That CFA and MFESB:
• Conduct an annual survey of households to test the level of awareness and acceptance of fire knowledge amongst Victorians; and
• Regularly measure whether access to information leads to safe behaviours.

That the fire agencies develop a program to significantly increase the amount of joint training and exercises undertaken.

That in relation to the provision of information to communities affected by fires and other emergencies, DSE and CFA ensure that:

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.

That more emphasis should be given to communication and discussion in regard to State Aircraft Unit’s roles, responsibilities, practices and procedures.

That, following the review of Forest Industry Brigades, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to ensure that the Forest Industry Brigades, which are acting in an approved manner, have the same powers and rights as other Brigades when attending fires on public land or interstate.

That this group reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on proposed legislative amendments to the Emergency Management Act 1986, the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and any associated legislation by June 2004.

That CFA, having regard to terrain, continue to review the mix of firefighting appliances currently in service. In particular, consideration should be given to the number and distribution of smaller ‘slip-on’ type equipment.

That the Coordinator-in-Chief of Emergency Management directs that all emergency management agencies review, by June 2004, terminology and language in current communication and public education material to ensure it is clear, easily understood and consistent, particularly with regard to fire.

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.

That the ‘Incident Objectives’ established for any response should reflect the endorsed Statewide ‘Fire Control Priorities’, and the relevant Municipal Fire Management Plan.

That DSE commits appropriate resources to work with OESC in developing the bushfire component of the model.

That the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 be amended to:
• Replace the current Municipal Fire Prevention Plan and the requirement for a Fire Prevention Committee with a Municipal Fire Management Plan, and Municipal Fire Management Committee; and

That CFA, DSE, MFESB and Victoria Police jointly develop a unified command and control system that better integrates with the State's emergency management arrangements, and that this be endorsed by the Victoria Emergency Management Council by July 2004.

That CFA and MFESB encourage householders to review their fire safety plan annually. 

That a review of the fuel management zones be implemented with a view to reducing the number of zones so as to focus clearly on (i) asset protection (especially at the Public/Private land interface), and (ii) ecological burns.

That CFA and the Plantation Industry jointly develop and agree on Fire Prevention Guidelines for Plantations by June 2004, to be then promoted and distributed by the Industry.

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. 

That operational briefings in multi-agency fires should, wherever possible, be joint briefings of all agencies involved.

That CFA, DSE, MFESB, VICSES, Victoria Police and OESC, in consultation with the Municipal Association of Victoria, consult on the proposal to combine Municipal Councils’ current responsibilities for the development of an emergency management plan/committee, as required by the Emergency Managemen

That the new Municipal Fire Management Plan is informed by the policy directions of the subcommittee of the Victoria Emergency Management Council. 

That this unified system include recommendations for the appointment of one person or agency to be responsible for overall control of fire suppression activity in country Victoria, including for any legislative reform considered necessary.

That if ‘link’ burns continue to be used, then on-site weather sequences and fuel conditions marking successful (‘within explicit prescription’) and unsuccessful burns be documented. 

That CFA, in conjunction with isolated small communities, develop and promote a suite of appropriate fire readiness and fire management strategies to meet their needs.

That, according to available scientific evidence, a decision regarding cattle grazing in the High Country should not be based on the argument that ‘grazing prevents blazing.’

That the Government identifies an appropriate body, or bodies, to undertake the audit of the Municipal Fire Management Plans.

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.

That DSE and CFA ensure that:

That OESC work with the fire agencies in developing implementation strategies for recommendations agreed by Government.

That the Municipal Fire Management Plan amendment includes appropriate provisions for the audit of the plans including:
• Content;
• Process of development and implementation; and
• Compliance reporting to the Victoria Emergency Management Council.

That the success of current buffers in terms of assisting suppression operations be continually reviewed, evaluated and documented.

That CFA reports to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services on recommended solutions and implementation strategies for isolated small communities by June 2004. 

That the Victoria Emergency Management Council establish a sub-committee by June 2004 to ensure an all-agency and appropriate industries’ policy framework is developed and agreed in respect to the planning for fire prevention, mitigation and suppression.

That DSE and CFA review methods of gathering and processing fire information to ensure all methods are pursued to greatest effect.

That Victoria Police Media Unit coordinate work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the emergency service agencies to implement this arrangement.

