With a long, hot and dry summer predicted, one of the major health risks faced by the Victorian community comes from poor air quality affected by bushfire smoke.
The ability to detect and provide an early warning against poor air quality is a high priority for Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA). EPA has refined its emergency planning to better support emergency first response agencies including SES where many units now have a mobile air monitor which can be deployed to provide warnings when air quality deteriorates.
Ten of the mobile units have been placed across the State in locations selected by EPA and VICSES that will enable response to smoke events to occur quickly.
“Having the units at SES sites around the state will give us greater capacity to respond quickly and provide real time data that will help keep communities safer,” said EPA Chief Environmental Scientist Dr Andrea Hinwood.
“The data provided by this equipment will inform decisions made as part of emergency management protocols relating to incident air monitoring during emergency incidents and controlled fuel reduction burns.
“Air quality information collected by smoke monitors during incidents will then be used to inform the community about any potential health impacts through the EPA AirWatch site, emergency.vic.gov.au social media and local media.
“The information will also assist EPA and other agencies in making decisions about next steps when responding to an incident.
“The air monitors will record levels of what is known as PM2.5, which are small particles found in smoke that can affect people’s health. The higher the reading, the more particles and the greater risk to health.”
Locations that have received the mobile units are:
- Bairnsdale
- Broadmeadows
- Bright
- Benalla
- Swan Hill
- Mildura
- Bendigo
- Stawell
- Ballarat
- Hamilton
VICSES Acting Deputy Chief Officer Alistair Drayton said the partnership between VICSES and the EPA will benefit the community.
“The equipment will ensure decisions relating to poor air quality as a result of smoke can be disseminated to impacted communities in a timely manner. VICSES volunteers have welcomed this new equipment and are keen to see the benefits that it will bring,” Mr Drayton said.
So far the mobile units have been used at the following major fire incidents:
- Coolaroo, July 2017
- South-west peat fires, March/April 2018
- North-east planned burns, May 2018
- West Footscray fire, August 2018
- Campbellfield fire, September 2018