INQ200

TitleLong
Shared Responsibility: The Report of the Perth Hills Bushfire February 2011 Review. (WA)
INQAuthor
M.J. Keelty
Year
InquiryType
DisasterType
State
Status

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ200 REC200-0392 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 55

The State Government review implementation of the Special Inquiry’s Recommendations in two years.

INQ200 REC200-1694 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 16

The State Government give its full support to the Western Australian Local Government Association's Send to Solve initiative.

INQ200 REC200-1695 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 18

The Western Australian Local Government Association explore the feasibility of local governments utilising aerial and satellite imagery to monitor firebreaks and fuel loads on private property.

INQ200 REC200-1696 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 19

The State Government reaffirm its 2009 decision to approve DEC exercising greater flexibility in managing smoke within national guidelines, in order to achieve its prescribed burn program.

INQ200 REC200-1697 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 20

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments closely monitor the research and development of alternative fuel reduction techniques to ensure that the most efficient and effective programs are adopted.

INQ200 REC200-1698 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 21

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments jointly develop a single, integrated system for fuel load assessment and management.

INQ200 REC200-1699 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 22

The State Government ensure that the continued development of the Fire and Emergency Service Authority's Integrated Bushfire Risk Management System is dependent on an independent comparative assessment of its functionality and cost-effectiveness against the Spatial Support System used by the Depa

INQ200 REC200-1700 B - Preparedness 4 - Fire season preparation Recommendation 23

The Interagency Bushfire Management committee develop and oversee a work program to:
- conduct site specific assessments to assess current fuel loads
- assess, analyse and prioritise bushfire risk on land within and adjacent to communities

INQ200 REC200-1701 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 24

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority convene a facilitated debriefing session between the families who remained behind to protect their properties, and the incident controllers.

INQ200 REC200-1702 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 25

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority immediately comply with the provisions of WESTPLAN BUSHFIRE and formally declare incidents at their appropriate level and document and communicate those decisions in a similar way to the systems used by the Department of Environment and Conservation and t

INQ200 REC200-1703 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 26

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority develop formal procedures for mandating the completion of Incident Action Plans, ensuring the documents are detailed and that they record critical decision making.

INQ200 REC200-1704 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 27

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.

INQ200 REC200-1692 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 14

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments take proactive steps to conduct their prescribed burning programs as joint exercises. This will give effect to:
- Reducing fuel load
- Improving inter-operability

INQ200 REC200-1691 B - Preparedness 5 - Hazard reduction burns Recommendation 13

The State Government consider resourcing the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments to develop and administer a comprehensive prescribed burning program in Perth‟s urban/rural interface to compliment DEC's existing landscape-scale program.

INQ200 REC200-1690 C - Response 8 - Communications and warnings Recommendation 12

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.

INQ200 REC200-1679 C - Response 15 - Inter-service cooperation Recommendation 1

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.

INQ200 REC200-1680 C - Response 15 - Inter-service cooperation Recommendation 2

Emergency Management Western Australia establish an inter-agency working group to continue the development of the new single emergency services Act.

INQ200 REC200-1681 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 3

The State Government transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas from local government to the Western Australian Planning Commission. The Western Australian Planning Commission should urgently assess those areas that should be declared bushfire prone.

INQ200 REC200-1682 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 4

The State Government give legislative effect to the Planning for Bush Fire Protection Guidelines.

INQ200 REC200-1683 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 5

Local Government recognise the work of the Gas Technical Regulatory Council and ensure any amendments to the Australian Standard are enforced.

INQ200 REC200-1684 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 6

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

INQ200 REC200-1685 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 7

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.

INQ200 REC200-1686 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 8

Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices.

INQ200 REC200-1687 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 9

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.

INQ200 REC200-1688 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 10

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.

INQ200 REC200-1689 C - Response 8 - Communications and warnings Recommendation 11

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.

