Advocacy for Inclusion (AFI) has made a submission to the YourSay consultation on the development of the next Strategic Bushfire Management Plan. Given the catastrophic bushfires of January 2003, and the 2019-2020 bushfires and lingering heavy smoke, this is an issue which resonates across the Territory.Recent iterations of the Plan have stressed the importance of community in terms of preparedness, communication and information, evacuation, and recovery. For the 1 in 5 Canberrans with disability, the importance of such a Plan cannot be overstated. People with disability are at increased risk during bushfires and other emergencies: in times of crisis, people with disability are hit first, worst, and hardest.
Our submission stresses the importance of effective, tailored, and accessible disaster-related information. People with disability have specific needs which need to be incorporated in emergency and contingency planning and risk reduction, particularly in terms of accessible sheltering arrangements.
Finally, we note that early response and recovery for vulnerable people should be seen as a litmus test for the effectiveness of the entire bushfire management effort. Planning, foresight and mitigation are crucial in overcoming operational shortcomings and unintended consequences that arise during disaster and periods of disruption.