Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Regulations 1998

The Regulations centre on a small set of recurring policy tools: the Emergency Services Levy, the exercise of emergency operational powers by the FES Commissioner, volunteer administration and insurance, and the protection of official emblems and certain disclosures. The primary concepts and how the Regulations treat them are:

• Emergency Services Levy (ESL): The Regulations prescribe who pays and how levy notices must be constructed. They adopt a categorical spatial model for ESL charging by defining five ESL categories (reg 6) that map to the availability and mix of emergency services in an area. The Regulations also provide exemptions for certain classes of land (reg 5), specify prescribed items that must appear on assessment notices (reg 8(1)(a)-(j)) and set procedural rules for local governments assessing State‑owned land (reg 9). Interest calculation for refunds and outstanding amounts is tied to the rate under Act s 36X as described in regs 10 and 11. The Regulations also fix a dollar amount for false alarm attendances (reg 12A).

• Operational limits on emergency shut‑offs: The Regulations place detailed technical and practical constraints on the FES Commissioner when exercising statutory powers to disconnect gas, electricity or water (reg 12). These constraints include preconditions such as the premises being residential, valves being above ground for gas, the requirement to liaise with network operators if practicable, non‑reopening of valves by the Commissioner, and limits on electricity reconnection and meter type.

• Volunteer management and information: The Regulations require specified member particulars be kept in registers for SES Units, VMRS Groups and FES Units (regs 13-15). Those registers include residential addresses and dates of birth, membership type and contact numbers. This structures how volunteer status is recorded for operational and liability purposes under the Act.

• Insurance and compensation for volunteers: Regulations 15A and 15B cap the amounts the responsible agency must insure under Act s 36ZQ(4) and prescribe an apportionment mechanism for compensation in multi‑party contexts under s 36ZW. The caps are expressed as fixed monetary limits for money, jewellery, and other personal property.

• Symbols and representative bodies: Regulation 16 prescribes particular associations as representative bodies for statutory purposes. Regulation 16A lists symbols the public or private parties may not use without authorisation under Act s 38B(1)(c). Regulation 17 allows specified disclosure of information to police for specified investigatory purposes.

Structurally, the Regulations are a mix of technical prescriptions (meter voltage thresholds, valve location), administrative content requirements (assessment notices, registers) and fixed monetary figures and caps. Many of the provisions are expressly couched as being “for the purposes of” a specific section of the Act; the Regulations therefore should be read as instruments implementing statutory powers rather than as free‑standing policy statements.

The Regulations allocate duties and costs across a set of identifiable parties. The primary affected actors are:

• Ratepayers and landowners in Western Australia who are subject to the Emergency Services Levy. The regulations shape how their levy is calculated and billed through the five categories (reg 6) and the assessment notice content (reg 8). Certain land classes are exempted, affecting who ultimately pays (reg 5). Levy payers bear interest, may face instalment charges and may be subject to a false alarm fee if applicable (reg 12A; regs 10-11 relating to interest).

• Local governments. They must assess levy amounts on leviable land and are directed to assess State‑owned land where the local government is required to issue a rate notice (reg 9(1)). Local governments must include prescribed matters in assessment notices (reg 8) and implement instalment arrangements if approved under the Act (reg 8(1)(g)). The Regulations therefore impose administrative duties, information obligations and potential collection tasks on local government revenue units.

• The FES Commissioner and responsible agencies. The Regulations prescribe steps the FES Commissioner must take before exercising emergency shut‑off powers (reg 12), including liaising with network operators when practicable (reg 12(2), (9)), following notification duties (reg 12(5)), and operating within strict technical limits (regs 12(1), (4), (6), (8)). The Regulations also give the FES Commissioner authority to determine apportionment of compensation among injured volunteer support recipients or to appoint a suitably qualified person to do so (reg 15B(3)).

• Network operators and utility suppliers. The Regulations require authorisation from the relevant network operator before the Commissioner may shut off gas, electricity or, in some circumstances, other supplies to non‑residential premises (regs 12(1)(d)(4), 12(6)(a)). Network operators are entitled to notifications within two hours where the Commissioner shuts off gas (reg 12(5)). Practical coordination between the Commissioner and network operators is therefore mandated.

