SAVEM is not yet Activated by PIRSA for the Tooperang fire. PIRSA and SAVEM are gathering information about wildlife injuries and losses, and PIRSA will make a decision later in the week regarding a SAVEM activation. CFS Incident Command is not allowing any agencies other than first responders onto fireground today due to safety concerns – firegrounds are dangerous places.
It is very important members of the public do not attempt to enter the fireground to search for or remove injured animals – that is the role of trained, official agencies of which SAVEM is one. The Department of Environment and Water is already on the fireground in a firefighting capacity. The RSPCA is another trained responder group who may be activated alongside SAVEM.
SAVEM is not on fireground yet because SAVEM is a formal part of the State Emergency Management Plan, and MUST follow chain of command. Until we are activated by the hazard leader (PIRSA – Primary Industries and Regions SA) we cannot attend an incident. What we can do is to prepare teams to stand by, which is what SAVEM is doing today. We may know by the end of the week if we are permitted to attend the Tooperang fireground.
Please watch this webpage and follow our Instagram account, savem_inc
