Crisis Management - Open for Business

Developed in response to impact of the severe bushfires of 2009, Open for Business is a toolkit that helps Victorian tourism businesses get organised so they can recover more quickly from any emergency incident. It includes tools, tips and case studies. The toolkit is designed to complement the Crisis Communications Handbook for regional and local tourism.

The document is a comprehensive guide to crisis management for tourism businesses. It features:

1. Preparing for the unexpected
2. Responding to a crisis
3. Recovering from a crisis

Bushfire Information

The Country Fire Authority (CFA) have published a range of bushfire preparedness documents for business owners.

Crisis Essentials Guide
Understanding Your Environment

Leaving Early Brochure
Leaving Early Template

Chartered Practicing Accountants Australia, the recognised body for finance, accounting and business have also developed a resource.
Bushfire Recovery Kit
This document provides a checklist on pp 4-8 and 14-20.

As Victoria faces its hottest days since the 2009 February bushfires, we recognise that tourism businesses across the State, especially where fire danger ratings of Code Red and Extreme are in place, will be impacted, whether due to cancellations or a drop in visitation due to the public exercising more caution with regard to their travel plans.

We would like to hear what impacts the new fire danger ratings are having on member businesses. We would also like to hear what your preparations have been for days of significant fire danger. Please email your comments and feedback to Elysa Sorahan at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

How prepared are you?

A Fire Danger Rating is a prediction of fire behaviour, including how hard it would be to put out a fire once it starts.
It provides information on:
• the type of threat bushfires may pose to life and property on any day given the forecast weather conditions
• the sort of bushfire behaviour that could be experienced on that day

The new Fire Danger Rating Barometer will alert you to danger so you can take action.

Fire Danger Ratings will be a feature of weather forecasts and alert you to the actions you should take in preparation for and on the day. It will be in newspapers, broadcast on radio, TV and on websites.

Victoria has adopted the new nationally agreed Fire Danger Rating scale to help communities understand information about fire danger. This new scale recognises the significant increase in severe bushfire conditions over the past decade and the subsequent greater level of danger to the community, and potential loss of life, as experienced by Victorians on Saturday 7 February 2009.

The Fire Danger Rating for each weather district is determined by the BoM in consultation with the fire agencies. Each of the Fire Danger Ratings has recommended actions you should follow. For the the actions you should take when there is fire risk click here.