INQ209

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that the ability to:
- measure and map fuel loads
- maintain fuel load databases
- draw up prescriptions for, and oversee controlled burns

Prepare a formal proposal for the creation of pastoral/Indigenous Lands Fire Management Teams.

Investigate the application and cost of the creation of District Coordination Officers to key high demand brigade districts.

Develop a long term forecast of volunteer requirements, by region, and then review the adequacy of volunteer operational grants, equipment and facilities to meet this forecast.

Review Bushfires NT brigade boundaries to increase the catchment for possible volunteers and maximise the availability and allocation of equipment.

Review Bushfires CRC initiatives as the basis for the implementation of a recruitment drive in the Territory.

Identify where Australian Government funding is available and apply for funding for integrating weed management, controlled burning, bushfire management and carbon farming initiatives.

Arrange a forum that includes all stakeholders in large scale fire management for the purposes of aligning the various stakeholder strategies across the Territory.

Better alignment between divisions within DNRETAS be achieved through the development of an integrated strategy that addresses the combined objectives of weed management, land management, carbon farming and biodiversity management using fire across the Territory.

Regional Fire Management Plans be reviewed for all regions prior to the start of each fire season. 

Maintain DNRETAS as the lead agency for all aspects of Bushfires NT’s role and maintain Bushfires NT as the lead organisation for both fire prevention and fire fighting operations in its specified districts and zones.

Conduct an information sharing and planning exercise between Bushfires NT and NTFRS to explore the current boundaries and the overlaps in the peri-urban areas between the NTFRS ERA and the Bushfires NT areas of responsibility for all major centres in the NT.

That the Bushfires Act and Regulations be reviewed and modernised after the implementation of the recommendations of this review.

A specialist investigation be conducted, using expertise from NT Treasury, to identify more appropriate ways to optimise the use of available funding for bushfire management.

Increase the emphasis on the issuing of infringement notices to reinforce the responsibilities of landholder’s in the management of bushfires in the Territory.

PowerWater Corporation be consulted with the intention of establishing a Memorandum Of Understanding for the maintenance of PowerWater land for the purpose of coordinated fire reduction.

That the concession holder of the rail corridor be approached to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding for the maintenance of the railway corridor for the purposes of fuel load reduction.

That a trial be commissioned to assess the most effective means of road verge management, including regional variations, for future application across the Territory.

Annual property inspections assessing access and fuel loads are conducted in all peri urban areas.

That Bushfires NT, NTFRS, DLP, Weeds Branch, Parks and Wildlife, the Natural Resources Management Board, Biodiversity staff and representatives of the Volunteer Fire Brigades get together, at least annually, to coordinate planning efforts for peri-urban areas.

Bushfires NT create a bushfire management strategy and emergency response procedures framework including the criteria that define the escalation and response requirements for all incidents up to and including the establishment of an EOC, applicable for all regions across the Territory.

Continue the use of Warnings and Alerts, in various languages, and through multiple broadcast media, including Indigenous language versions to engage with all people as to the risks of bushfire.

Information for all landholders, in appropriate cultural and language formats be developed and distributed through events and multiple media.

Ensure educational material is available prior to the commencement of each fire season in each region.

A regular program that tests fire based incidents of command, control and coordination of operational procedures using scenario planning, training simulations and coordination of emergency responses between NTFRS, NTES and NT Police be instituted.

An evaluation be conducted into the integration of the appropriate elements of the South Australian Country Fire Service “Crimson” networking system into Bushfires NT ICT.

That a cost benefit analysis of an integrated ICT desktop and portable capability including iPads and iPhones for all operational personnel be conducted.

Knowledge and skills in AIIMS and WebEOC and incident management are further developed through regular scenario planning and incident management simulation exercise.

Conduct a stocktake of all PPE and implement a top up program to bring all PPE to a fully operational standard.

An equipment replacement schedule for all Bushfires NT equipment be developed.

The Assets and Equipment Register be reviewed prior to each fire season.

Implement maintenance schedules for all common assets and shared equipment.

Update the Asset and Equipment Register for all assets and equipment.

Ensure that adequate administrative personnel are available within the incident control structure to provide administrative and knowledge management support for incident management.

Spreading the message of enforcement of landholder’s obligations and responsibilities through active consultation and ultimately the issuing of infringement notices be adopted as a planned strategic intervention to promote the importance of compliance with the Bushfires Act.

Professional communications and educational resources be contracted to develop an integrated communications and engagement strategy and program for implementation by Bushfires NT.

That the Director Bushfires NT NOT be appointed as a member of Council.

Develop a continuing education program for new members of the Bushfires Council, the Regional Committees and stakeholders’ representatives, to ensure that all stakeholders clearly understand the role and processes involved in the Bushfires Council advisory function.

Increase the capacity and capability of the Alice Springs Regional Committee.

Review the membership of the Bushfires Council, and the composition of Regional Committees to ensure that the Council and Committees have representational stakeholders.

Secondment of expertise in fire management planning and fire control from other jurisdictions, in a training capacity, be investigated in preparation for the 2012 fire season.

Regular rotation of staff across other regions of the Territory to increase knowledge, skills and expertise that can be called upon to increase response effectiveness.

Recruitment strategies, be developed, including “growing their own”, that result in the appointment and retention of skilled people to the vacant Bushfires NT positions.

A comprehensive pre bushfire season communications strategy, that supplements and extends the information provided on the DNRETAS website, be implemented to inform and educate landholders.

Conduct a stocktake of all assets and equipment in all regions for Bushfires NT and Volunteer Brigades.