Fire Australia Magazine | Issue 4 2021

ISSUE FOUR 2021

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE COST OF NATURAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT

AFAC21 GOES VIRTUAL

THE FUTURE OF FIRE PROTECTION: PAST PRESIDENTS SPEAK

BUSHFIRE OUTLOOK: SPRING 2021

What are the chances of major outbreaks this season?

THE PERTRONIC F220 MAKES SO MUCH MORE SENSE...

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Gorsfield Hospital Fire System

Wednesday 17 July 2019 11:21:07

Alarm Events EventtZone Locationt 1 1471 Level 7 West Corridor A1 2 1471 Level 7 West Room 701 3 1471 Level 7 West Corridor A2 FireStation System 4 1471 Gorsfield Level Hospital 7 West Nurse 5 1471 Disablements Level 7 West Corridor B2 6 1471 EventtItem Level 7 West Corridor B2 Locationt

Alarm Item: Time:

Fire system status is readily visible from a distance

Total

1 L05D043 Level 2 L05D044 Level 3 L05D045 Level Point: 2 of 6 4 L05D046 Level ACCL5at Level 7 West Room L05D047 Level 11:15:17, 17 July 2019 6 L05D048 Level 7 L05D049 Level L05D050 Level Zones8in Alarm: 1

8 West 8 West 8 West 8 West 701 8 West 8 West 8 West 8 West

Type Smoke Alarm Smoke Alarm Smoke Alarm Wednesday 17 July 2019 11:23:03 Smoke Alarm Smoke Alarm Smoke AlarmState Common Room 1 Fault Common Room 2 Fault Corridor A1 Smoke Alarm Corridor A2 Smoke Alarm Room 801 Smoke Alarm Room 802 Normal Room 803 Normal Equipment Store Normal

Disablement Event: 2 of 23 Item: OPT at Level 8 West Common Room 2 (L05D044) Time: 10:00:53, 13 July 2019 Zone: 1481 Level 8 West Medical Ward Gorsfield Hospital

System Normal

Fire system information is shown in organised, easy to interpret lists

Total Disablements: 23

Wednesday 17 July 2019 10:42:15 Medical Last PageWards Service Company: Fire Safety

Page Down

The green normal screen shows that everything is OK

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CONTENT WRAPPING UP THE BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS CRC For the past four months, the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC has been busy finalising research to make way for Natural Hazards Research Australia.

The new national research centre for Bushfire and natural hazards resilience and disaster Natural Hazards risk reduction began on 1 July 2021 with a CRC mission to produce relevant research that contributes to having zero preventable deaths, creates well-prepared and resilient communities, and translates into use and action.

The Centre is funded with $85 million over 10 years by the Australian Government and will build on the important research of the CRC. The CRC’s relevant, industry-led research is now available on our website, and I encourage you to make use of it.

The state and territory government agencies, local government associations, and private and not-for-profit sector entities who will be contributing to our research program and associated activities, financially and in-kind, are part of a multi-party approach that ensures the research we produce is as useful as possible, helping to keep Australian communities, landscapes and infrastructure safe from the impacts of natural hazards.

We’ve been busy developing and implementing everything the new Centre needs, including hosting a series of workshops that will shape our research priorities. We look forward to continuing these discussions and meeting with new and existing partners to broaden the future scope of natural hazard research.

This is an exciting and important time for Australian natural hazard research. It is an opportunity to examine the causes, impacts, response to and recovery from natural hazards at a time when we are seeing an increasing risk to our communities from climate and demographic changes, along with many other drivers.

As partners and friends of the CRC, or as new friends to Natural Hazards Research Australia, thank you for your ongoing support. This is only the beginning of what we know will build into a trusted and essential centre for disaster risk reduction and resilience, not only in Australia but also worldwide, with our partners, including FPA Australia and AFAC, at the core of it all.

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IN THIS ISSUE

14 AFAC21 hosts vital conversations in the virtual environment 16 Economic essentials in natural hazard management

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18 The importance of fire safety strategy and owner’s manuals for buildings 21 New AFAC doctrine published 22 A tale of five presidents: what the past can tell us about the future of fire protection 25 Strategy in action: Strategic Directions Achievement Report 2021 28 Australian firefighters lend a hand in Canada 31 Building regulation in Australia: how did we get to here?

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34 Protecting communities with better warnings and communications 36 Seasonal Bushfire Outlook spring 2021: Australia’s national picture of fire potential 39 Major Incidents Report: a year of fire and emergency response in review

REGULAR FEATURES 4 News

44 Q&A: perspectives from the sector 46 Burning ambition: celebrating women’s roles in fire and emergency

39

47

Blast from the past

48

Standards Australia update

49

Calendar of events

50 Movers and shakers

OUR COVER

A prescribed burn conducted by Country Fire Authority at Mount Dandenong, Victoria, in April 2021.

PHOTO: ZAHLIA LIGTHART

ABOUT FIRE AUSTRALIA Fire Australia is a joint publication of Fire Protection Association Australia, AFAC and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. We aim to bring the latest news, developments and technical information to the fire protection industry, emergency services and natural hazards research organisations. Fire Australia is produced quarterly and distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand. Editorial submissions are welcome and can be sent to: magazine@fpaa.com.au. For more details on submitting a contribution, please contact the editors.

JOINT EDITORS PAUL WATERHOUSE (FPA Australia) Tel +61 3 8892 3133 paul.waterhouse@fpaa.com.au BETHANY PATCH (Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC) Tel +61 3 9412 9604 bethany.patch@bnhcrc.com.au ALANA BEITZ (AFAC) Tel +61 3 9418 5233

Fire Australia magazine is printed by a printer with ISO14001 Environmental Management System Accreditation using vegetable-based inks onto FSC -certified paper.

ISSN 1032-6529 (Print) ISSN 2200-9221 (Online)

alana.beitz@afac.com.au

DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of FPA Australia, AFAC or the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. Articles and advertisements are published in good faith but Fire Australia magazine and its agents do not warrant the accuracy or currency of any information or data contained herein. Fire Australia magazine and its agents do not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the material in this publication. It is not possible for FPA Australia to ensure that advertisements published in this magazine comply in all respects with the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the provisions which apply to advertising. Responsibility lies with the person, company or agency submitting the advertisement for publication.

Material in Fire Australia magazine is subject to copyright. This publication may not be reproduced in printed or electronic form without permission. Contact 1300 731 922.

ISSUE FOUR 2021

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NEWS GOVERNOR-GENERAL ACCEPTS ROLE OF PATRON OF FPA AUSTRALIA PHOTO: OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF AUSTRALIA

His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), GovernorGeneral of the Commonwealth of Australia.

As the peak body for the fire protection sector, Fire Protection Association (FPA) Australia is proud to announce that Governor-General, His Excellency General the Honourable David

4

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ISSUE FOUR 2021

PHOTO: MAX LAROCHELLE / UNSPLASH

NATIONAL MUTUAL RECOGNITION INTRODUCED FOR TRADESPEOPLE

Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has graciously accepted our invitation to be Patron of FPA Australia.

We have long had the benefit of patronage from Governors-General of

On 1 July, 2021, a new national mutual recognition scheme commenced.

The new scheme – the Automatic Mutual Recognition of Occupational Registrations – is in place in NSW, Victoria, the ACT, and the NT, but will be rolled out to other states over time.

It gives skilled workers, who require occupational licences, recognition for interstate credentials.

With licences required for a range of occupations, mutual recognition will cut red tape for licensed workers and businesses by removing the need to pay and apply for a new licence or registration when working in a different jurisdiction.

Australia, starting with Sir Paul Hasluck PC, GCMG, KSTJ; and, more recently, with Her Excellency Dame Quentin Bryce AC and His Excellency General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC, and we are pleased this relationship will continue.

Born in Wollongong in 1953, General Hurley joined the Australian Army in January 1972, graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1975 with the rank of lieutenant.

Over the next 42 years he served with the Royal Australian Regiment in Somalia in 1993, held the position of Chief of Staff, Headquarters for 1st Division in 1994, and was Commander of 1st Brigade from 1999 to 2000 in Darwin, supporting Australian-led operations in East Timor.

He was appointed the inaugural Chief of Capability Development Group from 2003 to 2007, Chief of Joint Operations Command in October 2007, and Vice Chief of the Defence Force in July 2008.

Promoted to General, he succeeded Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston as Chief of the Defence Force on 4 July 2011 until his retirement on 30 June 2014. In 2010, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the Australian Defence Force.

Prior to being sworn in as the 27th Governor-General on 1 July 2019, General Hurley served as the 38th Governor of NSW from October 2014 to May 2019.

FPA Australia is grateful for the ongoing patronage and support of our industry by the Governor-General and thanks him for accepting our invitation.

As almost one in five workers needs a licence or registration to perform their work, this change will positively affect a wide range of trades.

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) anticipates this agreement will support Australia’s economic recovery, providing an estimated $2.4 bn boost to the economy and directly benefiting over 168,000 workers each year.

More information on mutual recognition can be found at https://deregulation.pmc.gov.au/ priorities/improving-occupationalmobility.

Photo by Robert LeBlanc

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NEWS AFAC CEO STUART ELLIS AM TO RETIRE

RESEARCH SHINES LIGHT ON HEATWAVES AND BUILDING CODES

do not currently take heatwaves into consideration. The research has identified the opportunity to review the National Construction Code to recognise the risks associated with heatwaves.

PHOTO: AFAC

The AFAC Board of Directors announced on 19 July that CEO Stuart Ellis AM has made the decision to retire in November 2021. Mr Ellis’s retirement will conclude a highly distinguished and

dedicated career spanning 40 years of service to Australia as both a senior executive leader and senior defence officer.

Following a distinguished 22-year career in the Australian Army and posting as Commanding Officer of the Royal Military College, he was in 1996 appointed CEO/Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service for five years. That year also saw him involved in the Black Hawk Board of Inquiry. In 2002, Mr Ellis established a consultancy company and has been involved in over 20 operational reviews, including reviews into the 2003 Canberra bushfires, the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission and the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

In 2012, he was appointed CEO of AFAC. He has overseen the organisation’s significant growth and the enhancement of its national and international reputation. His legacy includes: establishment of the Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group to support diversity and inclusion for the sector introduction of the Emergency

AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis AM will retire from the role in November 2021.

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A new video by Resilience NSW shows the results of Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC research investigating heatwaves and building codes.

Featuring lead researcher Professor Alan March (University of Melbourne), the video demonstrates key findings from research that considered the overall comprehensiveness of NSW building codes in terms of their contributions to selected elements of heatwave resilience. The video explains that more than half of the natural hazard fatalities occurring in Australia between 1967 and 2013 were caused by heat.

By researching past heat-related fatalities around Australia, the research team determined that a building’s design and construction is a significant factor affecting people’s chances of surviving a heatwave.

However, national building codes

FIRE AUSTRALIA

ISSUE FOUR 2021

See Stuart Ellis’s final Q&A on page 44.

This research was commissioned and funded by Resilience NSW. Learn more by watching the video at www.bnhcrc. com.au/news/2021/research-shineslight-heatwaves-and-building-codes.

PHOTO: ISRAEL NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Resilience NSW commissioned the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC to conduct research on building standards and heatwaves to strengthen mitigation within NSW.

Management Professionalisation Scheme establishment of the Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee, responsible for national and international resource sharing, and the subsequent establishment of the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre initiation of the National Emergency Memorial Services and National Emergency Services Memorial Wall in Canberra winning the tender to establish the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, alongside the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Red Cross.

AFAC President Paul Baxter QSO said, “On behalf of all the directors, staff, members and AFAC stakeholders, I offer our most sincere thanks to Stuart for an outstanding job as CEO. His highly professional service has led to a set of outcomes that have established enormous credibility and respect for this organisation and our service to communities.”

NEWS HEALTHY AND CONNECTED WORKPLACES: AFAC SENIOR LEADERSHIP COHORT AND EXECUTIVE FORUMS The Senior Leadership Cohort and Executive Forums were held virtually on 27–28 July 2021. A total of 36 participants joined the online event on 27 July and 35 joined on 28 July for a program of engaging presentations.

The forums were moderated by Sandra Lunardi OAM, AFAC Director Workforce Development, and were well attended by participants across AFAC member jurisdictions.

On 27 July, the Senior Leadership Cohort engaged in topics covering ethics and governance, the importance of non-technical skills in emergency management, and leading remote and

hybrid teams, with presentations from: Dr Warren Staples, Lecturer in Social Procurement in the Melbourne School of Government at the University of Melbourne Dr Peter Hayes and Associate Professor Chris Bearman of the Appleton Institute, Central Queensland University Gina McCredie, Principal Consultant at Impactful Work.

On 28 July, participants of the Senior Leadership Cohort and Executive Forums joined a combined virtual event to address mental health and crisis leadership.

Professor Richard Bryant, Scientia Professor of Psychology and Director of the University of New South Wales Traumatic Stress Clinic, discussed how leaders can build more mentally healthy workplaces and support the mental health and resilience of teams and organisations.

Dr Amanda Taylor and Dr Jane Cocks of the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide discussed their research into the mental health of young adult fire and emergency service personnel and provided an overview of the key findings and related resources, including the Care4Guide for young volunteers.

PHOTO: CASEY HORNER / UNSPLASH

CHAMPIONING CHANGE IN THE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES SECTOR

LESSONS MANAGEMENT FORUM The Lessons Management Forum has been postponed until 22–23 March 2022. The event will again bring together lessons management practitioners, those interested in this area, and those new to the area to share good practice, learning and innovations. There will be a broad range of presentations and workshops from various organisations, jurisdictions and sectors; for those interested, the event program is available online.

The forum will be hosted as a hybrid event, and registrations are now open to attend either virtually or in person at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Additional networking opportunities are available for those attending in person.

Find more information, including program details and registration options, online: www.aidr.org.au/resources/lessons-management-forum.

The Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group met on 15 July and discussed the challenges around recruiting women, particularly for frontline roles. Members shared where they had experienced success, barriers that remain and opportunities for collective action. Former Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Andrew Colvin joined the meeting to share insights and learnings from work the AFP did to improve gender balance and create a more inclusive culture. The group discussed addressing backlash to inclusion and diversity initiatives, the importance of having a clear case for change and acknowledging the research showing that inclusive workplaces benefit everyone.

Janin Bredehoeft from the Workplace Gender Equality Authority explained the importance of conducting gender pay audits to address gender pay equity.

Information from the audit will be included in the annual Champions of Change Impact Report.

Visit the Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group website for more information: www.championsofchangecoalition.org/ groups/male-champions-change-fireemergency.

ISSUE FOUR 2021

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AUSTRALIA’S YEAR-ROUND AERIAL FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITY fire seasons. A sophisticated fleet of more than 150 specialised, highly mobile aircraft are positioned around the country to respond to bushfires, protect communities and to support firefighters on the ground.

In total, the Australian Government has increased its annual investment in aerial firefighting to more than $30 M for NAFC to ensure additional resources are available to firefighters.

MARIE BASHIR ASSISTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Large Air Tanker (LAT) Marie Bashir (named after former Governor of NSW Dame Marie Bashir) to support firefighting activities. Initially expected to be deployed for 45 days, the deployment was extended by a further 14 days to 21 September. The 737 LAT Bomber 210 worked across several states including Utah, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and Montana, with four Australian engineers supporting the air crew.

OPERATIONAL TRIAL OF THE AFDRS UNDERWAY

PHOTO: AIDAN KEAN

The Australian Government has announced the addition of a Large Air Tanker (LAT) to the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC) to provide year-round aerial firefighting capability.

Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said an annual $4 M boost to NAFC will allow a LAT to be based in Australia to be readily available for our earlier-starting and later-finishing

CREDIT: QFES

NEWS

Australia was pleased to be able to respond to a call for assistance from the National Interagency Fire Center in the United States, which experienced a challenging fire season like Canada (see the article on page 28). On 20 July 2021, NSW Rural Fire Service deployed 8

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ISSUE FOUR 2021

The Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS) program is building a modern and consistent fire danger rating system. It aims to improve public safety and reduce the impacts of bushfires by improving the way that fire danger is calculated and communicated.

With the AFDRS set to commence in 2022, jurisdictions are undertaking operational trials throughout their 2021-22 fire danger seasons.

