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CFA Annual Report 2019-20 8 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East Vic 3149 Telephone (03) 9262 8444 Cfa.Vic.Gov.Au

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CFA Annual Report 2019-20 8 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East Vic 3149 Telephone (03) 9262 8444 Cfa.Vic.Gov.Au Annual Report 2019–20 All material in this publication is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international licence with the exception of any images, photographs or branding, including CFA and government logos. In some cases a third party may hold copyright in material in this publication and their permission may be required to use the material. See creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0. Material obtained from this publication is to be attributed as: © State of Victoria (Country Fire Authority) 2020. Cover photo: Epping Fire Brigade’s Asim Siddiqui 2 Country Fire Authority Annual Report 2019–20 Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................4 Chair’s foreword ....................................................................................................................................................4 From the CEO/Chief Officer ...............................................................................................................................6 CFA Victoria ................................................................................................................................................8 Who we are.............................................................................................................................................................8 CFA’s response to the coronavirus ..................................................................................................................9 Fire season 2019-20 ....................................................................................................................... 10 Fire season overview .........................................................................................................................................10 2019-20 major incidents....................................................................................................................................11 Frightening firefight at Mallacoota ..................................................................................................................12 2019-20 incidents by type ................................................................................................................................14 Total Fire Ban days .............................................................................................................................................14 Extreme conditions in north-east ....................................................................................................................15 Jodie stands tall ..................................................................................................................................................16 Peers on deployment .........................................................................................................................................17 Generous donations from the community ....................................................................................................18 ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Our profile Contents A commitment to service ..................................................................................................................................21 Where CFA operated during 2019-20 ............................................................................................................24 Planning for success ....................................................................................................................... 26 Our year in review ............................................................................................................................ 27 CFA performance reporting ..............................................................................................................................27 Annual Brigade Review pilot progresses ......................................................................................................28 The Good Friday Appeal’s virtual tin rattle ...................................................................................... 29 Progress to meet objectives and outcomes ................................................................................... 30 The importance of online learning .................................................................................................. 35 Governance ............................................................................................................................................. 36 Formalised Governance Framework ..............................................................................................................36 CFA Board ............................................................................................................................................................38 Attestation for Standing Directions .................................................................................................................40 Financial Statements ..................................................................................................................... 41 Appendix ...................................................................................................................................................122 V5_14JULCountry Fire Authority Annual Report 2019–20 3 A year of challenges and changes When I reflect on the journey over the past 12 months, I am proud of the many achievements of CFA. There’s no doubt it has been a very challenging year. We had the most significant bushfire season in a decade, followed by the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, while preparing for, and implementing, the Fire Services Reform. CFA has undergone structural transformation as part of the reform, with the creation of a new fire service, Fire Rescue Victoria, (FRV) replacing the Metropolitan Fire Brigade on 1 July 2020. All CFA career firefighters and more than 170 corporate roles transferred to FRV to support its work in major regional centres and other areas of metropolitan Melbourne, where CFA was previously the only responding service. CFA will be a fully volunteer firefighting Greg Smith at Ocean Grove Fire Brigade’s annual dinner agency, supported by a team of dedicated corporate staff, which continues its work in preventing, preparing and responding to fire well as embarking on a sustained campaign in while performing a broad range of roles within Victoria, where much of east of the state and our communities and across the emergency the north-east battled continuous bushfires. services sector. Our CEO/CO Steve Warrington is to be Our members serve four million Victorians and commended for the way he led CFA during our response area, whether primary or in support this time. The demands he faced were real of FRV, covers 226,347 square kilometres of our and sustained. state. The commitment of volunteers and staff to CFA members, whether they were volunteers their mission, vision and role remains constant or staff, performed above and beyond their and will drive how we operate into the future. roles to protect and serve our communities Throughout the reform implementation the Board and keep them safe during the most has remained focused on establishing CFA as challenging season in a decade. On behalf of Foreword a vibrant and successful volunteer firefighting the Board, I extend our thanks to all members organisation, which maintains our deep and for the work they do in protecting Victorians. historic roots within our communities but also It was a privilege for the Board members delivers on our vision of empowering Victorians and I to meet the volunteers and community to be prepared for, and safe from, fire. members impacted by the fires around The Board is proud that CFA has significantly Sarsfield and Buchan in February, and to hear improved its governance and practice in first-hand how the skill and experience of many areas including financial management, CFA’s members prevented greater loss of life complaints handling, occupational health and and property. safety and child safety. CFA has been well Recognition was also strong from the served by a skills-based Board which has Victorian, national and international always been available to provide authority, vision communities, through generous donations and guidance. I am very grateful for the support to our organisation. CFA received given to me by each and every Board member. $25.9 million this financial year, and we We have also finalised our long-term strategy, have been working hard to disburse this to which will come into effect in the next financial brigades as quickly as we can in line with year and drive our future direction. the expectations of donors. The 2019–20 bushfire season was one of the At 30 June, almost $20 million had already most challenging in CFA’s history, with our been allocated to programs which support members supporting colleagues interstate as volunteers, ranging from practical items 4 Country Fire Authority Annual Report 2019–20 CFA volunteers received a standing ovation at the Australian Open Rally for Relief, which raised funds for the Victoria Bushfire Disaster Appeal. Stuart Mill brigade volunteer Deb Borg was invited to play alongside Rafael Nadal. Courtesy of the Herald Sun/Michael Klein. for brigades such as thermal imaging three
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