms of communication with the community, including social media, and commit resources to fully use this capability where appropriate. |
REC247-0853 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the State Controller (or an alternate if they are not available) be expected to personally take an active role in controlling and coordinating response and recovery operations, depending on the nature and scale of the emergency, and until other identified arrangements for ongoing operations are established. |
REC247-0947 | 20 - Role of police | That Tasmania Police develops and implements a program for examining emergency management arrangements and facilities in Australia. |
REC247-0902 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That evacuation centres and other centres have a standard operating procedure for communications. |
REC247-0900 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That a public information plan be developed as a part of the State Special Emergency Plan–Recovery, for implementation in the immediate recovery phase. |
REC247-0904 | 10 - Infrastructure | That the Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources consult Aurora Energy on the use of wooden poles for overhead infrastructure with a view to mitigating the risk in bushfires. |
REC247-0885 | 18 - Access to fire ground | That arrangements are made for and appropriate pre-planning occurs to effectively implement the policy on road closures and traffic management. |
REC247-0918 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the State Emergency Management Committee makes arrangements to actively manage the use of social media in the community during an emergency, to avoid negative consequences for emergency operations. |
REC247-0946 | 20 - Role of police | That Tasmania Police establishes a section within its structure with responsibility for developing and maintaining contemporary expertise in emergency management, progressing innovation, assisting organisational change initiatives and supporting its responsibilities in state emergency management arrangements. |
REC247-0867 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Tasmania Fire Service reviews the communication systems used for all emergency management operations, ensures operators are qualified, and ensures there is appropriate accountability. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC246-0786 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | TFS develop written guidelines for the use of IMTs about the use of evacuation in a bushfire context, and triggers for decision-making. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC245-2588 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That Tasmania Police, Tasmania Fire Service (TFS), Ambulance Tasmania and State Emergency Services (SES) investigate ways of providing secure and confidential radio communications. |
REC245-2589 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That TFS and Ambulance Tasmania work together to resolve problems around congestion, particularly during the fire season. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC217-1836 | 26 - Research | Flood studies will be undertaken to determine the flood extent on the basis of a greater than 1 in 100 ARI, where appropriate: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC216-2868 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: a more comprehensive approach to planning, including the number of personnel, their training and better use of on-the-ground intelligence in the affected areas that enables immediate and strategic decision-making to be concurrent processes. |
REC216-2870 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: streamlining the authorisation processes for urgent warnings. |
REC216-2867 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: refining IT tools to process the intelligence. |
REC216-2869 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: developing tools and workflows to quickly and reliably transform technical data into intelligence that can be used to construct messages for community information that are timely, relevant, tailored and effective. |
REC216-2866 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Agency incident management preparedness: provide clarity and certainty in specific roles and responsibilities for each agency. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC215-1873 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Fire services can improve outcomes by implementing standard procedures that ensure the welfare and safety of crews and the public are not compromised |
REC215-1871 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Fire services can improve outcomes by developing a checklist for use by incident controllers |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC199-0471 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state and the commonwealth, during a flood event, make information available on providers who have capacity to accommodate patients and residents who require evacuation. |
REC199-0458 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure: • a common, functional and accessible system be introduced to enable effective Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre and Incident Control Centre communications • a regime of regular Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre exercising is introduced with oversight by an appropriate independent body. Such exercising should include testing of systems utilised for Incident Control Centre and Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre communications • those required to perform Emergency Management Liaison Officer roles have undertaken appropriate training; and • resource requesting arrangements are clarified and documented so that control and coordination functions do not overlap. |
REC199-0435 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state put in place appropriate measures to inform the community of the intended purpose of the Emergency Alert warning system. |
REC199-0413 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | the state clarify the role of intelligence cell staff (for example, hydrologists and/or Catchment Management Authority) who are utilised in Incident Control Centres during flood events |
REC199-0440 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state actively pursue the use of social media as part of its emergency warning and public information system. |
REC199-0449 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure that interoperable information management practices are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible. |
REC199-0434 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state require that agencies operate in compliance with the guidelines of the Victorian Warning Protocol to ensure efficacy of warning messages. |
REC199-0439 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state review its Memoranda of Understanding with official emergency broadcasters to take account of increased usage of internet based information, including social media and the ability to broadcast community meetings |
REC199-0447 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state ensure that common and interoperable resource management systems are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible. |
REC199-0416 | 26 - Research | the state establish appropriate arrangements to ensure the capacity to maintain technical expertise for flood intelligence is initiated, including appropriate agreements with commercial experts. |
REC199-0433 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state develop and implement standards for Emergency Alert to ensure consistent use, training and application by accredited operators within agencies across ‘all hazards’. |
REC199-0453 | 20 - Role of police | Victoria Police revise coordinator arrangements to ensure: • a coordinator presence is maintained at the place where incident control is being exercised • effective control is established and is maintained until the response phase has concluded • key control roles may be performed by personnel from agencies other than the designated control agency • that the timely compilation and distribution of an appropriate Incident Action Plan is recognised as a fundamental component of establishing effective control • those performing the coordinator role at an Incident Control Centre be suitably trained, skilled and experienced in emergency management and where possible possess a degree of local knowledge of the relevant area; and • that the revised coordinator arrangements are reflected within the State Emergency Response Plan |
REC199-0438 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state investigate the ability to refine the Flood and Storm Information Line to enable it to receive as well as provide information. |
REC199-0446 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state commit to securing effective multi-agency interoperable communications as a high level priority and that all future communications projects and upgrades incorporate compliance provisions mandating interoperability requirements. |
REC199-0432 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state develop and implement a single web portal as a means of providing emergency information to communities and local government on an ‘all hazards’ basis, including the information referred to in recommendations 74, 89 and 92. |
REC199-0437 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state engage with local government to ensure emergency services’ public information and warnings reflect the community demographic. |
REC199-0418 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | the state develop an efficient process to ensure that, during flood events, temporary construction of flood mitigation works, such as levees, is controlled so as not to unacceptably impact on flood intelligence. |
REC199-0402 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state develop a flood warning system for each basin and location with community input and make relevant documents publicly available. Each warning system should include key performance indicators. |
REC199-0436 | 8 - Communications and warnings | the state develop a standard approach to the provision of emergency warnings and information in formats – spoken and written – that recognise diverse community needs, including language and disability |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC198-2902 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services Commissioner clarifies the role of regional controller for major fires and incidents other than bushfire. |
REC198-2905 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services Commissioner ensures that there is a single standard for the tabards worn by the IMT on the fireground and in control centres to ensure consistency and aid interoperability. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC196-0245 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Develop a robust evaluation framework to review community bushfire warning policies, processes, systems and procedures both internally and with communities at regular intervals and immediately after a major bushfire event. |
REC196-0239 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review Emergency Alert and OSOM systems to improve ease of use. |
REC196-0244 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Educate and engage with fire-affected landholders about the types of warnings, what they might expect from the warnings and their responsibility for response to prevent loss of life. |
REC196-0237 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Ensure that warning terminology used in the templates and FireWeb is consistent. |
REC196-0243 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the potential use of ‘crowdsourcing’ sites such as Bushfire Connect in community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0236 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the use of the terms in the templates e.g. ‘out of control’ so that community misconceptions are minimised. |
REC196-0242 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Integrate social media into the OSOM system. |
REC196-0231 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Allow the MFB and SES access to using OSOM. |