Operational trials are testing the science and functionality behind the AFDRS, allowing for further development and refining ahead of its implementation. Personnel in relevant operational roles from emergency services agencies – together with associated stakeholders – are undertaking a series of tests to check that: the tools developed are working in operational situations and allow people to successfully conduct their work the AFDRS will help people make good decisions.

The components of the AFDRS that are being trialled include: Fuel state editor: a centrally hosted, interactive and common tool that allows fire and land management agencies to capture field information and update maps relating to the fuel component of fire danger.

Fire danger viewer: a centrally hosted, interactive and common visualisation tool for states and territories to view and interrogate fire hazard information; it includes the fire danger ratings in map and table format, weather data, fuel data, etc.

BOM standard products: this will be standard across Australia and will be available via the BOM website.

Outcomes of the testing and workshops are being analysed to improve and refine the AFDRS ahead of its adoption as a national system.

Visit the AFDRS website for more information: www.afac.com.au/initiative/afdrs.

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CULTURAL BURNING IN SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA Cultural burning does not just occur in northern Australia. Across southern Australia, many Indigenous people are practicing and promoting cultural fire management, yet the emergency management sector has limited experience in collaborating with them.

Research by the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC is beginning to address this gap. Researchers investigated the intercultural context of fire management in southern regions, with a focus on cultural burning, to assess existing engagements and provide insights and recommendations about strengthening practice, policy, administration and regulation.

This work was a partnership between the CRC, Western Sydney University, Deakin University, fire and land management agencies, and many Indigenous representatives and organisations.

Read more about this research in Hazard Note 101 at www.bnhcrc.com.au/hazardnotes/101.

CREDIT: ACT PCS

Wiradjuri man Dean Freeman (ACT Parks and Conservation Service) and a cultural burn in Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country.

PHOTO: BBNHCRC

NEWS The Dynamic Exposure Dashboard expands on the functionality of the Australian Exposure Information Platform.

EXPOSURE INFORMATION MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE Understanding what is exposed during hazard events is a highly valuable starting point for a variety of sectors. Using Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC research, the Australian Exposure Information Platform (AEIP) has been improved in response to user needs, and a new Dynamic Exposure Dashboard has been added to complement the AEIP’s functionality.

The AEIP allows users to generate exposure reports needed for decision-making before, during and after hazard events. The customised reports provide a detailed statistical summary of the number of people, dwellings, structures, businesses and agricultural and environmental assets in any specified area across Australia.

The AEIP was a key source of information during the 2019–20 bushfire season and is used regularly by more than 50 organisations across government, industry and emergency sectors to produce thousands of reports each month.

Using this data, the Dynamic Exposure Dashboard gives decision-makers the ability to interact dynamically with nationally consistent information for known areas at any time of the day, without waiting for exposure reports. The Dashboard was created in response to users’ needs to view what is exposed quickly and easily, not only where an event is unfolding, but also in areas adjacent to the event.

To learn more about these tools, see Hazard Note 105 at www.bnhcrc.com.au/hazardnotes/105.

AFAC EBOOK LAUNCHED: PRESCRIBED BURNING IN AUSTRALASIA Popular AFAC publication Prescribed Burning in Australasia: the science, practice, and politics of burning the bush is now available in ebook format via the AFAC Shop.

Australia is a global leader in the theory and practice of prescribed burning. This ebook includes contributions from more than

50 authors and reflects the diversity, complexity and scope of bushfire knowledge.

The ebook is designed to increase the understanding of the value of prescribed burning in land management, but also presents diverse perspectives on the complexity of the arguments surrounding prescribed burning.

Prescribed Burning in Australasia is now available in ebook format.

The Prescribed Burning in Australasia ebook is available from the AFAC Shop: www.afac.com.au/auxiliary/shop.

PHOTO: ROSS BRADSTOCK

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ISSUE FOUR 2021

NEWS

NSW practitioners should by now be aware that they must be accredited to endorse any essential fire safety measures on an annual fire safety statement.

Any practitioner who is not accredited for the relevant measure may be the subject of punitive action

by FPA Australia, in line with the requirements of the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS) for the Fire Safety Assessment category.

This could extend to the suspension or termination of a practitioner’s accreditation.

This is one of the most common complaints received by FPA Australia, and the Association takes such breaches very seriously.

Accreditation ensures that a practitioner is appropriately experienced, insured, committed to abiding by a code of professional conduct, and on the pathway to full qualification.

If a practitioner is not accredited for a particular measure, they may not be covered by insurance and their client could be exposed if something were to go wrong.

Accredited practitioners (fire safety) are subject to audit and complaint provisions, and the Accreditation and Licensing team has recently updated both the FPAS Auditing and Compliance Policies and Procedures and the FPAS Disciplinary Framework to guide the audit program and ensure that the process is fair, transparent and equitable.

FPA Australia encourages all individuals who hold FPAS accreditation in the Fire Systems Design and Fire Safety Assessment categories to inform themselves about what they can expect if they are subject to a complaint or an audit.

The policy and framework can be found at www.fpaa.com.au/policiesand-procedures/compliance-policies

PHOTO: 123RF

UPDATED RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS TO BE IN THE NCC The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has approved the inclusion of the updated Technical Specifications for FPAA101D and FPAA101H in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022, in place of the versions already recognised.

These specifications detail the installation of sprinklers in residential buildings above 25 metres and below four storeys. They were amended in light of 400 comments received during public consultation.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of these systems, FPA Australia is currently in discussions with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) about constructing a domestic dwelling at the Emergency Services Academy that contains a FPAA101D specification sprinkler system, to enable the training of firefighters in the use and operation of the system.

FPA Australia is also developing an online training course to instruct practitioners in the installation and design of the FPAA101D sprinkler system, which will be rolled out soon.

ENROL WITH FPA AUSTRALIA FOR YOUR CERTIFICATE II After a busy year and a comprehensive overhaul of our philosophy and delivery, FPA Australia’s registered training organisation is once again accepting enrolments for our training courses.

This followed the creation of a new training strategy that will enhance knowledge transfer, address workforce capability and achieve our goal of a skilled and qualified fire protection industry.

Students are now being accepted into Certificate II qualifications in Fire Protection Inspection and Testing, and other training programs are being rolled out.

FPA Australia thanks everyone for their patience while we worked towards getting these certificates up and running, and we look forward to unveiling more courses in coming months.

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For information about our training programs, visit www.fpaa.com.au/training.aspx.

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NEWS PHOTO: TIM CLAEYS

AS 2419.1-2021 FIRE HYDRANT INSTALLATIONS NOW PUBLISHED The new version of the fire hydrant installation standard has been published, and can now be applied under a performance solution. The Standard was released in September

and, while it is not yet recognised in the deemed-to-satisfy provisions of the National Construction Code, it is hoped that it will soon be picked up.

Building on the amendments from

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trademark and licence number, and the applicable product specification listed on the WaterMark product database provided with a Scope of Use statement specifying its intended use.

Any associated packaging and promotional material must also be marked with the trademark and licence number.

Certification ensures that these products are fit for purpose and are appropriately authorised for installation.

This helps to protect community health and safety.

FPA Australia supports the WaterMark scheme and requires

The WaterMark Certification Scheme is a mandatory program run by the Australian Building Codes Board for certain products.

Plumbing and drainage products listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products are required, under the National Construction Code if they are to be used in Australia, to be: WaterMark certified marked with the WaterMark 12

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ISSUE FOUR 2021

2017, the Standards Committee revised AS 2419 to: improve the use and readability of the content include key sections like system performance and informative appendices that clarify the intent of the sections and clauses within the standard introduce limitations to recognise buildings of extraordinary size and those with particular uses (such as automatic storage systems), which will require a performance solution to address the particular hazards these circumstances represent include new technologies and industry best practices to enable competitive and cost-effective design and water conservation separate section 8 on pipework and valves into two individual sections acknowledge the benefits of installed sprinkler systems to control the development and spread of fire.

The new Standard also introduces requirements for high-rise buildings that have been based on internationally applied standards.

FPA Australia would like to thank the Standards Australia FP-009 committee for its significant efforts to revise this standard in such a short timeframe, particularly Mark Porter from Fire and Rescue NSW. Mr Porter was the draft leader and was recognised for his work in this space as a recipient of the 2021 Standards Australia Meritorious Contribution Award—National.

We would also like to recognise the hard work of our own representatives on the FP-009 committee—Mark Cummings (Eclipse Fire) and Shae Mete (FPA Australia).

the use of approved products in our updated Technical Specifications for residential sprinklers FPAA101D and FPAA101H. More about the WaterMark scheme can be found at https://watermark.abcb.gov.au.

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AS:3745-2010 compliant, Your evacuation diagrams can be created from your own architectural plans, or let our in house specialist team create them for you.

(Drainage installation)

FIRE DOOR 30 MINUTE

FHR

STREET NAME

A

SYSTEM DETAILS: YOUR LOCATION: SITE ADDRESS

DCP 4.5KG

NAME OF INSTALLER: SAMPLE FIRE PROTECTION INCORPRATED

FD30

HEIGHT OF HIGHEST HEAD: 4.5 METERS

FHR

DCP 4.5KG

CO2 3.5KG

INSTALLATION STANDING PRESSURE TO BE MAINTAINED: 400kPA

DCP 4.5KG CO2 3.5KG

DCP 2.5KG DCP 9KG

YEAR OF INSTALLATION: SAMPLE YEAR FHR

PRESSURE / FLOW REQUIREMENTS: 400L/M @ 400KPA

FD60 DCP 4.5KG

FHR

BLOCK PLAN UPDATED: SAMPLE DATE SYSTEM ALARM CONNECTED TO MAIN FIRE PANEL LOCATED AT FIRE GATE HOUSE

CONTRACTOR:

sm

AREA OF PROTECTION & CLASSIFICATIONS

safetymaps

PROJECT:

LEVEL 1 FIRE ASSET PLAN

SAMPLE CLIENT SAMPLE SITE ADDRESS

GOODS STORE: SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION HH - CATRGORY 2 DESIGN DENSITY 10mm/min X 165 M² FLOW & PRESSURE REQUIREMENTS 300L/m @ 250kPA

SAMPLEVILLE DRAWING TITLE:

FIRE ASSET PLAN

sm

safetymaps

www.safetymaps.com.au

“INDICATIVE ONLY”

Block Plans that can be printed on any medium of your choice, PVC, Brushed Alloy or Anodised. A3 displaying all necessary information about the buildings hydrant system.

ISOLATION VALVE SCHEDULE 1 65Ø STOP VALVE MONITORED 2 65Ø STOP VALVE MONITORED

DRAWN

DESIGNED

-

-

PROJECT No.

CHECKED

SCALE (AT FULL SIZE)

-

AS SHOWN DRAWING No.

A plan that display's all the existing fire protection equipment and devices (Smoke Alarms, Fire Extinguishers, Emergency Lighting, Exit Signs, Fire Blankets, Fire Hose Reels, Manual Call Points, etc.)

-

DATE

REVISION

0

GENERAL OFFICE

SPRINKLER REPLACEMENT STORAGE ROOM

GOODS STORE

2

1 Ø100

Ø65

SPRINKLER BOOSTER PUMP

FIRE GATE HOUSE

GENERAL OFFICE: SYSTEM CLASSIFICATION ORDINARY HAZARD 1 FLOW & PRESSURE REQUIREMENTS 100L/m @ 80kPA

www.safetymaps.com.au

GROUND FLOOR FIRE ASSET PLAN

SCALE 1: 100

“INDICATIVE ONLY”

B

6. REMAIN AT VALVE. IF FURTHER FIRE OCCURS CLOSE DRAIN VALVE "B" AND RE-OPEN MAIN STOP VALVE "A"

FIRE DOOR 60 MINUTE

FD30

DCP 2.5KG

-

CY

4. OPEN WASTE VALVE

5. TELEPHONE MAINTENANCE COMPANY

30 MINUTE FIRE COMPARTMENTATION FD60

DCP 4.5KG

BAR

SCALE 1: 100

PATH OF EGRESS

XX.XX.X123456 Issue date: XXXX review date:NXXXX renewal date: XXXX

3. CLOSE MAIN STOP VALVE A

60 MINUTE FIRE COMPARTMENTATION

FB

ST DCP 4.5KG

DCP 4.5KG DCP 4.5KG

N

“INDICATIVE ONLY”

CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER DCP FIRE EXTINGUISHER

1. CALL FIRE BRIGADE - 000 2. MAKE SURE FIRE IS OUT

ABE FIRE EXTINGUISHER (9 KG) FIRE BLANKET MANUAL CALL POINT ELECTRICAL PANEL

TAB

B

ABE FIRE EXTINGUISHER (4.5 KG) ABE FIRE EXTINGUISHER (2.5 KG)

FB

DCP 2.5KG

DECK

CO2 3.5KG

GROUND FLOOR

LEGEND

CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER (3.5 KG)

DCP 4.5KG DCP 2.5KG DCP 9KG CO2 3.5KG

FHR DCP 4.5KG

INSTALLED BY: SAMPLE FIRE PROTECTION CORPORATION

ROOM

AUTOMATED FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM

"A1 SIZE"

ROOM

100mmØ INCOMING TOWNS MAIN SUPPLY

ROOM

DCP 4.5KG

FD60

HEIGHT OF HIGHEST HYDRANT ABOVE BOOSTER: 1 METER

ROOM

EMERGENCY INSTRUCTIONS

FIRE HOSE REEL

CO2 3.5KG

SYSTEM DETAILS:

RAMP

ASSEMBLY POINT

FIRE INDICATING PANEL

EMERGENCY EXIT SIGN EMERGENCY LIGHT

YOUR LOCATION: SITE ADDRESS

SITE MAP / ASSEMBLY AREA

Y

STROBE

FIP FHR

STREET NAME

FLIPCHARTS

SPRINKLER BLOCK PLAN CLIENT NAME - SITE ADDRESS

DESCRIPTION SMOKE DETECTOR SPEAKER

CLIENT NAME - SITE ADDRESS CLIENT - ADDRESS

FOR ALL EMERGENCIES

STREET NAME

EVACUATION DIAGRAM

SYMBOL

M

100mmØ INCOMING TOWNS MAIN SUPPLY

C

FIP

LEGEND FIP

Fire Alarm Panel

Reduced Pressure Zone Valve

Isolation Valve

“INDICATIVE ONLY”

Street Shut-off Valve

Sprinkler Valve Set sm

safetymaps

www.safetymaps.com.au ISSUE DATE: SAMPLE DATE

REVIEW DATE: SAMPLE DATE

RENEWAL DATE: SAMPLE DATE

Block Plans that can be printed on any medium of your choice, PVC, Brushed Alloy or Anodised. A3 displaying all necessary information about the buildings sprinkler system.

Planning for Emergencies in Facilities, Safety Maps Flipcharts are available in a range of sizes and formats which comply with Australian standards

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

AFAC21 HOSTS VITAL CONVERSATIONS IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT For the first time in its 26-year history, the AFAC21 powered by INTERSCHUTZ conference and exhibition was held as a virtual event, bringing speakers and delegates together through an interactive and immersive online platform.

ALANA BEITZ AFAC

Hosted on 5–8 October, the virtual delivery of AFAC21 ensured that knowledge, research and insights from the past two years were shared with the sector, while also providing an accessible opportunity for professional development.

Delegates tuned in to over 150 live presentations (also available on demand) that centred on the conference theme ‘Balancing impact and expectations’. In total, 2,883 delegates joined the virtual conference either from collaborative workplace settings or independently from their homes.

With the postponement of the AFAC20 conference and exhibition due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and travel, AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis AM said that AFAC21 moved online to ensure dialogue and development were maintained across the fire and emergency service sector.

AFAC21 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Stan Grant, ABC’s International Affairs Analyst “While ever we don’t tell the truth of our history, while ever we don’t deal with the legacy of our history, history festers, and where that festers, violence and conflict follows.”

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“We’ve faced some of the most extraordinary and unique challenges in recent history since our last meeting in 2019, which have prevented us from bringing the sector together in person for our last two conferences,” Mr Ellis said.

“So, as we continue to encounter evolving emergency situations, it’s important that experienced and emerging sector leaders find space to discuss these challenges. It is only through the combined contributions of our diverse fire and emergency service sector that we can fulfil our individual agency responsibilities and best serve the community.”

