CFA Connect Blogosphere

 

The State Government has now released its response to the final report of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission, meaning the Fires Task Force is winding down.

 

The experiences I've gained during my involvement with many of the recent community consultations held by the State Government made it clear to me not only that participative democracy is alive and well, but how proud I am to work for CFA.

 

As CFA makes its way toward the next fire season, the Victorian Emergency Services sector is coming through a period of reflection and review of the past two fire seasons. The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission delivered their final recommendations on July 31 and the State is still underway developing their response.

The benefits of this period of reflection, in my view, are two-fold. Entering the next fire season, Victoria's fire services will work from the most deeply considered approach to bushfire planning available to date, which can only result in a safer and more prepared community.

Informed too by these recent events is the continuing work on the second Bushfire Preparedness Program (BFPP2). Since May this year, CFA and our partners from across the state have worked through a period of intense consultation and engagement to this point we are at today, where the BFPP2 program is beginning to take shape.

Within the BFPP2 Program 2010-14, CFA and our service delivery partners will be able to effectively measure how the level of bushfire preparedness improves in Victorian communities.

For nearly 18 months, Saturday 31 July 2010 was marked in our collective consciousness as a landmark day for CFA. While we continued to make long-term plans beyond the due date of the Royal Commission's final report, we knew that our future would be influenced by the findings, whatever the outcome. Now that the recommendations have been handed down, we are focussed on the response.

The Premier announced on Monday that the Government supports in principle 59 of the Commission's 67 recommendations. The remaining recommendations are being further considered before a decision is made on their adoption. Premier Brumby has made a commitment to act swiftly and decisively, with a short and targeted consultation period before the Government delivers its final response.

We will never forget the tragic loss of life and wide-scale destruction of property in the 2009 bushfires - CFA has learned hard lessons and made many improvements since then and we are determined to keep changing and improving.

The fires of 2009 had a huge impact on everyone involved and many of those people will be feeling that impact today; our thoughts are with them.

The final report of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission will be handed to the Governor this Saturday, 31 July. It should be made public by noon.

Premier John Brumby yesterday released a statement outlining arrangements for the public release of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission report. (Read the Premier’s full media release).

Relationship building and the importance of working together emerged as a major theme of the recent State Municipal Fire Prevention Forum, which was a fantastic learning and networking opportunity from all reports.

The public hearings phase of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission has come to an end with the Commissioners retiring to prepare their final report.

A new landscape is developing in the online world. When people log on to the internet now, they expect to be able to engage with corporations. Simply providing information without further means for discussion is no longer enough.

At CFA, we're embracing this new wave of online engagement; not because it's trendy, or it's fun to use the latest gadgets, but because it's what our community is demanding. Increasingly, our members, and the wider community, are relying on the online environment to find news, incident information and community safety advice from CFA. As a community service organisation with a diverse and geographically spread membership, we must listen and respond.

Brumby Government Abandons CFA Volunteers

What a coincidence. It is just one year since I joined the CFA. My official joining date is the 17th May 2009.

Exactly one year since my last blog post! This is rather fitting for how I feel today...

The 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission has reached a milestone with the last witness giving evidence.

BEST WISHES CHIEF

The 2009/2010 fire season has been one of hard work and significant change for CFA, and I think it's important for everyone to take a moment to reflect on what we've achieved.

A change in season brings with it a change in perspective.

When concentrating on the bushfire season we can be forgiven for focusing on the here and now, but of course work at CFA is not just seasonal, and as we approach the winter months we need to remain as ready as ever in dealing with new conditions and different challenges.

The 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission heard evidence on issues including insurance and the funding of fire services, mapping, firefighter safety and information sharing during the sixth block of hearings held in March.

 

Recovery

We're approaching the end of the tenth annual Change Your Clock, Change Your Smoke Alarm Battery campaign, and it's a good opportunity to reflect on all the great work done by CFA over the last decade.

The Change Your Clock campaign is simple and effective; we ask you to change the battery in your smoke alarm when you adjust your clocks at the end of Daylight Saving.

The days of businesses existing solely to turn a profit are now a lengthening shadow into the past. From multinational, billion dollar enterprises to locally owned and operated small businesses, we are now in an era when Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are a critical feature of corporations both locally and abroad.

CSR refers to the practice of including the community's interests in corporate decision making. Often, it is associated with offsetting the environmental impacts of particular businesses' activities, but it can include a variety of corporate initiatives that ultimately benefit the public.

The 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission shifted its focus to fuel reduction and land use planning during the fifth block of hearings held in February.

 At Wangaratta we strongly believe that there's always room for improvement. We want to improve the way we manage fire and we're looking to Integrated Fire Management Planning (IFMP) for the answers.

Since we designated the fire prevention and preparedness folio to the Deputy Group Officers (John, Ray and myself), we've been able to develop one-on-one relationships with brigades and relieve some of the pressure on the Group Officer and the Municipal Fire Prefvention Officer.

Great to see so many CFA members at the "Ride for the Hills" in support of the Bushfire recovery last Sunday. 

In my blog post Q & A update - Boundaries, Command and Control in December, one of the questions I answered was:

The work of the 2009 Fires Task Force is continuing as we enter 2010 and move into the final six months of the Royal Commission process.

As the first anniversary of 7 February approaches, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on the events of not only that day, but the weeks leading up to it, particularly the fires in Gippsland, and the tremendous work CFA members have done in Black Saturday's aftermath.

While I wasn't with CFA last fire season, like so many other Australians I watched the events unfold with anguish and sorrow, but also with an overwhelming sense of pride in the response.

The bushfire season is now in full swing and, as usual, is placing high demands on CFA members and their families. While this is happening, many parts of our organisation continue to implement the raft of changes that have flowed from the Royal Commission.

Throughout each year, and especially in tough times like the bushfire season, we value and respect the enduring effort that you apply to your role.