REC196-0241 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review OSOM to enable monitoring or tracking of where messages were sent, who they were sent to and when they are due for review. |
REC196-0246 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Review the suite of community bushfire warning systems available to tourists across the State. |
REC196-0229 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Amend SOP J4.01and other strategic and procedural documents to reflect the goal of ‘timely, relevant and tailored’ for community bushfire warnings. |
REC196-0240 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Improve links and interactions between the communication systems e.g. customise OSOM messages to each of the communication mechanisms, link OSOM with Emergency Alert. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC195-0322 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services investigate the reported technical communication issues for this fire |
REC195-0331 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure information and warning projects are able to be integrated with a common operating platform. |
REC195-0321 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services move towards a common and more disciplined approach to fireground communications. |
REC195-0328 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services ensure that information and warnings are developed in accordance with the Victorian Warning Protocol |
REC195-0323 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | Incident Controllers ensure that Emergency Management Teams consider, provide advice, and manage the broader consequences of actions, such as reopening roads, the resumption of public transport and school buses, and the welfare of those impacted by traffic management points. |
REC195-0335 | 10 - Infrastructure | Energy Safe Victoria ensures that the standards for vegetation clearance around power lines consider the impact of fire on electrical infrastructure and the risk of loss of electricity supply to the community. |
REC195-0319 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Fire Services introduce systems, procedures and operational training that promote information sharing and consistent situational awareness at every level, including to and from the fireground. This should include agencies such as police members on duty at roadblocks |
REC195-0325 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services evaluate the new information and warning systems to identify ways to integrate them and improve their capacity to issue timely, relevant and tailored messages. This should include the use of social media. |
REC195-0317 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services ensure that an incident action plan (summary) is developed in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure J3.03. |
REC195-0324 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Fire Services, in consultation with media outlets, develop a more effective strategy for informing the community of Total Fire Ban days. |
REC195-0316 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services continue to develop fire behaviour analysis and predictive science capability by ensuring the Fire Behaviour Analysis Team is appropriately resourced with accredited staff and available to provide services to the IMT. |
REC195-0336 | 20 - Role of police | Victoria Police, under the auspice of the Regional Emergency Response Plan, lead a task force to ensure that the Princes Highway is treated as an asset of significance and an appropriate risk-based approach is adopted to minimise the impact of fire. This approach is to be integrated into regional and municipal fire management plan |
REC195-0315 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Fire Services, as part of the regular review of Incident Management Teams – Readiness Arrangements, reassess current resource sustainability and identify opportunities for a more flexible application. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC193-0228 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Tasmanian entities with responsibilities for bushfire management actively pursue national consistency of warning systems and emergency warning signals through national bodies such as the National Emergency Management Committee. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC181-0183 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to do the following: ■ fit spreaders to any lines with a history of clashing or the potential to do so; ■ fit or retrofit all spans that are more than 300 metres long with vibration dampers as soon as is reasonably practicable. |
REC181-0168 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment amend their procedures to require that a suitably experienced, qualified and competent person be appointed as Incident Controller, regardless of the control agency for the fire. |
REC181-0177 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the Regulations under Victoria’s Electricity Safety Act 1998 and otherwise take such steps as may be required to give effect to the following: ■ the progressive replacement of all SWER (single-wire earth return) power lines in Victoria with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology that delivers greatly reduced bushfire risk. The replacement program should be completed in the areas of highest bushfire risk within 10 years and should continue in areas of lower bushfire risk as the lines reach the end of their engineering lives; ■ the progressive replacement of all 22-kilovolt distribution feeders with aerial bundled cable, underground cabling or other technology that delivers greatly reduced bushfire risk as the feeders reach the end of their engineering lives. Priority should be given to distribution feeders in the areas of highest bushfire risk. |
REC181-0160 | 20 - Role of police | The State clarify whether, during major fires, Victoria Police should discharge its coordination functions from the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre or from the State Control Centre. |
REC181-0169 | 18 - Access to fire ground | The Country Fire Authority provide to all CFA volunteers an identification card or similar to facilitate their passage through roadblocks established in accordance with the 2009 Guidelines for the Operation of Traffic Management Points during Wildfires. |