The event opened with the AFAC Research Day on 5 October that showcased quality research with a focus on implementation and practical application for fire, emergency and land management agencies. Speakers shared their case studies and facilitated cutting-edge conversations on cultural and community engagement, risk and prediction, workforce and capability, communications, recovery and more.

Turia Pitt, Mindset coach, author and athlete “It can be really powerful if you’re going through something tough, to lean in to that and say ‘what I am going through right now is really tough’, and there is nothing wrong with that, you don’t have to find a silver lining. It can be really powerful to just own how are feeling.”

On 6 and 7 October, the conference was split across seven streams— including two from the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference and one from the Institution of Fire Engineers Conference—presenting initiatives and leading thinking relevant to the broad practice of emergency management. Fitting to the conference theme of ‘Balancing impact and expectations’, community engagement, shared responsibility and workforce and volunteer management were prominent topics, alongside an exploration of future technology capabilities in the fields of forecasting, planning, fleet innovations, simulation and data.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions impacting a majority of the planned events of the Professional Development Program, a workshop on managing extreme wildfires took place virtually on 8 October that shared current knowledge of global warming impacts on fire behaviour, including pyrocumulonimbus clouds.

Shane Fitzsimmons AFSM, Commissioner Resilience NSW “Community has to be at the heart of all our thinking, ... Recovery is more than rebuilding, repair and reconstruction of houses, property, infrastructure and things – one of the most critical parts of recovery is healing and the emotional and psychological wellbeing of communities, individuals and families.”

PHOTO: AFAC

PHOTO: AFAC

PHOTO: AFAC

KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Dominique HoganDoran SC, Senior Counsel Assisting the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements “You need to have strong systems of transparency and accountability because of the connection it has with public confidence. The next time, in the absence of these structures being really well resourced, supported, acknowledged and engaged with, if that does not happen, then there may be a real push for the next Royal Commission to be a ‘blame game’. It’s a big call for this sector to try and achieve all of these things, given the pressures that you’re under. Something I came away with from this Royal Commission is a sense of pride in how much people give – not just in their voluntary time in preparing and defending their own communities from disasters – but also the leadership.

We only look to you in times of disaster, we need to trust you, and we need good reason to do so. I hope you get to take this time to network virtually and to take comfort in each another. Going forward, you will certainly have my support.”

Dr Michelle Dickinson, Nanotechnologist and materials engineer “It’s not about what we know, it’s about how useful it is to others. Creating a language and experiments that are inclusive allow more people to help you problem solve, which is a way better way of getting a diverse set of answers and solutions to a problem. It’s crucial for long term success.”

Australasia’s most comprehensive emergency management exhibition came to life from 5 to 7 October in a state-of-the-art virtual environment.

A showcase like no other, the AFAC21 virtual exhibition floor offered the latest in equipment, technology and service providers via an accessible, feature-rich platform.

Over 30 exhibitor stands could be browsed through the platform, supported by downloadable factsheets and video capability to showcase available products and services.

Over 120 posters were submitted to the virtual poster display during the conference, with delegates invited to vote for their favourite. Spanning research, case studies, project overviews and new resources, the poster display offered a rich variety of information to conference delegates.

Industry awards

AFAC Knowledge Innovation Award Individual winner: Bruce Botherway, Fire and Emergency New Zealand Agency winner: Fire and Rescue NSW Preventing FireFighter Exposure to Carcinogens Program Laurie Lavelle Achiever of the Year Award Winner: John Gilbert, Country Fire Authority Highly commended: Mark Halverson, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Stuart & Heaton Leading Practice in Mental Health Award Winner: Tasmanian Department

of Police, Fire and Emergency Management for the ‘My Pusle’ program Highly commended: NSW Rural Fire Service for the RFS Connect initiative Women and Firefighting Australasia (WAFA) Outstanding Contribution by a Female Firefighter Award Winner: Karmell Frost, Fire and Rescue NSW WAFA Youth Leadership Award Winner: Kiara Muraca, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services WAFA Male Champion Award Winner: Wayne Phillips, Fire and Rescue NSW WAFA Organisation Diversity, Fairness and Inclusion Award Winner: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services IFE Australia Ray Manser Award Winner: Ted Simmons, Queensland Building and Construction Commission

Above: The virtual conference allowed delegates to explore multiple presentations and connect with each other through video and chat funtions.

Delegates could engage directly with dozens of exhibitors through the virtual exhibition and download resources from the virtual stalls.

AFAC is excited to announce that AFAC22 powered by INTERSCHUTZ will take place in Adelaide on 23–26 August 2022, on the theme ‘Connecting communities. Creating resilience’. The AFAC22 Call for Abstracts opens November 2021.

To see the highlights from 2021 and learn about AFAC22, visit www.afacconference.com.au.

AFAC21 conference proceedings are publicly available via the AFAC website: www.afac.com.au/events/proceedings ISSUE FOUR 2021

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ECONOMICS OF NATURAL HAZARDS

ECONOMIC ESSENTIALS

IN NATURAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT Natural hazard managers are often under pressure to prioritise and justify their investments in mitigation activities. New research has informed a suite of tools to help practitioners decide which mitigation option is best given individual budgets and limited resources.

RADHIYA FANHAM Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

The Value Tool for Natural Hazards is a searchable online database of intangible economic values.

PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

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The 2015 Productivity Commission’s report on natural hazard funding arrangements in Australia found that governments overinvest in post-disaster reconstruction and underinvest in mitigation activities that would limit the impact of natural hazards.

With the multitude of natural hazards that require mitigation and response from government agencies and with tighter budgets at both state and national levels, natural hazard managers are increasingly under pressure to prioritise and justify their investments.

Governments need to ensure that the benefits justify the costs and that they are getting the best value for money from these investments. So how do you decide which mitigation option is best when only one can be afforded, and how do you know if you are making the most of limited resources?

The University of Western Australia and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC have conducted integrated economic analyses of management options for different natural hazards to

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ISSUE FOUR 2021

generate estimates of both tangible (market) and intangible (non-market) values.

The Economics of natural hazards project provided evidence on the economic, social and environmental impacts of natural hazards to help hazard managers make better decisions about the allocation of resources for the mitigation of natural hazard impacts. Researchers developed tools and materials that make it easier for natural hazard managers to understand and estimate the value of mitigation, integrate intangible values in economic analyses of mitigation, and evaluate the difference it makes to intangible values.

“Economic analysis is a key tool that can support decision-making about resource allocation for the mitigation of natural hazards,” notes project leader and economist Dr Veronique Florec from the University of Western Australia.

“An economic analysis won’t tell you exactly what you should do, but it does provide guidance and makes the trade-offs between the available options clearer.”

Through this project, the research team has launched: the Value Tool for Natural Hazards, a searchable database of the best available non-market value estimates relevant to natural hazards the Economic Analysis Screening Tool for the evaluation of the costs and benefits of mitigation options an online video series on the economics of natural hazards to explain basic concepts and how they are applied to evaluate different mitigation options

an online training course for managers and practitioners on how to use economics in natural hazards management.

Value Tool for Natural Hazards

The Value Tool for Natural Hazards is a searchable online database of the best available intangible economic values associated with the impacts of natural hazards, such as health, environmental and social values. The values are designed to be incorporated into other economic analysis tools, such as the Economic Analysis Screening Tool.

The Value Tool incorporates annual Consumer Price Index increases to the values, allowing users to use values corrected to the relevant date. It is currently being used by natural hazard managers across the emergency management sector.

The increased awareness of intangible values and their importance has led to a clearer understanding of the trade-offs between tangible and intangible impacts, helping hazard managers to make more informed and comprehensive decisions about different mitigation options.

Economic Analysis Screening Tool

The Economic Analysis Screening Tool performs economic analyses and evaluates the tangible and intangible costs and benefits of mitigation options for any natural hazard. Used in conjunction with the Value Tool for Natural Hazards, it enables the evaluation and prioritisation of mitigation options that provide the best potential value for money. The Economic Analysis Screening Tool allows users to: conduct economic analyses in weeks rather than months or years understand the data requirements for

PHOTO: BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS CRC

ECONOMICS OF NATURAL HAZARDS

cost–benefit analyses and how it all fits together identify the best options for which it is worth developing a business case identify and prioritise the type and quantity of information that is needed to improve decisions and the confidence in those decisions understand the calculations and assumptions behind a cost–benefit analysis clarify the counterfact, or baseline, of what the options are being compared to determine the importance of intangible values for different decisions.

Online video series

Dr Florec created an explainer video series that guides natural hazard managers and practitioners through easy-to-understand explanations of the key economics concepts relevant to natural hazard management. The series teaches managers the different economic analyses available and the data requirements for each.

Using drawings and simple examples, Dr Florec explains how to use economic analyses to assess the value for money of different mitigation options, what information is needed to conduct an economic analysis, and how to interpret the results.

Viewers have praised the series: “Just watched your videos and found it very useful for understanding the different ways to measure economic inputs against outcomes and the different ways they are measured,” said Paul Simpson, Principal Policy Officer in the Western Australian Department of Fire and Emergency Services’ Office of Bushfire Risk Management.

“I find the drawings concept more engaging than a PowerPoint style.

The commentary combined with the drawings at the same time kept me focused on the screen and the words.”

mitigation options for bushfires and we will need the type of work that you are doing in our analyses. It would be very good if we could include intangible values in our benefit–cost analyses.”

Online training course

Building economics capacity

Researchers developed and delivered an online training course in 2021 on how to use economics in natural hazards management, using the Value Tool for Natural Hazards and the Economic Analysis Screening Tool as the primary training tools.

Participants were guided through different exercises about: data requirements how to calculate, interpret and use net present values cost–benefit ratios and the internal rate of return how to perform, read and use a sensitivity analysis.

Researchers modified the Economic Analysis Screening Tool slightly so it could be used as a training tool to explain, step-by-step, how to conduct a cost–benefit analysis and interpret the results. Upon completion of the course, participants reported that they felt empowered and better equipped to conduct economic analyses, seeing possibilities for better mitigation of natural hazards using the knowledge they gained.

“Your work is very interesting and very necessary for us to be able to conduct comprehensive analysis of mitigation options that include both tangible and intangible values,” said Senior Program Manager at the Country Fire Authority, Geoff Morris.

“In Victoria we are just working on doing that at the moment—evaluating the costs and benefits of different

This research and its associated resources are helping build economics capacity within the emergency management sector. They can be found in the Economics, Mitigation and Value theme of the CRC’s Driving Change website, at www.bnhcrc.com.au/drivingchange/economics-mitigation-value.

“This project has done an excellent job throughout its life in creating and maintaining an excellent relationship with its end-users, while also focussing on producing high quality research,” said lead project end user Ed Pikusa at the South Australian Department for Environment and Water.

“I commend the project team and the community of end users in working well together and producing a suite of accessible products and knowledge on the economics of natural hazards.”

Ultimately, using the freely available resources has significant potential to create a shift in thinking within emergency management agencies, empowering more organisations to become effective users of economic data and analyses.

With more people using the training, discussions about how to allocate resources to mitigation and how to evaluate the cost and benefits of the tangible and intangible values of different mitigation options will not be limited to a few—instead, many more people in the emergency management sector will be able to contribute to those discussions.

ISSUE FOUR 2021

Dr Veronique Florec (University of Western Australia) presenting at the online training course.

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FIRE SAFETY STRATEGY

THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE SAFETY STRATEGY AND OWNER’S MANUALS FOR BUILDINGS

Governments across Australia are pursuing building industry reforms, following events like Lacrosse and Grenfell.

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PETER JOHNSON Arup

The Lacrosse and Grenfell building fires, and the resultant regulatory reform agenda across Australia, have challenged us all in the fire safety community to do better. We are being asked the question: How might we work together to design and deliver buildings with improved quality and safety for the benefit of owners, managers, occupants and society as a whole?

In simple terms, the design and construction industries need to hand over to consumers or purchasers a building of appropriate quality and adequate safety, with clearly written instructions on how to manage it through its life cycle in a cost-effective manner. The fire safety design and construction, and the tools to manage it, are what all fire safety practitioners need to deliver to consumers.

This process, at least in design and construction terms, should be guided by a building manual—and a fire safety section of that manual—that is handed to the building owners at the time the occupation certificate is issued.

Recommendation 20 of the Shergold Weir Building Confidence report (BCR)1

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states that each jurisdiction should require a comprehensive building manual for Class 2–9 buildings to be lodged with the building owners and be made available to successive purchasers of the buildings. The Australian Building Codes Board, as part of its response to the BCR, developed a consultation paper entitled Discussion Paper: Building Manuals— A Response to the Building Confidence Report 2021.2

Manual requirements

Consistent with this general national policy, the NSW Government, through the Office of the Building Commissioner and the Department of Customer Service, has started setting out in detail what aspects of a fire safety manual should be included in a comprehensive building manual. This is a task being led by FPA Australia President Bill Lea. Of necessity, the development of a suitable manual requires the input of fire safety design practitioners.

In broad terms, such a fire safety manual needs to have two key components: a section for building owners, managers and tenants or occupiers, written in plain English, that sets out the things they need to know to manage and maintain the building

effectively and occupy it through its lifetime a more detailed technical section which provides ‘as built’ drawings, technical specifications, design and construction details, and other information that will enable contractors, designers and others to maintain the building and all its services, including its fire protection systems, on an ongoing basis.

For the first section, there needs to be a fire safety schedule to set out: the fire safety systems, active and passive, and how they need to be maintained the standards, such as AS 1851, which detail the frequency of inspections and testing.

For example, owners and tenants in a residential building need to understand that they cannot hire a plumber or electrician to come in and punch a hole through a fire-rated wall for a cable or pipe without restoring the fire resistance rating of the wall as part of the work.

And building managers should know whether they need to keep a foyer or base of an atrium sterile (or free of combustibles), if that is part of a performance-based fire safety design for a building.

FIRE SAFETY STRATEGY

followed. What a fire safety strategy is, and the need for it, is often not well recognised or understood, even among some fire safety practitioners.

The fire safety strategy, and the design and package of fire safety measures that flows from its development, should be well described and included in fire engineering reports for all building projects. It should be based on a holistic approach to ensure all fire safety measures are BMF-IN-CONFIDEN CE integrated into an overall fire safety design that is harmonised with all other aspects of the building design and functionality.

The development of a fire safety strategy for a building starts as part of the early, concept-led approach to holistic building design, which is a process followed by the other design professionals such Building Confi dence Improving the effec as architects and structural tiveness of complian and enforcement s ce ystems for the build ing and construction in dustry across Aust engineers. It essentially ralia follows the International Fire Engineering Guidelines and now the latest local version, the Australian Fire Engineering Guidelines3.

The section also needs to include It is a top-down process for the fire details of the plan for fire safety safety engineers, which includes the management, including how occupants following steps: should best respond in the event of a client brief—interrogation of fire alarm, such as whether residents the client/project brief and can use the lifts as well as stairs for architectural vision; may set out evacuation, if the lifts have been special requirements for building designed for that purpose. functionality, sustainability, materials, There is at least anecdotal aesthetics, etc. evidence that often builders will hand fire safety objectives—recognition owners great folders of design and of the National Construction Code construction drawings (sometimes (NCC) fire safety objectives of life not the latest ‘as built’ drawings), safety and protection of other very detailed operation and manual property and facilities for fire brigade instructions, and copies of fire safety intervention, but also identification engineering reports full of modelling of other non-NCC objectives such and analysis. However, no clear picture as property protection, business is given of the package of fire safety continuity, environmental protection measures included in the design which and insurance requirements where need to be maintained. As an industry, appropriate we must do better. occupant profile—identification of the range of different occupant Fire safety strategy development types in the building, including those One of the crucial elements of the who are disabled and the more plain English part of the fire safety vulnerable manual, which should come first and fire hazards—analysis of all potential is fundamental to the manual, is a combustible materials and sources description of the fire safety strategy. of ignition, including special hazards This fire safety strategy underpins such as plastics, hydrogen vehicles, the overall fire safety design of all lithium-ion battery banks, solar the fire systems within the building, panels, car stackers, etc as well as fire prevention and fire acceptance criteria—establishment safety management procedures to be of the basis of justification and Peter Shergold and

February 2018

Bronwyn Weir

approval of the design, which may be equivalence with the Deemed-toSatisfy (DtS) provisions, deterministic analysis of key fire scenarios, or probabilistic analysis and demonstration of ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable) or SFAIRP (so far as is reasonably practicable).