• Volunteer organisations and volunteers. The Regulations prescribe the required register fields for SES Units, VMRS Groups and FES Units (regs 13-15), which affects volunteer administrative burden and privacy exposure. Insurance caps in reg 15A set the maximum compensation for volunteers’ personal property that responsible agencies need to insure, defining the financial protection volunteers can expect. The apportionment mechanism in reg 15B allocates recovery processes and decisions among multiple injured parties and the FES Commissioner.

• Representative associations. The Regulations formally recognise certain associations for the purposes of Act s 23 (reg 16). Having a prescribed association can affect consultation and representation rights under the Act.

• Police. Regulation 17 permits disclosure of information to police officers for fire/explosion investigations, fire‑related deaths, and certain offences under the Criminal Code and Bush Fires Act. This affects investigative cooperation and data disclosure pathways.

In short, the Regulations primarily affect public revenue collectors and administrators (local governments, FES Commissioner), utilities and network operators, volunteer personnel and organisations, and property owners liable for the ESL. The practical incidence of costs depends on how local governments determine categories and rates under the Act, and how often the FES Commissioner exercises operational powers that trigger notification or fee mechanisms.

The Regulations impose or clarify specific administrative duties and narrow operational rights. The principal duties and rights are:

• Duty to include specified matters on ESL assessment notices. Under reg 8(1), assessment notices must include a description of the leviable land, gross rental value where applicable, the emergency services category, the levy amount and due date, instalment amounts and charges where instalments are approved, any early payment discount, rebates under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992, and amounts of unpaid levy and accrued interest. For the 2004 and 2005 levy years, supplementary explanatory material was required (reg 8(2)-(3)).

• Duty of local government to assess certain State‑owned land. A local government must assess the levy for State agency or instrumentality land in its district if it is required to issue a rate notice to that entity under the Local Government Act 1995 (reg 9(1)). The FES Commissioner may instead give notice to the local government identifying land for which the subregulation does not apply (reg 9(2)).

• FES Commissioner constraints and duties when shutting off utilities. Regulation 12 tightly conditions the exercise of the Commissioner’s powers in relation to gas, electricity and water. For gas the premises must be residential and the shut‑off performed by closing an above‑ground valve (reg 12(1)). The Commissioner should liaise with the gas network operator if practicable (reg 12(2)), must not re‑open a valve he or she closes (reg 12(3)), and must notify the gas network operator as soon as practicable and in any event within two hours of doing so (reg 12(5)). Electricity disconnection requires network operator authorisation, a competent person to perform the disconnection, that premises be residential, single direct connected electricity meter configuration, and electrical installations not exceeding 415 volts (reg 12(6)(a)-(e)). The Commissioner may not reconnect electricity once disconnected (reg 12(7)). Water shut‑offs are permitted only by a valve on or immediately adjacent to the premises where shutting off will not affect other premises (reg 12(8)); the Commissioner should if practicable liaise with the water supplier before doing so (reg 12(9)).

• Right to impose a false alarm fee. For the purposes of Act s 36ZL(1)(d)(i), the Regulations prescribe a fixed fee of $1 337 for a brigade attendance in response to a false alarm (reg 12A). The Regulations do not themselves create the right to charge; they establish the quantum for the statutory head.

• Duty to maintain registers for volunteer units. The registers for SES Units (reg 13), VMRS Groups (reg 14) and FES Units (reg 15) must contain full name, postal and residential addresses, date of birth, membership type, contact telephone numbers, and the unit/group name. These duties support identification, operational deployment and potential liability or insurance mechanisms under the Act.

• Insurance obligations and limits. Regulation 15A limits the amount of compensation for which a responsible agency is required to insure under Act s 36ZQ(4): money or negotiable instruments to $250 per incident per volunteer; watches or jewellery to $2 000 per item or set per incident; and other personal property (with listed exceptions) to $10 000 aggregate per volunteer over any 12 month period. These figures cap the responsible agency’s financial exposure and therefore limit volunteers’ insured losses.

