The recent high temperatures and fire emergencies are a reminder of the importance of emergency preparedness and management. Prioritising planning and training means that everyone is confident of their obligations should an emergency occur.
Providers must ensure their services:
- complete detailed risk assessments and planning
- regularly review and update their policies and procedures
- practise emergency evacuations every 3 months
- train all staff and volunteers
- establish systems to ensure families understand your policies and procedures in relation to emergencies.
Services no longer need to submit their Emergency Management Plans (EMPs) but are encouraged to involve or consider information from your local emergency services where possible to provide expert advice on your procedures.
Providers and services are reminded that under the National Law:
- only services listed on the Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR) and those at risk of grass fire (GARR) must close on Catastrophic Fire Danger Rating days in their Fire Weather District. It is a condition imposed on their service approval
- all other services must follow the policies and procedures they have developed for emergency situations affecting their service (including bushfires, thunderstorm asthma and high temperatures)
- each service must determine their response depending on their individual circumstances and include when the service will close or remain open
- Family day care (FDC) services are not individually assessed for bushfire and grassfire risks, and therefore not listed on the BARR and GARR.
- this means FDC providers have an obligation to manage these risks, and a critical role to establish systems to keep their educators and children attending the service safe
- read more about all these obligations at: Managing bushfire and grassfire risks in early childhood services – Family day care services responsibilities.
Occasional care and limited hours services are subject to the same emergency management requirements as those under the National Law.
Read more at:
Updated