EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN
Our school plans for a range of hazards, such as bushfire, severe weather, medical emergencies, building fires and other emergencies. We develop specific response procedures to address these risks.
We also conduct drills regularly, ensuring that our core procedures of on-site and off-site evacuation, sheltering-in-place, and lockdown/lockouts are well-rehearsed and understood by staff and students.
If we enact our emergency management plan, we will notify you by Compass notification with updates on our actions. Please do not come to the school unless directed to do so, as you may put yourself and others in danger. If there is anything we need you to do, we will let you know.
In the event of an emergency that impacts telecommunications, we will endeavour to contact you through our phone tree.
During an emergency, the school will work closely with emergency services to get specific advice to keep our community safe. Additionally, the Department of Education has dedicated emergency management staff to help monitor the situation and provide additional support to schools during emergencies.
If you have any questions about our school’s emergency management plan, please contact us on 5598 3381 and ask to speak with the Principal. Please be assured our top priority is the safety of our students and school community.
INFORMATION ABOUT BUSHFIRE HAZARDS
School preparations for the bushfire season
Each year, we undertake a range of activities to ensure the safety of our school and to prepare for bushfires and grassfires.
An important part of this process is communicating to parents what will happen when certain fire danger ratings are issued to help ensure the safety of students and staff.
Our school has been identified as being at risk of bushfire or grassfire and is a Category 3 school.
Our school will close on a day forecasted as Catastrophic fire danger rating in South West fire district.
Closure of the school due to a Catastrophic fire danger rating will be enacted when the Bureau of Meteorology forecast and related public safety messaging are confirmed. Due to uncertainties in the forecast, the timing of this confirmation may vary. Information regarding potential or confirmed Catastrophic fire danger days will be communicated to you through Compass.
It is also important to be aware that:
As part of preparing our school for the fire season, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and carried out necessary maintenance works to best prepare our grounds and facilities.
What can families and the school community do to help us prepare?
Families are encouraged to action their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days in their district. The safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.
You can find more information on emergencies, warnings and preparedness actions here:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the department’s policy?
The Department of Education annually assesses the fire risk of all schools and early childhood services with the support of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). They are allocated a category of risk (categories 0 to 6). Schools and services that are Categories 0-3 are published on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). Schools at some risk of bushfire and grassfire are published on the Category 4 List.
The department’s Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness Policy requires all schools and early childhood services on the BARR and the Category 4 List to close when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their fire weather district. All school bus routes which travel in or through a district with Catastrophic fire danger must also be cancelled.
The policy also requires that schools at the highest risk of bushfire (those in Categories 0, 1 and 2 of the Bushfire At-Risk Register) enact pre-emptive action plans based on the fire danger forecast for their Local Government Area (LGA).
Who issues fire danger forecasts?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides public fire danger rating forecasts each day of the fire danger period using fire weather district areas. In Victoria, there are 9 fire weather districts, which are based on Local Government Area boundaries.
The department uses these forecasts when supporting schools to enact their pre-emptive bushfire actions plans.