With this information gathered, the fire safety engineer can then work with the whole design team and develop the overall fire safety strategy and approach to holistic fire safety design by addressing key areas including: fire prevention strategy simultaneous or phased evacuation of occupants egress for people with a disability sprinklers and/or passive protection strategy structural systems and protection strategy—steel, concrete, timber or masonry natural or mechanical smoke management compartmentation strategy—smoke, fire separating elements external building wall design fire brigade intervention strategy integration of fire safety systems through a cause–consequence matrix.

Some other key questions often involved in fire strategy development include how to balance: fire safety and sustainability objectives fire safety and security measures construction costs with through-life costs to owners and tenants.

What flows from this process is a unified fire safety strategy that needs to be carefully documented. The strategy, in turn, drives the selection of detection, suppression, smoke control, compartmentation, structural protection and other fire safety measures that need to be designed in detail and documented in drawings and specifications by the relevant fire systems and other registered design practitioners.

All of these fire safety measures need to fit neatly into four key layers of protection that provide a robust safety case, which has the required levels of redundancy necessary for reliable fire performance. These four layers of the fire safety strategy are typically: 1. fire prevention 2. detection and occupant response 3. fire control—limiting smoke and fire spread and structural protection 4. fire brigade intervention.

Having decided upon the fire safety ISSUE FOUR 2021

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FIRE SAFETY STRATEGY

strategy and the package of fire safety measures that make up the holistic design, compliance with the NCC Performance Requirements can be established, with a mix of Performance Solutions and DtS Solutions.

Fire safety manual

The fire safety strategy and the resulting overall fire safety design for the building needs to be documented in such a way that it can be inserted into the fire safety manual. The most efficient way to do this is for the fire safety engineer to include a relatively simple section in their Performance Based Design Report (PBDR) (otherwise known as the Fire Engineering Report, or FER), which can be copied straight into the manual. The manual writer then needs to ensure that the fire safety systems are designed in a manner that is consistent with the fire safety strategy and holistic design.

The fire safety manual, in the first plain English section, needs to include the fire safety strategy and package of fire safety measures as well as clear, simple information and instructions for owners, manager and occupants, including aspects such as: a description of the building the owner’s legal responsibilities a maintenance matrix general housekeeping/fire prevention information owner’s checklists.

The manual, or at least the first section, should be in a form suitable to be given to all residents, for example, in a Class 2 or Class 3 building. The

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residents as building occupants should be able to easily understand the building and its fire safety measures, including knowing the answers to questions, which may include: How do they manage their own responsibilities in minimising the likelihood of fire ignition and spread?

What can they store in basement storage areas or on balconies?

Are the detection systems in their residences for local alarm only (AS 3786) or part of the building wide detection and alarm system (AS 1670)?

How will they respond in the event of a fire alarm—can they use the lifts for evacuation or only the stairs?

Where should they assemble once out of the building?

Should they try to deal with a fire using portable extinguishers or hose reels if present, or not?

An important consideration with the fire safety manual is to keep it up to date through the life of the building, amend it as necessary as building alterations, refurbishment or other fire safety measures change, and advise all parties of the changes with training as necessary.

Summary

The BCR has shown that significant improvement in building quality and fire safety is required to enable the public to regain trust and confidence in the design and construction industry, especially for residential buildings.

A key obligation of all fire safety practitioners is to work together in

order to hand over to building owners, managers and occupants a building that meets the required level of quality and safety at the time of occupation.

An important part of that responsibility is to provide a better and more suitable suite of information for owners, managers and building occupants.

A fire safety manual, written in plain English for owners and managers as part of a broader building manual, is now considered essential and will be regulated.

The fire safety manual needs to contain a clear picture of the fire safety strategy and the resultant package of fire prevention and fire safety measures to ensure that all owners, managers and occupants understand their responsibilities and how best to manage and respond to fire events in their buildings.

REFERENCES

Peter Shergold and Bronwyn Weir (2018): Submission to Building Ministers’ Forum, Building Confidence – Improving the effectiveness of compliance and enforcement systems for the building and construction industry across Australia 2 Australian Building Codes Board (2021): Discussion paper: Building Manuals – A Response to the Building Confidence Report (https://consultation.abcb.gov.au/ engagement/building-manuals/) 3 Commonwealth of Australia and States and Territories of Australia (2021): Australian Fire Engineering Guidelines (AFEG), published by the Australian Building Codes Board 1

AFAC DOCTRINE

NEW AFAC DOCTRINE PUBLISHED The AFAC National Council has endorsed six doctrine that are now available online.

PHOTO: AFAC

AFAC’s suite of doctrine is available online.

S election, use, care and maintenance of operational equipment

This procedural guideline provides direction for AFAC members procuring and managing operational equipment items. It consists of the following sections: General requirements. This overall guideline suite has been prepared to assist AFAC members with operational equipment matters both contractual and operational.

Part 1: Water delivery. The intent of this section is to identify key items that need to be considered when specifying, procuring and issuing water delivery equipment.

F ire and Emergency Aviation Training Assessment Framework

AFAC

AFAC develops doctrine to support the practice of emergency management.

The information in doctrine publications is evidence-based and drawn from academic research, and the collective expert knowledge of AFAC members.

Doctrine is regularly reviewed and represents the official view of the AFAC National Council and sector leaders.

AFAC doctrine has a range of classifications. Fundamental doctrine includes positions, which AFAC members are expected to support, as well as approaches and some frameworks. If adopted by individual services or jurisdictions, fundamental doctrine may become official policy on a matter. Procedural doctrine includes guidelines, some frameworks and specifications. AFAC members are expected to be aware of procedural doctrine.

The six new doctrine that have been published include:

Aerial appliance maintenance

his procedural guideline has been T developed by the AFAC Fleet Technical Group to assist AFAC members that operate aerial appliances. It provides guidance on preparing and implementing an aerial appliance maintenance regime that provides a

safe operating environment and meets each agency’s required operational service standards.

ptimising the service life of O operational response vehicles

perational response vehicles are an O essential resource that helps agencies to meet their legislated service delivery outcomes. This procedural guideline has been prepared by the AFAC Fleet Technical Group to assist and support agencies to develop appropriate policies and procedures that optimise the service life of operational response vehicles.

This framework sets out the nationally agreed standardised roles for personnel managing, supervising and supporting aviation operations in fire and emergency management undertaken by AFAC members. It provides agreed competency-based training and assessment requirements for the roles, as well as training and development pathways. It is a fundamental doctrine.

AFAC doctrine can be accessed online: www.afac.com.au/insight/ doctrine

Doctrine represents the official view of AFAC National Council.

ural firefighting vehicles R burnover protection

A significant threat to firefighter safety occurs when a firefighting vehicle is burnt over during firefighting operations. This procedural guideline details the principles underpinning the risk management approach that might be taken when specifying vehicle safety features that are designed to maximise crew safety and survivability during burnover events.

S election of appropriate devices during bushfires

his procedural guideline covers the T types of RPD that may be used and worn by workers during bushfires or at controlled fires, and it gives information about their correct use.

PHOTO: AFAC

MOLLY PRICE

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LEARNING FROM THE PAST

A TALE OF FIVE PRESIDENTS: WHAT THE PAST CAN TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE OF FIRE PROTECTION

As we forge ahead in the face of ongoing government reform initiatives, Fire Protection Association Australia sought insights from some of our former presidents, and the current office-bearer, about what the future holds.

PAUL WATERHOUSE AND HAJNAL NAGY Fire Protection Association Australia

Australia’s peak industry body for fire protection, and the industry’s major technical and educational organisation, Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia) is the descendant of almost 100 years of industry representation.

Formed in 1997 through the merger of Fire Protection Industry Association Australia (established in 1926) and the Australian Fire Protection Association (established in 1960), FPA Australia was formed to be a single body that could represent the needs and goals of our industry.

Our presidents and board directors are icons of the industry, who have brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Association, allowing it to establish itself as the ‘voice of fire protection’.

Many of these leaders have maintained their association with FPA Australia, and we took the opportunity to ask five of them—Barry Lee OAM (1991–93 and 1997–98), Neil Bibby (1994–96 and 1998–2000), Peter Johnson (2005–08), Glenn Talbot (2010–12), and Bill Lea AFSM (2018– present)—for their views of our history and where we are headed.

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What is fire protection?

The presidents largely agreed that fire protection (or fire safety) relates to keeping people, property, business operations and the environment safe from the risk of fire by extinguishing or containing it.

It poses a never-ending series of challenges, particularly as our communities become more urbanised, population densities increase and civilisation encroaches on bushland areas, all while society’s appetite for risk has greatly diminished.

The industry ranges from fire safety design, construction, prevention, maintenance and management to fire brigade operations, covering buildings, transport infrastructure, industrial facilities, community infrastructure and the impacts of bushfires.

As an industry, fire protection offers many opportunities, experiences and comradery, and the development of new technologies plays an important role in delivering safer communities.

“If the fire service has to intervene, fire protection has failed.”

– Neil Bibby

How has the industry changed?

Since FPA Australia was created, the industry has seen companies go from taking responsibility for all aspects of fire protection—from manufacture, design and installation to maintenance—to specialising in providing equipment to fire protection contractors or performing specific roles.

This has led to changes to training and accreditation systems, so that practitioners can be upskilled and take responsibility for the quality of their work. Both government and the industry strongly support these developments to deliver greater accountability and professionalism.

The fire protection sector has long embraced technology and had a focus on technical excellence, and this has seen substantial amendments to standards and regulations that will deliver increased community safety.

The increased societal focus on climate change and sustainability has been experienced in our industry too, in part by an increase in the incidence and severity of bushfires in Australia and overseas. This has altered practices, and improved the science of fire, as the industry adjusts to society’s expectations.

The sustainability agenda has had an impact in the opposite direction too—a push for energy efficiency was a significant contributing factor to an

PHOTO: FPA

LEARNING FROM THE PAST

increased use of flammable cladding but did not give proper regard to life safety. This has resulted in enormous replacement costs for the community, rapid increases in professional indemnity insurance prices, and a comprehensive regulatory reform agenda.

We can expect these trends to continue over coming years.

“Society’s and government’s expectations have changed completely, particularly since Grenfell. Our industry is expected to be more accountable and professional at all levels.”

– Bill Lea How has the Association changed?

The presidents all felt that FPA Australia has become stronger and seen an increase in activities and staff numbers over the last couple of decades.

Its influence with governments and regulators has increased through proactive advocacy, and its commitment to all practitioners being competent and registered through the FPAS scheme has transformed it into a leader in accreditation and a major training agency.

Internationally, the Association is getting greater recognition through its relationship with organisations like the National Fire Protection Association in the United States, and the Confederation of Fire Protection Associations Asia.

Organisationally, this increased activity has seen changes to the Association’s structure and focus, which has been facilitated through better resourcing and a more commercial mindset. Its engagement with members and other stakeholders has been extended through the use of social media, the ongoing delivery of the Fire Australia conference and tradeshow, industry awards dinners, and Fire Australia magazine has allowed the Association to stay connected and to communicate the fire safety message.

The technical part of FPA Australia’s operations has been growing more professional, and the relationships with Australian Standards (which spans over three decades) and the Australian Building Codes Board are as strong as ever. This knowledge and experience enables the organisation to improve standards and regulations and deliver support and guidance to industry.

What does the industry do well?

The presidents credited the industry for playing an important and effective role in advocating for public safety,

L to R: Glenn Talbot (President 2010–12), Neil Bibby (1994–96; 1998–2000), Bill Lea 2018-present), Barry Lee (1991– 93; 1997–98), and Peter Johnson (2005–08).

“Today’s FPA is one of the leading industry associations in Australia, a credit to the staff and Board, past and present.”

– Glenn Talbot

supported through its ongoing strong relationships with standards-setting bodies and regulators.

This influence has seen government and industry jointly embrace better quality training and the introduction of accreditation–ensuring accountability through the use of codes of practice– to help practitioners to meet the expectations of the community.

The support provided by the industry to business and the public, through the design, installation, testing and maintenance of fire safety systems has been invaluable, and will continue to influence better safety outcomes.

“The fire protection part of the industry … has continued to lead standards development and design, particularly for the active systems.”

– Peter Johnson

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Where are improvements needed?

The FPA Australia presidents broadly agreed that industry can always make improvements, but views differed about the areas worthy of attention.

While there was general support for the industry’s approach to training and accreditation, it was agreed that more can be done to improve the skills, knowledge and professionalism of the sector.

One area where additional training might be needed is in interpreting standards and regulations, where inconsistency and confusion is currently leading to substandard maintenance outcomes. Routine service work is improving, but this poor understanding is affecting performance.

Improving knowledge in this space should also be extended to facility managers, who are not always well versed in what constitutes sound longer-term fire protection.

Practitioners need to understand what constitutes good risk management and how to weigh safety outcomes against their economic impacts. This may eventually extend to gaining better insights into the role of climate and how it will affect our businesses in the coming years.

The fire performance of materials and passive systems—not just in terms of installation, but also quality assurance and annual assessment—is increasingly important, and the industry needs more personnel with the skills to design, install and assess these systems.

Not only do building surveyors and inspectors need to acknowledge their roles in approving these systems, but they need to get better at identifying their potential conflicts of interest and to understand that they are not responsible

“The industry is going to see increasing competition from ‘man in the van’ operators.

While competition is not a bad thing, fire protection is a complex technical business and advice given needs to be reliable.”

– Barry Lee 24

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for the design, but for certifying the building on behalf of the public.

The presidents supported innovation and technology and felt that more could be done to help entrepreneurs to bring new and exciting products to market.

Where will the industry be in the next five years?

So, what does the future hold? Put simply: training.

The need for all fire safety practitioners to have qualifications, experience and registration to demonstrate their competency will only grow as governments and consumers demand safety improvements and the industry strives to regain trust and confidence.

Industry must develop and promote strong career paths across all sectors of the fire safety industry, promote new initiatives in fire safety education, and tap into international leading practice.

To ensure that it has a viable future, our sector will need to position itself as an attractive employment prospect for the next generation of workers.

The increased focus of government on the construction sector is going to be translated into tighter regulation and more prescriptive qualification frameworks for practitioners. Proactivity on the part of the fire protection industry will help to make these moves more manageable.

Driven by a spate of cladding fires, it is likely that product certification and policing are also going to become more common to ensure that occupants of residential buildings can rest a little easier.

From the Association’s perspective, all of this means that we will need to have a greater impact politically at both state and federal level, and to build up strong partnerships with politicians and regulators alike.

However, it is important that we promote the technical and specialised aspects of our sector and not become seen as a commodity service to the greater building industry. Fire protection is an essential service, and the industry needs to remind itself of that fact regularly.

“Our industry will need to raise the bar in terms of accountability, knowledge and professionalism. We can either take this challenge headon and drive the process of change or have governments impose changes upon us.”

– Bill Lea

Advice for the young

Finally, we asked each of our presidents to reflect on what they would tell their younger self if they were starting in the industry now, that could guide our up-and-coming practitioners.

While the suggestion to ‘go fishing’ might not help to establish a successful career in the fire protection industry, a focus on education, training and earning your qualifications might.

Constant self-development is the key—the more training you can undertake and skills you can attain, the more you will be able to adapt to a changing industry and help it to grow in return.

But qualifications are not the only element—while formal engineering qualifications, diplomas and certificates are important, it is wise to work in service departments, too.

Picking up skills across a variety of systems may help you to develop a broad understanding of your employer’s scope of business, and this will make you a valuable employee.

A career in fire safety, whatever the role, has a strong social purpose to save lives, property and the environment, and can take a practitioner on a richly rewarding journey within Australia or around the world.

Taking the road less travelled may not be the easiest trip, but it will be the most interesting. And it might just take you to a few good fishing spots.

“Whatever the employer’s scope of business, make it a firm goal to learn everything possible about the concern’s products and services. With a little bit of luck, the results will be rewarding from all points of view!”

– Barry Lee

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

STRATEGY IN ACTION: STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS ACHIEVEMENT REPORT 2021 AFAC has released a snapshot of initiatives aligned with the five Strategic Directions for fire and emergency services, providing insights into strategic steps forward and agencies’ commitment to sector-wide values.

