Great variety of abstracts received for our 2012 Community Engagement Conference RFSFireup2012 http://ow.ly/i/tTme

Community Protection Plans FAQs

At the beginning of February we introduced you to NSW Rural Fire Service Community Protection Plans. Patrick Schell has answered some common questions about the plans...

What is a Community Protection Plan?
A Community Protection Plan (CPP) is a tactical level bush fire planning document that is being developed in response to the 2009 Victorian Bush Fires Royal Commission. A CPP presents an overview of bush fire threat for the area, the protection options available to the community as well as the current and proposed risk treatment work. This information is presented via the following three maps:

1. Bush Fire Survival Map - will include information on the potential bush fire threat, the safety of access / egress provisions, early relocation options and contingency shelter options.

2. Bush Fire Preparation Map – will provide information for land managers, fire agencies and community members on details of the existing and proposed bush fire risk treatment work for the community.

3. Brigade Operations Map - provides brigades and other fire fighting agencies with important data relevant to the community to be used for operational purposes only.

What can we use a CPP for?
The three maps produced when developing a CPP can be used for a number of purposes. The intended purpose of each map is outlined below:

 1. Bush Fire Survival Map – Can be used for engaging and educating the community on their bush fire exposure, where they can go should they decide to leave early and potential shelter options that can be used as a last resort. Information contained on this map should promote action from the community and inform the preparation of personal Bush Fire Survival Plans.


2. Bush Fire Preparation Map – A work program that will assist districts/teams/zones (D/T/Z), brigades, agencies and land managers in planning mitigation activities for a community. It should also be used to inform residents on specific risk treatment work that is being implemented to protect the community.

3. Brigade Operations Map – Can be used by brigades to inform new or out of area fire fighters on important aspects of a community that may affect fire fighting operations. Data collected during the preparation of this map could also be used when developing pre-incident plans.

Why do we need CPPs?
CPPs are being developed in response to recommendations 1-5 of the final report 2009 Victorian Bush Fires Royal Commission. These recommendations relate to bush fire safety policy and provide the impetus for the creation of the CPP framework.

There is a need to integrate and standardise the format and content of current community level plans that have been developed across NSW. There is also a need to provide guidelines, tools and resources to facilitate a consistent approach to community level bush fire planning.

What is being done in other Australian states to address this issue?
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) Victoria has developed a similar concept to CPPs known as Township Protection Plans, which can be found at www.cfa.vic.gov.au. To the best of our knowledge, none of the other states or territories have developed an equivalent to the CPP program at this stage.

How is a CPP different from a Bush Fire Risk Management Plan?
A Bush Fire Risk Management Plan (BFRMP) involves an assessment of the bush fire risk across a Bush Fire Management Committee area and establishes treatment strategies to address these risks. A CPP is a tactical document that is prepared at a much finer scale than the BFRMP and assesses the bush fire threat/exposure as well as access/egress provisions, shelter options and risk treatments for a community. CPPs will operate as the work program for an area and will also capture important information such as vulnerable communities, which can be used by local brigades and emergency services during pre-incident planning exercises and fire fighting operations.

What is the difference between a CPP and a Village Protection Plan?
In developing the framework for the CPP initiative, the content and layout of Village Protection Plans (VPPs) and other similar plans that had been prepared throughout the State were reviewed with the key principles incorporated into the guidelines. This was done to avoid potential conflicts between existing plans and ensure that the work carried out by D/T/Z and Bush Fire Management Committees in the past could be readily utilised when developing a CPP. Existing VPPs can be incorporated into the CPP and will typically form the Bush Fire Preparation Map.

CPPs, VPPs and other similar plans are all tactical bush fire planning documents that are prepared at the community level and essentially serve the same purpose. In addition, a CPP will also address matters such as the bush fire threat to communities, shelter options, access/egress provisions and provide for the collection of important data that can feed into brigade operational planning.

