Fire Safety Ratings

All jurisdictions across Australia have implemented a new first danger forecasting system, the Australian Fire Danger Rating System (AFDRS).

For days of forecast Extreme fire danger ratings, as notified by the Bureau of Meteorology and Vic Emergency:

Chief Warden (principal or delegate) will enact the pre-emptive relocation to Sunbury Heights PS after liaising NWV Regional Office.
Where possible, parents will be given up to four days' notice of a potential Extreme Day relocation plan by letter and SMS message. Parents are required to reply to the SMS indicating their plans to take up the relocation option or enact their own Family Fire Plan and supervise their child/rens safety for the day.
All attempts will be made to make a final decision on relocation action due to a Extreme Fire Danger Rating (FDR) as early as possible. It must be noted that late upgrades to the fire danger rating are possible, in these circumstances we will inform all parents of a relocation as early as possible.
Once the school is advised of the confirmation of the Extreme FDR, a second letter plus another 2-way SMS will be sent to all families. A3 posters will be placed on all external doors before 3.30pm
Parents are required to reply to the second SMS confirming their plans to take up the relocation plan to Sunbury Heights or enact their own Family Fire Plan. This will assist with final plans when MPS is organising buses.

In circumstances where there is:

a late downgrade from an elevated FDR day (4pm or later on the day prior or on a weekend), or
a late upgrade to an elevated FDR day (4pm or later on the day prior or on a weekend)

The school will send another 2-way SMS to all families communicating the change in local FDR and the pre-emptive actions the school is taking. eg relocation to Sunbury Heights PS. Regardless of the change in rating there will always be staff on site at 9.00am on the day on an Extreme FDR day.

These arrangements apply on weekdays, weekends, and public holidays.

Plans for relocation to Sunbury Heights PS (host school) on the Extreme day are as follows:

If children do not attend school on the relocation day, an absence note is required

Students and staff will assembly in the John Curtin Building at the start of the school day
Organs coaches will pick up students and staff by 9.15am and transport them to host school
The Chief Warden will remain behind until 9.30am to ensure there are no late arrivals
A3 posters will be placed on all external doors indicating the school relocation plan and advice not to enter the school site.
A car shuttle will occur to ensure no staff cars are left at Macedon PS
Upon arrival to Sunbury Heights PS students and teachers will be allocated classrooms in the community hub for educational programs to occur throughout the day
At 3.00pm staff and students will gather in the SHPS Community Hub building for MPS parents to pick up. The early pick up is to reduce traffic congestion with the host school parents at 3.30pm. It is important for parents to pick up their child as close to 3pm as possible. There are no after school hours care arrangements on these days.
Staff who have a pre-arranged agreement with the Principal will be granted fire plan leave if there is adequate numbers of staff to supervise students for the day.
MPS school and staff can be contact at the host school via the Principal’s mobile 0449 878 471 or the host school 9740 8660

It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days once the school has relocated to Sunbury Heights PS.
Out of School Hours Care will also be cancelled on these days.

For days classified as Catastrophic the school will be closed, and no staff or children will be onsite.

We have been advised by Forest Fire Management Victoria that there will be a number of planned burns around Macedon in the coming weeks (if weather permits). They have suggested that anyone interested in any planned burns in the area sign up to Planned Burns Victoria, as this will send a notification when a burn is first added to the schedule from approx. 10 days out (some burns may occur earlier than 10 days).

Forest School