Bushfire Preparedness Plan Template
Insert name of Clinic here
This Bushfire Preparedness Plan Template designed by the AVA, using a
combination of publically available sources, assists with bushfire
preparedness in Veterinary Clinics in bushfire prone regions of the State.
This Plan has been assessed by a quantity of practices and will continue to
encourage feedback and be continually reviewed and improved by
recommendations received.
Please follow the instructions in red text and work through the Template
with your staff as a team activity. All staff should be involved as part of
emergency preparedness.
Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the Australian Veterinary
Association and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of
any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all
liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any
information in this publication.
AVA (Victorian Division)
Suite 1219, 401 Docklands Drive
DOCKLANDS VIC 3008
Ph: 03 9600 2930 Mob: 0409 072 540
Fax: 03 9600 2940
e: avavic@ava.com.au
web: www.ava.com.au
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STAFF TELEPHONE CONTACT NUMBERS
pg 3
EMERGENCY SERVICES TELEPHONE NUMBERS
& WEBSITES
pg 4
BUSHFIRE RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Code Red Catastrophic
pg 5
BUSHFIRE RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Code Extreme
pg 6
BUSHFIRE RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Code Severe
pg 7
BUSHFIRE RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Codes Very High & High
pg 8
WORK TRAVEL
pg 9
EVACUATION
pg 10
CFA SITE INSPECTION
pg 12
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Information Management
pg 13
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Facilities
pg 14
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Staff
pg 16
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST
Clients
pg 17
CLINIC FLOOR PLAN
pg 18
BUSINESS CONTINUITY AFTER AN EMERGENCY
pg 19
PLAN DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE
pg 20
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STAFF TELEPHONE CONTACT NUMBERS
Distribute to staff to complete then collect
Please check this information is current & make any necessary changes
A completed list will be distributed to each staff member
Staff Name
Home tel
Mobile/Pager
Emergency Contact name &
contact telephone number/s
Completed Telephone Contact List Distributed to each staff member by
Name
Insert name of practice owner/manager
Signature Insert signature
Date
Insert date
AVA text messages in large scale emergencies
Members need to make sure that the AVA has their correct
mobile number so they can receive a text message if there is a large scale
emergency. You can update your mobile number by going to
www.ava.com.au logging in and clicking on “Manage Profile”
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Complete this list, then bookmark each website & become familiar with
content prior to an emergency. Remember that the internet & power
supply may fail in an emergency. Display this sign in a prominent area of
the surgery.
EMERGENCY SERVICES CONTACTS
Victorian Bushfire Information Line
CFA Website
Emergency Broadcasters:
1800 240 667
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
SkyNews TV
ABC 774 AM
Insert regional radio/TV
Police, Ambulance & Metro Fire Brigade 000
Insert name local police station
Insert local police tel no
Victoria Police website
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/
State Emergency Service
9696 6111
http://www.ses.vic.gov.au/
Road closures
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
Park closures
131 963
State Forest closures
136 186
Insert Shire Council
Insert Shire emergency tel no
Insert Shire website
Insert gas supplier
Insert supplier emergency tel no
Insert electricity supplier
Insert supplier emergency tel no
Emergency Alert
www.emergencyalert.gov.au
Workcover [24 hours]
018 312 534
Gas Leaks [24 hours]
13 2771
Poisons Information Centre
13 1126
Interpreter Service [24 hours]
13 1450
Wildlife Victoria
13000 94535
Help for Wildlife
0417 380 687
RACV to connect to a wildlife carer
13 11 11
Wildlife Rescue & Info Network
0419 356 433
Healesville Sanctuary
5957 2800
RSPCA
9224 2222
Lort Smith Animal Hospital
9328 3021
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BUSHFIRE DANGER RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Decide opening hours & levels of service during Codes Catastrophic,
Extreme and Severe and then advise clients in advance of bushfire season.
For information on what the ratings mean and what you should do, go to
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/restrictions/aboutfiredangerratings.htm#action
Code Red Catastrophic
The safest option is to leave high-risk bushfire areas the night before or early
on Code Red days. Do not wait and see. Code Red days are rare. When they
are forecast they are very serious. Know the Fire Danger Rating in your area.
