We have updated our school’s bushfire response plan for 2024/5, which forms part of our local emergency management procedures.
The bushfire response plan ensures what action we need to take on days of increased fire danger or in the event of a potential or actual bushfire threat. The bushfire response plan also assists the Department’s Security and Emergency Management (SEM) unit in providing emergency services key information regarding the location of students and staff during a bushfire emergency.
It is important that families are familiar with our school’s response in preparation of a bushfire emergency. You can help us prepare for the fire danger season by:
- familiarising yourself with the following information relevant to our school, which is rated as a R2 site.
- talking to your child/ren about what will happen if a bushfire occurs when they are at school.
- making sure your emergency contact details are updated and made available to us before the start of the fire danger season.
- having your own bushfire survival plan in place for days of catastrophic fire danger or in the event of a bushfire threat.
‘Catastrophic’ Fire Danger Days – declared in advance
In the event of the Country Fire Service (CFS) declaring in advance (the day before), a ‘Catastrophic’ fire danger rating for the Mt Lofty Ranges, the school will receive confirmation from relevant department personnel (Education Director / Department’s Security and Emergency Management team) regarding the closure of the School and Out of School Hours Care Service.
If and when this situation arises, no staff, students, volunteers or contractors will be able to attend Craigburn Primary School or OSHC service.
Parents and carers will be informed via SMS and email – as listed on our school’s database.
The following forms of communication will also be used, and can be accessed:
- Letters handed out to all students on the days if the alert is received prior to school dismissal
- Information posted on the school website – www.craigburn.sa.edu.au / Craigburn Connections Blog and the Craigburn Facebook Page
- Department for Education – Emergency Information Hotline on 1800 000 279
- CFS Website: http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/
- Radio: tune into ABC Radio 89.7
- Message left on the school answering machine
- Information provided by the evening television and radio news services
****Reminder this is for the Mt Lofty Ranges District.
Parents / carers should make provision for the care of their child/ren on days declared in advance, as per their family’s bushfire survival plan.
‘Catastrophic’ Fire Danger Days – declared on the day
Although the CFS will generally declare the fire danger rating prior to the relevant day, it is possible for a Catastrophic Day’ to be declared or escalated on the relevant day. In these instances, the department’s specific procedures for ‘catastrophic’ fire danger days change substantially.
In the event of this occurring in the Mt Lofty Ranges, Craigburn Primary School will remain open unless otherwise directed by an authorised representative of the emergency services.
If we receive information of a bushfire approaching the school:
- we will enact our school’s Bushfire Response Plan.
- all people on site will be instructed to move to the Bushfire Shelter, being our school gym / hall.
- families will be notified by SMS.
- our OSHC service and any after-hour school sports will be cancelled.
Moderate / High / Extreme Fire Danger Days
On days where the fire danger rating is Moderate, High or Extreme we will enact our school’s Bushfire Response Plan, where in the event of a bushfire in the vicinity of the school, all people on site will be instructed to move to the Bushfire Shelter, being our school gym / hall.
Families are encouraged to read the Bushfire and your child’s school or preschool brochure below.