Community Resilience

One year on

Sunday, 7 February 2010 marked the one-year anniversary of the devastating Black Saturday bushfires.

More than 800 firefighters and emergency service personnel from South Australia went to Victoria to assist with relief efforts.

While it was a day to solemnly remember those who lost family, friends or property, it is also important that we recognise the positives which are now coming out of the recovery.

The multi-agency Bushfire Task Force, established following the Victorian bushfires, has also made significant progress in changing bushfire practices with 30 out of the 33 recommendations for this fire danger season completed. The Bushfire Task Force continues to progress the recommendations scheduled for completion ahead of the 2010 - 2011 fire danger season.

So far, positive improvements for the emergency services include; the introduction of the National Framework for Scaled Advice and Warnings to the community, the PREPARE. ACT. SURVIVE. campaign, the distribution of Bushfire Ready DVDs to more than 200,000 households, $12.4 million towards the Emergency Alert warning system, additional CFS community education staff, and the development of Bushfire Safer Precincts and Safer Settlements - just to name a few.

Further initiatives recently announced include the roll out of 1050 new computers for volunteers and broadband connectivity for all CFS Group control centres and brigades and SES units, acceleration of building works and maintenance on CFS and SES facilities and the purchase of 750 new pagers for volunteers.