The Victorian Government commits to improving evacuation decision-making processes– for example, through expanded use of more sophisticated tools such as spatially based evacuation planning currently being trialled along the Great Ocean Road.

Victoria Police will look at creating a cadre of specially trained personnel equipped to undertake evacuation and traffic management roles required in an emergency, to ensure evacuation and early departure from at-risk areas occurs seamlessly.

Victoria Police, in conjunction with sector partners, will develop and deliver training and exercising to key incident management and decision-making personnel on improved evacuation doctrine and processes.

To further strengthen evacuation plans and processes, Victoria Police commits to work with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), land managers, fire agencies and the community to better understand and identify risks on a year-to-year basis, taking into account factors such as climate change, seasonal conditions, and previous bushfire history.

Victoria Police will work with regions, partner agencies and the community to review, enhance and further develop evacuation plans for high-risk communities including those in remote locations. A key focus will be visitors and tourists planning to travel within these locations.
 

Victoria Police in conjunction with sector partners, commit to applying learnings from Exercise Praesidio - a simulated bushfire evacuation in 2019 involving the Powelltown, Three Bridges and Gilderoy communities – to improve future evacuation plans, processes and capability.

Victoria Police, in conjunction with responder agencies will update and enhance risk intelligence and predictive service offerings to support evacuation decision-making as it applies to evacuation planning and support the development of modelling to enhance the future development of risk-based evacuation and localised emergency management plans.

Victoria Police, in collaboration with relevant agencies, will update the Joint Standard Operating Procedure (JSOP) for evacuations and other relevant doctrine to incorporate learnings from evacuations during the 2019-20 summer. This work will be completed in two phases (with priority actions completed before the upcoming season, followed by consideration of longer-term actions).

Prior to the 2021–22 financial year, the Victorian Government will make sure consistent processes and communications are developed in relation to evacuations and the closure of access roads, parks and reserves.

The Victorian Government has committed to reviewing Victoria’s Code Red arrangements to ensure there is absolute clarity in relation to evacuation requirements and expectations. This work is expected to be finalised by November 2020.