Caravan Park Fire Safety
Update
David Kearsley
Fire Safety Program Leader
CFA Headquarters
Overview
• Midlands Caravan Park
• Current Issues
– Registration
– Testing and tagging
– TFB days
• Historical Perspective
• Guideline review and
where are we at
• Proposed Technical
Notes
Midlands Caravan Park Fire
Midland Caravan Park Fire
•
•
•
•
6.30pm 5 May 2013
7 vans and annexes fully involved
Separations range between 2.4m to 4.6m
4 Attending appliances from surrounding towns,
Swanpool, Lima South.
• 3 non locals travelling to Melbourne stopped to help
• Fire spread to upper levels
• Embers found more than 100m away uphill into
bushland.
Current Issues
Current Issue – Registration
• CFA does not requiring a reinspection of parks for
this registration period
• CFA does not set an expiry date of fire safety
inspections
• CFA is proposing to write to councils to advise that as
long the latest report is provided it will suffice for
registration purposes
• If council have concerns with fire safety inspections
can be scheduled during the next 3 years.
Current Issue – Testing and Tagging
• Energy Safe Victoria – Regulator for Electrical and Gas
safety provides advice of electrical safety including testing
and tagging.
• OH& S Act (2004) employers have a legal liability to
provide and sustain a safe working environment which is
without risks to employees’ health.
• ESV advice - Ensure the power supply cord to your
caravan is in good condition and rated at 15 amps.
• AS/NZS 3760:2010 In-Service safety inspection and
testing of electrical equipment applies to equipment inservice at a place of work or public place, or offered for
hire.
• AS3001 Appendix B also advices regular inspection of
leads for Caravan Parks Patrons
Current Issue – TFB Days
• Change to CFA act regarding TFB days
• Updated Can I or Can’t I advice is available on the
CFA website.(August 2012)
• http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/can/
Can I use a BBQ on a TFB day?
Current Issue – TFB Days
YES
Barbecues that are permanently fixed appliances fired by gas or
electricity, built of stone, metal, concrete or another non-flammable
material designed exclusively for meal preparation
use only gas or electricity, are designed and commercially
manufactured exclusively for meal preparation (including portable
barbecues), and when alight are placed in a stable position,
provided that:
• the area within a distance of 3 metres from the outer perimeter of the barbecue is
clear of flammable material
• you have either a hose connected to a water supply or a vessel with at least
• 10 litres of water for immediate use
• an adult is there at all times when the fire is alight who has the capacity and
means to extinguish the fire
• the fire is completely extinguished before the adult leaves.
Current Issue – TFB Days
NO
Campfires, fires for warmth or personal comfort are
banned during Total Fire Ban Days.
Solid and liquid fuel barbecues and ovens are also
banned during Total Fire Ban Days.
Fire Safety Guidelines
History
Prescriptive
Introduction of
Objectives and a
Level of
Performance
1996
2006
Refinement of
alternative solutions
principals
2012
Current Guideline
• Issued May 2012
• Updated to meet current
Fire Service policies on fire
safety in parks
• Updated to meet the
regulation changes from
2010, and the following
amendments
• Format change to make it
easier to read
Current Guideline
• Included guidance on understanding “performance
based design” using alternative solutions and utilising
engineering design to meet the objectives of the
guidelines
• Fire services expectation that qualified designers and
engineers are used
• Introduced Fire Brigade Intervention Model
• Updated design standards used such AS2419-2005 for
the design and installation of hydrants
• Updated other information including the electrical and
gas safety information
• Introduced guidance on maintenance of fire safety
systems
Current Guideline
• Compliance options
remain
• Meet prescriptive
• Use alternative
solutions
Or
• Have a combination of
both prescriptive or
Alternative Solutions.
Current Review
• 12 Months ago Vic Parks and CFA began a review
process
• Process included open discussion on:
– The role of fire services on going fire safety in caravan
parks
– The role of fire service in the design of new parks
– Methods and options for meeting the fire safety
objectives
– Clearer wording within the document
– More options within the prescriptive provisions
• Vic parks through their committee have reviewed the
document and provided changes to CFA.
• CFA accepted the proposed changes except for one.
Current Review
PP4 Fire Authority
Equipment
• CFA put forward to review
the hydrant requirements
and wording
• One key change was to
the wording:
“as if it was installed in a
building”
• This provided some
confusion not only to park
owners but designers
Current Review
• Hydrants and hose reels more prescriptive options
• Removes direct reference to AS 2419 and AS2411as much as
possible so that there is no need to buy the standard to
understand the guideline
• Options for compliance:
– Covers tank water supply, and tank construction
– Dam supply options
– Hydrant flow and pressure – Only need one hydrant at a time operating
(10l/s @ 200kPa)
– Clearer installation requirements for hydrants installations
• Does not change maximum coverage concession – 120m for
hydrants
• Allows the use 50m hose reels where straight runs can be
achieved
Proposed Technical Notes
• CFA and VicParks along with other
agencies such as Energy Safe Victoria
working on Technical Notes for park
owners
• These will include:
– Electrical Safety – Testing and Tagging
– TFB days
• These technical notes can be used by
owners to ensure park occupants meet
their obligations
• Advantage – can be revised quickly if
needed
• Envisaged that these will be Vic Park
managed documents
Really?
Thankyou