NSW Bushfire Inquiry: Calls for victim support overhaul and telecommunication fix

The independent report recommends Resilience NSW and Service NSW design an inclusive approach for collecting information in the wake of bushfires to be distributed between government, council and non-government support services on an opt-in basis.

The system would prevent victims from being forced to retell their story multiple times to apply for support.

Tumbarumba resident Sue Townsend, whose home was one of more than 100 lost in the Dunns Road fire, said finding information and applying for support was one of the most difficult experiences of the time.

"In that first week we registered three different times and really there was no information given to us," she said.

Professor Townsend said it was difficult to go through what happened time and time again so soon after the event and some of the requests for evidence had been "ridiculous", such as requests for copies of utility bills to prove the damage.

"The whole experience in that first week, it made everything 100 times worse and in some ways it didn't just compound the trauma, it retraumatised you," she said.

"There needs to be a one stop shop, people shouldn't have to apply numerous times for what's available."

Professor Townsend said there needed to be major change in the entire support system, with many victims still without a home or a clear path to rebuilding eight months after the fire and communication issues ongoing.

Improved telecommunications during bushfire emergencies was one of the key issues addressed in the report.

The 76 recommendations include several around improving redundancy for phone and internet services after blackouts made it difficult for firefighters and fire-hit communities alike to communicate during the summer fires.

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Backup diesel generators, the deployment of temporary telecommunications facilities and cross-carrier agreements to provide basic text and call services in emergencies have all been recommended as potential solutions.

Tumut Community Association secretary Christine Webb said the association was pleased to see telecommunications as a priority in the report after the town saw outages at a critical time.

Ms Webb said telecommunications dropped out on one of the worst days, when the wind was blowing smoke towards the town and ember attacks looked likely.

"When everything went down, many of the elderly were frightened because they don't have access to the internet, I don't know that was even working anywhere, I know my mobile phone wasn't," she said.

With crowded town meetings unable to accommodate everybody, Ms Webb said the community "did the best they could" to get information out but it was difficult to get in touch to connect those who needed help with those who were offering.

Tumblong Rural Fire Service Brigade captain Chris McDonnell, who spent weeks in January fighting the Dunns Road bushfire, said he spent most of his time on the northern end of the fire in a region that was "a black spot at the best of times."

He said even without an emergency, the hilly terrain meant phone and radio service would frequently drop out, meaning the crews had "limited" communication services through the fire.

"That had a fairly major impact on us," he said.

Mr McDonnell said a recommendation in the report that could increase aerial efforts would "without a doubt" be a benefit with flying hours restricted during the summer fires.

Aerial firefighting will be trialled at night over the 2020-2021 season with the aim of full implementation if successful, with several other recommendations including long-term funding for aerial firefighting and a review of Australia's current assets.

Mr McDonnell said the aerial support they had received was "fantastic" when it was there, but much of their work was undone when they had to call off the attack.

"Definitely if there was any aerial support at nighttime, that would be of benefit for sure," he said.