• Apportionment process for compensation. Regulation 15B sets an apportionment methodology under s 36ZW(3): apportionment should be by agreement between affected persons or, failing agreement, determined by application to the FES Commissioner who may determine it or appoint a suitably qualified person to do so (reg 15B(1)-(3)).

• Prohibition on unauthorised use of prescribed symbols. Regulation 16A lists the symbols which are prescribed for the purposes of Act s 38B(1)(c). The Act sets out the relevant prohibition and any associated enforcement mechanism; the Regulations identify the artefacts protected.

• Disclosure right to police in defined circumstances. Under reg 17, a person may disclose information to a police officer for the investigation of a fire or explosion, fire‑related death, and for investigations of specified offences under the Criminal Code and the Bush Fires Act 1954. This creates a statutory channel for information sharing between the Department/agency and police forces.

Collectively, these duties require administrative work by local governments and agencies, place technical constraints on the exercise of operational powers by the Commissioner, create financial entitlements and caps, and formalise information flows.

The Regulations themselves rarely create standalone penalties; rather they support enforcement mechanisms that are exercisable under the Act by prescribing operational parameters, monetary figures and procedural details. Key enforcement and penalty‑adjacent instruments and mechanisms are:

• False alarm fee. Regulation 12A prescribes the fee quantum, namely $1 337 for an attendance in response to a false alarm, "for the purposes of" Act s 36ZL(1)(d)(i). The Act supplies the head of power to levy that fee; the Regulations fix the amount. In practice enforcement of payment will be under the Act and its recovery processes, while the Regulations make the payment quantum administratively certain.

• Interest on refunds and unpaid amounts. Regulations 10 and 11 tie the applicable interest rate for overpayments, recoveries and unpaid sums to the rate under subsection (2) of Act s 36X at the relevant time. By fixing the reference date rules (use the rate at time of determination or, if none applies then the most recent rate), the Regulations ensure clarity about interest calculations that will be applied when amounts are refunded, recovered or remain unpaid under an ESL agreement. Recovery enforcement tools under the Act will use these rate rules.

• Operational compliance obligations for the FES Commissioner. Regulation 12 prescribes strict operational constraints. Non‑compliance by the Commissioner with these constraints would be a matter of administrative law and possibly subject to internal departmental discipline rather than a criminal penalty set out in the Regulations. The Regulations, by mandating liaison with network operators "if practicable" and requiring notice to network operators within two hours after shutting off gas, provide clear benchmarks against which the Commissioner’s procedural compliance can be measured.

• Prohibition on unauthorised use of symbols. Regulation 16A prescribes symbols that cannot be used under Act s 38B(1)(c). The Act provides the prohibition; the Regulations identify the symbols. Enforcement of unauthorised use will be through the Act’s enforcement regime. The Regulations therefore provide evidential clarity about which marks are protected and subject to enforcement under the Act.

• Disclosure channels for police investigations. Regulation 17 authorises disclosure to police for certain investigations. This is not a penalty mechanism but an enforcement facilitator. It allows agencies or persons acting under the Act to share information with police where a criminal or serious public safety investigation is involved.

• Apportionment determinations by the FES Commissioner. Regulation 15B empowers the Commissioner to determine apportionment of compensatory amounts among persons where the parties cannot agree. This determination function is an administrative enforcement mechanism for allocating liability and financial responsibility. There is no appeal mechanism specified in the Regulations themselves, but the Act may provide review pathways; the Regulations simply prescribe the initial apportionment process.

• Assessment and collection mechanics for ESL. Regulations 8 and 9 shape how local governments prepare assessment notices and which lands they assess. Collection and enforcement powers for unpaid ESL amounts lie in the Act; the Regulations provide notice content and interest calculation rules that affect enforceability.

The Regulations therefore operate largely as an enforcement infrastructure for the Act. They standardise amounts, create timing and notification requirements, prescribe protected emblems and provide administrative decision‑making roles (notably the Commissioner’s power to determine apportionment). Where the Regulations refer to Act provisions that include penalties or review rights, the applicable enforcement consequences are those in the Act, applied within the procedural framework the Regulations prescribe.