INQ200 REC200-1705 E - Agency Organisation 29 - Operational Health and Safety Recommendation 28

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‟

INQ200 REC200-1706 C - Response 14 - Incident Mgt Teams Recommendation 29

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Department of Environment and Conservation ensure that their Incident Controllers identify critical infrastructure as part of their initial assessment and preparation of Incident Action Plans when attending major incidents.

INQ200 REC200-1721 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 44

The State Government amend section 50 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 to allow the Chair of the State Emergency Coordination Group to declare an emergency situation.

INQ200 REC200-1722 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 45

Emergency Management Western Australia and the State Emergency Management Committee amend WESTPLAN-BUSHFIRE to require State Emergency Coordination Group meetings to be held at the State Coordination Centre in West Leederville.

INQ200 REC200-1723 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 46

The State Government restructure the Fire and Emergency Services Authority as a Department. As part of this restructure, Emergency Management Western Australia should either
be:
1. clearly separated from the fire and emergency services response function; or

INQ200 REC200-1724 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 47

Emergency Management Western Australia develop mechanisms to calculate the estimated total cost of a fire to the community.

INQ200 REC200-1725 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 48

The State Government move the responsibility for the management and distribution of the Emergency Services Levy to the Department of Finance.

INQ200 REC200-1726 B - Preparedness 41 - Emergency Management exercises Recommendation 49

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 Brig

INQ200 REC200-1727 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 50

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.

INQ200 REC200-1728 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 51

The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog.

INQ200 REC200-1729 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 52

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that Community Emergency Service Managers are physically based in local government.

INQ200 REC200-1730 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 53

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments examine the current competencies of Chief Bushfire Control Officers and Community Emergency Services Managers (or Community Fire Managers) and consider what further development is needed to ensure these staff are capable of:

INQ200 REC200-1731 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 54

The Interagency Bushfire Management Committee develop a consistent program of education, training (including media), testing and review of Level 3 Incident Controllers.

INQ200 REC200-1720 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 43

The State Emergency Management Committee amend State Emergency Management Policy 4.1 (Operational Management) to:
- give clear and explicit direction about when and how an incident should be declared
- clearly articulate the actions to be taken

INQ200 REC200-1719 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 42

The State Government recognise the projected changes in climate and potential impact on future fire events.

INQ200 REC200-1718 A - Responsibility 35 - Business and Industry in relation to industry Recommendation 41

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.

INQ200 REC200-1707 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 30

Main Roads Western Australia undertake more frequent examinations of its bridges located in areas prone to bushfire and ensure that the risk posed to loss of infrastructure in a fire is understood by local authorities.

INQ200 REC200-1708 C - Response 15 - Inter-service cooperation Recommendation 31

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 W

INQ200 REC200-1709 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 32

The Western Australian Police and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority jointly examine the Traffic Management System developed in response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires and seek its adaptation to use in WA with additional attention to the access and egress by bona fide residents to areas t

INQ200 REC200-1710 C - Response 8 - Communications and warnings Recommendation 33

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the ABC commence a thorough review of emergency warning messages. This review should give consideration to: 
- The content, structure and presentation of emergency warning messages

INQ200 REC200-1711 C - Response 8 - Communications and warnings Recommendation 34

FESA develop in partnership with other emergency service agencies develop a 'one source: one message' multi layered system similar to that recommended by the Victoria Bushfire royal Commission.

INQ200 REC200-1712 B - Preparedness 10 - Infrastructure Recommendation 35

FESA and local governments jointly review radio communications capability prior to the 2011/12 bushfire season with a view to improving the current delivery of service to firefighters.

INQ200 REC200-1713 C - Response 7 - Inter-agency communication Recommendation 36

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.

INQ200 REC200-1714 C - Response 11 - Evacuation and shelters Recommendation 37

Hazard Management Agencies overseeing the response to incidents on the urban fringe select evacuation centres that are well within the urban environment and unlikely to be impacted by the incident.