That DSE and the Department of Primary Industries formalise an agreement by the 2003-2004 fire season documenting the policies, procedures and financial arrangements relating to the availability of Department of Primary Industries staff to be trained and released for fire prevention and suppressi

That the creation of buffers by chaining and then burning swaths of mallee be explicitly monitored for:
• The risk of fire escapes during their establishment;
• Their effectiveness as a barrier to unplanned fire under various weather and fuel conditions; and

That CFA clarifies and restates the roles and function of existing Community Fireguard Groups (including their relationship to the Municipal Fire Prevention Plan) to members, co-ordinators, Incident Controllers and Municipal Emergency Resource Officers, prior to the 2003-2004 fire season.

That DSE investigates whether such agreements should exist with other government Departments and agencies, particularly those with officers located in rural Victoria who may be involved in fire response and support operations in the future, based on their expertise and experience.

That DSE and CFA work cooperatively to review the management and application of bulldozers in fire suppression operations to ensure that they are used effectively, appropriately and are adequately supervised.

That Government review legislation for utilities operating within the State to ensure their involvement in regional fire preparedness and mitigation planning.

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.

That DSE and CFA continue to stress firefighter safety as their highest priority for incident managers and fire ground supervisors

That the Statewide Fire Control Priorities:
• Be developed annually by CFA and DSE;
• Be endorsed by the Victoria Emergency Management Council;
• Be incorporated into the cooperative agreement between DSE and CFA; and

That DSE:

That Community Fireguard Group co-ordinators’ names are supplied to their local municipality for the 2003-2004 fire season, and are updated annually for use in information exchange should a Municipal Emergency Co-ordination Centre or Incident Control Centre be established.

That Government in the development of its statewide water policy includes appropriate consideration of access to water for firefighting.

That quality control or performance assessments are routinely completed post fire season, to ensure that contractors who have not performed to an agreed standard are not re-engaged for the consequential rehabilitation works.

That opportunities be explored to use community radio to complement other methods of communication with isolated communities.

That existing DSE and CFA regional co-ordination arrangements be reviewed and any changes, such as the continued use of Integrated Multi-Agency Co-ordination Centres, be reflected in the Victorian emergency management arrangements.

That the joint agencies introduce a system of performance measures for reporting the effectiveness of aircraft in firefighting operations.

That CFA provides technical advice to Community Fireguard Groups in the selection and purchase of appropriate equipment and protective clothing for use on their own land.

That any local level agreements developed to address geographically specific risks or issues must be consistent with State-level arrangements.

That DSE and CFA review the management of personnel deployed ensuring that:
• Shift changeovers of fire line personnel and fire line supervisors are conducted in such a way that the fire line is not left inappropriately unattended;

That CFA should not be given the power to direct Forest Industry Brigades to engage in fire prevention and suppression activities off their land and that decision should remain the responsibility of the plantation company.

That DPI actively promote as widely as possible within the community, the agricultural recovery service available during emergencies to ensure that all farmers are aware of the services provided.

That the fire agencies develop contingency plans in relation to access to water for firefighting, including where appropriate, the use of static, large volume water tanks.

That Victoria Police, CFA and DSE review the relationship between fire service regional co-ordination arrangements and Divisional Emergency Response Plans and that any changes be formalised in the emergency management arrangements.

That instances where demand for air support outstrips the supply of State Fleet Aircraft available are recorded. 

That CFA, recognising the value of the Community Fireguard Group program, undertake a review by June 2004 to identify opportunities to further develop the program to ensure its continuing appropriateness in preparing communities for fire into the future.

That an appropriately resourced, national aerial firefighting strategy is urgently required, and that the Victorian Government make representations to the Commonwealth to support the Australasian Fire Authorities Council recommendations

That a systematic performance audit of State Aircraft Fleet contractors be conducted jointly by agency and SAU personnel.

That VicRoads and Municipal Councils review procedures and processes to ensure that the identification and delivery of remedial works on State and Council roads following emergency events are as efficient as possible. 

That CFA continues to work with its Brigades to complete the integration of AIIMS-ICS with the Group Structure for full implementation by the 2004-2005 fire season.

That DSE and CFA review selection and training programs for Incident Controllers and Incident Management Team members to ensure that they include all necessary competencies in recognition that technical skills are only one component of the required attributes.

That the Emergency Management Act 1986 be amended to require the development of agreements that describe joint operational arrangements between emergency response agencies.