REC181-0167 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment establish before the 2010–11 fire season: ■ a uniform, objective and transparent process based on the current DSE approach for the accreditation of level 3 Incident Controllers; ■ a performance review system for level 3 Incident Controllers; ■ a traineeship program for progression from level 2 to level 3 incident management team positions. |
REC181-0182 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to do the following: ■ disable the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all SWER lines for the six weeks of greatest risk in every fire season; ■ adjust the reclose function on the automatic circuit reclosers on all 22-kilovolt feeders on all total fire ban days to permit only one reclose attempt before lockout. |
REC181-0165 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment: ■ amend their procedures to require that an incident action plan summary be completed within the first four hours of an incident being reported and be provided to the State Control Centre and, where established, to the relevant Area of Operations Control Centre; ■ adopt DSE’s incident action plan summary as the template to be used by all incident management teams and ensure that the template is included in the online IMT Tool Box; ■ provide regular training to IMT staff, highlighting the importance of information and reinforcing the support available from specialists within the State Control Centre. |
REC181-0180 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the regulatory framework for electricity safety to require that distribution businesses adopt, as part of their management plans, measures to reduce the risks posed by hazard trees—that is, trees that are outside the clearance zone but that could come into contact with an electric power line having regard to foreseeable local conditions. |
REC181-0184 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State amend the regulatory framework for electricity safety to strengthen Energy Safe Victoria’s mandate in relation to the prevention and mitigation of electricity-caused bushfires and to require it to fulfil that mandate. |
REC181-0173 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Country Fire Authority review and improve its communications strategy as a matter of priority and develop a program for identifying and responding to black spots in radio coverage. |
REC181-0215 | 26 - Research | The Commonwealth establish a national centre for bushfire research in collaboration with other Australian jurisdictions to support pure, applied and long-term research in the physical, biological and social sciences relevant to bushfires and to promote continuing research and scholarship in related disciplines. |
REC181-0159 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | The Country Fire Authority and the Department of Sustainability and Environment prescribe and audit the minimum number and nature of level 3 joint training exercises in which incident management team staff (including volunteers) are required to participate. |
REC181-0179 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to review and modify their current practices, standards and procedures for the training and auditing of asset inspectors to ensure that registered training organisations provide adequate theoretical and practical training for asset inspectors. |
REC181-0178 | 10 - Infrastructure | The State (through Energy Safe Victoria) require distribution businesses to change their asset inspection standards and procedures to require that all SWER lines and all 22-kilovolt feeders in areas of high bushfire risk are inspected at least every three years. |
REC181-0185 | 20 - Role of police | Victoria Police continue to pursue a coordinated statewide approach to arson prevention and regularly review its approach to ensure that it contains the following elements: ■ high-level commitment from senior police; ■ a research program aimed at refining arson prevention and detection strategies; ■ centralised coordination that includes comprehensive training, periodic evaluation of arson prevention strategies and programs, and promotion of best-practice prevention approaches; ■ a requirement that all fire-prone police service areas have arson prevention plans and programs, according to their level of risk. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC179-2981 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Department of Human Services should complete work on emergency communication and information management issues. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC166-3006 | 20 - Role of police | That the recommendations contained in the Police Operational Debrief Report of 22 October 2007 to 7 November 2007, submitted to the Coroner, be further considered by the Tasmania Police for adoption where considered appropriate by Tasmania Police. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC156-3515 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The electricity distribution businesses enhance power outage information on their websites which are accessible to electricity retail businesses, the media and the public and also consider improving their capacity to communicate with customers. |
REC156-3500 | 10 - Infrastructure | The Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority, in partnership with Telstra, consider technological solutions to streamline the handover process for Triple Zero calls. |
REC156-3509 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service, Department of Primary Industries, Energy Safe Victoria and the energy sector develop a coordinated set of safety messaging about preparedness for storm events and clearly outline the responsibilities for delivering these messages before during and after an emergency. |
REC156-3494 | 10 - Infrastructure | Energy Safe Victoria finalise the development of the passport system to improve interstate mutual aid arrangements allowing operator access to qualified interstate power restoration personnel. |