The Regulations repeatedly cross‑reference the Act and a number of other statutes, tying the administration of fire and emergency arrangements into broader legal regimes. The notable interactions are:

• Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998. Almost every provision is expressly “for the purposes of” a specific section of the Act. The Regulations therefore act as subordinate instruments giving detail to the Act’s operation. Examples: ESL categories (reg 6) for Act s 36F(1); assessment notice content (reg 8) for Act s 36J(2)(b); FES Commissioner shut‑off powers (reg 12) for Act ss 18B, 18G and 18L; registers for unit members (regs 13-15) for Act ss 18D, 18I and 18N.

• Local Government Act 1995. Regulation 3 defines the Western Australian Municipal Association by reference to s 9.58 of the Local Government Act 1995. Regulation 9(1) ties a local government’s duty to assess State land for ESL to circumstances where the local government is required to issue a rate notice under the Local Government Act.

• Mining Act 1978 and Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967. Regulation 5 gives ESL exemption to land in respect of which a mining tenement other than a mining lease is granted under the Mining Act 1978 and to land in respect of which an exploration permit for petroleum is granted under the Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967. The Regulations therefore import cadastral and tenure definitions from those Acts into the levy exemption regime.

• Contaminated Sites Act 2003. Regulation 5(2) imports the statutory definition of “contaminated” from s 4 of the Contaminated Sites Act 2003 for the purposes of identifying land exempt from the ESL where no emergency services are provided because of contamination.

• Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992. Regulation 8(1)(i) requires assessment notices to state any rebate that applies under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992, pulling local government rebate rules into the ESL notice process.

• Bush Fires Act 1954 and Fire Brigades Act 1942. Regulation 6(7) imports definitions of "bush fire brigade" and the various brigade types from those older Acts to determine ESL category coverage. Regulation 17( c) refers to offences under the Bush Fires Act 1954 in the context of disclosures to police.

• The Criminal Code. Regulation 17(1)(c)(i) lists specific Criminal Code sections as offences for which information may be disclosed to police under Act s 39(2)(d).

• Reprints Act 1984. The compilation notes indicate references altered under the Reprints Act 1984 for updating the short title from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998 to the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998.

These cross‑references have practical effects. Levy exemptions depend on land tenure and contamination regimes in other statutes. Assessment notice content involves rate rebate schemes. Operational shutdown duties require coordination with private network operators regulated under other statutory regimes. Records and disclosure provisions intersect with criminal law and fire safety legislation. Practitioners must therefore read the Regulations alongside the Act and the cited statutes to understand the full legal and administrative context.

The Regulations include a compilation table that records amendments and reprints from 1998 through 2021. The schema and notable changes are:

• Initial instrument and commencement. Originally published as the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Regulations 1998 and commenced 1 January 1999 (compilation table entry for the 1998 instrument).

• Early 2003-2004 amendments. A series of amendment regulations in 2003 and 2004 inserted the ESL provisions (regs 5-11 and 12A were inserted in timeframes noted) and the operational shut‑off and register provisions. Specifically, many of the regulations now displayed bear the annotation “inserted: Gazette 16 May 2003” or “3 Oct 2003” specifying when particular parts were introduced (see history notes at the head of each regulation).

• Interest‑rate and false alarm fee updates. Regulation 10 (interest for refunds/recoveries) and reg 11 (interest for unpaid amounts under ESL agreements) were inserted in 2003 and amended 30 December 2004. Regulation 12A (false alarm fee) was inserted 2 June 2015 and subsequently amended 22 June 2018 and by SL 2021/114 (2 July 2021), indicating the false alarm fee has been updated by later amendments (reg 12A notes).

• 2012 and 2013 changes. A 2012 amendment revised certain cross‑references and other textual matters (see Gazette 31 Oct 2012 and Reprint 2 as at 7 Dec 2012). Regulation 16 prescribing associations was inserted by the 2013 amendment (Gazette 14 May 2013 p. 1968‑9).