That CFA, VICSES and other volunteer-based emergency service organisations develop proposals in support of the strategies for sustainable volunteerism, and that the State Government advocate these initiatives to the Federal Government.

That Government supports the immediate development of financial models to analyse and determine the appropriate level of investment in fire management planning, preparedness and suppression on public land.

That CFA and DSE include agreed Fire Control Priorities in community awareness and education material provided to the community before each fire season. 

That DSE and CFA as part of their long term planning, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, consider ways in which evidence for climate change and El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle impacts on the likelihood of unplanned fire, can be better incorporated into preparedness

The Committee recommends that taxes on insurance premiums be calculated only on the premium in order to eliminate the current cascading cost.

The Committee recommends that in changing the incident management systems as proposed in recommendation 23 above all bushfire agencies review concerns about difficulties in communicating operational information from the fire front to air operations.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia be required to participate in the development and delivery of spatial information systems as part of a national approach to emergency planning and management data.

The Committee recommends that Program E of the Bushfire Cooperative Centre, which is tasked with the development of the next generation of fire researchers and dissemination of the Centre’s work, be tasked further to collect and respond to feedback, particularly from the on ground volunteer level

The Committee recommends that insurance companies ensure that potential and existing policyholders are aware of the need to regularly review their insurance policies to prevent undervaluing. This could be done through renewal notices and quarterly reminders.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia work through the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to ensure that:

The Committee recommends that the 1:100,000 national mapping program be accelerated to achieve an average life of no greater than 10 years with priority given to those areas most susceptible to national disasters.

The Committee recommends that the Australasian Fire Authorities Council’s suggested evacuation protocol be adopted by all of the Australian States and Territories.

Further to recommendation 21 in Chapter 4, the Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the proposed Council of Australian Governments review of the bushfire management, initiate

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia request the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to:

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth require state and territory governments to have in place comprehensive bush fire management plans as a pre-requisite for accessing funding from the National Heritage Trust and like programs.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia coordinates a public education campaign aimed at illustrating the importance of asset protection and how this can be achieved (that is, insurance products).

The Committee recommends that the functions and administration of Emergency Management Australia be reviewed to develop an organisation that is proactive and involved in the development and implementation of national policy on emergency response.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish, as part of its program to implement a single fuel classification system, a national database that provides information on current levels and rates of accumulation of fuel loads that takes into account vegetation typ

The Committee recommends in acknowledgement of the expertise that the Commonwealth can bring to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council and of funding already supplied to the Council for the development of a National Aerial Firefighting Strategy, that the current status of Emergency Management

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish, as part of its program to implement a single fuel classification system, standards which take into account local conditions including topography and vegetation type, for determining appropriate dimensions for asset

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments initiate consideration of the relaxation of restrictions on the movement of fire fighting equipment
during declared emergencies.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre determine a minimum national standard, taking into account topography and vegetation type, for adequate access to all public lands

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments develop a mechanism that ensures that appropriate measures are taken by public and private land
managers for the eradication of weeds following a bushfire event.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seek to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments seek agreement from the states and territories on the optimisation and implementation of prescribed burning targets and programs to a degree that is recognised as adequate for the protection o

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish a minimum national standard that is common across all tenures of land for water access and availability for bushfire fighting.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia initiate a process involving Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the Australian Assembly of Volunteer Fire Brigades Association to review

The Committee recommends that, as part of its study into improving the effectiveness of prescribed burning, the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish a national database that includes areas targeted for fuel reduction, the area of fuel reduction achieved based on a specified standard of

The Committee recommends that the Department of Transport and Regional Services review its record keeping practices to show the type of emergency for which assistance is provided through the Natural Disaster
Relief Arrangements.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the Council of Australian Governments ensure that states and territories have adequate controls to ensure that local governments implement required fuel management standards on private property and land under their control.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments resolve to increase water access points for bushfire fighting on public land to the minimum national standard.

The Committee acknowledges community concerns about smoke pollution as a result of prescribed burning and recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre pursue its proposed study into smoke modelling.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the National Heritage Trust assist the states and territories in the construction, maintenance and signage of fire trail networks.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia and the Australian Communications Authority jointly with the Australasian Fire Authorities Council:

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre monitor the effect of grazing on mitigating the return of woody weeds to recently fire effected areas across various landscapes including
alpine and subalpine.