Strategic Direction 1: Supporting resilient communities through risk reduction

PHOTO: DFES

CSIRO Evacuation Risk Modelling Project—a web-based decision support tool to quantify community evacuation risk across WA

AFAC Residential Fire Fatality and Injury Prevention Strategy: towards zero fatalities Our World Our Say survey report

Fire and Rescue NSW investment in the Ignitable Liquid Detection Canine Program—pioneered in the Southern Hemisphere in 1995

AFAC Doctrine National Aerial Firefighting Strategy— keeping communities safe through aerial firefighting PHOTO: AFAC

S trategic Direction 2: Providing trusted response and facilitating the transition to relief and recovery

Strategic Direction 4: Effective governance and resource management

Positive Mental Health in Young Adult Emergency Services Personnel project Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee resource prioritisation Building flexible delivery options for Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System training

S trategic Direction 5: Informed by knowledge and research

AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre season summary 2020–21 New edition of the National Capability Statement Resilience NSW recovery centres during the March 2021 NSW floods AFAC independent reviews

Strategic Direction 3: The source of credible and timely information Australian Fire Danger Rating System Queensland Fire and Emergency Services damage assessment electronic data collecting and reporting tool Australian Warning System using the community’s voice to build a new national warning system NSW State Emergency Service geospatial agility in operations during the March 2021 NSW floods ACT Rural Fire Service fire detection cameras—the use of seven fire-detecting cameras to identify active fires and reduce the risk spread

ACT Parks and Conservation Service landscape bushfire flammability mapping—intelligence tools to improve the prediction of landscape flammability CSIRO report, Climate and Disaster Resilience PHOTO: ACT PCS

The Strategic Directions are fundamental to the work of fire and emergency services, providing a shared commitment, unified vision and focus on achievement that ensures the sector is well placed to serve communities. They consist of five priority areas: 1. supporting resilient communities through risk reduction 2. providing trusted response 3. the source of credible and timely information 4. effective governance and resource management 5. informed by knowledge and research.

“The Strategic Directions ensure agencies can meet challenges of changing community needs and expectations, an ageing and diverse population, changing climate, natural hazards, national security, and the impacts of a pandemic,” AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis said. “Addressing these challenges will lead to greater community confidence, trust and support.”

The 2021 Strategic Directions Achievement Report comprises 25 case studies of industry and jurisdictional activities, representing a sample of the initiatives undertaken in the last year. The case studies relating to each Strategic Direction are provided below.

PHOTO: ACTESA

AFAC

Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience supporting community recovery following the Black Summer bushfires South Australia Country Fire Service Child and Youth Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience project

PHOTO: FRNSW

ALANA BEITZ

Country Fire Authority Injury and Incident Data Linkage project Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC’s transformative scenarios in a climate challenged world: alternative futures for planning and decision-making Fire and Rescue NSW fire research testing into battery electric vehicles The 2021 Strategic Directions Achievement Report is the final report relating to the current Strategic Directions. Next year, AFAC and AFAC member agencies will demonstrate their achievements against six updated Strategic Directions for 2022–26.

A full overview of each initiative listed here is provided in the 2021 Strategic Direction Achievement Report on the AFAC website: www.afac.com.au/ auxiliary/about/strategy ISSUE FOUR 2021

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This.

How much time are your technicians wasting on-site searching for assets?

Uptickhq.com

Or this.

Reduce time on-site by 40% with easy-to-use asset maintenance software built for the fire protection industry.

UPTICKHQ.COM

INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

PHOTO: NSW RFS

Australian firefighters prepare to leave for Canada.

AUSTRALIAN FIREFIGHTERS LEND A HAND IN CANADA

An Australian contingent of 55 fire management specialists deployed to Canada as part of an international effort to assist with wildfire suppression efforts.

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PHOTO: FRNSW

INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

MOLLY PRICE AFAC

As a result of drought and significant fire activity across Canada, and with national preparedness at its highest level, the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre (NRSC) received a formal request for assistance from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) on 21 July 2021.

Australia has national arrangements in place with Canada for the exchange of wildfire management resources through the Department of Natural Resources Canada and Emergency Management Australia.

The NRSC oversees and facilitates the international deployments of wildfire management resources between Australia and Canada in cooperation with CIFFC. The deployment was made up of personnel from fire, land management and state emergency service agencies in NSW and WA, fulfilling specialist roles including incident management, supervision and aviation management.

The participating agencies included: N SW State Emergency Service (three personnel) Fire and Rescue NSW (10 personnel) NSW Rural Fire Service (22 personnel) NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (three personnel) WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services (11 personnel) WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (six personnel).

The group departed Australia on 27 July on a charter flight from Sydney to support local Canadian crews battling an early and severe wildfire season—that had seen over 4,000,000 hectares of land burnt.

Australian personnel were deployed across Canada in British Columbia and Ontario, with NSW RFS Assistant Commissioner Ben Millington deployed as head of the contingent to CIFFC Headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Mr Millington said that the Australian personnel performed admirably throughout the deployment: “They represented their agencies with distinction and we thank Canadian

provincial authorities and CIFFC for their hospitality for looking after the team.”

In many parts of Canada, including British Columbia and Ontario, the wildfire conditions experienced have been unprecedented and not dissimilar to what Australia experienced during Black Summer. Canadian firefighters deployed to NSW and Victoria during 2019–20 following Australia’s call for assistance, and the Australian contingent gladly took up the opportunity to return the favour.

Canadian authorities have expressed their appreciation of the group’s efforts, professionalism and united leadership front.

This was the first international deployment coordinated by the NRSC since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed a new and unique set of challenges. With the safety of personnel paramount, significant planning was undertaken by the NRSC, the deploying agencies and relevant health and government authorities to mitigate any COVID-19 risks. This included a requirement that all deployed personnel be fully ISSUE FOUR 2021

COVID Coordinator Tim Hassiotis in Canada.

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INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES

Above right: COVID Coordinator Tim Hassiotis in full PPE.

vaccinated, pre-travel testing and mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine on arrival back into Australia.

To ensure that COVID-safe practices could be maintained throughout the deployment, Tim Hassiotis from Fire and Rescue NSW deployed with the Australian contingent as the COVID Coordinator. Mr Hassiotis’s responsibilities included liaising with local health services to ensure compliance with local regulations, monitoring a COVID-19 screening document that was completed daily by all personnel, and visiting Australian personnel at their camps to ensure they were comfortable with the COVID-safe protocols.

The crews also conducted regular rapid antigen tests, which Mr Hassiotis was trained to do by local authorities.

“The rapid antigen testing acted as both a surveillance and assurance piece. It helped assuage people’s anxiety and reassure the workforce when there were COVID-19 cases around.”

PHOTO: FRNSW

PHOTO: NSW RFS

Above: Australian contingent on their way home from Canada.

“The rapid antigen testing acted as both a surveillance and insurance piece. It helped assuage people’s anxiety and reassure the workforce when there were COVID-19 cases around.”

Tim Hassiotis, COVID Coordinator He said he was proud to be a part of the deployment. “The generosity, warmth and hospitality shown by all of the Canadians I have met during my time in Canada has been beyond repute. Whether pumping gas, working on the fire ground or buying a cup of coffee, I have been continually approached by the community and thanked profusely for my service. This was so humbling and I, along with the Australian cohort, was honoured to assist with firefighting efforts.”

The contingent arrived back in Australia on 31 August after five weeks

in Canada. They then completed a 14-day hotel quarantine stint in Sydney before returning home to their families and loved ones.

As the national council for fire and emergency services, AFAC was pleased to support the overall successful deployment through the NRSC, and thanks all agencies who participated. Both Australian and Canadian authorities have expressed their thanks and willingness to continue to improve subsequent deployments and country-to-country relationships.

BUILDING REGULATION

BUILDING REGULATION IN AUSTRALIA: HOW DID WE GET TO HERE? How did we go from individual state and territory codes to the National Construction Code, and what does the future hold for building regulation?

IVAN DONALDSON

Former General Manager, ABCB Building regulations are legal instruments intended to ensure that buildings provide minimum acceptable performance for their occupants and the community.1 Developed over a long period of time, they initially focused on ways to design and construct buildings that reduce the risk to life and property from fire, structural failure and natural hazard events.

Progressively, other aspects of building occupants’ health and safety have been included such as protection from falls, improved glazing and the prevention of the accumulation of unacceptable moisture.

The 1980s to 1990s was a period of transition from prescription alone to a performance-based national code, originally a Model Code, adopted in part by individual states and territories.

This change occurred for a variety of reasons, including: micro-economic reform in the 1980s and early 1990s that favoured contestable services, international competitiveness and deregulation a widening of areas for inclusion in response to community expectations

complexities and limitations of trying to capture all issues in a single regulation for all building types and uses a desire to balance regulatory and market solutions more effectively.

Three elements define Australian building regulations: 1. The 2020 InterGovernmental Agreement (IGA)2 This Agreement is central to an understanding of the subject.

Oversighted by Commonwealth, state and territory ministers responsible for the sound development of the building industry,3 it drives the Australian Building Codes Board’s (ABCB)4 priorities, including the content and direction of the National Construction Code (NCC)5 .

The strategic intent is to improve building outcomes, increase confidence in the building and construction industry, enhance public trust in the safety of the industry, and deliver a more efficient, internationally competitive industry through national reforms to regulation.

Its present focus is its response to the complex compliance and enforcement issues raised by the Building Confidence report (BCR)6 written by Professor Peter Shergold AC and Ms Bronwyn Weir.

2. National Construction Code The goal of the NCC is nationally consistent, minimum necessary standards of relevant safety (including structural safety and safety from fire), health and amenity and sustainability objectives.

The performance-based NCC does not require particular materials, components, design factors or construction methods and provides a choice of compliance pathways.

3. Systems of compliance and enforcement In 2012, an ABCB report found that reform over the previous 20 years had delivered, and continued to deliver, over $1 bn savings per annum to the community, and that a further $1.1 bn per annum in savings was still achievable.

Some of this unrealised reform was NCC specific. However, it also depended on further reductions in local government interventions, elimination of state and territory variations and greater administrative harmonisation.

The modern historical background

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BUILDING REGULATION

PHOTO: CLEM ONOJEGHUO / UNSPLASH

attention on water services and wastewater management. But, by the late 20th century, regulation was unable to deliver good community outcomes, with: no nationally adopted code no national body to manage a national code no performance standards no fire engineering guidelines no rigorous change proposal analysis.

Building codes were not free and there were too many local variations to the Model Code, preventing consistency.

From 1989–91, the issue came to a head. A major review of the state of building regulations clearly demonstrated that there was a cost impact of the regulatory burden on building affordability.

It was also evident that the competitiveness of the building and construction industry was constrained by differing regulatory requirements across Australia, and that prescriptive standards were discriminating against new products and technology.

Following the review, governments agreed that, wherever possible, all states should adopt performancebased, scientifically robust building regulations, developed with strong industry and professional input and drawing upon a common set of technical data. The result was the creation of the ABCB, a new code and, eventually, the NCC. 32

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The market continues to play an important role in building regulation, through contributions by professional services, product and material suppliers and building practitioners. However, there are critical life safety public good issues that clearly justify government intervention through regulation because minimum levels of building performance could lead to less-thanoptimal health and safety outcomes if left to the market, for example in the prevention of fire spread to neighbouring property.

Why a performance-based code?

Prescriptive regulations assist enforcement officials when reviewing plans and checking construction for compliance with the specifications.

However, it is often difficult to ascertain the intent and actual level of performance delivered by these specifications.

In other words, prescriptive regulation dictates how a building must be built, rather than why and for what purpose.

In the performance-based approach we now have, the focus is instead on clear statements of functional and performance expectations.

The simple and concise language used enables all stakeholders to have a clear understanding of the regulatory intent and the means of demonstrating compliance. This, in turn, allows for better scrutiny, discussion and debate

from a broader cross-section of the community.

With a focus on outcomes rather than specifications, performance-based regulations are also better equipped to take advantage of market capabilities to quickly and appropriately respond to changes, pressures and threats impacting the built environment, without compromising the core objectives of health and safety.

A performance-based approach also creates more opportunities for innovative buildings and solutions by giving more flexibility to the designer and a better indication of expected outcomes.

The Building Confidence report initiative

Whether the benefits identified for further reform can be realised in the future will depend on the governments’ responses to the challenges identified in the BCR and other reviews.

In 2018, the authors of the BCR formed the opinion in their report that “the nature and extent [of problems identified in relation to the building and construction industry] are significant and concerning”. They concluded that the current compliance and enforcement frameworks were inadequate at preventing noncompliance in building work.

The report’s goal was “to enhance public trust through effective implementation of building and

BUILDING REGULATION

With a focus on outcomes rather than specifications, performance-based regulations are also better equipped to take advantage of market capabilities to quickly and appropriately respond to changes, pressures and threats impacting the built environment, without compromising the core objectives of health and safety. construction standards that protect the interests of those who own, work, live or conduct their business in Australian buildings”. It recommended a national best practice model, or framework, to strengthen the effective implementation of the NCC. The BCR’s recommendations have been agreed to by ministers, and an implementation plan developed. Action is being taken, often at state level, with some elements being dealt with nationally. However, the BCR’s call for a more holistic approach to the problems has not yet been taken up.

Moreover, challenges continue to be faced by the industry including commercial pressures, housing affordability, building quality, global supply chain disruption and technological change, as well as the state of the building regulation regimes.

The result is that: consumers are not getting a good deal on health and safety, price or quality manufacturers are not getting a good deal because of uncertainty, lack of regulatory support and government complacency about risk product suppliers and manufacturers are not getting a good deal because the playing field is uneven.

What ‘here’ looks like from 2030

Big changes have occurred, and the regulatory landscape is very different today than it was last century. For example, we now have: an IGA that emphasises nationally agreed strategic and policy priorities a free, performance-based NCC that is adopted and delivered by all states and territories a national technical/policy centre of excellence—the ABCB—to manage the NCC a wider scope for the NCC that now includes plumbing, sustainability, energy efficiency, access for people with disabilities and acoustic amenity

a rigorous analysis gateway to test NCC change proposals a BCR blueprint for change that has earned the support of all jurisdictions, is welcomed by industry and is largely in the process of implementation.

Nonetheless, the regulatory system and those who administer it have so far been mostly deaf to the persistent calls from industry for meaningful change over and above the BCR. Why should that be? Perhaps there is something fundamental at play. Is it because we are all too preoccupied with the present, and failing as a society to see the real risks to our future health, safety and security?

The curse of short-termism afflicts all of us, so it is often difficult to take on the burden of our future world.

But do we have to wait for death and destruction before we appreciate the need to address catastrophic risk based on the science and the real costs and benefits involved?

What can we conclude?

Building regulations are almost as old as the built environment itself.

They evolved to address changing community circumstances and expectations and have changed in response to catastrophic events and community needs.

The core business of life safety is a constant focus of our building regulatory system, but there is unfinished business to make it fit for purpose and deliver the outcomes that everyone expects.

Industry has been actively seeking solutions, including FPA Australia, but change is still needed.

What more should we do?

The 2020 IGA needs to be revisited, because it contains too many ‘best endeavours’ and not enough commitment to national solutions.

There is no constitutional, legal or

political barrier to replacing the existing system, from jurisdiction-based to national, that cannot be overcome by commitment and political will.

One very positive thing for the future is that industry and practitioners often lead the call and make the effort to create change.

For example, in 2017, the Building Products Innovation Council7 developed an Action Plan for building regulation reform to complement the work of the BCR. It urged government to work with industry and the community to develop an agreed set of comprehensive reforms for building regulations and to better coordinate and utilise Australian technical and conformance expertise to address new building technologies, resolve complex performance solutions and deal with cases of product non-conformance.

Similarly, in 2019, Swinburne University studied the feasibility of creating an Australian Technical Evaluation Network.8 The concept aimed to better deal with ongoing concerns about non-conforming building products by striking a balance between the need for market acceptance of innovative products, new technologies and more complex performance solutions, and good life safety outcomes.

It is not all down to government.

We as an industry need to keep up the pressure. We all need to have the necessary vision to ask of the state of contemporary building regulations the question that the celebrated scientist Professor Julius Sumner Miller posed 50 years ago about other subjects entirely: “Why is it so?”

