Community Safety and Fire Prevention Policy

Purpose. Sets the approach to reducing emergency risk in the community through inspection, regulation, education, permits and prescribed burning, and the standards that officers must meet when exercising powers.

1.Commitment

Guardian will reduce the risk of fire and other emergencies through a planned program of building and dangerous goods inspections, assessment of building plans, community education, fire danger period permits and prescribed burn planning. Prevention work will be prioritised by risk using the regional emergency risk assessment and inspection history.

2.Inspections

Community safety officers must inspect buildings and facilities under the schedule in the Inspections, Permits and Programs Register, using the Fire Safety Inspection Report Form, and must record findings, non-compliances and follow-up dates on the day of inspection. Officers must identify themselves, explain the purpose of the inspection and act within the powers given by the relevant legislation.

3.Non-compliance

Non-compliances must be graded as critical, major or minor. Critical non-compliances that create an immediate risk to life must be acted on before the officer leaves the site, including referral to the building surveyor or the dangerous goods regulator. Major and minor non-compliances must have a written notice with a compliance date and a follow-up inspection recorded in the register.

• Critical: act before leaving site, referral where required
• Major: written notice and follow-up within 60 days
• Minor: written advice and check at next scheduled inspection

4.Community education

Education programs must be planned using the Community Awareness Program Plan Template, targeted to risks identified in the regional assessment, delivered with partner agencies and councils where possible, and evaluated for reach and behaviour change. Programs must be inclusive of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with disability.

5.Fire danger period and permits

During a declared fire danger period, permits to burn must only be issued after a site assessment against the permit conditions and must be recorded in the register. Officers must respond to reports of unlawful burning and record every response.

6.Prescribed burning

Prescribed burns on public land are planned with the land manager. Guardian officers must review burn plans for objectives, weather thresholds, resources, contingency and smoke management before approval, and must record approval and the burn outcome in the register.