What are the benefits of a CPP for local brigades?
The CPP will capture important information such as water supply, location of vulnerable communities and fire history for a community. This information can then be used by local brigades and emergency services during pre-incident planning exercises and fire fighting operations. A CPP will help the brigade plan their activities and will also be a useful tool to encourage and help members of the community to take action and be better prepared for bush fires.

Who should be involved internally within the RFS when developing the CPP?
A CPP is developed by staff from the Customer Service Centres (CSCs), the district/team/zone (D/T/Z) office and members of local brigades. It is important to note that local knowledge and information will be vital to the development of the CPP and D/T/Z staff and local brigade member involvement in the preparation and implementation phase is essential. It is intended that CSC staff will act as a resource to assist the D/T/Z in preparing a CPP for communities within their area.

Who in the community should we consult when developing a CPP?
Members of the community that should be consulted during the preparation of a CPP will be identified in the CPP communication strategy. Typical groups who should be involved in the development of a CPP will include neighbourhood associations, local bush care groups and the general public. In addition, it is vital that consultation occur with other fire authorities, land managers and agencies relevant to the area through the Bush Fire Management Committee and Local Emergency Management Committee.

How long will it take to prepare a CPP?
There is no set time frame, but a Plan could be developed within a 3 month period. However, the time taken to develop the plan will depend on the specific circumstances of the subject community. The scheduling of CPPs throughout the State will be done in consultation between D/T/Z, Region and Customer Service Centres. 

What assistance is available when developing the Plan?
Generally, a CPP will be mostly prepared by Customer Service Centre (CSC) staff in close consultation with the D/T/Z office and local brigades. The role of the CSC staff is to assist the D/T/Z in developing a plan for communities within their area. The Community Planning, Community Engagement and GIS sections at headquarters can help develop and implement a CPP.

Is anyone already using a CPP?
A number of CPP pilot studies are currently occurring throughout NSW. The purpose of these studies is to trial the draft guidelines, tools and framework that have been developed for the initiative. Some of these pilots are now nearing completion and the experiences gained through these studies will inform the further development of CPPs. It is intended that a final version of the guidelines, tools and framework will be made available in coming months. However, as the CPP concept evolves, it is likely that the enhancements and modifications will occur, particularly over the initial 12 month period.

Who will be responsible for the additional work identified in the CPP and who will resource it?
The land owner/manager or relevant agency will ultimately be responsible for implementing and maintaining additional work identified through the CPP. Where possible, the NSW Rural Fire Service may help with initial implementation of this work e.g. utilising the State Mitigation Service crews to implement an Asset Protection Zone. Opportunities to link current funding programs with CPPs are being investigated.

Get your conference abstracts in: Closing this Friday

Just a friendly nudge…


This Friday (24 February) is the deadline to submit abstracts (i.e. to run a 45 min workshop) for the 2012 Australian Community Engagement & Fire Awareness Conference.

We know from previous years’ feedback that attendees particularly enjoy hearing from others within the service. If you or a member you know are considering a submission feel free to contact me for more information or to bounce ideas around.


For the submission form go to - http://bit.ly/hdXIs8


Below are some FAQs that have arisen throughout the process of collecting abstracts.
FAQs:

• Abstracts are an application to present a 45 minute workshop session at the conference. A number of sessions run simultaneously throughout the conference.

• Abstract submissions will be considered for keynote speakers.

• Submissions are reviewed and ranked by a Working Party comprised of NSW RFS members representing all four Regions.

• It is acceptable to share presenting duties with another NSW RFS member, however, we ask you to indicate this somewhere within your submission.

• If you have particular AV/IT or room set up requirements, please include this information in your submission.

• The conference program will be released after abstracts are assessed and speakers confirmed.

• You do not have to attach your presentation (PowerPoint or handouts) with your application.


If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch – community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au or 02 8741 5416.

Kind regards,


Nicole
Nicole Miller
Community Engagement Coordinator
Community.engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au
02 8741 5416

Community Protection Plan overview

Many of you may have heard about Community Protection Plans and are probably wondering what they're all about, and what it will mean for your area. Patrick Schell has written an overview for us and is working on making the planning and update process as user-friendly as possible. Join us over the coming weeks to hear how the pilot has gone in Region South.

