Quality Risk and Safety Policies – Extreme Heat and Bushfire
Issued:
Replaces:
First Issued:
13/11/2014
17/12/2013
27/07/2012
Extreme Heat and Bushfire
Policy
For the purpose of this policy and procedure an extreme heat event is defined as three or more consecutive
days when local or regional temperatures are forecast 39.0 degrees Celsius.
Bushfire is a fire event declared as such by the SA Country Fire Service.
Many older people living in the community are at increased risk of harm from heat-related distress or illness
and/or bushfire. Country Home Services policy and procedure outlines the required response to ensure an
appropriate response to support those older people at increased risk:

We support our clients at increased risk and their carers/families to minimise the effects of
extreme heat and/or bushfire on their health and wellbeing.

We support our clients at increased risk and their carer/family to have plans and arrangements
in place to assist the person, their pets and property during extreme heat conditions or bushfire.

Country Home Services staff and contractors have guidelines, information and strategy options
to deliver the best possible services to clients in extreme heat conditions or bushfire.
The following principles will guide our response in circumstances of extreme heat or bushfire:

Services will continue normally unless information is received that initiates an alternative
response to the delivery of service provision. Services may be modified to assist the safety of
clients, staff and contractors. However; during SA Country Fire Services catastrophic declared
days, some clients may be notified that their services will be rescheduled or cancelled.

Country Home Services will provide information about the signs of heat stress and indicators of
health deterioration and appropriate response.

