This case study relates to the VPS values of leadership and responsiveness.
Background
The Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) introduced the online Fire Planner as part of its annual Victorian Fire Season Campaign during heightened bush and grassfire risk.
This innovative tool is a first in Victoria. People can use it to create a personalised fire plan online and save and share it with their communities.
Challenge
Market research identified a significant group of Victorians living in high-risk bush and grassfire areas who had done little or no fire planning. In response, funding was allocated to develop an online Fire Planner tool to ensure all Victorians have access to comprehensive fire planning resources.
The online Fire Planner was built to enable the quick and easy creation of fire plans. It prioritises accessibility, using plain language to make the process intuitive for all users. Privacy and inclusivity are also central, ensuring that everyone feels comfortable utilising the tool.
The project used external creative and technology suppliers to meet the tight deadlines of the Victorian Fire Season Campaign. Feedback from user testing found the tool was user-friendly and educational, and supported users throughout the process.
Result
The planner immediately got impressive results with 119,000 site visits and 1,704 fire plans created within 10 weeks of its launch in mid-November 2023. Remarkably, 44% of users were completing a fire plan for the first time.
The DJCS team showed Leadership and Responsiveness in implementing a project that has the potential to save lives and fulfills an important public need.
Learn more and create your own fire plan.