The Fire Danger Rating is your ‘trigger’ to act. The higher the rating, the
more dangerous the situation if a fire starts.
STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Insert actions here, for example,
 the clinic will be closed on Code Red Catastrophic Days &
inpatients will be relocated to [insert relocation destination here]
by [insert name of staff member/s relocating animals]
 _______________________________________________________
 _______________________________________________________
 _____________________________________________________
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BUSHFIRE DANGER RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
[cont]
Code Extreme
STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Insert actions here, for example,
 Emergency Consultations/Cases Only
 No routine surgery
 Staff member/s on duty listens to ABC local radio 774, or regional
emergency broadcaster [remember to have a battery operated radio]
 Staff member/s on duty monitors CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
 Insert name [practice owner/manager] will make decisions
regarding use of a skeleton staff, with regard to whether staff have
to travel through bush fire prone regions to reach workplace
 Insert name [practice owner/manager] will make decisions
regarding the relocation of inpatients
 ___________________________________________
 ___________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
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BUSHFIRE DANGER RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS [cont]
See CFA Township Protection Plan on CFA website for information on
the meaning of ratings
Code Severe
STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Insert actions here, for example,
 Control workload where possible
 Avoid or reduce routine surgery
 Retain staffing at normal levels but with regard to whether staff
have to travel through bush fire prone regions to reach workplace
 Staff member/s on duty listens to ABC local radio 774, or regional
emergency broadcaster [remember to have a battery operated radio]
 Staff member/s on duty monitors CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au/
 ___________________________________________
 ___________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
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BUSHFIRE DANGER RATINGS & STAFF INSTRUCTIONS [cont]
See CFA Township Protection Plan on CFA website for information on the
meaning of ratings
VERY HIGH &
HIGH Codes Very High & High
STAFF INSTRUCTIONS
Insert actions here, for example,
 Indicate a Clinic gathering point in case of evacuation
 Continue with normal consultations but remain vigilant,
veterinarian on duty will consult with senior nurse regarding
workload & staffing levels
 ___________________________________________
 ___________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
 ____________________________________________
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WORK TRAVEL
 Staff working in high risk areas
 Staff who travel through high risk areas driving to and from work, and
 Staff visiting client properties in high risk areas need to be bushfire
aware.
To increase bushfire awareness of all staff:
 Print your Township Protection Plan off the CFA website if your
township is listed there.
http://cfaonline.cfa.vic.gov.au/mycfa/Show?pageId=publicTownshipProtec
tionPlans
 Discuss Plan together at a staff meeting. Remember that staff may
not reside in the area, or be new to the area, and may be unfamiliar
with bushfire preparedness. Locums also need to share in this
information as part of their induction.
 Insert Plan at the back of this folder & ensure all Clinic staff are
familiar with the Township Protection Plan before an emergency.
 Insert Plan of Clinic on instructions and conditions of making
property visits to tend to animals (consider entry and exit roads and
when it is not feasible to make property visits
Travelling by car
Leave by car ONLY if it is safe to do so. Leaving early [eg the day
before] is the safest option. Cars are a very dangerous place to be during a
bushfire. They offer very little protection from radiant heat. If you get
caught on the road, this is a very dangerous situation.
To increase your protection from radiant heat:
 park behind a solid structure to block as much heat as you can. If this
is not possible, then pull over to the side of the road into a clear area,
well away from debris that may ignite
 wind up your car windows, close the vents, put on your hazard lights
and headlights, leave the engine running and air-conditioning on
recirculate
 get down as low as possible below window level
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 cover up with a wool blanket until the fire front passes. If you have
water, drink it
 get out of the car once the fire has gone.
EVACUATION
Go to http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-and-incidents/evacuation.htm
for information about evacuating in the event of an emergency.
The safest option is to leave high-risk bushfire areas the night before or
early on Code Red days. Do not wait and see. Code Red days are rare.
When they are forecast they are very serious. Know the Fire Danger
Rating in your area. The Fire Danger Rating is your ‘trigger’ to act.
The higher the rating, the more dangerous the situation if a fire starts.