• 2014 disclosure and 2015 fee changes. Regulation 17 (disclosure to police for certain investigations) was inserted by the 2014 amendment (Gazette 12 Dec 2014). Regulation 12A setting the false alarm fee was inserted 2015 (Gazette 2 Jun 2015).

• 2017 restructuring and symbols list. A cluster of changes appearing from 8 and 15 September 2017 included the modern r 1 citation update, insertion of Part headings and the insertion of reg 16A in September 2017 prescribing symbols not to be used, with visual depictions appearing in the Table to r 16A.

• 2018 and 2021 adjustments. The false alarm fee (reg 12A) was amended 22 June 2018 and again in 2021 (SL 2021/114), showing the Regulations are periodically used to update fixed monetary amounts; the compilation table records the 2018 and 2021 instruments and commencement dates.

The compilation table also lists three reprints: Reprint 1 as at 4 Feb 2005, Reprint 2 as at 7 Dec 2012, and Reprint 3 as at 23 Feb 2018. The notes at the end of the Regulations explain that prior references to the Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia Act 1998 were updated to the Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998 under the Reprints Act 1984 (note 1). The amendment history shows a pattern: the Regulations are periodically used to tune monetary figures and to add technical or administrative detail as the statutory scheme evolves, especially for ESL administration and operational rules for the Commissioner. Practitioners should check whether any post‑2021 amendments or reprints exist beyond the compilation to ensure current compliance.

The Regulations themselves do not list any cases or judicial determinations. The text contains no references to judicial decisions, and the compilation table does not record litigation. Therefore:

• There are no cases cited within this instrument. The Regulations do not provide analyses of judicial interpretation or references to case law.

• Any litigation that bears on the interpretation or application of the Regulations will be found in court records or case law databases rather than in the Regulations text. Where the Regulations incorporate or interpret statutory concepts from other Acts (for example the Act, the Contaminated Sites Act 2003, the Mining Act 1978 or the Local Government Act 1995), relevant case law on those statutes may indirectly affect how the Regulations operate in practice. The Regulations reference the Act’s review and objection pathways; for example reg 8(2)(g) directs readers to Part 6A Division 8 of the Act for objection and review in relation to determinations under s 36G(4)(b) or s 36I(2)(b), which will be the forum for administrative challenges to levy determinations.

• Practitioners seeking litigation history should therefore search administrative law decisions, Local Government Act decisions and any cases addressing the Act sections the Regulations implement, including review decisions under Part 6A Division 8 (as noted in reg 8). Disputes likely to generate litigation include classification of land for ESL purposes, the exercise of the FES Commissioner’s shut‑off powers, the imposition and recoverability of the false alarm fee, insurance apportionment determinations under reg 15B and any alleged misuse of protected symbols listed in reg 16A.

In short, the Regulations contain no internal record of litigation. Any judicial history relevant to interpretation or challenge will be located in external decisions applying the Act and the Regulations together.

The Regulations contain several technical details and procedural traps that catch practitioners, local governments, utilities and volunteer organisations if overlooked. The most important practical "gotchas" are:

• ESL category is area‑based and depends on service mix, not necessarily on individual property characteristics. Regulation 6 defines five ESL categories by the mix of services provided in an area (permanent brigades, volunteer brigades, bush brigades, FES Units, SES Units). Local governments and levy payers must understand that classification is an area‑level determination which may not align to a single property’s usage profile. Misclassifying an area can alter levy incidence materially, and reg 7 requires the Minister to have regard to the advice of the FES Commissioner when determining the purpose for which land is used (reg 7).

• Exemption by reference to tenement or contamination. Regulation 5(c) exempts land subject to a petroleum exploration permit and reg 5(b) exempts certain mining tenement lands. These exemptions depend on other statutes’ tenement definitions and statuses. Also, reg 5(1)(d) exempts land determined contaminated by the Minister with FES Commissioner advice and where no services are provided because of contamination. Landowners and councils must be aware that exemption turns on formal ministerial determinations and interagency advice and is not an automatic consequence of contamination or tenement status without the correct formal process.

