Procedures improved after death of veteran firefighter William Slade during Black Summer fires

An investigation into the death of a beloved firey during the Black Summer fires has resulted in a rapid first aid response trial to get help to injured firefighters more quickly.

The actions taken to prevent further tragedies on firegrounds have been revealed after the state coroner released his findings into the death of a veteran firefighter killed by a falling tree during the devastating black summer bushfires.

This week State Coroner, Judge John Cain, released his findings into the death of on-duty firefighter William ‘Bill’ John Slade.

The 60-year-old Wonthaggi husband and father of two was killed when he was crushed by a tree while working to contain a fire at Anglers Rest, near Omeo, on January 11, 2020.

This week Judge Cain found the actions taken by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) since the incident, which include improving emergency first aid and procedures around hazardous trees, would “improve responses to similar situations in the future”.

Started by 20 lightning strikes in November 2019, the extensive fires in East Gippsland had been burning for weeks by early January.

Veteran firefighter, Bill Slade, was struck and killed by a falling tree at Anglers Rest, near Omeo, while working with a forest fire management taskforce to consolidate the fire edge. Picture: Supplied

Mr Slade was part of a taskforce deployed to the remote fireground near the Alpine National Park on January 10, to help contain the growing fires.

A veteran Parks Victoria employee of 40 years, Coroner Cain described the field service officer as a “highly experienced and safety-conscious firefighter” with the expertise gained during 37 fire seasons – including Ash Wednesday, Black Saturday and the Alpine and Great Divide fires – under his belt.

After several briefings on the morning of January 11, Mr Slade was tasked with containing a fire at the edge of a private property around Anglers Rest.

Working with colleague Jarrod Frogley, the pair had been patrolling and blacking out along the Bingo Coach Track before catching up with two colleagues who had just finished assessing a potentially hazardous tree.

Mr Slade was working on the eastern side of the track when he was struck by the tree – which had earlier been deemed safe – about 5.25pm.

The tree was rolled off him and his colleagues started CPR before a Country Fire Authority volunteer, who was also a nurse, arrived and took over.

The court documents stated the communications between those at the scene and those back at the incident control centre were “poor” due to the mountainous terrain.

Urgent action was taken once the extent of the medical emergency was conveyed, but further delays occurred with Ambulance Victoria requesting additional information – including if the incident site was an active fire zone – before responding.

CFA tackling spot fires along the Great Alpine road just outside Omeo. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Slade – who had been preparing to retire from firefighting duties at the end of that season – was declared deceased upon paramedics’ arrival an hour and a half later.

A post-mortem examination revealed evidence of head and chest trauma consistent with injuries sustained in a tree fall incident.

The documents show WorkSafe Victoria conducted a “comprehensive investigation” into the response of the agencies involved but decided not to take further action.

DELWP also conducted its own investigation.

“The outcome of the DELWP investigation was that the correct process for identifying and managing hazardous trees was followed, notwithstanding the tree in question was not identified as being hazardous,” the coroner’s findings state.

It was also noted the tree could have been dead since a previous fire and there was a “high likelihood of falling even with minor intervention”, such as the impact of hand tools or vibration of bulldozers.

Three recommendations were made — to work with Ambulance Victoria to determine barriers to dispatching ambulances to firegrounds and to establish protocols to minimise them, to explore options to provide additional defibrillators to crews working in remote areas and to review hazardous tree assessment criteria.

In a letter to the coroner, Forest Fire Management Victoria’s Chief Fire Officer, Chris Hardman, said a working group was established in 2020 in response to the first recommendation.

It identified the logistical challenges paramedics had in accessing some firegrounds which sometimes stopped them from being able to respond.

Additional capability was required, it said, to ensure staff had access to first aid response services.

CFA tackle spot fires along the Great Alpine Road just outside Omeo. The fire was burning in thick alpine forest. Picture: Jason Edwards

A remote rapid first aid trial was conducted during the 2021-22 fire season and with the field testing complete, a report is currently being prepared.

Further, there are now 27 defibrillators across the Gippsland region following a further statewide allocation process, while the procedures around who can assess tree hazards have also been reviewed and updated.

All personnel were required to undertake a tree hazard refresher course ahead of the 2021-22 fire season.

Judge Cain commented he was “satisfied” DELWP had taken adequate steps to improve the “processes for incidents in remote locations requiring rapid first aid assistance” and that the required policy changes can been made to DELWP’s hazardous trees assessment criteria and training programs.

Described as “generally fit and healthy”, Mr Slade was involved in his local football and cricket clubs and had received several best and fairest awards.

In addition to working from the Wonthaggi Depot, he also ran a farm management business with his wife.