Bushfire Preparedness
Treetops has well-developed procedures for responding to a bushfire or bushfire threat. Parents need to be aware of the following aspects:
If a ‘Watch and Act’ is issued by the Department of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES), all students will remain in their classrooms, with windows and doors closed, and school bags will be taken inside classrooms. Student roll call will be performed. The School Administration will ensure that all staff are aware of the situation. If appropriate, a school representative will be despatched to the DFES Incident Control point.
If it is deemed necessary, students and staff will be required to shelter in place. The Principal will give instructions to evacuate all classrooms to the designated ‘Safe Refuge Area’. This refuge has access to first aid kits, evacuation supplies, water, and toilet facilities. This facility is the safest place for our students and staff in the event of a bushfire in the area. In consultation with DFES and the Shire of Mundaring Bushfire Team, this has been defined as the learning areas in the High School.
Teachers will escort students to this safe refuge. Class lists, including absentees, will be provided by the School Admin staff and distributed to class teachers for roll call. School Admin staff will carry out special duties as per the school’s ‘Fire & Bushfire Management Plan’.
In the unlikely, but serious, event that a fire is approaching our school and we do not have time to evacuate off-site safely, the whole school will move to the designated safe refuge in High School. The school will liaise with DFES or the WA Police regarding the location and direction of a fire and/or will monitor the Emergency WA website or ABC Radio 720 for updated details.
DFES will prioritise the protection of schools in the area above all else.
This is the safest place for your child to be during this time.
During an extreme emergency event, DO NOT attempt to come to the school to collect your child.
Roads may be closed by DFES or WA Police. Conditions on the roads in the area may be worse than at the school. The less traffic there is to get in the way of Emergency Services, the safer your children will be. Only come to the school to collect your child if you have been asked to do so by the school.
Off-site evacuation, if required, will be coordinated with DFES Incident Control. Students and staff will be taken to a safer location to be collected from there. Parent contacts (as advised on annual Student Forms) will be notified by special SMS message, if possible. The location of the off-site evacuation area will be available from DFES.
If a future ‘Catastrophic Fire Weather Warning’ is declared, we will pre-emptively CLOSE the school. Prior to the day of closure, we will announce the closure via email, SMS, and on our Facebook page. ‘School Closure’ signs will be posted at all entrances to the school. Children must NOT attend school. In case parents miss the warning, should conditions permit, two staff members will be at school on the day of closure from 8:00am until 9:00am to also advise families and students of the school closure.
Please rest assured that the safety of your children is our first priority. We have regular emergency drills with staff and students. In Terms 1 and 4, our drills focus on fire emergency scenarios.
What can you do during an emergency?
- Check your mobile and Treetops Facebook page for communications from the school
- Access the Emergency WA website on https://www.emergency.wa.gov.au
- Parents should NOT phone the school as phone lines must be open for communication with the relevant authorities.