* Recommendation 1: The State Government should explore options for streamlining the functions and the independence of the State Emergency Management Committee secretariat and the office of Bushfire Risk Management with a view to including an inspectorate function and appointing a person dedicated to that role. The purpose is to provide assurance and reporting, and to inquire into, monitor and report transparently on emergency management standards, preparation, capability, service delivery and investment performance outcomes. Within two years of the establishment of this arrangement the government is to review and assess whether it is meeting the desired outcomes.
* Recommendation 5: The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) utilise the Office of Bushfire Risk Management to develop a simplified and fast track hazard reduction burn (and other fuel mitigation techniques) planning and approval process to ensure the timely conduct of township and asset protection burns by bushfire brigades and individual property owners. The process is to be agile and adaptable for the range of stakeholders which may participate in low risk, small scale, low complexity burn planning and approvals.
* Recommendation 9: State Emergency Management Committee, in conjunction with WAFarmers, the Association of Bush Fire Brigades, the Contractors Association of WA and the Forest Industries Federation of WA, establish systems for the voluntary registration of farmer fire fighting units, contractor fire fighting resources and forestry industry brigades. The purpose of the arrangement is to facilitate the safe, efficient and effective recognition, organisation, deployment, management and co-ordination of farmer, contractor and forestry fire fighting resources. The systems would include a process for enabling access through traffic management points during bushfires. Progress towards establishing these systems is to be reported by the State Emergency Management Committee in its annual preparedness report.
* Recommendation 15: The State government is to create a Rural Fire Service to enhance the capability for rural fire management and bushfire risk management at a State, regional and local level.
The proposed service will:
* Be established as a separate entity from DFES, or alternatively, be established as a sub-department of DFES.
* Have an independent budget.
* Be able to employ staff.
* Have a leadership structure which, to the greatest degree possible, is regionally based and runs the entity.
* To be led by a chief officer who reports to the responsible minister on policy and administrative matters, and to the Fire and Emergency Services commissioner during operational and emergency response.
* Have responsibilities and powers relating to bushfire prevention, preparedness and response.
* Operate collaboratively with DFES, the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPW), local government and volunteer bush fire brigades.
In creating the Rural Fire Service, the government is to consider whether back office and corporate support services could be effectively provided by an existing department, such as DFES or DPW.
The government is to review the creation of the Rural Fire Service two years after its establishment, to assess whether its structure and operations are achieving the intended outcome.
Ken Wilson
Farm Weekly's machinery writer.
Farm Weekly's machinery writer.
