Assisting Victorian Schools after 2020 Bushfire

Key Points 

• Programmed delivers a State-wide make-safe response service for over 1,500 Victorian schools which includes responding quickly to events impacting schools. 
• Programmed provided urgent support for public schools damaged by the bushfires that raged through east Gippsland in 2020. 

Challenge 

In 2019 Programmed was engaged by the Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) to deliver a State-wide make-safe response service for over 1,500 schools, comprising 17,000 buildings and a collective asset value of over $20 billion. 

The key deliverable of the contract is to respond to schools after an event has occurred and make the area safe to continue operations without any risks to the health and safety of site users and the public. Some schools have a heritage overlay and include heritage listed buildings that require specialist subcontractors to rectify damaged facilities. Our capability includes the planning, mobilisation and delivery of successful outcomes in short time frames. We also provide a dedicated 24/7/365 emergency help desk and online reporting. 

Solution 

Programmed provided urgent support for public schools damaged by the bushfires that raged through east Gippsland in 2020. After fire hit the town of Mallacoota earlier this year, Programmed was engaged by DET to remediate fire damage to several teachers’ houses. Programmed worked closely with other bushfire recovery agencies to undertake the works in a way that did not impact on the wider recovery works for the Mallacoota township. 

Critically our presence in Mallacoota allowed us to provide updates on the condition of DET’s fixed assets soon after the fires had passed through the township. This included the School and teachers’ accommodation. 

We also deployed resources from internal and supply partner sources across eastern Victoria to support the communities impacted as follows: 

• Clifton Creek Primary School was burnt down 
• Bairnsdale 
• Orbost 
• Corryong 
• Tallangatta. 

Outcomes 

Programmed supported the Land Regeneration Program in Mallacoota following bushfire damage at the local school in January 2020. Due to our vast network, we were able to provide updates on the condition of DET’s fixed assets very soon after the bushfires passed the township. These updates included the condition of the school and the teachers’ houses.