• Notice content and transitional material. ESL assessment notices must include a long list of items (reg 8(1)(a)-(j)). For the initial levy years (2004 and 2005) extra materials were mandated (reg 8(2)-(3)); while those transitional requirements are historical, practitioners should note that the Regulations contain time‑specific clauses and that earlier year requirements are retained in the instrument. Omitting required notice items can create grounds for administrative challenge under the Act’s review pathways indicated in reg 8(2)(g).

• Interest calculation timing. Regulations 10 and 11 tie the applicable interest rates to the rate that applies under s 36X at the time the objection/review is determined or when an amount becomes due and payable. This creates potential retrospective rate effects; the applicable rate is the one at the decision time or the most recent preceding rate. Parties recalculating interest must confirm the exact date of determination or the date the amount became due to apply the correct rate, not the rate contemporaneous with notice issue.

• False alarm fee quantum update mechanism. Reg 12A sets a specific amount ($1 337 as at the latest amendment noted) but the compilation shows this figure has been amended multiple times (2015, 2018, 2021). Practitioners must check the current Gazette instrument to confirm the active amount, and assess whether the Act imposes process or appeal rights for such fees.

• Utility shut‑off constraints are narrow and asymmetrical. The FES Commissioner may only close an above‑ground gas valve on residential premises without network operator authorisation (reg 12(1)). The Commissioner cannot re‑open such a valve (reg 12(3)), and for electricity disconnections authorisation from the network operator and a competent person are required (reg 12(6)). Water shut‑offs are allowed only where a valve on or immediately adjacent to the premises will not affect other premises (reg 12(8)). Failing to meet these technical preconditions can render a shut‑off unauthorised. The "if practicable, liaise" language (regs 12(2) and 12(9)) creates room for operational judgment; however “if practicable” may be a litigable standard when public safety and property rights intersect.

• Registers require sensitive personal data. The registers specified in regs 13-15 require residential addresses and dates of birth. That brings privacy obligations and record‑keeping requirements. Failure to protect this information may trigger separate privacy or employment issues, even though the Regulations do not impose privacy standards themselves.

• Insurance caps are modest. Regulation 15A limits insured compensation to $250 for money, $2 000 per item for jewellery or watches, and $10 000 aggregate per 12 months for other personal property per volunteer. Volunteers relying on these caps must be aware that higher‑value personal property may not be insured by the responsible agency and that separate private insurance may be required.

• Apportionment determined administratively by the FES Commissioner. If parties cannot agree on apportionment of compensation (reg 15B(2)-(3)), the FES Commissioner can determine the apportionment or appoint a qualified person to do so. There is no explicit appeal route laid out in the Regulations. Parties should therefore plan for administrative decision‑making and the potential for limited review avenues under the Act.

• Symbol protections are visually specified but not defined substantively. Regulation 16A attaches images (Table) to identify protected symbols. Enforcement and compliance require checking whether a given mark is “the same as” or “likely to be mistaken for” a prescribed symbol. The Regulations do not give a margin for similarity; controlled use will require confirmation of authorisation or legal advice.

These gotchas reflect the Regulations’ technical focus. The practical implication is that compliance requires coordination among local governments, utilities, volunteer organisations and the Department. Where operations are time‑sensitive (utility shut‑offs, emergency responses), close procedural adherence to the letter of the Regulations is required to avoid administrative challenge or operational missteps.

Compliance under the Regulations falls into discrete workstreams for different actors. The following practical checklist sets out key steps and controls, organised by actor, and cites the relevant regulation provisions.

Local governments (ESL administration)

• Map each local government district to one of the five ESL categories by reference to the services provided in the area (reg 6(1)-(6)). Record the basis for the category assignment and retain FES Commissioner advice where applicable (reg 7).
• Prepare assessment notices that contain the required content items: land description, gross rental value where applicable, emergency services category, rate in the dollar where used, variation by land purpose, levy amount and due date, instalment details and charges where instalments approved, early payment discounts, rebates under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992, and any unpaid levy or interest (reg 8(1)(a)-(j)).
• Where State agency land is involved, assess leviable land for which a rate notice is required under the Local Government Act 1995 (reg 9(1)). Keep watch for notices from the FES Commissioner exempting land from this duty (reg 9(2)).
• Apply the correct interest rate for refunds and recoveries by referencing the rate that applies under s 36X at the relevant time, following the date rules in regs 10-11.

