Data Source: CFA COMMUNITY INFORMATION & EDUCATION INITIATIVES

Institutional Environment: Data Collector(s): Data are collected by Country Fire Authority (CFA).

Collection authority: CFA is bound by the Information Privacy Act 200 (Victoria), and data were collected in accordance with these principles to maintain confidentiality and privacy of the data provided.

Data Compiler(s): Data are collected by CFA which is a volunteer and community-based fire and emergency service organisation.

Additional information: CFA ensures data are securely maintained, and does not report identifiable information.

Relevance: Data topic: Data were collected on community-based information and education interventions provided by CFA.

Level of geography: Data are available for interventions in CFA jurisdictions only.

Key Data Items: Data are available at the municipality level for the number of: • Community meetings • Home Bushfire Advice Service (HBAS) visits • School Education Programs.

Numerator/Denominator Source: N/A

Additional information: • Data were collected in response to interventions implemented according to recommendations made by the Victorian Royal Bushfire Commission (VBRC). • Data are collected using standardised classifications supported by user guides and manuals.

Timeliness: Data collected: Data are collected on an ongoing basis and reported as required.

Data available: Data are available as and when required.

Referenced Period: Data are provided for the financial years 2014/15, 2013/14 and 2012/13.

Additional information: Data are frequently updated, but data collection may not be fully complete until up to 8 weeks post-intervention.

Accuracy: Method of Collection: Data are collected at the Region level. Depending on the intervention type, data may be directly uploaded to the system at the region level, or paper forms are completed and provided back to the region for data input.

Data Adjustments: N/A

Collection size: N/A

Under Counts: • It may take up to 8 weeks to upload data on an intervention and data are therefore best reported 8 weeks following the end of a financial year to minimise under counts.
• Where paper-based forms are used, up to 2% are not appropriately completed or illegible and therefore not captured in the dataset.

Over Counts: • It is possible that some self-initiated registrations for interventions are double counted if the individual has registered twice using different email addresses.
• CFA take steps to search the database for double entries in order to minimise over counting.

Additional information: • Data processing is automated, and there are standard procedures and manuals in place to minimise data entry and processing errors. • Data is not captured for all CFA interventions, but a subset of the suite of activities.

Coherence: Consistency over time:
• Data are relatively consistent over time.
• Categorisation changes are generally at the more fine grain level, and broad categories do not change therefore the impact would be minimal.

Consistency of jurisdictions: Interventions conducted and related data captured vary across Australian fire services.

Numerator/denominator: N/A

There is a consistent time series for this data.

Additional information: N/A

Interpretability: Context: N/A

Other Supporting information: N/A

Additional information: Many of the interventions implemented by CFA were as a result of the 2009 VBRC. Background and terminology can be found on their website: http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/

Accessibility: No further data are available.

Contact details:

CFA Headquarters Address: 8 Lakeside Drive, Burwood East, Victoria Australia 3151 Postal Address: PO Box 701, Mount Waverley, Victoria Australia 3149 Telephone: +61(3) 9262 8444 Fax: +61 (3) 9264 6200

Additional information: • Data captured include identifiable information, therefore records have been aggregated before release. • Spreadsheets are available from the CFA website: HYPERLINK