FOOTNOTES

1. Meacham, BJ (Ed). Performance-based building regulatory systems: principles and experiences. A report of the Interjurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee. IRCC; 2010. 175 p, 16.

2. InterGovernment Agreement (IGA) between the Commonwealth, States and Territories on Building Regulations and the ABCB, January 2020.

3. Building Ministers’ Meeting.

4. Australian Building Codes Board.

5. National Construction Code.

6. Building Confidence Report, 2018.

7. Building Products Innovation Council, 2017.

8. Scoping Study for an Australian Technical Evaluation Network, 2019.

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EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION

PROTECTING COMMUNITIES WITH BETTER WARNINGS AND COMMUNICATIONS NATHAN MADDOCK Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

A new online documentary series profiles key Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC research about warnings, public information and recovery to support emergency services in protecting communities.

The series, Driving change: the evolution of communications and warnings in emergency preparedness, response and recovery, shows the impact of the research. It follows communications and engagement practitioners from different sectors as they meet the researchers and learn how they can apply this knowledge to their own work. Watch the full series at www.bnhcrc.com.au/communicationswarnings-video-series.

The series is structured around three themes—preparedness, response and recovery—and includes an introduction that explains the how and why behind the evolution of communications and warnings in recent years. Each theme includes different types of videos to give viewers a taster of the topic, the full feature or in-depth interviews with researchers.

The documentaries give a big picture view of the impact CRC research has on policy and practice and how it can be used, explained Dr Richard Thornton, CEO of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC. “We know that emergency service agencies have used this research to improve their practices and what they deliver to their communities, whether that is educating kids in the classroom, informing the warnings that go out when bushfires flare, or helping to plan for post-disaster,” Dr Thornton said.

“But we also know that as the role of providing public information expands to different types of organisations, more and more people and different types 34

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PHOTO: BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS CRC

An online guide to using the latest research to prepare, respond and recover from hazards.

of organisations outside of traditional emergency response will need to do this in the future. The series showcases how the research is being used and the difference it is making, to guide those who need to do this in the future.”

The series will be a valuable source of information for anyone volunteering or working in warnings, public information, community engagement, education or recovery roles, and is well-suited to team training or upskilling sessions.

PREPAREDNESS

Child-centred disaster risk reduction How can children best participate in emergency planning? According to Dr Briony Towers the key is making the learning place-based, designing learning activities that draw on the natural and social environment that children are in every day, and tailoring learning to their personal interests and priorities. Join Dr Towers and Country Fire Authority’s Neil Munro in exploring how disaster education at Harkaway Primary School on Melbourne’s urban fringe is upskilling and empowering children to prepare for a bushfire at home, at school and in their town.

In this video, Mr Munro learns about the research findings, meets students Ruby and Tom, their mothers and their principal, and reflects on how he can use the research to continue to improve bushfire education.

Also available on this topic is an interview with Dr Towers.

Managing animals in disasters

Around 62 per cent of Australian households have pets, and most of these consider their pets to be part of the family. How can people consider their pets’ safety during an emergency and the extent to which their pets will change their emergency response?

Join Honorary Associate Professor Mel Taylor to find out how this research shows that engaging with people about their animals can lead to animal-ready communities and better emergency preparedness for everyone.

Also available on this topic is an interview with Hon A/Prof Taylor.

RESPONSE

Effective risk and warning communication during natural hazards

Warnings are a critical component of emergency management, and the evolution of both policy and practice over recent years has highlighted the power of warnings to save lives and a need to learn more why some warning strategies were more successful than others. With more organisations outside of traditional emergency response agencies now having greater responsibility for public information and warnings, this video follows Cathy Buck, Disaster Management Coordinator at the Sunshine Coast Council in Queensland. Ms Buck explores the key research findings with Professor Vivienne Tippett and Professor Amisha Mehta from the

Ruby and Tom from Harkaway Primary School explain their knowledge of bushfire to CFA’s Neil Munro and Dr Briony Towers.

Queensland University of Technology, and she dissects with Information and Warnings Manager Kath Ryan how the research has improved the warnings issued by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

Also available on this topic are interviews with Prof Tippett and Prof Mehta.

PHOTO: BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS CRC

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION

Flood risk communication

C_AD_2102_185x85_ES_FireMag_Rev

The sight of people walking, driving or playing in floodwaters is a source of great frustration for emergency service workers. With populations in flood-prone areas growing and the frequency and intensity of flood events increasing, flood safety has never been so important. For community engagement and communications personnel such as Katie Moulton from the New South Wales State Emergency Service, finding ways to connect with people around flood safety is a constant challenge. In this video, Ms Moulton learns about the psychology behind people’s responses to floods and warning messages from Hon A/Prof Mel Taylor as they visit areas flooded in the Hawkesbury region of NSW in March 2021 and speak with Kevin Jones, Unit Commander of the Hawkesbury SES. The research shows that there are more opportunities to cut through and influence the decisions of those faced with floodwaters to stop them before they enter.

Also available on this topic is an interview with Hon A/Prof Taylor.

RECOVERY

Understanding and using Recovery Capitals research

While knowledge on effective recovery has changed significantly in the past two decades—and continues to develop through research and practice—recovery is an area that has traditionally been poorly understood and applied by response agencies. This research produced a disaster recovery guide for people, organisations and governments managing emergency recovery, which aims to support wellbeing after disasters by providing evidence-based guidance to aid decision-making. This video follows Rowena Frost, Municipal Recovery Manager for the Surf Coast Shire Council in Victoria, as she explores the research findings and recovery guide with Professor Lisa Gibbs from

the University of Melbourne, and learns how to use the research to improve relief and recovery with her local community.

Also available in this theme is an interview with Prof Gibbs.

The series would not have been possible without the support of AFAC, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, and all researchers and agency representatives who feature across the series.

Driving change: the evolution of communications and warnings in emergency preparedness, response and recovery was produced and filmed by Polygraph Productions.

Watch the full series on the CRC website at www.bnhcrc.com.au/ communications-warnings-videoseries.

Cathy Buck from the Sunshine Coast Council (left) hears insights from Kath Ryan (right) about how the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have used the research to improve their warning messages.

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SEASONAL OUTLOOK

Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2021.

Areas are based on the interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia and other geographical features.

Normal fire potential

Below normal fire potential

SEASONAL BUSHFIRE OUTLOOK SPRING 2021: AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL PICTURE OF FIRE POTENTIAL AFAC released the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2021 on 26 August, forecasting varied fire potential for locations across Australia.

ALANA BEITZ AFAC BETHANY PATCH Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC

Fire potential can vary greatly, even at a smaller scale, between bordering states and territories. Each state and territory’s assessment considers different land use and vegetation types and is influenced by different forecasts for temperature and rainfall over these regions.

The spring 2021 Seasonal Bushfire Outlook predicts above-normal fire potential for conditions over southeastern Queensland and northern NSW, driven by grass and crop growth in these areas.

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In WA, the above-normal fire potential in the north is driven by grass growth and dry soil in the area.

Below-normal fire potential is predicted across the ACT, NSW and Victoria as a result of vegetation recovering from the 2019–20 bushfire season.

While most of Australia shows normal bushfire potential during the spring outlook period, destructive and deadly fires can still occur during normal bushfire seasons across Australia.

AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis AM said the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook is an important tool for fire authorities to prepare their operational response within their own jurisdiction and beyond state borders.

“The outlook provides a national picture of what to expect over the coming months, and the evidence

base to make key hazard reduction and strategic operational decisions to reduce bushfire impact on Australian communities,” he said.

“Increasingly, fire and emergency services work together to provide assistance across state and territory lines where needed. The outlook provides our Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee with the foresight to determine their collective capacity to share resources interstate if required.”

About the outlook

Fire management is a year-round process, and the outlook reflects the priorities in each state and territory for the coming months, given the expected climate conditions. It provides information to assist fire authorities in making strategic decisions such as

PHOTO: AFAC

Above normal fire potential

PHOTO: NSW RFS

SEASONAL OUTLOOK

resource planning and prescribed fire management to reduce the negative impacts of bushfire.

This outlook was developed by AFAC; the Bureau of Meteorology; Queensland Fire and Emergency Services; the NSW Rural Fire Service; ACT Emergency Services Agency; ACT Parks and Conservation Service; Country Fire Authority; Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Victoria; Tasmania Fire Service; SA Country Fire Service; Department of Fire and Emergency Services in WA; Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions WA; and Bushfires NT. AFAC acknowledges work of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC and its predecessor the Bushfire CRC, who produced the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for 16 years. With the conclusion of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, the outlook joins a range of successful research outputs that have transitioned and been adopted into practice by the end-user community.

Over the years, the outlook has adapted and developed as needed and as the science improved. With the move from a research output into an operational product, it will continue to be adapted and developed under the stewardship of AFAC.

“The outlook provides a national picture of what to expect over the coming months, and the evidence base to make key hazard reduction and strategic operational decisions to reduce bushfire impact on Australian communities.”

Stuart Ellis AM, CEO AFAC Recent conditions

Seasonal fire conditions are a function of fuel (vegetation) amount and dryness, and recent rainfall and temperatures.

The year to date has seen aboveaverage rainfall for many areas, with a few notable exceptions: the central coast of Queensland and an area of south-east SA extending into western Victoria and south-west NSW all experienced below-average rainfall for the eight-month period.

Australia’s recent climate has been affected by a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event. Negative IOD events typically increase the likelihood of above-average rainfall across large parts of eastern and southern Australia during winter to spring, especially the south-east, as occurred in 2016 when a negative IOD saw Australia’s wettest May to October period on record.

This year’s event is likely to be much weaker than 2016, although that

does not remove the risk of flooding in some areas of the greater south-east.

Typically, negative IOD events end in late spring to early summer, and if they are not accompanied by La Niña events (which can extend wet conditions into summer), there can be a quick return to average or even drier or warmerthan-average conditions. This can rapidly cure abundant winter and spring growth.

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook being presented at a NSW Rural Fire Service community meeting

by David Stimson.

FIRE POTENTIAL DEFINITION:

The chance of a bushfire or number of fires occurring of such size, complexity or other impact that requires resources (from both a pre-emptive management and suppression capability) beyond the area in which it or they originate.

Fire potential depends on many factors including weather and climate, fuel abundance and availability, recent fire history and firefighting resources available in an area.

ISSUE FOUR 2021

FIRE AUSTRALIA

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SEASONAL OUTLOOK

The long-term warming trend means that above-average temperatures now dominate most years, and recent months have generally followed this pattern, despite the cooling influence of the negative IOD in some areas.

Averaged Australia-wide, the country experienced its fourth-warmest July since records commenced in 1910.

A number of record-high July daily temperatures were set in 2021, including Australia’s second-warmest July day on record, which was set on three separate occasions during the month.

Across Australia, above-average rainfall and relatively cooler weather have eased fire risk for some areas, but this has also meant increased vegetation growth in many areas.

However, July rainfall was not enough to clear rainfall deficiencies present across the central coast of Queensland, and below-average rainfall was observed across eastfacing coastal areas of the south-east, including Tasmania. August saw drierthan-average conditions across much of southern Australia, and this will continue to be monitored.

Year-to-year variability can counteract long-term trends in increased severity and length of fire seasons. While fire seasons can be more benign during La Niña and negative IOD years, the tendency for fire seasons to have elevated fire dangers more frequently, and for elevated fire danger to occur earlier and later in the season is a clear trend

in Australia’s climate. This reflects reduced and/or less reliable cool season (April to October) rainfall in southern parts of the country and rising temperatures. Fire season length and severity is increasing across much of Australia as measured by annual (July to June) indices of the Forest Fire Danger Index, with increases tending to be greatest across inland eastern Australia and coastal WA. The full Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for spring 2021 is available from the AFAC website and includes further details on each jurisdiction’s fire potential: www.afac.com.au/ docs/default-source/bushfireseasonal-outlook/seasonaloutlook_ spring_2021_v1-0.pdf.

BUILDING ON 16 YEARS OF THE SEASONAL BUSHFIRE OUTLOOK After 16 years of being produced by the Bushfire CRC and then the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook has been handed over to the enduser community. As Natural Hazards Research Australia develops its new research program, the outlook joins a suite of research outputs that have been successfully adopted by the wider emergency services sector, government agencies and community organisations for use and application.

The outlook began in 2006 as part of a Bushfire CRC research project with Dr Graham Mills from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), with the intention being to provide a map of ‘bushfire potential’ alongside expert commentary on state and territory conditions and climate conditions and forecasts. The first outlooks were produced with the expertise of Dr Tim Brown from the Desert Research Institute, who developed a similar product in the United States.

The development of the outlooks has been an ongoing process between the CRC, BoM, emergency service agencies in each state and territory and, in recent times, AFAC’s Predictive Services Group—demonstrating the power of collaboration at a national and local level to create a meaningful and useful product that can be used by all states and territories, the media and a wide variety of government and community organisations.

The first outlooks were released prior to the southern fire season, around September.

Later, a northern outlook was added to the annual cycle, released around June, which captured the unique fire season across northern Australia. A Seasonal Fire Danger 38

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Outlook for New Zealand authorities was also developed. In 2020, the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC shifted the publication of the outlook to a national quarterly release to better reflect the year-round nature of fire management and operations across Australia.

The outlooks are prepared at collaborative workshops by integrating climate forecasts with extensive knowledge of the current state of vegetation, as well as of previous fire seasons, to produce an overview for the upcoming fire season. The workshops consider the weather, landscape conditions and cross-border implications leading into the main fire season. Workshop members work together to create a map that shows ‘fire potential’ across the country, in three colours signifying above-normal, normal and belownormal potential.

Over time, the definition of ‘fire potential’ has shifted slightly to become “the chance of a bushfire or number of fires occurring of such size, complexity or other impact that requires resources beyond the area in which it or they originate”. This allows for cross-jurisdictional awareness and collaboration, especially in state or territory border areas.

WHO USES THE OUTLOOK?

The outlooks have come to serve a range of highly beneficial purposes for different audiences and are a critical component in raising community awareness about the coming fire seasons around the country. They also provide a great opportunity for agencies to speak directly about any preparations underway to mitigate the impacts of the upcoming fire season, and they align these

preparations with the most up-to-date weather and climate science directly from BoM. Governments and fire authorities use the outlook for strategic decisions, resource allocation, prescribed fire management and planning purposes in the lead-up to their bushfire seasons, including refining public messages that communicate bushfire risk and highlight areas with the highest potential for fire. The ways that agencies and governments make use of the outlooks for planning varies.

Emergency Management Australia uses the outlook to advise the Federal Government and relevant departments. It is regularly tabled in state parliaments as a demonstration of the state’s preparedness. Agencies commonly use each outlook to justify significant investment in resources, such as additional firefighters, vehicles and aircraft. Another key use is to increase community preparedness campaigns in areas with high likelihood of fire.

The outlook is now also widely distributed among related organisations and community groups for local use. The Australian Red Cross uses it to produce hazard and vulnerability data maps for its emergency service managers around Australia, as part of its seasonal preparedness planning, so that resources can be shifted to areas with higher fire potential. ABC Emergency uses the outlook to schedule training sessions for its journalists working in potentially hazardous areas around the country, based on the priorities highlighted by the outlook.

Many private companies and government agencies also use it as a way of understanding their need for preparedness for the coming season.

A YEAR IN REVIEW

PHOTO: DFES WA

MAJOR INCIDENTS REPORT: A YEAR OF FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE IN REVIEW

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience has released the Major Incidents Report for 2020–21, providing a comprehensive overview of major incidents involving the fire and emergency services sector. Individual incidents documented in this year’s report were influenced by La Niña and the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALANA BEITZ AFAC

The fifth edition of the annual Major Incidents Report highlights significant hazard events that have an impact on, or consequences for, fire and emergency services as identified by the sector, providing background information about each incident and the corresponding response. Together, they give an overview of operational activity for fire and emergency services, with emerging insights across hazards, sectors, and jurisdictions.

Commissioned by the Australian Government, the 2020–21 Major Incidents Report collates activity from multiple locations and reflects the diversity of hazards that impacted Australian communities, including bushfire, flooding, cyclone and tsunami threat. Importantly, the report also reflects the complexity of these incidents as they occurred concurrently and compounded one another. This

was particularly apparent as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions continued throughout this period.

