VFBV

Community Safety

Joint Committee -2 Minute Briefing

Issue 8, March 2014

Quick snapshot of the priority issues and actions worked through at the most recent Joint Committee meeting between
CFA and VFBV. (Meeting held 01/03/2014)

COMMUNITY SAFETY COORDINATOR BMT POSITIONS

CFA have advised that due to a delay in support materials and personnel to support the Brigade & Membership
Reclassification Project, that the mandatory position of Community Safety Coordinators within Brigade Management
Teams will now be optional for this year’s election cycle. This position will now be mandatory during the 2015 and
2016 election cycles. Whilst not mandatory this year, Brigades are still encouraged to elect this position at their earliest
opportunity. Support materials specific to this role are available from your (CEC) Community Education Coordinator
located at each of CFA’s Regional offices.

SKILLS RECOGNITION & COMMUNITY SAFETY DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS

Most members are well aware that there are many training opportunities and formal competencies available for
brigade members related to Fire Suppression, but very few opportunities for members to participate in more formal
training in their Fire Suppression activities. Work continues on building Community Safety Development Pathways, for
those members interested in pursuing formal competencies & other related courses and learning outcomes related to
the delivery of Community Safety programs. The Committee has been working with CFA to ensure a comprehensive
Recognition of Prior Learning or Skills Recognition process is in place before the start of formal Community Safety
training is rolled out through the Districts. This is in recognition that many members have already been doing this
work, and delivering these programs over many years, and for those members there should be an easy and simple
process for their skills to be formally recognized and assessed, with only any identified “gaps” needing to be completed
before being formally accredited.

MEASURING BRIGADE’S COMMUNITY SAFETY & ENGAGEMENT

CFA are currently developing measurement tools to support Brigade’s measure and gauge the effectiveness of their
Community Safety & Community Engagement activities within their own communities. The tools are also designed to
help the Brigade identify which Community Safety programs the Brigade wants to deliver themselves, and which
programs they would like CFA assistance with.
Whilst very supportive of this approach, Volunteer delegates to the committee have requested CFA consider the actual
“needs” of each Brigade’s community, and incorporate that in feedback to the brigade’s activities & effectiveness. For
example, a small community that is not located in an area of High Fire Risk and is well protected by natural or manmade
fire breaks has very different engagement needs compared to a community that is surrounded by heavy forest, and is
located within a High Fire Risk area. By incorporating a base line of what community needs might be, that is linked to
their risk profile, Brigade’s will have a more accurate picture of which activities and programs would most suit their
community. CFA has agreed, and is investigating ways to incorporate Community Needs into the tool.

MUNICIPAL FIRE MANAGEMENT PLANS NOW AVAILABLE VIA CFA WEBSITE

Following up on an earlier suggestion by the Committee, CFA have now implemented a system that makes Municipal
Fire Management Plans easily accessible to Brigades electronically, via the member’s area of the CFA website.
Background information on IFMP and best practice guides for the development of plans is also available on the same
page. To access, log-in to CFA Brigades Online and choose;
Community ---> Municipal Fire prevention ---> IFMP Working Together
The link to the actual plans can be found under the title “Accessing Municipal Fire Management Plans”