1. What is integrated fire management planning?
In simple terms, it’s about agencies, authorities, land managers, businesses and the community working together to develop fire prevention, suppression and recovery strategies for fire events across Victoria.
2. What will it do?
IFMP will bring together state, regional and municipal levels of planning, and business and the community, as active participants in fire management planning to address the threat of wildfire, structural fire and hazmat risks occurring within urban, rural and natural environments across private and public land.
It requires the development of Regional Strategic Fire Management Plans (which is a new initiative) and Municipal Fire Management Plans (building on the current processes used in the development of Municipal Fire Prevention Plans and Municipal Emergency Management Plans).
3. Why are we only planning for fire and not all of emergency management?
The IFMP initiative came about as a result of the Victorian Bushfire Inquiry into the 2002-03 Alpine fires. As a result initial government support and funding is focused on fire, there is however an expectation that tools and processes developed could be transferable to broader emergency management.
4. How much extra work will be involved in implementing IFMP?
Large scale planning will provide better information on capacity and capability and, consequently, more efficient utilisation and allocation of resources.
5. Who will provide the resources?
Funding for the IFMP project has come from the Victorian State Government through the OESC 2002/2003 Bushfire Inquiry.
6. How will everyone work together?
Local knowledge from those closest to the community is a valuable and essential element of stakeholder involvement. CFA brigades and other community interest groups will be actively encouraged to provide input and participate at all levels.
7. How may IFMP affect me?
IFMP offers significant opportunities to improve performance and outcomes for fire and land management agencies, local government and local communities in both the shorter and longer term. In the short term we can identify best practices and identify resource sharing opportunities. Longer term, there is the potential to identify gaps and build business cases to lobby for increased funding to provide additional resources where required.
8. How will major infrastructure management organisations be involved?
Fire management planning at regional level will actively encourage and enable utility companies (such as power, water, and rail authorities) to have input into the fire planning process at the most appropriate level.
9. How is the IFMP process to be structured?
The Framework is supported by the following structural entities, established by the Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) using powers enabled by the Emergency Management Act 1986 :
- A State Fire Management Planning Committee (SFMPC)
- Eight Regional Fire Management Planning Committees (RFMPC)
- Municipal Fire Management Planning Committees (MFMPC) for each Victorian
- municipal districts and alpine resort
The State Fire Management Planning Committee has been created to establish, enable and monitor the implementation of the IFMP Framework, ensuring its consistency and sustainability. The Chair of the Committee will be appointed by the Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management (Minister for Police and Emergency Services) using powers enabled by the Emergency Management Act 1986 Coordinator in Chief.
The Committee reports to the Victoria Emergency Management Council on issues relating to fire management planning. This will include performance, non-participation, legislative reform and other matters of significance relating to fire that may impact on effective emergency management. Participants will attend regular meetings to review and authorise policies, processes and tools to support the integrated fire management planning process.
Membership of the State committee is
- Country Fire Authority (CFA)
- Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Department of Planning & Community Development (DPCD)
- Department of Primary Industries (DPI)
- Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE)
- Energy Safe Victoria
- Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board (MFESB)
- Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV)
- Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner (OESC)
- Parks Victoria (Parks Vic)
- Rail Authority/ies
- VicRoads
- Victoria Police (Vic Pol)
- Victoria State Emergency Service (Vic SES)
- Other members nominated by the Coordinator in Chief, on the advice of the
- SFMPC.
Regional Fire Management Planning Committees will be created across the State based on the eight Fairer Victoria State Government Regions. Metropolitan regions are North, West & Eastern Metropolitan, and Regional are Barwon/South West, Grampians, Loddon Mallee, Hume & Gippsland Regions.
The FV boundaries will provide a consistent approach to planning and are aligned with municipal boundaries. Committee members will work collaboratively to produce a Regional Strategic Fire Management Plan, meeting at appropriate intervals and sharing planning information.
