Fire and Rescue Service Management - Anthropogenic Burning in Cape York - Case Study Example

FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE MANAGEMENT Here is an outline of the case study. A brief description about Fire and Rescue Service Management. An analysis of the role of individuals and teams with the organisations. Educational programs and the safety education. The psychological behaviors. An explanation about Fire Preventions. An analysis of the role of the Planning Division and Program Services Division. The case study of Anthropogenic burning in Cape York, Peninsula and another example, shows the condition of land/urban areas in which seems that power and politics plays an important role. The Fire and Rescue Commission provides a policy and regulatory framework for the Fire and Rescue Service agencies and advises the County Executive and County Council. The Fire and Rescue Commission to ensure that the citizens of any country receive medical services, provided by a service delivery system that encourages and maximizes the efforts of volunteers. The Commission has broad authority and is responsible for adopting and enforcing Countywide policies, regulations, standards, procedures, plans, and programs applicable to all fire, rescue, and emergency medical service operations. To achieve these goals, the Commission: Develops and maintains a policy and regulatory framework for all fire, rescue, and emergency medical service operations,which ensures an effective service delivery system using all available resources to their fullest potential; Makes Capital and Operating Budget recommendations to the County Executive and County Council to provide for an adequate level of resources for the fire and rescue service; Administers programs to increase recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters, rescuers, and emergency medical services providers; develops and follows the Master Fire Defence Plan which serves as a comprehensive planning document for the fire and rescue service County-wide; and Monitors and evaluates accountability for tax funds used by the fire and rescue corporation. The Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management, in conjunction with leadership of the volunteer component, coordinates Fire and Emergency Medical Service’s (EMS) that include: emergency response; the administration and delivery of fire, EMS and related training; fire prevention and investigation; hazardous materials, wild land firefighting; and Swift water rescue. The department also provides administration of the emergency communications center, public education, and the coordination and mitigation of large-scale emergencies and disasters utilizing an “all hazards” approach. It is the mission of the combined Fire and Emergency Medical Services system to provide residents and visitors with efficient and cost-effective fire protection, rescue and emergency medical services. The Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management provides a variety of educational outreach programs and resources to residents. An individual must know:- File of Life: The File of Life is an emergency medical packet designed to provide emergency personnel with necessary to begin immediate treatment in the event of an emergency. Rescue workers know to look for this vital information packet on the refrigerator. Fire, the Unforgiving Nature: This program stresses the need for people to be prepared to survive a fire in their home. Emphasises how deadly and rapidly uncontrolled fires can be. Helps motivate people to take the necessary actions that will prepare them to prevent or escape fires in their homes. Make the Right Call: A program that teaches people to know how and when to dial emergency’s numbers. Remembering When: National Fire Prevention Association fire and fall prevention program for senior citizens. Promotes fire safety and fall/injury prevention in the senior’s home. Safe Steps for Seniors: Injury and fall prevention program for seniors. Workplace Fire Safety: A program for employees which emphasizes the need to be prepared for fire in the workplace, how to reduce the risk, and the responsibilities that each employee has before and during a fire. The “After the Fire” program is an extension of the Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management designed to provide immediate assistance to residents who have been affected by a fire. Residential fires can cause a tremendous amount of stress on those involved. Often, the hardest part is knowing who to contact first. By focusing on the personal needs of those affected, the level of stress can be significantly reduced. Everyone must know about Fire Prevention and Safety Education. Plan Your Escape:- Being prepared is the best way to survive a fire. During a fire, seconds count. In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can turn in to a deadly fire. Escape plans can help you and your family get out quickly. It is important that every family create an Escape Plan and practice it regularly. E.D.I.T.H. (Exit Drills In The Home) may just save your life! Creating a Home Escape Plan Draw a floor plan of your home. Be sure to show two ways out of every room…This includes doors and windows. Decide on a meeting place outside, away from the house, where everyone will gather once you have escaped. Once outside, never go back in for any reason! Call emergency number on a cell phone or from a neighbor’s house. Practice this plan at least twice a year. Teach children not to hide from firefighters. Provide alternative plans for family members with disabilities. Make sure that windows and screens can be opened easily. Purchase an Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) approved collapsible ladder for escape from a second story window. Make sure you have assembled this ahead of time and know how to use it. Escape Plan Grid:- Download an Escape Plan grid to draw an escape plan for your family. Tips for Fire Safety:- Keep an Eye on the Stove:- Cooking is the leading cause of residential fires. Never leave cooking food unattended. Always have a lid nearby to place over a pan in case of fire. Space Heaters Need Space:- Keep fixed or portable space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn. Be Cautious When Smoking:- Use large ashtrays and soak ashes or cigarette butts before disposing of them. Never smoke in bed or when on medications, sleepy or intoxicated. Keep Matches and Lighters Out of Reach:- Children under age six are the most likely to start a fire by playing with matches and lighters. Keep them up high and in a locked cabinet. Use Electricity Safely:- If an appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately and have it repaired. Replace electrical cords that are frayed or cracked. Don’t run cords under furniture or rugs and don’t overload extension cords. Candle With Care:- Never leave a burning candle unattended and make sure that the candle is in a solid base. Place candles at least one foot away from anything that burns and extinguish them when you leave the room or go to bed. Stop, Drop and Roll:- Everyone should know this rule. If your clothes catch on fire, don’t run! Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll until the flames go out. Crawl Low Under Smoke:- Smoke can be deadly. If you encounter smoke, try using an alternative exit. If you must exit through smoke, the cleanest air will be close to the floor. Crawl on your hands and knees to the closest exit. Cool A Burn:- If a burn occurs, place the burned area under cool water right away. If a burn blisters or chars, see a physician immediately. Home Fire Safety Checklist:- Generally, people feel the safest from fire in their home. But how safe is your home from fire? Use this checklist to locate potential fire hazards in your home. Have the whole family participate to make your home safer. Home Fire Safety Survey Checklist Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:- Carbon monoxide is an odorless, invisible gas that comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, wood, coal, propane, oil and methane. Home heating equipment can produce carbon monoxide is damaged or misused. Other sources of carbon monoxide include cars, trucks, tractors, lawn mowers and generators. Never use these items inside! Their motors can produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide that could lead to serious illness or death! Carbon monoxide detectors measure the amount of CO gas that has accumulated. The detector sounds an alarm when the concentration of CO in the air is equal to or above 10% carboxyhemoglobin level in the blood. This is the lowest level of poisoning. At this level you may not have any symptoms but it is important to treat all alarms as serious and try to determine the cause to be sure your home is safe. Purchase CO detectors that have been tested by qualified testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratories. Follow the instructions for installation and correct use. Just like smoke alarms, CO detectors should be tested monthly. Replace CO detectors every two years, or as recommended by the manufacturer. With low levels of exposure, symptoms of CO poisoning are much like the flu. More serious exposure can lead to dizziness, mental confusion, severe headaches, fainting, and even death. According to the United States Fire Administration, a smoke alarm can save your life and those of your loved ones. They are the single most important means of preventing house and apartment fatalities by providing an early warning signal, so you and your family can escape. Smoke alarms should be placed on every level of the home, including the basement. Most fires happen at night or in the early morning, so for added safety, install smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas. Test smoke alarm batteries once a month. Change the batteries in smoke alarms twice a year. Remember to "Change your clock, change your battery." Keep them clean. Dust and debris can interfere with their operation so regularly vacuum over and around your smoke alarms. Most alarms last between 8 and 10 years. Like most electrical devices, they can wear out. Write the purchase date in marker on the inside of the alarm. This will remind you when to replace it. The Planning Division is responsible for all of the planning and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects. Planning performs strategic risk and trend analysis, development application referrals and plans review, and management of departmental capital construction projects, and vehicles. The role of this division is to support the operation of the department through the use of solid planning principles and to assure that county and department standards, policies, and goals are being met. The Program Services Division is also responsible for: Project/procurement management, including providing technical support in the procurement process for new apparatus; Human resources, including payroll and benefits; Organisational development; Purchasing; Inventory management, including providing for the maintenance, repair, upgrade and refurbishing of the department's fleet, such as the tankers and ambulance. Administrative support, safety - including the respiratory protection program - and logistics for the Department of Fire, Rescue & Emergency Management. On the other hand, if we see the wild lands and forests , the condition is also very worse. The Fire and Rescue Department should rescue our wild beauty as well. The Case study: Anthropogenic burning in Cape York Peninsula, Queensland Cape York Peninsula (Cape York) is situated at the north-eastern tip of Queensland, Australia. Consisting of an area roughly equivalent in size to England, Cape York has a low population density with just 18,000 people concentrated mostly in a few mining towns and Aboriginal reserves as well as scattered cattle stations. Northern Queensland, including Cape York, is thought to have a long history of anthropogenic fires stretching back at least 40,000 years (some estimates date it as far back as 70,000 years), coinciding with the arrival of the first Aborigines (Stocking &Mott 1981). Rhys Jones (1969) popularised the idea of ‘fire-stick’ farming to describe the practices of Aboriginal land users in which low-intensity, early dry-season burning was used across small areas to drive game into specific hunting grounds and to increase the productivity of resource rich areas such as monsoon forests. However, There is considerable controversy over knowledge about the impact of Aboriginal use of fire on the ecology of Australia. In particular, a debate persists as to whether, in tropical northern Australia, Aboriginal burning caused the recession of earlier rainforest in favour of savannah or whether the recession of the rainforest was actually the result of climate change, highlights the lack of scientific consensus surrounding this debate characterising it as “an inherent circular argument