Managing the effects of extreme heat or bushfire on a client is a shared responsibility with the
person, their carer/family/GP/health and care providers.
‘At Risk’ Clients
Country Home Services recognise that certain clients are particularly ‘at risk’ in extreme heat or bushfire
events due to their personal circumstance e.g. location, impaired mobility, absence of local support persons,
impaired mental state. Country Home Services will by assessment identify these clients who are ‘at risk’ and
record them in CIM on either the Bushfire Register or as an alert dependant on assessment e.g. Alert
recorded in CIM as Extreme Heat Risk.
Country Home Services will pay particular attention to these clients by:
1. Assisting them to register with Telecross REDi.
2. Phoning them in advance of an extreme heat event or when their place of residence is
threatened by a bushfire, if that forms part of their bushfire response plan. In the case of threat
by bushfire, we will also phone their emergency contact person, if that forms part of their
bushfire response plan or the SA Police if emergency contact person is not contactable.
3. Contacting the client’s contractor to inform them of the potential issues and strategies for
managing the situation.
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Quality Risk and Safety Policies – Extreme Heat and Bushfire
Other Clients
Our obligation to clients not identified as ‘at risk’ is met by the provision of appropriate information about how
to keep themselves safe. e.g information on strategies to keep cool, how to prepare a bushfire plan .
Extreme Heat Procedure
Advisors are required to put in place individual strategies to support ‘at risk’ clients to manage heat.
Please note that the following is a guide to actions that may be appropriate depending on individual
circumstances, including but not limited to:
1. Review regularly and undertake check visits and monitoring of ‘at risk’ clients. This may be done
by phone as it may be unsafe to travel.
2. If an Advisor has concerns for a client’s wellbeing over a weekend, negotiations may be needed
with the rostered On Call Team Leader Manager to make additional phone calls to that person
(Home Care Package clients only). For HACC clients, plans would need to be made with family,
friends or carers.
3. For all clients, negotiate any changes to their current Service Plan or Plan for Care that may
result due to extreme weather conditions (e.g. renegotiating domestic assistance, providing
more social support visits, personal care, essential shopping)
4. Check the cooling arrangements that are in place.
5. Remind the client to keep their home cool by closing blinds and curtains during the day.
6. If required, electricity black outs can be monitored during extreme weather conditions on the SA
Power Networks website–www.sapowernetworks.com.au/centric/home.jsp
7. Assist the client to register with SA Power Networks if they have any life supports in place i.e.
oxygen compressor, this will help to ensure power is returned to the home as soon as possible.
8. Where long outages are anticipated, further contact with the client may be required. A report of
clients by postcode can be generated which may make it easier to track the effect of the black
out (some areas have the same postcode for a vast area).
9. Cordless landline telephones do not work during power outages and the client should be made
aware of the need for alternative means of communication. Assist client to have a back up plan
if phone lines are down.
10. The need for extended services may be required where the client does not have family or other
supports to assist in extreme weather conditions; this must be negotiated with the Program
Manager.
11. Advisors may be required to assist with access to social support or respite services e.g. heat
wave relief centres. Information on local heatwave relief centres is available from local councils.
All local hospitals are relief centres.
12. Refer clients (with their consent) without effective supports who may require additional
monitoring during a heatwave to Red Cross Telecross REDi Service. Please note that
Telecross REDi is only activated if there are 3 consecutive days forecast for over 41
degrees with a minimum temperature of 24 degrees, these are metro temperatures.
Country Home Services are not to be used as a contact with Telecross REDi.
13. Assist the client to receive information on a monitored personal alarm system.
14. Ensure all incidents relating to Heat Stress or other heat related concerns are reported to the
Human Resource Manager and Health and Safety Representative on an Incident Form.
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Quality Risk and Safety Policies – Extreme Heat and Bushfire
15. At the discretion of the Program Manager/delegate, SMS messages may be sent to Independent
Contractors across their regions alerting them to extreme conditions and reminding them to
report client issues to local offices.
Contractors will be required to:
1. Observe for signs of heat stress, such as nausea and changes in appearance, such as red/pale
or severely dry skin
2. Be aware that heat related illness is a medical emergency. If the client has any symptoms or
appears unwell, call an ambulance
3. Contractors should contact Advisors (or the rostered On Call Manager – Home
Care Package clients only after hours) at any time if they have any concerns about clients at risk
of extreme temperatures.
Bushfire Procedure
Advisors are required to put in place individual strategies to support ‘at risk’ clients to manage bushfire risk.
Country Home Services define an ‘at risk” client in a bushfire event as – “someone who has
been assessed and identified as someone who is unable to receive and/or understand
emergency services messages in an emergency event and cannot act independently on that
advice due to social, physical, geographical and cognitive issues”
Please note that the following is a guide to actions that may be appropriate depending on individual
circumstances, including but not limited to:
1. All Country Home Services clients will be provided with information regarding bushfire safety at
their initial assessment and as required at future reviews.
2. Country Home Services will support and promote annual CFS forums in our regions and will
support ‘at risk’ clients to attend.
3. Advisors MUST keep current at all times the Contractor Availability Form for all Home Care
Package clients.
Bushfire season is from 15th November till 30th April.
During Country Home Services business hours (Mon – Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm) the following will apply:
1. The Compliance and Quality Manager/or delegate will monitor the CFS website, CFS email
notifications and CFS App daily.
2. If a “Watch and Act” notification is received within a Country Home Services region that directly
impacts ‘at risk’ clients the Program Manager will be notified. If the Program Manager is not
available the Compliance and Quality Manager/or delegate will initiate the response
3. A Bushfire Register Alert client report from CIM will be run by the Program Manager or the
rostered On Call Manager. This is located in CIM, Reporting, Client Reports, Alerts, then select
program, area and Bushfire Register report.
4. If required an SMS will be forwarded by the Contractor Recruitment and Support Officer to all
Independent Contractors in the region alerting them to the “Watch & Act”.
5. The Program Manager will delegate to the Advisors to commence telephone contact with any
person identified from the Bushfire Register Alert and their emergency contact person.
6. All contact will be documented in the client notes stating outcomes and actions.
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Quality Risk and Safety Policies – Extreme Heat and Bushfire
7. The Compliance and Quality Manager/or delegate will continue to monitor and record the
incident and notify DSS’s emergency response number on 1800 288 475 this may also include
communicating with the CFS.
8. An Incident Report will be completed by the Compliance and Quality Manager/or Program
Manager.
9. The Program Manager/or delegate will organise a debrief with the affected regional office and
review outcomes and actions. This will include completing the Preparation for an emergency
event for community care services document.
Bushfire season after hours Home Care Package clients only (on call):
1. The rostered On Call Manager will run a Bushfire Register report and print off a hard copy prior
to commencing On Call duties.
2. The rostered On Call Manager will monitor the CFS App/website.
3. Once a “Watch and Act” notification is received a Bushfire Register client report will be reviewed
and any affected clients identified. .
4. An SMS will be sent to Independent contractors in the region notifying them of the “Watch &
Act” – please note this will only occur if Server is functional and remote access available. If
server is not functional contractors identified as working in affected areas will be contacted by
phone.
5. The rostered On Call Manager will initiate the response and if required will enlist the assistance
of the other Managers to make contact with the affected Bushfire Register clients, their
emergency contact and Independent contractors.
6. All contact will be documented in the client notes stating outcomes and actions.
7. The rostered On Call Manager will continue to monitor and record the incident and notify DSS’s
emergency response number on 1800 288 475, if required. The rostered On Call Manager may
also be required to communicate with the CFS.
8. An Incident Report will be completed by the rostered On Call Manager and forwarded to the
Human Resources Manager.
10. The Program Manager will organise a debrief with rostered On Call Manager and review
outcomes and actions. This will include completing the Preparation for an emergency event for
community care services document.
During 1st May till 14th November:
1. CFS App and email alerts will be monitored by the Compliance and Quality Manager/or
Program Manager.
Signature: ________________________________________
Chief Executive Officer
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Date: 27 / 07 / 2012