❓ A parliamentary question addresses bushfire preparedness in Shire of Mundaring schools, focusing on air-conditioning systems, fire action plans, and safe haven areas. The Minister provides details on planned modifications, existing guidelines, and emergency management policies.
AnsweredQoN 1093Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS — SHIRE OF MUNDARING — BUSHFIRE PREPAREDNESS
I refer to the report on ABC online news dated 16 November 2011, “Schools in the hills raise concerns over fire risk”. (1) Can the minister advise by what date all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring will have had their air-conditioning systems replaced or modified? (2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER
I refer to the report on ABC online news dated 16 November 2011, “Schools in the hills raise concerns over fire risk”. (1) Can the minister advise by what date all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring will have had their air-conditioning systems replaced or modified? (2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(1) Can the minister advise by what date all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring will have had their air-conditioning systems replaced or modified? (2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(1) Can the minister advise by what date all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring will have had their air-conditioning systems replaced or modified? (2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(2) If air-conditioning systems or air conditioners have not yet been modified or replaced, can the minister provide an assurance that fire action plans are in place that address the risk of embers being drawn into air conditioners and advise who in particular is responsible for advising the schools to invoke their action plans? (3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(3) Can the minister confirm that the Department of Education has inspected and is satisfied that there are appropriate “safe haven areas” at all government schools in the Shire of Mundaring? Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
Hon PETER COLLIER replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. (1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(1) Not all schools in the Shire of Mundaring are on the Bushfire Zone Register. However, all schools listed on the Bushfire Zone Register will have their evaporative air-cooling units replaced or modified. This work will be completed during 2012. (2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(2) Only evaporative air-cooling units require modification or replacement. The “Principal’s Guide to Bushfire” provides the detailed processes that schools must implement to prepare their schools for the bushfire season and the action they should take if alerted to a bushfire in their vicinity. The guide directs schools to turn off evaporative air coolers as soon as they receive a bushfire alert or become aware of any bushfire risk. The principal is responsible for invoking the school’s site-specific emergency management plan. (3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
(3) As part of the emergency and critical incident management policy, schools are required to identify on-site and off-site safe evacuation points. In the event of bushfire warnings, the safety of students and staff is the department’s first priority. This includes the pre-emptive closure of schools, as recently occurred in Margaret River and Denmark in the case of actual bushfire, and in the Wheatbelt in the case of a catastrophic fire danger rating forecast for the following day.
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