 When evacuating, follow all directions and instructions from
emergency services.
 Under no circumstances should anyone stay for the purpose of
defending the Clinic building
 If time permits, secure drugs & shut down electrical/mechanical
equipment
 Take handbags, mobile phones & valuables with you
 Evacuate hospitalized animals only if this does not put human safety
at risk. Each patient should have secure & weather-resistant patient
identification & be securely restrained during transit
 Animals will be evacuated to –Insert evacuation destinations here,
check with your Shire Council for animal evacuation sites, before
an emergency
 At all times put personal & human safety first
 After fire has passed do NOT re-enter the premises until an OH&S
assessment has been conducted, this should include but not be limited
to: structural safety of the building, safety of electricity, gas supplies
& equipment, slips, trips & falls, sharp debris & manual handling &
lifting
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In the event of being unable to leave the clinic with bushfire around the
building:
 You need a battery operated radio in case power fails. Stay tuned to
emergency radio ABC local radio 774, and/or Insert your regional
emergency radio broadcaster here find list on pg 1 of your Township
Protection Plan
http://cfaonline.cfa.vic.gov.au/mycfa/Show?pageId=publicTownshipP
rotectionPlans
 Have torches within reach
 Have a supply of drinking water within reach & drink lots of water
 Wear personal protective clothing, note that clinic staff visiting
client properties in bushfire prone regions, should also keep
protective clothing in their car, for example








A long-sleeved shirt & pants made from cotton or some other natural fibre
Several litres of water
Sturdy boots & woollen socks
Tough leather garden gloves – not rubber or synthetic
A wide-brimmed hat to protect your head
A face mask or towel to cover your mouth & nose
Eye protection such as smoke goggles to shield your eyes
A woollen blanket
 Being outdoors during a bushfire means you risk exposure to radiant
heat. The radiant heat from a bushfire can kill a human without flames
ever touching them
 Close all windows & doors
 Put the air conditioner onto recirculate or turn off
 Place wet woollen blankets around door edges
 If fire is nearby remain alert to its location
 If one part of the building is burning, close the door & retreat to the
next room with an available exit. Continue to move like this, at all
times try to remain aware of the fire’s location
 Make sure that you have a point of exit in every room you move to
 Do not get caught in a room without an exit
 Do not get trapped in a burning building
 Move outside onto burnt ground as soon as you can.
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CFA SITE INSPECTION
Book site inspection online at
http://cfaonline.cfa.vic.gov.au/mycfa/Show?pageId=siteAssessment
You will receive one-on-one individual advice about:






Property maintenance to help lower your bushfire risk
Property access
Improving defendable space
Vegetation management
Water supply requirements
Your personal capacity to cope with fire
You will also receive a confidential written report.
This inspection is a valuable preliminary action before
completion of the following checklist.
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EMERGENCY PREPARADNESS CHECKLIST
Complete Checklist in May & October of each year
Insert date last checked……
Insert today’s date…………
Checklist inspection completed by [insert name]…………….
Checklist Instructions
If you tick “yes” then move to the next item
If you tick “no” then write down:
-the action arising,
-who is responsible for the action &
-the date by which the action must be completed.
This section is divided into 4 sections
1.
2.
3.
4.