concerning the cause and effect of climate change, vegetation change, and burning through the late Quaternary.” What is, however, widely accepted is that in modern times the pattern of burning in tropical northern Australia has changed, coinciding with the displacement of Aborigines by European settlers. Anthropogenic burning is now often characterised by late dry-season, high-intensity burns with increased fuel loads over larger areas that has reduced fire-sensitive vegetation in some areas. At the same time, the absence of previous traditional burning practices in other areas has consequently enhanced fire sensitive ecosystems. Cape York Peninsula is a typical example of such changes in burning practices. The dominant land use in Cape York is fire-assisted pastoralism. Pastoralists tend to burn the land to encourage the growth of green grass for their cattle to feed on. There are also significant areas of Cape Yorkiest aside as national park and wildlife reserves under the control of the state government controlled Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) who also use fire extensively as part of their land management approach. It is estimated that around 80% of the total area of Cape York currently burns each year (Cape York Sustainable Fire Management Programme, personal communication, 2004). State government policy in Cape York is in favour of the use of fire as a land management tool. This can be seen in both the policies of the Queensland Rural Fire Service who are responsible for policing the use of fire and the policies of those state government departments with jurisdiction over environmental considerations in land management. The principal legislation governing the use/misuse of fire in Queensland is the Fire and Rescue Services Act 1990 which establishes the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority as responsible for the protection of life, property and the environment. As Cape York is predominantly rural land, the lead government agency with responsibility for fire in the region is the Queensland Rural Fire Service, the arm of the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority that deals specifically with fire in rural areas as distinct from urban areas. The Queensland Rural Fire Service released a Position Statement to the Queensland State Government in 2001 based on consultation with regional stakeholders in each bio-region of the state, including Cape York.This outlines the Rural Fire Service’s intended direction for the 21stcentury.iiiThe 2001 Position Statement endorses the “Permit to Light Fire” system that currently defines the legal requirements for lighting fires on Cape York. A network of local volunteer Fire Wardens appointed by the Rural Fire Service administers this system. Wardens are chosen on the basis of assumed local knowledge of their area of responsibility. They are all landholders themselves and their geographical areas of responsibility range from encompassing solely their own land to including theirs and a few of their neighbours’ properties. With each property covering tens of thousands of hectares, each Warden is responsible for a vast area of land that usually spans a range of different ecosystem types. If a landholder wants to light a fire, they are obliged to contact their local Fire Warden (usually their neighbour or themselves) and obtain a Permit. This is a simple process involving the provision of information on when and where they are going to burn. The Fire Warden then issues a Permit to Light Fire based on the Warden’s own discretion and their asserted knowledge of the local area. Although the Fire and Rescue Services Act 1990 establishes the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority as responsible for the protection of life, property and the environment, in practice, they tend to treat fire solely as a public safety issue as opposed to an environmental issue. The Rural Fire Service’s 2001 Position Statement specifically states that, aside from dealing with smoke management issues, it does not take responsibility for environmental issues associated with fire; “the Lead Agency across Government for environmental issues should be the responsibility of other Government Agencies, not the Rural Fire Service. The customary law, as being of equal importance as the actual outcomes of Aboriginal fire strategies. The anthropocentric emphasis of the idea of fire-stick farming is also at odds with the Aboriginal understanding of peoples’ place within nature. Farming implies manipulation of the land to meet human needs. Aboriginal Australians, however, do not conceive of people as being separate from nature. Their actions, including burning, are defined by custodial responsibilities to the land with any resulting benefits to people understood as an inadvertent consequence of fulfilling these responsibilities. This provides a clear example of discursive affinity with the government scientists, which is also evident in their adherence to the story-line of burning being desirable in terms of reducing the risk of wildfire. Discursive affinity with Aborigines is also expressed by stating that the economic benefits derived by pastoralists from cattle fodder through new growth and safe mustering of their herds are the same as those traditionally derived by Aborigines. As well as the direct economic benefits from pastoralism, burning is also promoted as economically desirable for encouraging tourism by clearing ground for hiking and attracting wallabies and kangaroos to the fresh new after-growth. There is also a use of quasi-religious rhetoric around the references to fire. A more primal form of religiosity is invoked: “… we are always going to have trouble with fire, as long as some of us feel a thrill, a quickening of the pulse, as we light up the edge of a road, or feel a grim satisfaction as we watch the flames leap up the hillside, because since mankind first learned to use it, everyone loves a fire.” The scientists also see fire in these terms bringing a strong cultural reference point to support the management claims for the burning technique: “mankind has held fire in both a revered and feared position…. Fire has been given God qualities and worshiped”. The symbolism of fire is linked with the scientific claims for fire as rejuvenating habitats with “old trees sacrificed for new seedlings”. Humans and nature are seen as distinct and scientific knowledge legitimises certain practices, through revealing the key