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C

Caller Welfare	CFS or SES families	Completed
Car	Children/Elderly	Contained
Catastrophic	Complaints - general	Controlled
CFS Community Education Programs	Complaints - volunteers or staff members	Councils
Contamination of Food

CALLER WELFARE

CAR

If you are in your car during a Bushfire - Vehicle Preparation

If you are in your car during a Flood - Flood Information

CATASTROPHIC 

This is not to be used for an actual fire, it is to be used in relation to the forecast Fire Danger Rating. Catastrophic is related specifically for the weather conditions and Fire Danger Rating for that day and not the bushfire itself. A bushfire is a bushfire irrespective of the weather conditions it occurs under. The difference is that the impact that the bushfire may have and the associated actions a community should do are all linked to the Fire Danger Rating which is derived from the weather and vegetation and other factors. A bushfire may be burning under Catastrophic weather conditions but we would not normally 'categorise' this a catastrophic fire.

CFS COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

The SA Country Fire Service (CFS) Community Education Unit provides information to residents living in high bushfire risk areas by a number of programs. Programs include Bushfire Blitz, Bushfire Ready, Community Firesafe
Enquiries should be directed to: community.ed@cfs.org.au or at the CFS website: http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/bushfire/community_programs.jsp

CONTAMINATION OF FOOD

During power outages, food spoilage can be a serious problem when refrigerators and freezers lose power. 

When the Power Goes Out:

• During a power outage, keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed and open them only when necessary.
• If power is restored within four hours, items in the refrigerator should be safe to eat. A full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for two days if the door remains closed. A half-full freezer will stay at freezing temperatures for one day if the door remains closed.
• Once the Power is Restored:
• When power is restored, check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer. If it has risen to 7.2ºC or higher, discard any potentially spoiled foods. Such foods include meat, poultry, fish, dairy and egg products, soft cheese, cooked beans, cooked rice, cooked potatoes, cooked pasta, potato salad, custard and pudding.
• Allow time for the refrigerator to reach below 4.4ºC before restocking.
• When in doubt, throw it out.

CONTAINED

A fire is contained when its spread has been halted, but it may still be burning freely within the perimeter or fire control lines.  
Other incidents are contained when the spread or growth of the incident has been halted.

CONTROLLED

The time at which the complete perimeter of a fire is secured and no breakaway is expected.  For other incidents, the time at which the incident is secured and there is no possibility of extension or growth of the incident.

COMPLETED

This is for non-fire and other incidents.  It is the time at which the incident is secured and there is no further need for CFS involvement.  Other services (Eg: Police) may still be involved in response or recovery operations.

CHILDREN/ELDERLY

FOR BUSHFIRE

Check the State Incident Summary and Bushfire Information Messages for any fires in the area of the caller. If there is information in State Incident Summary that relates to the caller's locality please use the information in the Bushfire Information Message issued for that fire. 

• Contact children/family or neighbour
• Contact SA Police on 131 444
• Refer to CFS fact sheet "What to do in the event of a Bushfire"

If there is a bushfire reported in the area let the children / parents know your planned actions from your Bushfire Survival Plan

If there is no information in the State Incident Summary that relates to the caller's locality advise them to continue to listen to the radio for news or incident updates.

FOR FLOOD/SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS

• Visit the SES Website www.ses.sa.gov.au.
• Contact children/family or neighbour
• Contact SA Police 131 444

If there is a severe weather event reported in the area let the children / parents know your planned actions from your Emergency Action Plan.

If there is no information on the SES website that relates to the caller's locality advise the to continue to listen to the radio for news or incident updates.

CFS OR SES  FAMILIES

Question: I need to contact a CFS member in ............. Brigade.

Question: My partner is on a fire appliance at the fire - When is he coming home?

Inform the caller that you can provide them with a phone number for the appropriate Regional Office to assist them contacting the requested CFS member. http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/contact_us.jsp

If the caller requests the phone number for a fire brigade, please refer the caller to the closest Regional Office to assist them contacting that brigade.

Contact details for CFS and SES are available here: 

These numbers should not be provided to people wishing to report incidents and refer the caller to 000 (triple zero) in those circumstances. 

COMPLAINTS

GENERAL COMPLAINTS or COMPLAINT REGARDING THE CONDUCT OF A STAFF MEMBER/VOLUNTEER:

For callers wishing to lodge complaints:

Advise the caller that they will need to write into the Headquarters of the relevant emergency service. 

Make sure you update the call record notes that a complaint will be made. 

COUNCILS

A list of Councils and Local Government Association contacts.