For days of extreme fire risk
The School’s Bushfire Procedures information is sent home at the beginning of each year. This details the steps the school and parents should take under these circumstances.
Attendance at school is recommended by CFS but is ultimately a parental decision. Children may be picked up at any time during the day by parents or adults authorised on the Bushfire Information form held in the Front Office.
Some strategies that may assist the school and emergency services in case of wildfire may be:
- Avoid traffic congestion on the roads.
- Be aware that emergency vehicles have right of way.
- Please do not ring the school unnecessarily, as we need to keep the telephone line clear.
- If fires are burning in the district at the end of school day, students will be kept at school until collected by parents or authorised adults.
Catastrophic (Code Red) Day
Belair Primary School along with other schools in the area have been rated as high risk by the CFS. In times of a declared Catastrophic Day (Code Red) in the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban District, the school will be CLOSED.
At times the advice from the CFS may arrive after children have left school for the day. In the event that Belair Primary School will be closed due to a catastrophic day, we will aim to contact parents as soon as possible so that care arrangements can be made. Families are asked to provide a mobile phone number and an email address so that alerts can be forwarded to parents (this will be the same email address as for electronic newsletter delivery). Families will receive a SMS first, which will then be followed up with an email. Families are encouraged to watch the television weather forecasts at the end of the news or alternatively look on the Bureau of Meteorology or CFS websites for Catastrophic rating for the Mount Lofty Ranges Fire Ban District and listen to the ABC radio for updates.
These conditions also relate to OSHC and Vacation Care. If the advice is issued, the facility will be closed.
Our Bushfire Action Plan and Checklist is completed and submitted to the Department for Education annually, and we conduct fire drills at our site on a regular basis. Our fire booster pumps and hydrants are also checked regularly. It is parent’s responsibility to be aware of fire conditions and warnings during the bushfire season and take the necessary action. On catastrophic days the school and OSHC is closed.