FES Commissioner and responsible agencies (operational and insurance duties)

• Before shutting off gas to residential premises, confirm the shut‑off method will be by closing an above‑ground valve and, if practicable, liaise with the gas network operator (reg 12(1)-(2)). If closing a valve, note that the Commissioner must not re‑open it (reg 12(3)).
• For non‑residential premises, obtain written authorisation from the relevant network operator before shutting off gas or electricity (reg 12(4); reg 12(6)(a)).
• For electricity disconnections ensure the disconnecting person is competent and familiar with the premises’ electrical installations, verify single direct connected meter configuration and that installations do not exceed 415 volts (reg 12(6)(b)-(e)). Do not reconnect electricity once disconnected (reg 12(7)).
• For water shut‑offs ensure the valve is on or immediately adjacent to the premises and that shutting off will not impact other premises; liaise with the water supplier where practicable (reg 12(8)-(9)).
• Give notification to network operators as soon as practicable and within two hours when a gas supply is shut off under reg 12(5).
• Maintain and secure volunteer registers with required particulars: full name, postal and residential addresses, date of birth, membership type, contact telephone numbers and unit/group name (regs 13-15). Implement privacy and access controls consistent with other applicable privacy laws and departmental record‑keeping policies.
• Ensure responsible agencies’ insurance programs align with the caps in reg 15A. Review internal arrangements, and communicate to volunteers what items are covered and the limits (money $250, watches/jewellery $2 000 per item, other personal property $10 000 per 12 months).
• For apportionment disputes, adopt an internal process to receive applications from parties, consider facilitative negotiation, and, where necessary, prepare to make an apportionment determination or appoint a suitably qualified person under reg 15B(3). Keep contemporaneous records of the reasoning in any administrative determination.

Volunteer organisations and volunteers

• Maintain registers with the exact fields required by regs 13-15 and ensure records are accurate and up to date. Anticipate that registers will be used for deployment, insurance and administrative decision‑making.
• Check insurance expectations against reg 15A caps and obtain additional private insurance for higher‑value personal property where desired. Volunteers should be advised of the limits in writing.

Network operators and utilities

• Cooperate with the FES Commissioner and local authorities as required by regs 12(2), 12(5) and 12(9). Establish clear lines of authorisation where the Commissioner must obtain permission to shut off supplies to non‑residential premises (regs 12(4), 12(6)(a)).
• Prepare operational protocols to document competence of persons authorised to disconnect electricity in accordance with reg 12(6)(b). Validate meter configurations and voltage information where requests involve reconnection or disconnection.

All parties (symbols and disclosures)

• If using any logos, patches or emblems resembling those listed in reg 16A, verify authorisation under the Act; do not assume de minimis or incidental uses are permitted without checking. Keep records of any permissions granted.
• Where information may be disclosed to police for the matters in reg 17 (fire or explosion investigation, fire‑related death, certain Criminal Code and Bush Fires Act offences), ensure authorised personnel understand when the statutory disclosure permission applies. Maintain logs of disclosures and legal basis.

Record keeping and review readiness

• Maintain robust record keeping for all notices, authorisations, liaison attempts with network operators, notifications given under reg 12(5), insurance claims and determinations under reg 15B. These records will be central to defending administrative decisions and to meeting review or objection requirements under the Act (see reg 8(2)(g) directing attention to Part 6A Division 8 of the Act).

Financial and policy controls

• Review the false alarm fee amount under reg 12A at each statutory update and ensure collection processes align with Act recovery mechanisms. Confirm the active fee amount in the current reprint or amending instrument.
• Reconcile ESL notices with rebate entitlements under the Rates and Charges (Rebates and Deferments) Act 1992 as required by reg 8(1)(i).

Following these steps will align operational practice with the specific prescriptions of the Regulations. Because many provisions are interlinked with the Act and other statutes, confirm any action that affects legal rights with the relevant statutory text and up‑to‑date reprints or amendments.