Schools, kindergartens and child care facilities determined by the DEECD to be at high-risk of fire danger were placed on a Bushfire At-Risk Register.

Inclusion on this register is a trigger for the school, kindergarten or child care facility to close on days declared by fire authorities as being Code Red.

The process of determining which schools, kindergartens and child care facilities are included on the register involves the facilities themselves, the Department’s Regional Offices, the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria, the Independent Schools Association of Victoria, the Municipal Association of Victoria and information from fire and emergency services.

Ahead of a Code Red Fire Danger Rating Day, an immediate warning will be issued to staff and students located in identified high-risk regions where Bendigo TAFE has a campus. 

If a Code Red Rating is applied on the CFA website by 2pm for the following day to any of the following Fire Danger Ratings Regions: Central, North Central and Northern Country the Institute will be closed. Should the CFA downgrade the Code Red rating after 2pm the Institute will remain closed.

Definitions 

​Code Red	These are the worst conditions for a bush or grass fire. Homes are not designed or constructed to withstand fires in these conditions.
Extreme​	Expect extremely hot, dry and windy conditions. If a fire starts and takes hold, it will be uncontrollable, unpredictable and fast moving.  Spot fires will start, move quickly and come from many directions. Homes that are situated and constructed or modified to withstand a bushfire, that are well prepared and actively defended, may provide safety. You must be physically and mentally prepared to defend in these conditions.​
Severe​	Expect hot, dry and possibly windy conditions.  If a fire starts and takes hold, it may be uncontrollable. Well prepared homes that are actively defended can provide safety.​
CFA​	Country Fire Authority.​
DEECD​	Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.​

Roles/Responsibility

1. School Sites

If staff are working on a school site, such as Etty Street Castlemaine and the school will be closed due to fire danger, Bendigo TAFE staff will not attend while the school is closed.

The Victorian Department of Education publishes a list schools in areas of high risk to bushfires. The list can accessed via the following link  www.education.vic.gov.au

2. Payment Arrangements

Staff not on pre-arranged leave will be paid for each day they are unable to work as contracted because their school site is closed for a Code Red Day.

Staff will not be expected to apply for the leave as it will be assumed that all staff not on pre-arranged leave would be on Code Red Leave.

Volunteers to the CFA and other Fire Fighting agencies that have registered with HR will be paid for the time they are volunteering in accordance with the relevant staff agreement.

3. Travelling into a Fire Region

Staff should not travel to deliver a course in a Fire Region which has been declared Code Red.

If the Institute is closed because a Code Red has been declared in Central, North Central and Northern Country, staff will not be expected to deliver a course in another region that has not been declared a Code Red.

4. Communication Strategy

Internal communication is sent out to all staff via an email by the Executive Director Corporate Services & Infrastructure.

Internal communication is posted on Bendigo TAFE’s intranet, and external communication is posted on the Bendigo TAFE website after email from Executive Director Corporate Services & Infrastructure has been received.

Further external communication is arranged via advertisements for the following day, in relevant newspaper publications - dependent on where the Code Red Fire Danger has been declared.

Internal/external communication is arranged via window posters/signs for relevant campuses to display regarding Fire Danger Rating. Signage is emailed to administration staff at individual campuses.

A copy of this procedure will be provided to students during the enrolment process.

5. Annual Graduation Ceremony

If a Code Red fire danger rating is declared for the Bendigo Region (Northern Country) on the day of the Bendigo TAFE Annual Graduation Ceremony, it will be cancelled.

Bendigo TAFE will post cancellation information on our website: www.britafe.vic.edu.au

Should Bendigo TAFE cancel the Annual Graduation Ceremony, all payments made for gowns and tickets will be refunded in full. The Annual Graduation Ceremony will not be rescheduled and certificates and diplomas will be posted out to students in the mail in weeks following.

If a Code Red day is declared in any region other than Bendigo (Northern Country), graduates and guests in affected regions will need to make their own decision as to whether to travel to Bendigo for the Graduation or not.

6. International Students

The International Office will ensure that overseas students are personally informed and ensure arrangements for their safety have been made.

7. References

Nil. 

8. Associated Documents

Pol700 – Occupational Health & Safety Policy
Fire Danger Rating Brochure
Fire Ban Districts Brochure
Proc220 – Leave Procedure 

Warning – Uncontrolled when printed.  The current version of this document is kept on the BMS.

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Authorised by:   Executive Management Committee                                                                    Original Issue:   13/10/2010
Maintained by:   ED Corporate Services & Infrastructure                                                           Current Version:   21/01/2011
Review Date:     10/2011                                                                                                             Policy No:         Pol222