How did People at Higher Risk begin?
The Preparing Vulnerable People (PVP) project was identified as a priority to CFA after two key initiatives.
The first was the review of the State’s Vulnerable Persons in Emergencies Policy (2018), which CFA took part in. This review highlighted gaps in preparedness planning for those most vulnerable to fire.
The second was from a lived experience case study “Facing the Bushfire Risk with MS” that highlighted the complexity of planning to leave early for some people with a disability.
The case study highlighted that for some people with permanent and significant disabilities or chronic medical conditions, there can be many barriers to leaving early. Vulnerable people may face multiple barriers to leaving early for a range of reasons including the need for assistance, transport, and accessibility in the community. The PVP project was aimed at assisting vulnerable people and their carers to make plans, engage supports, and take actions in order to be able to leave early.
Understanding this, CFA has two objectives:
- to build the capability of the Community and Social Service Sector to develop bushfire plans with their clients at greatest risk in a bushfire
- to target delivery of CFA Fire Prevention & Preparedness services to people at greatest risk
A State-wide Reference Group for PVP was set up in 2019 to guide development of the planned training and resources, and to assist with reaching the people at highest risk from fire. Current members of this group are: Emergency Management Victoria (EMV), Red Cross, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), Victoria Police, Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Victorian Council of Social Services (VCOSS), National Disability Services (NDS), National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), Leading Aged Services Australia (LASA), Council on The Ageing (COTA), Gippsland Disability Advocacy, and Disability Resource Centre (DRC).
Alongside the work being done to tackle Objective 2 with EPAS, a series of e-learning modules have been developed:
Bushfire (for people who work, travel or care for people in high bushfire areas)
- Bushfire Safety for Workers
- Bushfire Planning: How to support your clients
- Bushfire Planning: You and the person you care for (co-developed with Carers Victoria)
Home Fire Safety (for people who are at higher risk from fire)
- Prevent Detect Escape: Home Fire Safety for people at higher risk (co-developed with Fire Rescue Victoria)
As the PVP project neared its end in 2022, it was clear to CFA that the work would be ongoing. In 2022, a CFA Community Engagement role was allocated to People at Higher Risk, and the State-wide Reference Group was renamed accordingly.
The work of the PVP/ People at Higher Risk team has been recognised and awarded within CFA and beyond, receiving a CFA Award for Excellence in Partnership Development in 2022 and the Australasian Fire Authorities Council (AFAC) Award for Fostering Resilient Communities in 2023. The team have also presented at many conferences and summits, including: National Disabilities Summit (2021 & 2022), Australian Disaster Resilience Conference (2022), AFAC conference (2022 & 2023), Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) conference (2023).
