This targeted outcome includes the following projects: understanding communities, bushfire arson, effective risk communication, evaluation of stay or go policy and the evaluation of community education programs.

The research adoption phase of this research will see the development of a conceptual model that will enable agencies to evaluate the appropriateness of their various education and intervention strategies. The model will primarily be in the form a synthesis of a broad range of related research. This synthesis will provide an evidence-base for agencies that will support the ongoing development of their approaches to community safety.

Proposed Seminars/Forums, Workshops and Specialist Courses

1. Evaluating ‘Stay or Go’ - TBA

Research has demonstrated that a well-prepared house can provide protection for people from fire, and that the presence of people prepared and able to defend a property is the most significant factor in determining its survival.

Workshop participants will have the opportunity to hear an update on the latest ’Stay and Defend or Leave Early‘ research, and to hear from agency representatives as to how the policy has been implemented to date. Discussion will focus on working through impediments to the successful implementation of the policy and, as appropriate, on formulating recommended amendments to the existing policy/guidelines.

2. Bushfire Arson - February 2009

This invitation-only, industry-based forum will enable participants to build a better understanding of the impact of the research on industry operations. It will also, as appropriate, identify future research directions.

3. Workshops

3.1 Community Safety and Engagement Update – September 2009
In this pre-conference workshop, participants will be provided with an update on several recent projects that were designed to enhance community safety during bushfires. Examples of various steps agencies have taken/can take to inform and engage the community will be outlined and discussed.
Listen to Bushfire CRC Researcher Douglas Paton of the School of Psychology at the University of Tasmania present elements of the Community Safety Workshop from the AFAC/Bushfire CRC 2009 Gold Coast Conference.

3.2 Community Education Evaluation Workshop – TBA
Participants will learn about the comprehensive research analysis that has been undertaken of current bushfire-related ‘Community Education Programs’ and how their effectiveness was evaluated. Participants will learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of their own agencies’ community safety and education programs and how to improve future education programs.

3.3 Arson – TBA
This workshop will provide participants with an overview of the findings of research that investigated the number, size and distribution of potentially illegal fires lit in vegetation in Australia in recent years. Participants will discuss how the findings can better inform fire investigation, planning and implementation and how they can lead to a better targeting of resources for ignition reduction education programs. Actions agencies can take to minimise the number of unwanted ignitions will also be discussed.

3.4 Bushfires and Community Safety 23-24 April

The Bushfire CRC and AFAC started work in 2008 to update the AFAC position on Stay
and Defend or Leave Early based on the Bushfire CRC research findings and current industry experience. This was a significant knowledge transfer activity, however work planned for February 2009 was postponed due to the Victorian fires.

The advent of the Royal Commission and the scrutiny of a number of public policy
issues has provided the impetus for AFAC to broaden its examination and updating of the
full 2005 AFAC position Bushfires and Community Safety.  The April workshop to progress this work is an invatation only event.

4. Fire Notes

11 Fire Notes have been published. A further 17 Fire Notes have been identified for production. It is anticipated that these will be completed over the next 18 months.

5. Postgraduate Theses

One Doctoral and three Masters postgraduate studies have been completed. A further ten Doctoral studies are still underway. A list of students and thesis topics is on the BCRC site.

6. Specific Products

A Book on the integration of Community Safety and Engagement and Protecting Firefighters is due for completion in August.