REC156-3507 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Victoria progress, as a matter of priority, a telephony based public emergency notification system to reduce demand on Triple Zero and other emergency telephone lines during a major emergency. |
REC156-3487 | 10 - Infrastructure | Electricity distribution businesses develop and implement alternative arrangements for monitoring fallen powerlines. |
REC156-3503 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations review their use of Emergency Alerting System paging message categories to ensure that priority messages are not compromised by inappropriate use. An education program may be required to ensure that all users understand message categories, their intended use and ramifications of each category on network and message delivery sequence. |
REC156-3506 | 26 - Research | The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner facilitate further research into technologies that will reduce the need for the public to speak to an operator during an emergency as a component of the proposed emergency warning and alert system and Victorian Emergency Information Line. |
REC156-3497 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Emergency Service Organisations work with government departments, local governments and private industry to identify and implement a model for communication flow during an emergency incident. |
REC156-3491 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Victoria State Emergency Service improve its communication with local governments, especially in relation to severe weather and storm warning information. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC155-3472 | 26 - Research | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies conduct or commission research, and a possible trial study, to determine the potential of thinning and other silvicultural practices – whether alone or in combination with prescribed burning – as a means of reducing fuel loads and as a bushfire management strategy in Victoria’s forests. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC132-3593 | 26 - Research | Analysing information from the joint CFA/DSE Post 2006 Wildfire Community Survey about public perceptions of information provision during January bushfires. Note implications for the VBIL and other information provision methods |
REC132-3594 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Need for scripting of messages by fire agency representatives when promoting VBIL services via radio, TV and newspapers. |
REC132-3590 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Investigate procedures for updating the Victoria Bushfire Information Line (VBIL) Integrated Voice Response recorded message system to allow recording of permanent bushfire safety, and incident-specific, messages, accessible when the VBIL is experiencing high call volumes during large and/or numerous significant incidents |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC124-3888 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Strengthen internal and external communications to ensure adequate stakeholder involvement throughout the prescribed burning program: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC104-2201 | 26 - Research | That DSE undertake a formal study of the level of prescribed burning in south western Australia for its possible application in Victoria by comparing respective fuel arrays, terrain, weather, ground access, staff, prescribed burning days, areas conducive to prescribed burning and fire response systems. |
REC104-2287 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That DSE and CFA work with the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications to ensure that rural communication issues are appropriately addressed in the Statewide Integrated Public Safety and Communications Strategy, and that priorities and business cases are agreed for critical issues. |
REC104-2279 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That operational briefings in multi-agency fires should, wherever possible, be joint briefings of all agencies involved. |
REC104-2300 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria Police Media Unit coordinate work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the emergency service agencies to implement this arrangement. |
REC104-2267 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA develop an agreed process for the effective transfer of control from one Incident Control Centre to another, including processes for communicating this change to fire ground supervisors and local communities. |
REC104-2274 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | That when Incident Management Teams implement significant changes to objectives and strategies, these are effectively communicated to firefighters, fire ground supervisors and affected communities, and are incorporated into the broader organisational planning. |
REC104-2216 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That Victoria include an agenda item for both the National Emergency Management Committee and the National Meeting of Emergency Services Ministers recommending that the Australian Communications Authority review both the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice and Guidelines, and Community Broadcasting Codes of Practice, to ensure they provide necessary guidance and obligations on radio stations during emergencies and in relation to emergency warnings. |
REC104-2275 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the ‘Incident Objectives’ established for any response should reflect the endorsed Statewide ‘Fire Control Priorities’, and the relevant Municipal Fire Management Plan. |
REC104-2299 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That consideration be given to formalising Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio as the official emergency radio station for Victoria, given it is the only radio station that can cover the whole of the State. |
REC104-2262 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the practice of appointing Deputy Planning Officer, Deputy Operations Officer and Deputy Logistics Officer in an Incident Management Team be abandoned. This recommendation acknowledges the benefits of retaining a Deputy Incident Controller from the support agency (in accordance with section 4.2.6 of the Emergency Management Manual Victoria), to ensure that the command structure of that agency is preserved. |