It's been almost nine months since Community Protection Plans (CPP) were initially presented to NSW RFS staff at the Community Safety Directorate Forum in Wollongong last May. Since the Forum, significant work has occurred in the refinement of the concept and development of guidelines and tools to assist in the implementation of CPPs throughout the State.

In October 2011, the draft CPP guidelines were released to Customer Service Centre staff and the pilot process commenced. It was desirable to trial the draft CPP process in a variety of environments including:

• a typical urban interface

• an isolated coastal township

• rural communities west of the great divide surrounded by a mix of vegetation types including grassland.

As such, the following areas were initially selected for a pilot study:

• Terrey Hills (Region East)
• Tingha (Region North)
• Guerilla Bay (Region South)
• Cumnock (Region West).

The above areas also represent a diverse range of community demographics in which to trial the CPP concept.

As the initial areas progressed with their plans, additional areas in which to pilot the CPP process were identified. This included two villages in the Clarence Valley local government area and the township of Dalgety in the Snowy River local government area. We are also investigating implementing a CPP in the Blue Mountains area.


The initial CPP pilots are now approaching completion and a workshop with the CPP Working Group has been scheduled for 14-15 February 2012 to resolve any emerging issues. The CPP Working Group consists of representatives from D/T/Z, Region, Customer Service Centres and Headquarters and this will be the third time that the group has met to discuss and resolve issues associated with the CPP concept.



Consulting the Duffys Forest Rural Fire Brigade about their Community Protection Plan



A key aspect that has been highlighted through the pilot studies is the involvement and input of the local D/T/Z staff and brigade members in the preparation and implementation of the CPP. Local knowledge of the surrounding landscape, community demographics, location of vulnerable communities, infrastructure (e.g. road networks and water supply provisions) and fire history is vital to the development of a CPP that is relevant, practical and addresses the specific issues of the community. Furthermore, effective engagement of residents, BFMCs and LEMCs is also proving to be a critical part of preparing and implementing a CPP.

Without the support of the D/T/Z office and members of the local brigade, a CPP becomes a redundant plan and the intended benefits to community safety will never be realised. Ultimately, a CPP should seek to provide D/T/Z staff and brigade members with tools to assist in engaging residents and increasing the overall preparedness of the community for bush fire.

Finally, it is important to note that the CPP process remains a work in progress and it is envisaged that the program will constantly evolve over time.

For more information regarding CPPs please email Patrick Schell on patrick.schell@rfs.nsw.gov.au.

Registrations Open: 2012 ACE&FA Conference

Registrations to attend the 2012 Australian Community Engagement & Fire Awareness Conference are now open!

The conference this year will once again be held in sunny Wollongong at the Novotel Northbeach from the 31st May – 2nd June 2012.

Registrations close on 16th March 2012.

As you all know, the theme for this year is FIRE UP ENGAGEMENT! – focusing on strategies for improving and enhancing internal stakeholder engagement, participation and involvement in community safety. FIRE UP ENGAGEMENT! will provide an opportunity for delegates to share community engagement strategies, programs and projects that assist our work with communities to improve resilience before, during and after a natural disaster.

Due to venue capacity restrictions, the number of conference attendees is capped. After this date you may still submit an online registration form but you will be placed on the reserve list and your attendance cannot be guaranteed.

This year all registrations will need to be completed online. Click on the below links to submit your registration.

• Volunteer Members

• Staff 

• External Organisations (i.e. non NSW RFS members)

Volunteer Members - All registrations will be reviewed by CSO/DTZ Managers so please make sure you talk to your CSO or Manager about your intent to register before submitting an online registration form.

If you have any questions please call Community Engagement team on (02) 8741 5416 or email Community.Engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au

We look forward to seeing you in Wollongong!

Kind regards,

Community Engagement Team

NSW Rural Fire Service

(02) 8741 5416

Community.Engagement@rfs.nsw.gov.au