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
FACILITIES
STAFF
CLIENT
INFOFMATION MANAGEMENT
ITEM
Off site access to client contact list available
Yes
Off-site computer back-up & photos/video of
premises current
Off-site copies of important paper documents
current
Off-site itemized inventory current
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No Actions [by whom & by when]
Bushfire Preparedness Plan Template
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FACILITIES
ITEM
No items blocking passageways, fire doors or
exits
Yes No Actions [by whom & by when]
Smoke detectors in working order
Floor Plan displayed in prominent position
Emergency Plan accessible to staff eg, kept in
kitchen or meals area
Emergency Exit signs clearly displayed
Fire extinguishers properly located, signed &
checked
All areas free from non-essential items &
rubbish
First aid kit complete & contents not out of date
Gas cylinders stored correctly, & fittings in safe
working order
No empty spray cans in rubbish containers
Site access for fire trucks free from obstruction
Excess leaf litter & vegetation around clinic
removed
All gutters cleaned
Overhanging branches removed
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Flammable products moved from around clinic
Any external holes in walls closed off
Emergency Lighting in working order
Battery operated or wind up torches in working
order & location known to all staff
Battery operated radio in working order &
location known to all staff
Landline phone [without remote handset] in
surgery – if power fails remote then phone will
fail
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STAFF
ITEM
Staff informed that bushfire is a real risk
Yes No Actions [by whom & by when]
Emergency Plan discussed with all staff
Bushfire awareness included in staff
induction training
Bushfire awareness included in staff
induction training
New staff [& locums] introduced to emergency
procedures
Annual evacuation drill completed by all staff,
Including evacuation to the Neighbourhood
Safer Place
All staff read & discussed driving routes &
CFA Township Protection Plan
Staff reliant on public transport discussed
options
Location of filled water containers known to
all staff
All staff have a personal copy of emergency
contact list
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CLIENTS
ITEM
Clients advised of opening hours & levels of
Yes No Actions [by whom & by when]
service during Codes Catastrophic,
Extreme and Severe
Floor Plan prominently displayed
Microchipping information displayed in
Waiting/Reception Room
Any other specific bushfire hazards to report
Items still requiring attention from last report
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CLINIC FLOOR PLAN
 INSERT FLOOR PLAN HERE
ALSO
 DISPLAY IN PROMINENT POSITION IN CLINIC
Include in Floor Plan
 EXITS
 ALTERNATIVE EXIT/S IF MAIN EXIT
OBSTRUCTED
 LOCATION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHER/S
 LOCATION OF GAS CYLINDERS
 LOCATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
 LOCATION OF SMOKE DETECTORS
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BUSINESS CONTINUITY AFTER AN EMERGENCY
Practice Owner/Managers Checklist
Refer to your off-site copies of:




Client contact list
Supplier contact list
Electronic & paper based records
In the event your premises are destroyed, & if prior arrangements exist,
move to alternate Practice Location
If you experience a partial or total interruption to normal trading, use this checklist
from Small Business Victoria
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/BUSVIC/STANDARD/PC_63238.html








examine your legal responsibilities with a solicitor: who can help interpret
employment contracts, leases, contracts of supply, insurance policies, & give
advice on your legal options
identify all current payments which can be delayed: for example, talk to
suppliers about deferring payment of invoices temporarily until the business is
trading again
meet with your bank to discuss restructuring any business or personal loans:
check if they are willing to delay loan repayments, mortgage payments & the like
until the business is trading again
contact your regular suppliers to advise of your situation: if possible give
them an approximate date when you will resume business. If necessary, work out
alternative arrangements
contact your leasing company: discuss alternate payment arrangements
communicate with the landlord: make arrangements like temporarily deferring
rental payments with an arrangement negotiated for the business to catch up with
rent once trading resumes
contact your industry association to see what information & assistance is
available: the Australian Veterinary Association [Victorian Division] Suite
1219, 401 Docklands Drive, DOCKLANDS VIC 3008 Tel 03 9600 2930
Fax: 03 9600 2940 web: www.ava.com.au:
contact your clients/customers to advise of your situation: if possible give
them an approximate date when you will resume business. If necessary, work out
alternative arrangements – similar businesses in your network may be able to
assist with supply of product or services.
The Small Business Victoria “Critical Information List’ is also a useful tool
http://www.business.vic.gov.au/busvicwr/_assets/main/lib60208/critical_informat
ion_list.pdf
Although designed for floods, another useful website is
http://floodsafe.ses.org.au/floodsafe/businesstoolkit/WorkflowH&ler
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PLAN DISTRIBUTION SCHEDULE
Note: Once completed, please read the plan carefully, sign below
& return to Insert name of practice owner/ manager by Insert
date for return of plan to practice owner/manager
Distributed to
[Insert Names of all staff members in
this column, including locums &
temporary staff who may be employed
during the bushfire season]
Date Read by
staff member
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Initials of
staff
member
Initials of
Practice
owner/
manager