Related Pages
Related Publications
- Community Alerting for Bushfire - A Local Solution for a Local Need
- Community Information and Warning System (CIWS)
- Coode Island Community Warning and Information System
- Measuring Community Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies in Victoria
- Teenagers In Emergencies
- The Process of Building Community Alert Systems: A Case Study of Community Consultation
Web Links and Legislation
Commissioner's Community Visits
“Public safety is not just about the emergency services, it is also about communities and individuals who understand safety, who prepare and plan, and who know where and how to access critical information.”
Commissioner Bruce Esplin
As part of the Commissioner’s commitment to Victorian communities and the ongoing emergency management review process, he regularly meets with groups and individuals in communities that have been affected by emergencies.
A major focus of these visits is to provide a chance for those who were closely involved with the emergency, to discuss their particular experiences and concerns, and to share their views on potential improvements directly with one of the state’s most senior emergency management officials.
The Commissioner attends community gatherings and meets with representative groups in local halls. He also meets with individuals, in their homes and on their farms – sometimes outdoors where the path of the fire can be seen, and sometimes on the ground where their houses once stood.
In many cases, return visits to local communities are undertaken according to local needs, or as individuals in those communities feel ready to raise issues. While more formal meetings are held on some occasions with response and recovery personnel, including observing agency debriefing meetings, many informal meetings are also held with fire brigade or other emergency service personnel.
The visits are in keeping with the Commissioner’s independent statutory responsibilities to officially assess the ongoing effectiveness of emergency management in Victoria.
Emergency Services Commissioner Community Visits 2002-2008
In preparing his report on the 2002-2003 Victorian Bushfire Inquiry, the Emergency Services Commissioner met with over 400 people, either individually or in groups.
During 2006 Commissioner Esplin travelled across 15 regional locations and met with over 250 community and agency representatives.
Ongoing visits enable communities to comment on the effectiveness of the government’s significant investment in Victoria’s emergency service capability.