La Niña

A significant climate phenomenon influencing much of the hazard activity across the Australian landscape during the 2020–21 was the La Niña system.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) declared that Australia was in a La Niña weather pattern on 29 September 2020. The result was above-average rainfall in most of northern and eastern Australia during spring and summer months, which persisted at weak to moderate levels into early autumn 2021.

The 2020–21 La Niña, and other secondary climate drivers such as the Southern Annular Mode and the Madden–Julian Oscillation, increased rain-bearing weather patterns over eastern Australia and reduced evaporation due to increased cloudiness and reduced temperatures.

These conditions resulted in an

increase in soil moisture during the spring and summer, meaning any heavy rainfall on the wet catchments saw less water soaked up by the ground and a tendency for rivers to respond more quickly and reach higher levels compared to dry catchments.

From September 2020 to March 2021, Australia experienced its wettest conditions since 2016—the fifteenth highest on record.

New South Wales’s rainfall during this period was its tenth highest on record—its second highest March rainfall, behind 1956—while the Murray–Darling Basin saw its fourth highest rainfall on record for March.

In December 2020, WA, NT and Australia as a whole each experienced their third-highest December rainfall on record.

During this period, many flood and storm events extended across Australia, requiring responses from emergency responders and recovery agencies to support communities.

ISSUE FOUR 2021

The Wooroloo bushfire in Feburary 2021 coincided with a COVID-19 lockdown for the Perth region.

FIRE AUSTRALIA

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

PHOTO: DFES WA

COVID-19

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support and Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel along with specialised assets to manage floods, suppress fires and clean up following storms and cyclones. Assistance was provided to WA, NSW, Queensland and Victoria during 2020–21.

The protocol will continue to inform and support capability deployments across Australia to assist in responding to emergencies during COVID-19 impacted times.

South-east Queensland hailstorm: October 2020

Severe thunderstorms impacted much of south-east Queensland on the afternoon of 31 October. The main impacts were giant hail up to 14 centimetres in diameter from Amberley to Logan, and wind damage from Redcliffe to Kingston with gusts

K’gari (Fraser Island) bushfire: October 2020

Located off the coast of Hervey Bay in Queensland, K’gari is 122 km long and is the largest sand island in the world. Importantly, the World Heritagelisted island hosts numerous places of cultural significance to the Butchulla people, with many of these sites known only to local Elders.

A fire was reported on 14 October, the result of an illegally lit campfire.

Over a two-month period, it burnt over 85,000 hectares of bushland and posed a significant threat to several communities and assets.

Queensland agencies worked closely together during all phases of

PHOTO: QFES

Fire and emergency service agencies were faced with the additional complexity of responding to events in a COVID-19 environment that required strict policies, procedures and protocols to operate safely without infection transmission.

With the La Niña presence influencing rainfall and cyclonic activity, it was anticipated that interstate assistance from state and Commonwealth agencies would be needed to respond and support recovery during this period. Bushfire risk was also increasing in specific areas of Australia experiencing rainfall deficit. To support these deployments safely, the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre (NRSC) convened Commonwealth, state and territory representatives to develop a national COVID-19 protocol for sharing resources across Australia during the 2020–21 period.

The Protocol Development Team acknowledged that each state and territory had nuanced COVID-safe plans in place to meet specific requirements. They focused on developing a national COVID-19 protocol, using lessons from the Northern Hemisphere, to support jurisdictional plans and enable interstate and Commonwealth capability to assist in providing operational assistance.

The protocol was developed Giant hail up to 14 cm collaboratively and was endorsed by in diameter the Commissioners and Chief Officers hit parts of Strategic Committee and the Australian south-east Health Principal Protection Committee.

Queensland, leaving 95,000 It was applied extensively homes without throughout the 2020–21 period during power. deployments of emergency response,

Tropical Cyclone Seroja was a rare event for the central west coast of WA and triggered a multi-agency response.

over 100 kilometres per hour. Giant hail was also reported in the Gympie area, Forestdale, south of Brisbane, Hillcrest, Amberley, Springfield, Gatton and Seventeen Mile Rocks.

Following the storms, 95,000 homes were without power, and the Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 2,900 requests for assistance in the Ipswich and Logan council areas. The Insurance Council of Australia declared a catastrophe, with the damage bill at $980 M. Local services worked collectively to assist those community members most severely affected, and assistance was also provided by SES personnel from NSW and SA. Solar panels added complexity to completing requests for assistance, and given the nature of the damage, safety measures were taken including isolation of power, tarping internally and having exclusion zones around any solar on a property.

A YEAR IN REVIEW

Wooroloo (Perth Hills) bushfire: February 2021

A fire in Wooroloo (45 km north-east of Perth) was reported at 12.02 pm on 1 February. More than 140 firefighting appliances and 280 firefighters attended in the first 12 hours of the incident. The fire impacted an area of more than 10,500 hectares, with 86 homes lost. High temperatures, strong persistent winds, low humidity and extremely low dew points, coupled with steep and inaccessible terrain and high fuel loads, made suppression very difficult.

Arrangements were put in place to access additional Large Air Tankers (LATs) coordinated through the AFAC NRSC. Less than 12 hours after the request, an additional LAT arrived from NSW to support operations on the evening of 2 February. The second additional LAT arrived from NSW on 3 February and was laying retardant the following day.

The event coincided with a five-day COVID-19 lockdown that applied to many of the bushfire-impacted areas, adding a layer of complexity to the management of the incident. Specific community messaging, planning and procedures were required to manage COVID-19 safety during the incident.

Rainfall associated with a slowmoving tropical low moving down the south-west coast assisted in extinguishing the fires on 7 February.

earthquake with the potential to generate a tsunami of impact to Australia.

Based on this information, BoM determines the possible tsunami threat and the expected arrival times before issuing tsunami bulletins and warnings to media, relevant authorities and the public. While no tsunami threat eventuated, this event demonstrated that the Australian Tsunami Warning System was effective and seamless in managing warnings and the emergency response.

Norfolk Island tsunami: March 2021

NSW floods: March to June 2021

On 5 March, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake near the Kermadec Islands region, north-east of New Zealand, occurred that required the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) to act. A sea level gauge at Norfolk Island recorded a 64-centimetre tsunami wave. Tsunami waves are much more powerful than beach waves of the same height due to the strong current and surge, which are capable of drowning swimmers and toppling small boats.

Tsunamis are a rare event for Australia, but this unique incident provides insight into the system and processes that exist to effectively respond to a major tsunami event in Australia.

The JATWC involves Geoscience Australia (GA) and BoM. GA operates a national network of seismic stations and accesses data from international monitoring networks and can advise BoM within ten minutes of the magnitude, location and characteristics of any

NSW experienced extreme coastal rainfall beginning on 18 March, together with significant rainfall in many other parts of the state. This led to widespread flooding in NSW affecting regions from the Queensland border through to the Sydney metropolitan area, parts of the south coast and multiple locations inland.

Widespread flooding in NSW resulted in over $620 M worth of damage.

PHOTO: NSW SES

the K’gari fire event to contain and extinguish the fire, preserve life and protect property, culturally significant sites, historic structures and the natural flora and fauna. The Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation was embedded within the Incident Control Centre to support decision-making around culturally sensitive assets.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management review of the incident was tabled on 27 May 2021. The report contains 38 recommendations that have been supported or supported in principle.

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A YEAR IN REVIEW

PHOTO: QFES

Culturally and environmentally significant assets were threatened by fire on World Heritage listed K’gari in October 2020.

The extreme weather conditions delivered incredible amounts of rain in a rapid period over an already well-drenched landscape and catchments. At one stage, flood warnings covered an area of NSW that included a population of six million people. Across the event, over 25,500 residents were subject to evacuation orders.

NSW SES received over 14,557 requests for assistance during this flood event. Over 4,100 members from across NSW SES were deployed in response to the flooding. Other emergency services from across the state provided support including flood rescue, storm response and incident management teams. Interstate support was also provided by the AFAC NRSC, with over 350 personnel deployed from across Australia. The ADF provided aircraft to assist with search and rescue, resupply, and relief and recovery efforts.

As of 30 July 2021, the Insurance Council of Australia reported there had been 53,144 claims lodged, with $629.6 M damage incurred associated with this event.

Interstate flood response, QLD to NSW: March 2021

While heavy rainfall impacted southeast Australia for several days, Queensland did not experience the same rainfall figures as NSW. Once the situation in Queensland was under control, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) activated a task force to deploy to assist in 42

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the flood operation. About 170 QFES members deployed and travelled south to support emergency services in NSW, coordinated by the AFAC NRSC. The interstate team supported the huge flood response in Coffs Harbour, Nambucca Heads, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle and around Western Sydney. The taskforce assisted with a wide range of tasks, including addressing storm damage, heights work, public relations, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, rescues, evacuations and assisting with food and medical resupplies.

The size of the event covering both Queensland and NSW strained resources and impacted fatigue management. However, Queensland personnel deployed to NSW acknowledged the value of the deployment experience and felt respected and appreciated by their interstate colleagues.

Tropical Cyclone Seroja: April 2021

Tropical Cyclone Seroja developed on 5 April in the Timor Sea, north of the Kimberley in WA. On 11 April, it intensified and that evening it crossed the coast south of Kalbarri and tracked rapidly across northern and eastern parts of the South-West Land Division.

Maximum wind gusts of 170 km/h were recorded near Kalbarri. The impact area of the cyclone was estimated to be more than 133,000 km2.

This is a rare event for the central west coast of WA and many properties were not constructed

to withstand a Category 3 cyclone impact. Approximately 30,000 homes and businesses were without power, and communication systems were extensively damaged.

More than 600 Department of Fire and Emergency Services personnel and volunteers, over 200 personnel from Victoria, NSW, SA and 68 ADF personnel were deployed to the region to assist. Interstate SES teams were provided through coordination with the AFAC NRSC. Prior to the cyclone, the temporary population in the impacted areas had surged due to the Easter long weekend, with an estimated increase of 20,000 to 30,000 people. Extensive media coverage and public warnings were issued advising people to leave the area before the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Seroja.

South-east Australia storm and flood: June 2021

A low-pressure system moved across south-eastern Australia from 7 June, bringing severe weather impacts to Victoria, with SA, south-eastern NSW and Tasmania also affected.

On 9–10 June, Victoria recorded up to 280 millimetres of rain at some locations, and strong winds over 115 km/h were observed. These conditions caused riverine flooding, falling trees, damaged power infrastructure, telecommunication outages and major damage to road networks. Victoria SES received more than 9,100 requests for assistance across the state.

There were two confirmed fatalities relating to the storm event, one in Gippsland floodwaters in Woodside and another in floodwaters off Maddens Bridge Road in Glenfyne, 45 km east of Warrnambool. Several communities were isolated from any communication access, and several communities experienced power outages for many days and weeks.

More than 1,450 personnel responded to this event, comprising of 950 personnel in the field and approximately 500 personnel supporting the response, including in the State Control Centre.

Information in this article is sourced from the Major Incidents Report 2020–21 (AIDR 2021). More details about each event and the National Overview are included in the report: https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/ resources/major-incidents-report

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AFAC Q&A

PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SECTOR Chief Executive Officer, AFAC

Right Stuart Ellis addresses delegates at the annual AFAC Conference and Exhibition event.

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In this regular series, AFAC CEO Stuart Ellis usually interviews a senior AFAC leader.

However, on the cusp of Stuart’s retirement, AFAC President Paul Baxter has turned the tables and asks Stuart to reflect upon his career, his professional observations and the future.

You’ve had a highly distinguished and dedicated career spanning 40 years of service to Australia as both a Senior Executive Leader and Senior Defence Officer. What have some of the highlights been?

The sense of service is something I have been very comfortable with and proud to deliver. Much of that service both in Defence and with emergency services has been, to some degree, out of the spotlight. This provided me the opportunity to build levels of preparedness and readiness, which is a great contribution to our way of life in Australia, ultimately generating community resilience. Perversely, some of the career highlights for me have been reviewing events that were disasters: the Defence Inquiry into Black Hawk collision in 1996; the review of Canberra bushfires in 2003; the Victorian Black Saturday Royal Commission in 2009; and the review of Christchurch earthquake in 2011.

Deploying overseas with Defence was also significant and my time in

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Somalia left strong impressions. The last nine years with AFAC has been an honour, and I am very grateful for the opportunity.

You’ve witnessed a great deal of change in the fire and emergency services industry. What are some of the most significant, and what do you think some of the key changes will be over the next 40 years?

We are a conservative lot and find change challenging. Projecting 40 years ahead is quite an ask. Over the last ten years we have progressed our national arrangements, through the Commissioners and Chief Officers Strategic Committee, the AFAC National Resource Sharing Centre, improved aerial firefighting capabilities, better integration with Emergency Management Australia and the Federal Government as examples. We need to become more engaged in generating community resilience and I see that as a future trend—shifting more to mitigation and integration into community. Technology will present opportunities over the next 40 years we have not yet imagined and so we PHOTO: AFAC

STUART ELLIS AM

need to become more comfortable with change, while remaining focused on community safety.

The recent Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (RCNNDA) ‘forensically’ inquired into AFAC’s role in emergency preparedness and response. What do you think were the takeaway lessons, and what do you think AFAC members should be proud of?

I doubt AFAC has undergone greater scrutiny than during the RCNNDA. We came through that largely unscathed.

While the Commissioners were clearly uncomfortable that many of the functions undertaken by AFAC were not occurring in government, in the end they made no recommendations for this to change and the Federal Government endorsed the current arrangements.

AFAC works very well drawing together 33 agencies across nine jurisdictions and, when it is appropriate to do so, progressing national projects, initiatives and responses. AFAC maximises the opportunities for the fire and emergency sector, and we should be proud of that.

AFAC Q&A

PHOTO: AFAC

we need to recognise them as such through our Emergency Management Professionalisation Scheme (EMPS).

Be proud of the skills and currency we maintain and have it recognised through EMPS.

PHOTO: AFAC

You leave a tremendous and unparalleled legacy of achievement, having improved the lives of so many. All of us wish you, your wife Jo and your family the very best for the future, and a happy and healthy retirement. Any retirement plans (once COVID-19 restrictions lift and you can leave your house!) that you’d like to share?

We are keen gardeners and while that may sound pedestrian, we are planning a largely self-sustaining home and garden in SA, so we are looking forward to developing that. We are also keen travellers and with one son in the UK with a grandchild on the way, that will be a priority. I have also been with Rotary for almost 20 years and will be living near the local CFS Brigade, so that may also be a calling. Finally, we love walking with the dog and that keeps us fit and on the move.

Left Stuart Ellis initiated the annual National Memorial Service and the Memorial Wall in Canberra.

You’ve been instrumental in many improvements to the industry. In your view, what are some of the key challenges it will need to overcome?

Better accepting diversity and inclusion and changing our collective culture to accommodate women is a major challenge that will not be resolved quickly and will require sustained effort from the top down and the bottom up. We need to accept more women into our sector and this, in turn, will help us better reflect the communities we serve, improve our mental health and provide greater opportunities to improve our operational capability.

We need to be more data savvy.

While we collect the data that individual agencies need, we are not good at analysing that nationally and promoting to governments and communities what we do and how we are making communities safer. In today’s world, data will do this better than anything else and we need to focus on using it effectively, or risk being left behind.

We also need to identify what

agencies cannot achieve alone and ask AFAC to help. AFAC is very effective at bringing agencies and jurisdictions together to progress issues. At a time when the Federation is being challenged, using AFAC to work together to progress the sector is a real opportunity.

You led the establishment of the Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group and initiated the National Emergency Memorial Service in Canberra, just to name a couple of your many achievements, what are you personally most proud of achieving in your career?

Improving the professional standing of fire and emergency services. We need to elevate our thinking and stop considering fire and emergency activities as vocational training only.

Incident management and many other specialist tasks (aviation management, urban search and rescue, technical search and rescue, fire behaviour analysis) demand professional skills and

Above Stuart Ellis visits the Singapore Civil Defence Academy.

International collaboration has increasingly become part of AFAC’s remit.

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WOMEN IN FIRE

BURNING AMBITION: CELEBRATING WOMEN’S ROLES IN FIRE AND EMERGENCY Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group Implementation Leader Ariana Henderson spoke with Reegan Key about her career in the fire and emergency services sector over the past decade, including her heroes, challenges, highlights and advice for women considering a career in the sector.

in bushfire for a long time and I find them to be some of the biggest supporters of change.

