Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Residential Risk

Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Residential Risk Referrals An organisational response to residential risk 03. 2017 Residential Risk Referrals

Community Resilience Emergency Management Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Responsible for the development of strategies, policies and systems that reduce and mitigate the effects of emergency incidents on the community and firefighters • Works in partnership with internal departments and external agencies and delivers effective and efficient programs and activities Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Responsive service delivery • Meets community expectation Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Delivers increased efficiencies with less resources • Utilises opportunities to increase individual and community resilience • Is underpinned by: - Prevention - Preparedness - Response - Recovery Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Community Resilience Emergency Management Community Education Fire Ed, Fit 2 Drive, Flames, Seniors Fire Safety Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Community Development VERMs/BRAP At Risk Groups Aged/disability/hoarding & squalor/social housing/social and financially disadvantaged Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Challenges • Ageing population including CALD Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Growth and change in the aged and disability community services sector • Higher levels of disadvantage • Increase in single person households • Increased social isolation • Higher housing density Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Residential Risk Referral System • Identifies risk Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Assesses current and ongoing risk • Provides risk mitigation advice and/or identifies the most suitable agency or program to assess, support or respond to the risk • Underpinned by the principle that fire may be only one of a more complex range of risks Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR • Starts at response to deliver recovery, prevention and preparedness Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Was developed in response to firefighter advocacy for individuals identified through emergency response • Is the first systematic response of its type adopted by an Australian Fire Service Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR – How it does it Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Firefighters respond to an emergency incident at a residence • Firefighters identify an ongoing risk related to safety • Firefighters refer follow up • The issue is assessed and referred to an external agency or program for further assessment, support and/or intervention Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR – How it works 1. Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR – how it works Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR Case Study 1 • Fire crews respond to a mattress fire at the home of a female (80+) with good presentation Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Fire started after occupant mistook electric blanket cable for a snake and hit it with a BBQ Mate, resulting in the mattress catching fire • No working smoke alarm • Occupant advises she may have had another fire recently but can’t remember Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR Case Study 1 - outcome • Contact was made with ACAS who advised person had previously been supported through a funded program Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Program provider advised services previously ended despite person having a diagnosis of dementia and few supports • Provider contacted client and revisited • Provider put in weekend support to engage family interstate and organise urgent reassessment Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR Case Study 2 • Fire crews respond to kitchen fire in home of female (40+ and CALD) caring for four children under 5 Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Fire started from unattended cooking • No smoke alarms • The female occupant received burns fighting the fire rather than evacuating • The occupant called a friend before 000 was contacted Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR Case Study 2 - outcome • Contact with Education Department identified the person was a registered family day care provider and that an increasing number of CALD providers are delivering services Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • The family day care provider program has clear policies in relation to smoke alarms and emergency procedures • Department advised it would support the provider with training and re-engage all other providers within region Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research - 2016 • Study developed and managed by MFB and undertaken by students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute USA Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Analysed 800 referrals received from firefighters and external sources • The aim was to identify common risks, occupant profile, location, property tenure, geographical location, rates of referral Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research • Referrals are received from across the Metropolitan District Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Referrals have increased by an average of 57% per year since 2007 • Referrals are predominantly from operational firefighters • Referrals from firefighters result from a broad range of emergencies, not just fire • 2 -6 referrals a week are received from firefighters Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research • Firefighters undertake this activity with no formal training Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • 96% of referrals include more than one risk with firefighters identifying 4. 2 risks per individual and external referrals identifying 3. 5 risks • The three most common risk referred are: - Hoarding and squalor - Age related disability - Access and egress Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research • Older people were over-represented, with 57% being over 65 and 22% being over 80 Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • This is consistent with a fire fatality study which identified that 50% of fatalities involve people aged 65+ • Disability was identified in over half of all referrals inclusive of mental health with many having multiple disability • Living alone was the most commonly identified occupancy profile – this is consistent with a fire fatality study which identified 63% of all victims lived alone Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research • Most referrals related to people living in owner-occupied properties but public housing was proportionally overrepresented Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Referral addresses were more often from areas of disadvantage, even from suburbs which were predominantly advantaged • Outbound referrals were more often directed to various departments of local government, but commonly included aged care assessment services and mental health Residential Risk Referrals Slide

RRR research Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Residential risk referrals • Deliver an improved outcome for individuals Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board • Build individual and community resilience by connecting people to assessment, support and services • Demonstrate that firefighters understand the duality of the organisations role and responsibilities in relation to emergency response and prevention • Are best summarised by a firefighter: “I just couldn’t walk away and do nothing” Residential Risk Referrals Slide

Questions At Risk Groups MFB At. Risk. Groups@mfb. vic. gov. au Metropolitan Fire and Emergency Services Board Julie Harris Manager At Risk Groups Community Resilience Emergency Management jharris@mfb. vic. gov. au Martin Braid Assistant Chief Fire Officer Director Community Resilience Emergency Management mbraid@mfb. vic. gov. au Residential Risk Referrals Slide