Severe Weather Warnings for 2009 / 2010

As we saw earlier in the year, severe weather can have a major impact on outdoor programs within Victoria.  This term relates to more than just the risk of fire within our National Parks but can be linked to extreme cold, wind, storms and excessive heat.  We should prepare for more of these warnings during the remainder of this year and into the future. 

The Department of Education has the power to decree that a severe weather day is in effect which means that schools should not conduct excursions or camps during this time.  For single day excursions this causes a minor glitch in a days activity that may be able to be postponed to a more appropriate day.  If however the day is declared during the week for a program of multiple days, it causes some interesting logistical issues with a group already in the field.  Evacuating the group from its current location to one considered safer is a progression that is already adopted, often before the decree is given from the Department of Education.

All outdoor providers should have in place a system for constantly evaluating the on coming weather and be in a position to remove groups from possible hazardous areas well before the on set of severe weather.  As an industry we spend our careers managing risk in the outdoors and the number one objective is the safety of the students and staff that we are leading into the great outdoors.



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