Schools face heat

By Kath Gannaway
SCHOOLS in the Upper Yarra will know on Thursday whether they will shut down on days deemed Code Red (Catastrophic) Fire Danger Rating.
Victorian Premier John Brumby announced last week that schools and children’s services in the 52 areas identified last month by fire authorities as being at high fire risk would be included on the ‘must close’ register.
Some schools outside those areas that may also be deemed to be at high risk due to geographic and environmental factors would also be included.
The Upper Yarra was not among the 52 identified high fire risk areas for this coming season, but there was a high expectation among principals that their schools would be on the “also” list.
Schools will attend a Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) briefing on Thursday.
Mr Brumby said ahead of a Code Red Day the DEECD would issue immediate warnings to staff, parents and children through its website and individual schools and children’s services.
“We have taken the decision that on a day which is declared a Code Red (Catastrophic) Fire Danger Rating, the safest option for schools identified as being at high risk this fire season is to close and we want clear systems in place for the fire season so that every school community that may be affected is fully informed,” Mr Brumby said.
He said the register would be finalised in consultation with individual schools and fire authorities.
“The BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) will declare in advance the Fire Danger Rating for each day and in each weather district in consultation with fire agencies,” Mr Brumby said.
Warburton Primary School principal Kerry Jorgensen said the school had not received confirmation, but was adamant the school would be on the list.
She said despite not being on the ‘52’ list, DEECD had recognised the school was in a fire prone area.
“We were absolutely stunned not to be included in the 52 and I don’t think we are the only ones,” Ms Jorgensen said.
She said Millwarra and Wesburn schools would certainly be in the same situation.
Upper Yarra Secondary College principal Michael Hill said he would know more on Thursday.
“I would have thought our community would have been in the high risk list, particularly our colleagues to the east, on those high risk days, so it did surprise me that those were not identified as high risk from the very start,” he said.
The fact that some families have students attending both primary schools and UYSC has also been a factor for the college.
“We also co-ordinate the buses for the schools to the east and some to the west so we need to be able to work in with our bus companies as to what happens on Code Red days,” Mr Hill said.
“We are holding off any publication of emergency management systems until we know the full story on Thursday,” he added.
Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said the pre-emptive list of schools that would close on a Code Red Day followed a detailed assessment and audit process into the preparedness of all government and non-government schools and children’s services following the February fires.