Inspector-General review of Queensland’s bushfires confirmed

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford has confirmed a review will be done after the devastating bushfires that swept through the state.

Mr Crawford said the review was standard practice after such a major event.

He said he was tasking the statutorily independent Inspector-General Emergency Management to review key preparedness and response elements of the fires and hot weather events across Queensland.

The Inspector-General conducted a similar review after Cyclone Debbie in 2017, to ensure Queenslanders remained at the forefront of emergency management excellence across the nation.

Mr Crawford said he had directed the Inspector-General to identify examples of good practice for future reference.

“There are lessons to be learned from every disaster and this one is no different,” he said.

“The horrific fire conditions and threat faced by so many Queenslanders is unprecedented in recorded history.

“Seeing our first responders in action on the ground, I just can’t thank enough our fire and emergency services personnel and volunteers from across the state and from interstate.

“They were joined by our local councils, by their communities and by all Queenslanders in facing this crisis together.

“So many Queenslanders have suffered serious loss in the past week but I know that without the experience, dedication and expertise of our emergency services it could have been so much worse.”

ENDS

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