February 2012

SES NEWSLETTER

Newsletters will contain brief updates from relevant teams of EMQ. We welcome feedback via ses.support@dcs.qld.gov.au.

AUSTRALIA DAY HONOURS

Congratulations to all the recipients of achievement awards at this year’s Australia Day celebrations that took place throughout the State at the end of January and in South Eastern region on Friday 24 February 2012 which was postponed due to the Department’s response to the severe weather conditions that were affecting both the region and the State. These awards are just a small token of the thanks SES members should receive for their dedication and commitment to Queensland communities. Our thanks go out to all SES members whose efforts in keeping our community safe often go unrecognised.

POLICY & DOCTRINE

MEMBERSHIP There are currently approximately 7,300* active SES members.

Breakdown of active SES membership across the State

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

BNE CNR FNR NCR NR SER SWR

OPERATIONAL HOURS (as at 8/2/12)

July 2011 to January 2012Data based on attendance logs submitted to EMQ Area Office

eg paperwork delays will impact this reportable

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

BNE CNR FNR NCR NR SER SWR

Tota

l hou

rs s

pent

CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS

Since June 2011, SHQ have received over 850* clear CHC results as detailed below:

REGION TOTAL % Brisbane 291 34% Central 112 13% Far Northern 116 13% North Coast 100 12% Northern 42 5% South Eastern 100 12% South Western 102 12% TOTAL 863

POLICY & DOCTRINE cont’d

RECRUITMENT & SELECTION Since June 2011, SHQ have received over 2,600* recruitment enquiries via:

• the SES website; • 1300 369 003; and/or • 13 QGOV (13 74 68).

REGION TOTAL % Brisbane 1408 52% Central 102 4% Far Northern

Did you know?? ES Cadet membership does not count towards SES years of service.

102 4% North Coast 187 7% Northern 95 4% South Eastern 704 26% South Western 84 3% TOTAL 2682

*As at 27 February 2012

February 2012

POLICY & DOCTRINE cont’d POLICY & DOCTRINE cont’d

OPERATIONS DOCTRINE

Status Business Management Operational Total

Draft/In progress 10 9 19 Identified 15 89 104 Reviews 5 3 8

Published 70 37 107 Total 100 138 238

SES PROMOTIONAL AND INFORMATION TOOLS The SES recruitment and information booklets will be updated in the coming months. The majority of the content will be similar to the current booklets however we are altering these documents to remove any possible expiry date. By this, we mean that all contact numbers for EMQ Regions will be removed from these printed documents. The booklets will reference the SES website, 132 500 and 13QGOV however the EMQ Regional Office contact numbers will not be listed. They are available on the SES website which can be amended at a much quicker and reliable pace than printed documents.

** Draft/In progress means that these doctrines are at different stages of being developed (i.e. initial draft, consultation, awaiting approval).

CONNECT WITH US! Did you know the SES is on Facebook? The SES Facebook page keeps Queenslanders updated with the latest information on disaster preparedness and response, community safety and SES activities. Join the conversation, share your views and experiences, and let everyone know what's happening in your SES Group and community. The DCS Social Media Team also welcome photos from SES members - send your digital images to: socialmedia@dcs.qld.gov.au.

The SES Website and SES Volunteer Portal will also see some minor alterations occur primarily to fix some content formatting errors that currently exist. We are also aiming to expand the ‘Region’ pages on the SES Volunteer Portal so that these can be used to express information particular to a certain Region. In December 2011, the Queensland Government released the new Emergency Services and Safety website -https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/. The website was initiated to provide a central reference point for members of the public to access emergency and disaster-related information, including links to more popular, credible, trusted and well designed digital tools and websites. Recognising the need for clear and easy-to-access information in times of crisis, the site features useful tools, guides and tips to help Queenslanders better prepare, respond and recover when disasters occur.

You'll find the SES Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/QldSES

SES also has a Twitter feed - check out: http://twitter.com/#1/QldSES or search for @QldSES on Twitter.

February 2012

The South Eastern and Brisbane Regions have a very dedicated and passionate team of leaders and instructors who are all doing an amazing job with the ES cadets. Without their unwavering support the ES cadets would not be able to learn and have as much fun as they do. If you know a young person who is interested in becoming an ES cadet or if you are keen to look at becoming an adult member or instructor yourself at one of these groups, please call Patricia on 07 5547 3106 or email at patricia.whitehead@dcs.qld.gov.au Check out http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/cadets/ for more information or contacts for other EMQ Regions across the State.