Adversity: What hardships or challenges have you had to overcome?

ARIANA HENDERSON Reegan Key and her team were awarded a Public Service Medal for rapidly adapting the VicEmergency platform to provide COVID-19 information.

SUPPLIED REEGAN KEY

Implementation Leader, Champions of Change Fire and Emergency Group

Since 2012, Reegan Key has worked for Emergency Management Victoria, with responsibility for how information is provided to Victorian communities during emergencies. She has played a key role in creating and improving Victoria’s public information channels, the ‘VicEmergency’ brand and relationships with emergency broadcasters. During the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, Reegan was a Public Information Officer issuing warnings to the community.

Her experience in that role and the recommendations of the Bushfire Royal Commission continue to drive her work, and she is still affected by the 173 lives lost during that event.

Admiration: Who have been your greatest heroes or champions of your career?

The Incident Controllers I worked with in 2009 and the lessons we learned through the weeks following Black Saturday. You form strong relationships ‘in battle’, and many of them have been advocates for my work. They are the ‘old foresters’ who have worked 46

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So often it is tragedy that triggers change, so it’s never an easy process to make decisions and ensure you are doing the right thing for communities.

The summer of 2019–20 saw the most critical bushfire season since 2009.

Ten years later we are seeing huge improvements, but we still have work to do.

The community expects us to provide it with information so people can make good decisions. We’ve been working hard to do this for Victorians, but the focus has shifted to a national scale, where programs like the Australian Warning System and the new Fire Danger Rating system are critical.

Another key challenge for me is juggling my responsibilities as a mum while working part time. Managing teams, sharing knowledge and meeting priorities can be a real struggle. People are supportive and schedule meetings on workdays, but when your days are full of meetings, how do you get the rest of your work done?

This experience shows that the systems are not yet built to support part time work, or to have two people in a job share arrangement. The adversity comes in creating a balance between doing a good job on days available and getting systems in place to allow that.

Achievement: What do you see are the greatest highlights and rewards of your career?

Sometimes, in hindsight, you look

back and think ‘gee we did a good job’, and the work we did in 2015–16 to build VicEmergency and our warnings platform is one of those. Our system is completely self-sufficient and can issue information on any emergency in real time. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we didn’t have a template, but within four hours we were able to issue information to community.

That work resulted in a Public Service Medal in 2020, which provided recognition of my team’s work and commitment to build a system that can truly support communities in all emergencies.

Now, our focus is moving from ‘all emergency’ to ‘all community’ and how we can improve our services for different languages and increased accessibility. Seeing the tangible differences we have made in people’s lives, during bushfire seasons or COVID-19, is rewarding. People are using the products we built to keep them safe, and that makes me very proud.

Ambition: What advice would you give to women wanting to start or accelerate their career in the fire and emergency services sector?

There’s no reason why you can’t.

I think we are at a tipping point of more women in leadership. I sent a quote to a friend recently that said ‘no-one is you, and that is your power’. It really resonated. Believe you should be there, because women have such an important role and there is always great value having different thinkers in the room.

There are great leaders and influencers; I get strength and inspiration from a range of people; some I know, some I don’t. I seem to focus on leaders that I can relate to, it helps build belief that what you can see, you can be.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Above: The Hartford Hospital, Connecticut.

Above: Emergency vehicles attending the blaze.

Top: Smoke billows from the ninth floor of Hartford Hospital.

THE HARTFORD HOSPITAL FIRE—1961

BY BARRY LEE OAM

Still considered one of the worst losses of life in a US medical facility, the hospital fire in Hartford, Connecticut, on the afternoon of 8 December 1961 killed 16 people—seven patients, four employees and five visitors.

The 13-storey hospital, completed in 1948, was of modern fire-resistive construction. Internal partitions were made of utility tile and plastic with linoleum wainscoting and a plastic covered fabric finish above. In all 13 storeys, the corridor ceilings consisted of combustible fibreboard acoustical tiles mounted on gypsum lath by an adhesive. The floors were covered with linoleum and there were single-swing metal clad doors in metal frames at each end of a centre-section corridor. These doors were intended to prevent the spread of smoke and fire.

A 560-millimetre diameter metal rubbish chute, which received several tonnes of debris each day, extended from the sub-basement to the roof with an 80 mm vent pipe at the top and one sprinkler at each floor level. It opened directly onto the corridors on each floor via aluminium doors (not fire doors).

The fire started in this rubbish chute, possibly caused by a discarded cigarette. It was discovered in the basement by a maintenance operator

when he returned from lunch and he attempted unsuccessfully to extinguish it. It seems that the mass of rubbish in the chute prevented operation of a single sprinkler. Black smoke began to seep out on upper floors and a nurse on the 12th floor operated a manual fire alarm station.

At the time, there was an estimated 5,000 people on the hospital campus and 793 patients in the hospital itself, 108 of whom were on the ninth floor together with 100 or so employees and visitors. At about 2.40 pm, for some unreported reason, the chute door on this floor blew off its hinges and flames erupted into the corridor. A minute later the sprinkler operated, transmitting a direct brigade alarm. The blast from the chute opening ignited the combustible ceiling tiles and flames roared down the hallway.

According to the FPA Australia publication Fire: a century of automatic sprinkler protection in Australia and New Zealand 1886–1986, 157 fires were recorded in hospitals during this period in the two countries. All were controlled by sprinklers, with the average number of sprinklers operated being 1.18.

There were two fatalities only.

An employee working nearby closed a metal clad smoke door at the north end of the corridor, but someone unlatched the other smoke door at the south end, allowing flames and smoke to sweep into the south wing.

Hospital staff promptly closed doors to stairways, thereby retarding smoke spread and fire penetration to other floors. Firefighters ventilated upper floors and, from the top of 30-metre ladders reaching the eighth floor, convinced patients and other people on the ninth floor to close their doors and to use wet bed linen to seal cracks. Those who followed this advice survived. Where doors to patient rooms were not closed, the occupants died.

The 16 deaths occurred on the ninth floor.

Following the Hartford Hospital blaze, statewide code changes included extra exits in corridors longer than 9 m, design changes to smoke barriers and automatic fire door closers. The regulations concerning rubbish chute location and door specifications were revised. Once again, the importance of fire safety features, even in buildings of modern fire-resistive construction, was underlined in the thickest possible lines. It is worth noting that Hartford Hospital was subsequently fitted with comprehensive automatic sprinkler protection.

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STANDARDS UPDATE

BY IAN FINDLAY Technical Officer—Projects and Standards, FPA Australia

AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS

Here is what’s currently happening with fire protection-related standards at Standards Australia: FP-002 Fire detection and alarm systems The revision of AS 3786 (an adoption, with modification, of ISO 12239) is still awaiting resolution of the combined procedure (public comment and committee ballot).

The Committee is considering public comment on the revision of AS 1670.6.

FP-004 Automatic fire sprinkler installations Work continues to progress the revision of AS 2118.6.

The most recent round of TAC meetings was held in July and August via web conference.

TAC/1 Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment The TAC continues to work on its 2021 work program, including reviewing potential comments to be included in a draft project proposal for the revision of AS 1851-2012 as well as several technical documents.

TAC/2 Fire detection and alarm systems The TAC continues to seek to progress the draft ‘Good Practice Guide’ on speaker layout and a draft ‘Information Bulletin’ on building occupant warning systems. The TAC continues to actively contribute to the work by FP-002.

Discussion also occurred on updating the ‘Position Statement’ PS-05 Product compliance and evidence of suitability (which is being discussed across most TACs) as well as other documents.

TAC/11/22 Special hazards fire protection systems Following the FPA Australia webinar on the AS 5062 public comment draft, the TAC reviewed all comments for consideration to be included as part of the FPA Australia public comment submission before FPA Australia made its submission accordingly.

TAC/11/22 also continues to monitor international standards developments and potential changes in regards to PFAS and firefighting foams.

FP-022 Fire protection of mobile and transportable equipment Public comment on AS 5062 has now closed and is being reviewed by the committee.

TAC/3/7 Portable and mobile equipment The TAC continues to await the progress of the updated ACCC mandatory safety standard through the ACCC approval processes.

Like TAC/1, the TAC continues to work on its 2021 work program, particularly potential changes to AS/NZS 1841 and AS/NZS 1850 for possible project proposals.

TAC/17 Emergency planning The TAC has begun work on a potential project proposal for the revision of AS 3745, particularly to address the current COVID-19 situation and what that means in regards to emergency evacuation procedures and any future guidelines that may be required.

The TAC is also working on a draft ‘Information Bulletin’ for evacuation exercises during a pandemic, updating Information Bulletin IB-11 on evacuation diagrams and several other documents.

TAC/18/19 Passive fire protection Discussions on the topic of passive training continue.

The TAC is working on a draft ‘Information Bulletin’ on using polyurethane foams, updating the ‘Good Practice Guide’ (GPG-01) on the specification and application of intumescent coatings and PS-05 as well as other documents.

LG-011 Photoluminescent exit signage The public comment on the draft new Australian Standard AS 5358.1.1, Photoluminescent exit signage: product specification, installation and operation is still yet to be resolved.

As an interim measure, a Technical Specification (SA TS 5367, Hybrid photoluminescent signage: product specification, installation and operation) has been proposed.

TAC/4/8/9 Fire sprinkler and hydrant systems, tanks and fixed fire pumps The TAC continues to monitor and contribute to the work of FP-004 and FP-009.

The TAC is contributing to draft pumpset checklists and a draft white paper for fire protection methods for lithium-ion battery fires. It also continues to discuss the development of several other outstanding technical documents.

TAC/20 Bushfire safety The TAC discussed the need for a common definition for essential and critical infrastructure; the clarification of the complex method used in the Bushfire Verification Method Handbook; issues identified in AS 3959; the need to revise bushfire sprinkler standard; and the development of the BAL Assessment guide following the AS 3959 methodology.

FP-009 Fire hydrant installations AS 2419.1:2021 was published on 3 September 2021.

FP-018 Fire safety Work continues to progress on the revisions of AS 1530.1 (Combustibility test) and AS 1530.4 (Fire-resistance tests).

FP-020 Construction in bushfire-prone areas Work continues to progress on the new handbook for ‘Maintenance of construction in bushfire-prone areas’ (SA HB 208).

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CALENDAR

FPA AUSTRALIA TECHNICAL WEBINARS

We run a range of technical events, covering all aspects of the fire protection sector.

Presented by industry experts, these webinars provide insights into leading innovations and developments in fire safety.

If you’ve missed an event, catch up at our new recorded webinar platform, FPA+.

Coming soon we’ve got presentations on bushfire recovery and structural steel fire protection.

Upcoming events can be found at www.fpaa.com.au/events.aspx.

Recorded events are on the FPA+ platform: www.fpaaplus.com.au

METEOROLOGY FOR DISASTER MANAGERS MASTERCLASS

This highly rated masterclass from the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience is now available as an online event. Learn the fundamentals of weather direct from the Bureau of Meteorology. Attend the masterclass to learn about the fundamentals of weather and deepen your understanding of weather forecasts and warnings.

New dates: 10-11 February 2022 17-18 March 2022 19-20 May 2022 For more information and registration, visit: www.aidr.org.au/ events/20324?locationId=31075

UNDERSTANDING BUSHFIRE RECOVERY AND ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS

On Thursday, 2 December, 2021, at 1pm, Clinical Psychologist David Younger will facilitate a forum on bushfire recovery.

The 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires were a significant natural disaster and the personal recovery for community members is far from over.

Ongoing challenges have delayed rebuilding, and are affecting community resilience.

This webinar will provide an opportunity for industry to discuss and learn about bushfire recovery and how to support fire-affected communities.

For more information or to register, visit: fpaaust.eventsair.com/ bushfirerecovery

JOINT EDITORS PAUL WATERHOUSE (FPA AUSTRALIA)

FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION AUSTRALIA (FPA AUSTRALIA)

Tel +61 3 8892 3133 paul.waterhouse@fpaa.com.au

ABN 30 005 366 576

BETHANY PATCH (BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS CRC) Tel +61 3 9412 9604 bethany.patch@bnhcrc.com.au ALANA BEITZ (AFAC) Tel +61 3 9418 5233 alana.beitz@afac.com.au

PO Box 1049 Box Hill VIC 31 Australia Tel +61 3 8892 3133 Fax +61 3 8892 3132 magazine@fpaa.com.au www.fpaa.com.au

BUSHFIRE AND NATURAL HAZARDS COOPERATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE ABN 21 163 137 979 Level 1, 340 Albert Street East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia Tel +61 3 9412 9600 office@bnhcrc.com.au www.bnhcrc.com.au

AFAC ABN 52 060 049 327 Level 1, 340 Albert Street East Melbourne VIC 3002 Australia Tel +61 3 9419 2388 Fax +61 3 9419 2389 afac@afac.com.au www.afac.com.au

TO SUBMIT A CONTRIBUTION OR TO ADVERTISE IN FIRE AUSTRALIA, PLEASE CONTACT:

PAUL WATERHOUSE FPA AUSTRALIA TEL +61 3 8892 3133 magazine@fpaa.com.au

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN: CORETEXT Tel +61 3 9670 1168 www.coretext.com.au

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MOVERS AND SHAKERS

DERMOT BARRY

NEIL COOPER

IAIN MACKENZIE AFSM

TIM MOLTMANN

KATE VINOT

JULIA WADDINGTON-POWELL

Dermot Barry has been appointed as the new Chief Officer of the Tasmania Fire Service, as of 2 August. He brings more than 35 years of emergency management experience in operation and senior executive roles, most recently as the Deputy Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Service. He has previously been Managing Director of Worldwide Public Safety at Microsoft in the USA, practised as a Barrister/Solicitor in Adelaide and has almost 20 years’ experience as a firefighter with South Australia Metropolitan Fire Service, where he achieved the rank of Assistant Chief Fire Officer.

Tim Moltmann joins Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Board with a distinctive combination of experience in both publicly funded research and private sector management. For 25 years he worked in leadership positions within Australian marine and climate science as Director of Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System based at the University of Tasmania, rising to Deputy Chief of the Marine and Atmospheric Research Division at CSIRO in Hobart. Mr Moltmann is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, and he currently chairs the National Environmental Science Program Marine and Coastal Hub, and the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish Control Partnership Group.

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Neil Cooper (Coops) is retiring from his position as Manager of the Fire Management Unit with the ACT Parks and Conservation Service. From his early career in plantation forestry establishment, silviculture and harvesting, Mr Cooper continued in his career to play a key role in land and fire management science, technology and training in the ACT, Australia and internationally. He has participated in several overseas deployments to the United States and presented papers at international forums including the United Nations in Rome in 2010 and 2012. He has been a valued and active member of the AFAC Board since 2013.

Kate Vinot joins Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Board, bringing more than 20 years’ experience as a senior executive in public and private sector organisations, where the impact of natural hazards is critical to community resilience and success. Ms Vinot led the Utilities, Environment and Infrastructure practice at Nous Group as a Principal in Strategy and Public Policy, and has served on the Boards of GWM Water, Parks Victoria and Zoos Victoria. She is motivated by how analysis and insight from research can support better, more sustainable planning and decision-making in and by organisations. Ms Vinot has qualifications in engineering, economics and business administration. She is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an alumna of the Williamson Community Leadership Program and a Rhodes Scholar.

Iain Mackenzie AFSM joins Natural Hazards Research Australia’s Board after 40 years’ experience in the public safety sector. Mr Mackenzie is passionate about improving outcomes for people and their communities, and the need for policy to be based on sound evidence. He has been at the centre of the evolution of emergency and disaster management for many years as a Deputy Commissioner at Queensland Fire and Rescue Services, as Queensland’s inaugural InspectorGeneral for Emergency Management leading reviews into several large natural hazard disasters, and as Senior Advisor to the Federal Minister for Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud MP.

Julia Waddington-Powell has taken the position of Chief Executive of the South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) after two years in the South Australian Ambulance Service where she held the role of Executive Director Operations for Country, Rescue Retrieval and Aviation Services. Starting her career in nursing, she has been in the South Australian public sector for 30 years, working in both rural and metropolitan health settings across South Australia including management and educational roles, and Operations and Emergency Management Coordination.

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