‘Breathtaking’ delay on fire warning update

A royal commissioner has slammed the NSW Rural Fire Service for not fast-tracking an update to its Watch and Act alert.

Royal commissioner Annabelle Bennett SC has slammed the NSW Rural Fire Service for not fast-tracking an update to its Watch and Act emergency alert. Picture: Alistair Brightman

A royal commissioner scrutinising the response to the 2019-20 bushfire season has blasted the NSW Rural Fire Service for not fast-tracking an update to its emergency alert system, declaring the move “breathtaking”.

NSW RFS chief Rob Rogers and the service’s director of communications, Anthony Clark, told commissioners on Wednesday that research into improving the national alert system had begun in 2016, but any changes would not be rolled out until 2022.

The Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements had previously heard people in fire zones across the nation struggled to understand the “Watch and Act” direction as it simultaneously suggests people observe the fire while taking ­action to leave.

In a tense exchange on Wednesday, commissioner Annabelle Bennett SC said she did not understand why there was not a greater sense of urgency in improving the messaging system.

“I find it breathtaking that it takes that many years to come up with something where you know there’s confusion,” she said.

“You know that, and yet, year after year, people are being ­exposed to natural disasters, and fires in particular, where they have no idea what they’re meant to do under this system.”

Dr Bennett raised the issue of the ambiguity of the warnings, particularly the three levels of alerts — Advice, Watch and Act, and Emergency Warning.

“We are talking about three sets of words here,” she said. “We‘re not talking about a major treaty between two nations.”

Mr Clark conceded the community was unsure what Watch and Act meant, saying it continued to be one of those “wicked problems”.

According to NSW RFS guidelines, the first alert level of Advice means a fire has started but there is no immediate ­danger.

The second level of Watch and Act indicates a heightened level of threat and people should take action to protect themselves and their families.

The highest alert level of Emergency Warning means people are in danger.

Mr Clark said efforts to make the system more clear and consistent across all states and territories was nearly complete.

“The research has shown that there’s overwhelming community support for consistency,” he said, adding that he wished the review process could “happen much faster”.

Mr Rogers defended the time frames and said it was important they got the messaging right.

“We know that there is a ­degree of community concern or confusion around that, but I think we want to get it right and we need to get it right,” he said.

“We’ve often spoken about ensuring that we have got the compelling case for change and having the right words that we know will get the right response from the community.”