South Eastern and Brisbane Region The South Eastern and Brisbane Regions are made up of seven Emergency Services (ES) Cadet groups. They are located in:

• Goodna; • Ipswich; • Logan; • Lowood; • Southport; • Fassifern; and • South West Brisbane.

The groups size range from 21 – 58 members and there are over 150 ES cadets and 80 adult members across the regions. All of the groups have at least one sponsoring service and some groups, like the Logan group are an excellent example of how the services including Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Fire and Rescue Service, State Emergency Service, Rural Fire Service (RFS) and even the Mayor can work together to promote and support the ES Cadet Program in the South Eastern and Brisbane Regions. Some groups across this region participate in activities with the RFS to prepare before the fire season starts, while other groups are regular helpers at the Mayors Carols by Candlelight night, Relay for Life and Police open days. Patricia Whitehead, the Youth Development Officer for South Eastern and Brisbane Regions said “we have a big year planned with 64 participants all ready for the first training course and 60+ wanting to do the second course of the year”. The ES cadet groups have an opportunity to obtain a Certificate II or points towards their QCE and this has been made easier for ES cadets in the South Eastern and Brisbane Regions with new regional based training being offered, following a successful pilot of the training last year. “ES cadets will have lots of fun during the planned activities, while learning and building on new skills, including Land Search, core skills topics, Operate Comms Equipment and Team Work just to name a few”. Patricia said.

EMERGENCY SERVICES CADET PROGRAM

February 2012

WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY

USING A LADDER A travel restraint system does not need to be used if an SES member is climbing a ladder to perform tasks such as clearing gutters or undertaking a reconnaissance of a roof structure (i.e. will not climb onto the roof). However, standard safe working ladder protocols should continue to be used, including:

• completing a risk assessment; • maintaining three points of contact; • ensuring the ladder is footed or tied-off at the bottom;

and • a ladder locking-device used to secure the top of the

ladder [if available]. ACCESS TO VEHICLES It is acknowledged, that at times, access is required to the roof of SES vehicles to obtain and/or deploy equipment that is stored at the top of a vehicle. SES members have previously accessed the roof of vehicles by using a ladder and/or footholds installed on vehicles. In determining the appropriate controls to manage the risk of falls, the new safety regulations outline a hierarchy of control measures that can be considered. In the event, that certain controls are not reasonably practicable (e.g. use of a fall prevention device), then a record of what controls are/ have been implemented must be maintained. The use of the SES travel restraint system is not likely to be practicable for accessing the top of vehicles. Therefore, SES members should continue with practices that would already be in use when accessing the roof of vehicles:

• undertaking a risk assessment [are the surfaces slippery, sufficient head-height clearance to objects, weights of objects to be moved];

• another SES member present to foot a ladder or assist at base of vehicle; and

• maintaining three points of contact. Related material: - Queensland SES Operations Doctrine, “Operational Directives –

Working on Damaged Roofs ODO 39.1”, Valid from 17/11/2011. - EMQ School of Emergency Management (SEM0602), “Working

Safely at Heights” Participant Guide, V 2.0.

NEW WORKING AT HEIGHTS SAFETY PROCEDURES

BACKGROUND Falls are a major cause of death and serious injury in Australia. Between July 2010 and February 2011 there were 13 fatalities from falls from height in Australian workplaces.1 On 1 January 2012, new safety legislation was introduced into Queensland. Although the laws in Queensland are largely the same as previous legislation, there are some changes that affect the way we complete operational tasks. Previous safety legislation outlined certain height/ slope thresholds for when certain controls were to be applied when working at heights. ‘Working Safely at Heights’ doctrine and procedures therefore required the SES travel restraint system, that made up the ‘working safely at heights kit’, to be used where:

• the roof height was over three meters; or, • the roof slope was greater than 26 degrees; or, • a risk assessment indicated that there was a possibility

of a fall-off, or through, a roof, regardless of height. However, new safety legislation now requires that the risk of a fall from any height must be appropriately controlled. There is a requirement, that where a fall risk is identified it must be eliminated, or if this is not possible, adequate protection must be provided against the risk. 1 WHS laws – do the height safety provisions fall short?, National Safety Magazine, September 2011.

WORKING SAFELY AT HEIGHTS – NEW PROCEDURES The SES travel restraint system is a robust fall prevention system. Following the release of new legislation, and to remove any doubt amongst SES members about when to use the system, it is now a requirement that the SES travel restraint system be used in all instances that an SES member commences work on any roof structure. This is to ensure that SES members have the highest level of protection whenever working on a roof.