REC104-2215 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs the Media sub-committee of the State Emergency Response Committee to review the use of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal and its accompanying message. |
REC104-2273 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That personnel assigned the roles of Division Commander, Sector Commander and Strike Team Leader be given flexibility to alter tactics to take advantage of changed conditions on the fire ground. |
REC104-2298 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That relevant Government agencies including Emergency Communications Victoria, the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications and the Victoria Police Media Unit, evaluate the proposals put forward by the Australian Communications Authority with respect to the hearing impaired. |
REC104-2258 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That, wherever possible, Incident Management Team members from DSE, CFA and MFESB who are likely to be deployed together to manage fire, should train and exercise together. |
REC104-2272 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That personnel assigned the roles of Division Commander, Sector Commander and Strike Team Leader on the fire ground are actively encouraged to provide input into the selection of strategies and tactics. |
REC104-2223 | 10 - Infrastructure | That Government review legislation for utilities operating within the State to ensure their involvement in regional fire preparedness and mitigation planning. |
REC104-2297 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That the model of community engagement developed by DSE and CFA and applied during the 2002-2003 fires is further developed and refined, particularly in regard to short-duration, rapidly escalating incidents. |
REC104-2302 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That opportunities be explored to use community radio to complement other methods of communication with isolated communities. |
REC104-2271 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA ensure that agreed strategy and tactics, and the rationale, be communicated to personnel involved in the fire fight and be included in briefings for fire line personnel. |
REC104-2296 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That in relation to the provision of information to communities affected by fires and other emergencies, DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2280 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That DSE and CFA ensure that: |
REC104-2301 | 8 - Communications and warnings | That CFA and DSE work with Australian Broadcasting Corporation Local Radio to identify black spots, and explore opportunities to further improve coverage for broadcasting emergency information. |
REC104-2269 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | That the fire agencies ensure that Incident Action Plans developed by Incident Management Teams are consistent with, and built on, the agreed Fire Control Priorities. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC016_3951 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that the State Electricity Commission adopt a policy of conciliation and good will towards its closer neighbours. It is not suggested that its policy has been essentially otherwise. In future that policy can best be assured of success by time conferring of material benefit upon its neighbours at some monetary cost to the Commission. It is suggested, with conviction, that it would prove to be of great advantage to time Commission if it were to take an active part in the clearing and bettering of its neighbours’ scrub and timber country at time cost of the Commission. The settler whose land is fully cleared and in production, or who knows that his land will be cleared for him, has no incentive to burn illegally or carelessly. If this suggestion should he adopted, it would be necessary that it should be carried out in all cases in accordance with the settler’s convenience, that he himself should take an active part in the operations, and that he should be left, not with a financial obligation, but with a definite material advantage. |
REC016_3944 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that the water pressure be improved so that a greater volume and jet may be available for the suppression of fires on the faces and also for the purpose of wetting the berms more widely and thoroughly when necessary. It is suggested that there should be variable control of the pressure so that production need not be adversely affected in times of normal danger. |
REC016_3943 | 10 - Infrastructure | It is recommended that a more constant, running revision of the main and sprinkler system be maintained in future so that the service which it is intended to convey shall be closely and efficiently available to all parts of the berms and faces. It is emphasized that the reticulation system in the berms is fixed and stationary, whereas the faces are continually receding as their surfaces are scraped away by the dredges. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC004-3999 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in view of the fact that along many of the lines, between the road-bed and the fences, there are numbers of dry inflammable stumps, which, when they catch fire, are very difficult to extinguish, and that the surface of the ground surrounding these stumps is usually chipped by the permanent-way men every summer, thus causing considerable expense without removing the risk of fire, the Railway Department should remove this source of danger, by grabbing them out and burning them as early as may be found practicable. |
REC004-3998 | 19 - Offences | That a by-law be made forbidding, under a heavy penalty, any persons travelling in such trains to throw lighted tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, pipe ashes, matches, or other inflammable matter on the railway line or right-of-way, or in any part of a railway carriage except the receptacles duly provided for the purpose. |