Buninyong PS Newsletter

Bushfire Season

School preparedness and pre-emptive actions for the bushfire season

Fire danger ratings indicate how dangerous a fire would be if one started in those conditions and provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life. They can be a trigger for action in community and for school and household level fire plans. 

 

Schools and children’s services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at some lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list will be closed when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their Bureau of Meteorology district. 

 

Schools and early childhood services listed on the Department of Education and Training’s Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and those at lower risk of bushfire or grassfire on the Category 4 list take pre-emptive actions on elevated fire danger days to minimise the risk of being caught in a fire in these conditions. The category of risk (per the BARR or Category 4 list) determines the actions that the school or early childhood service will need to take on days of elevated fire danger.

 

Scotsburn Campus is identified as being one of these schools at high bushfire or grassfire risk, and is listed on the Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR) 

 

Scotsburn will enact its pre-emptive action plan for relocation to Buninyong campus on days forecasted as High, Extreme or Catastrophic in our local area.  Parents will be notified via Compass with as much notice as possible.

 

Once confirmed, the decision to relocate will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast.  This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child.  It is also important to note that:

  • No staff will be on site at Scotsburn campus on days where the school has been relocated due to a forecast of High, Extreme or Catastrophic day.
  • School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger.
  • On days rated as Catastrophic, country bus routes will be cancelled in affected areas.

Families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.

 

For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Catastrophic days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day.

 

As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and reprioritised any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s grounds and gutters.

What can parents do?

  • Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that Scotsburn campus is relocated due to elevated fire danger or a Catastrophic fire forecast. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
  • Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters, by talking to your child’s teacher or phoning the office to discuss our emergency management plan.
  • Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay. 
  • If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s Bushfire Survival Plan. 
  • You can access current information about school and early childhood services closures, including those due to elevated fire danger, on the Department of Education and Training’s website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx

Multiple sources that offer information on emergencies are listed below: