A parliamentary question addresses the management of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) website and alerts page, specifically questioning why the Waterloo fire was not listed. The response clarifies FESA's role as hazard management agency and its public information dissemination practices.

AnsweredQoN 39Legislative Council
Asked
19 February 2008
Portfolio
Police and Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITY — WEBSITE AND ALERTS PAGE
(1) How are the Fire and Emergency Services Authority website and alerts page managed and updated? (2) Why was the fire at Waterloo on 13 January 2008 not listed on the alerts page, although it threatened both homes and property? Hon JON FORD

AnswerView source ↗

I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice of the question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer — (1) The FESA emergency alerts page on the FESA website operates on a content management system. It is updated and uploaded by FESA media and public affairs officers, and can be uploaded remotely and from home. During the bushfire season, the FESA media and public affairs branch is staffed seven days a week. During large-scale or complex incidents and emergencies, FESA provides a 24/7 public information service, including web alerts on the FESA website. In the case of bushfire, it is used to inform at-risk communities about critical threats to life and property in bushfires when FESA is the hazard management agency. Public information tools available from the FESA media and public affairs branch include web alerts on the FESA website; emergency broadcasts on the ABC; a recorded public information line; a manned community information line; advice to stakeholder groups; faxed, emailed and online media releases; media alerts; and media conferences. In extreme conditions such as the Parkerville fire, FESA also requests TV crawlers. (2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.
(2) Why was the fire at Waterloo on 13 January 2008 not listed on the alerts page, although it threatened both homes and property? Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice of the question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer — (1) The FESA emergency alerts page on the FESA website operates on a content management system. It is updated and uploaded by FESA media and public affairs officers, and can be uploaded remotely and from home. During the bushfire season, the FESA media and public affairs branch is staffed seven days a week. During large-scale or complex incidents and emergencies, FESA provides a 24/7 public information service, including web alerts on the FESA website. In the case of bushfire, it is used to inform at-risk communities about critical threats to life and property in bushfires when FESA is the hazard management agency. Public information tools available from the FESA media and public affairs branch include web alerts on the FESA website; emergency broadcasts on the ABC; a recorded public information line; a manned community information line; advice to stakeholder groups; faxed, emailed and online media releases; media alerts; and media conferences. In extreme conditions such as the Parkerville fire, FESA also requests TV crawlers. (2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.
Hon JON FORD replied: I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice of the question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer — (1) The FESA emergency alerts page on the FESA website operates on a content management system. It is updated and uploaded by FESA media and public affairs officers, and can be uploaded remotely and from home. During the bushfire season, the FESA media and public affairs branch is staffed seven days a week. During large-scale or complex incidents and emergencies, FESA provides a 24/7 public information service, including web alerts on the FESA website. In the case of bushfire, it is used to inform at-risk communities about critical threats to life and property in bushfires when FESA is the hazard management agency. Public information tools available from the FESA media and public affairs branch include web alerts on the FESA website; emergency broadcasts on the ABC; a recorded public information line; a manned community information line; advice to stakeholder groups; faxed, emailed and online media releases; media alerts; and media conferences. In extreme conditions such as the Parkerville fire, FESA also requests TV crawlers. (2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.
I thank Hon Nigel Hallett for some notice of the question. The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has supplied the following answer — (1) The FESA emergency alerts page on the FESA website operates on a content management system. It is updated and uploaded by FESA media and public affairs officers, and can be uploaded remotely and from home. During the bushfire season, the FESA media and public affairs branch is staffed seven days a week. During large-scale or complex incidents and emergencies, FESA provides a 24/7 public information service, including web alerts on the FESA website. In the case of bushfire, it is used to inform at-risk communities about critical threats to life and property in bushfires when FESA is the hazard management agency. Public information tools available from the FESA media and public affairs branch include web alerts on the FESA website; emergency broadcasts on the ABC; a recorded public information line; a manned community information line; advice to stakeholder groups; faxed, emailed and online media releases; media alerts; and media conferences. In extreme conditions such as the Parkerville fire, FESA also requests TV crawlers. (2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.
(1) The FESA emergency alerts page on the FESA website operates on a content management system. It is updated and uploaded by FESA media and public affairs officers, and can be uploaded remotely and from home. During the bushfire season, the FESA media and public affairs branch is staffed seven days a week. During large-scale or complex incidents and emergencies, FESA provides a 24/7 public information service, including web alerts on the FESA website. In the case of bushfire, it is used to inform at-risk communities about critical threats to life and property in bushfires when FESA is the hazard management agency. Public information tools available from the FESA media and public affairs branch include web alerts on the FESA website; emergency broadcasts on the ABC; a recorded public information line; a manned community information line; advice to stakeholder groups; faxed, emailed and online media releases; media alerts; and media conferences. In extreme conditions such as the Parkerville fire, FESA also requests TV crawlers. (2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.
(2) FESA was not the hazard management agency for this fire, although it provided resources to assist with fire suppression. FESA is available to provide public information support to local governments upon request.

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