Regional Fire Management Planning Committees will provide a critical link between Municipal and State Fire Management Planning Committees, and will report to the State Fire Management Planning Committee on fire planning issues.
12. What is the structure and role of the Municipal fire management planning committees be established?
A single Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee (MFMPC) will be established (within each municipal district/alpine resort) with the responsibility for integrated planning at the municipal and local level.
This committee will replace the existing Municipal Fire Prevention Committee (within the Country Area of Victoria). Membership of this committee will consist of representation from the following organisations:
- The municipality or alpine resort management board.
- CFA, DSE, and MFESB (one or more as appropriate)
- Other members, relevant community groups as required.
A plan that brings together all parts as a whole, across all landscapes and boundaries.
14. How will municipal fire management planning work within the metropolitan fire district?
In accordance with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act, there is no requirement for the fifteen municipalities within the metropolitan fire district to have a Municipal Fire Prevention Committee or to develop a Municipal Fire Prevention Plan.
15. How can we improve our plans?
Through effective stakeholder engagement we can value add to the existing good planning work by moving from predominantly prevention focused planning to fire management plans that include prevention, response, and recovery strategies for managing fire. This planning will also include the use of fire as a legitimate land and fuel management tool.
16. What is the status of the municipal fire management plan within the Country Fire Authority Act 1958?
Municipal Fire Management Planning Committees will still be required to produce a municipal plan. Requirements in accordance with the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 for Municipal Fire Prevention Planning will continue to be met through this new process.
17. What will the municipal fire management plan consider?
The Municipal Fire Management Plan will be risk-based and have regard for social, economic and environmental consequences of fire. This will also function as a guide for planning within and across agencies across all fire management activities.
18. How will the MFMP be audited?
An audit process will be undertaken that will include the development and implementation of the plan. This audit will be aligned to the emergency management planning audit, to streamline the activity.
19. How does IFMP relate to national programs of research and continuous improvement?
To ensure continuous improvement, the State Fire Management Planning Committee will work collaboratively with other state and national peak bodies, such as the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC), Emergency Management Australia (EMA) and the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).
It is widely recognised that best practice in Integrated Fire Management Planning will evolve over time through a “learning by doing” process. The FMPST will work with the State Fire Management Planning Committee to promote and facilitate a ‘centre of excellence’ (a process, not necessarily a physical structure). This will provide opportunities to share and explore good practice and continuous improvement in fire management across Victoria.
20. What is the connection of IFMP to emergency management planning?
The IFMP discussion paper highlighted the need to establish Municipal Fire Management Planning Committees as sub committees of the Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committees in the Country Area of Victoria.
Within the Metropolitan Fire District, fire management will continue to be considered by the Municipal Emergency Management Committee but in line with the expectations of the IFMP strategies. The process to manage the legislative responsibilities attached to the MFPC in the future is being considered by the Country Fire Authority.
Regional and State committees for Fire Management Planning are to be established under section 9 of the Emergency Management Act.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
AFAC Australasian Fire Authorities Council
Bushfire CRC Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre
CFA Country Fire Authority
DHS Department of Human Services
DPCD Department of Planning & Community Development
DPI Department of Primary Industry
DSE Department of Sustainability and Environment
EMA Emergency Management Australia
EMMV Emergency Management Manual Victoria
EMTC Emergency Management Training Committee
FMPST Fire Management Planning Support Team
FPNM Fire Planning Network Manager
FV Boundaries Fairer Victoria Boundaries
Hazmat Hazardous Materials
IFMP Integrated Fire Management Planning
MAV Municipal Association of Victoria
MFESB Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board
MFMP Municipal Fire Management Plan
MFMPC Municipal Fire Management Planning Committee
MFPC Municipal Fire Planning Committee
OESC Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner Parks Vic Parks Victoria
RFMPC Regional Fire Management Planning Committee
SFMPC State Fire Management Planning Committee Vic Pol Victoria Police Vic
SES Victoria State Emergency Service
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