relationships affecting natural systems. Again scientists are seen as responsible and, again, scientific terminology is combined with emotional language. The difference here, however, is the predominantly negative ethos and loose use of apocalyptic rhetoric such as “destroyed” and “disaster”. There is also the use of tropes that suggest that nature would be better off un-managed. Burning is equated to a violation , suggesting a preference for a virgin state. And wilderness, presented as unmanaged land, is favorably compared to managed landscapes, particularly as wilderness is seen as the source of sublime romantic encounters: “a place where we can stand with our senses steeped in nature”. The rhetoric used pushes the independent scientists’ argument towards the conclusion that humans will inherently destroy rather than conserve nature and that management is opposed to the natural state of the land. The government scientists, by contrast, managed the ‘man’ and nature ethos to suggest a more positive message. In policy debates this is going to carry greater weight than a purely negative and oppositional discourse. While such negative rhetoric is highly influential within environmentalism and can help build coalitions among environmentalist groups, it is less effective within government policy settings. Concluding on a discourse analysis of conflicting knowledges. The analysis presented above suggests that attending to the discursive nature of knowledge contestations can play an essential part in fully understanding the policy adoption of particular knowledge claims. In the case of Cape York, the political influence of the pro-burning coalition formed between the government scientists, Aboriginals, and pastoralists is reinforced by the discursive power of their rhetoric, characterized by rational, institutionalized, scientific language, and their appeal to inter-connected storylines. In contrast to the political power of the pro-burning discourse coalition, the weak policy influence of the anti-burning coalition is reflected in the fragmented discourses of the independent scientists and Wattle Hills residents, both of whom lack formal institutional contexts from which to operate, a point that is most obviously reflected in the informal, emotional rhetoric of the Wattle Hills residents. The discursive strengths and weaknesses of the two coalitions are clearly mirrored in the discourses that dominate environmental policy in Cape York which were highlighted in the case study section above. One of many examples centres on the ecological impact of traditional Aboriginal burning practices, an issue characterised by strongly contested knowledge claims. The pro-burning discourse coalition has been highly effective in forming discursive connections by reframing Aboriginal knowledge into modernist terms that are commensurate with European fire management approaches. This is reflected in the burning policies of both the key state government departments that have specific responsibilities for environmental management in Cape York; the QPWS (national parks) and the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy. Both these departments cite the maintenance of the habitat diversity that resulted from the long history of Aboriginal burning in Cape York as the ecological basis for their own burning practices. Another example is the Permit to Light Fire system. This is the central policy framework governing the use of fire by Cape York landholders, which effectively allows landholders relatively unregulated freedom to pursue a pro-burning land management approach. The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy’s support for pastoralists’ use of fire for “pasture improvement” provides a further example of discursive strengths being reflected in the policy adoption of knowledge claims. These are just three examples that illustrate the reflection of the discursively strong pro-burning discourse coalition’s knowledge claims in policy. There are no examples that suggest that the anti-burning coalition has achieved similar credibility for their claims. The another example, which shows the condition of land/urban areas. 1 Division of Land Management, St Johns River Water Management District, Highway 100W, Palatka, The application of fire in the southern United States continues to increase in complexity due to urban sprawl, air quality issues and regulatory constraints. Many sites suffer from unnaturally high fuel accumulations due to decades of fire exclusion. The loss of habitat to urbanization and successional changes resulting from the absence of fire increases the importance of restoring and maintaining those remaining acres. The wild-land/urban interface case study we discuss herein includes several fire-adapted plant communities ranging in required fire regime from frequent low-intensity fires to infrequent high-intensity stand replacement fires. This area has experienced extended fire-free periods and includes tightly packed homes in subdivisions developed with no consideration of the potential for wild-land fire. Additional smoke-sensitive areas include schools and heavily travelled highways. Such worst-case scenarios exponentially increase the challenges/risks facing fire managers. This case study thus illustrates many of the complex societal issues and technical challenges facing fire managers when planning and conducting restoration burns in the wild-land/urban interface. In fact, it reinforces the notion that, when burning in the wild-land/urban interface, executing the burn often requires less effort than the planning, co-operation and co-ordination necessary prior to ignition. Bureau-political tensions and competition are an often neglected, yet crucial element in crisis management. Bureau-politics in crisis management runs counter to pervasive notions that portray centralization and concentration of power as the dominant mode of administrative response to crisis. This article presents empirical evidence suggesting the importance of bureau-politics in the planning, response and post-crisis stages of crisis management at both strategic and operational levels of action. Again contrary to conventional wisdom, it is argued that such interagency tensions may fulfill various positive functions: they put crisis agencies to the test; they serve to counteract ‘groupthink tendencies; they foster a certain degree of openness; and they may facilitate democratic control of far-reaching crisis management policies. Read More