Disability Access & Inclusion Plan
The South Australian Emergency Services Sector has finalised its Disability Access and Inclusion Plan (Plan) 2020-2024 which supports the Inclusive SA: State Disability Inclusion Plan.
The Plan sets out the actions that the South Australian Country Fire Service (CFS) as a member of the South Australian Emergency Services Sector will take over the next four years to improve access and inclusion for people living with a disability including our staff and the people that access our information and resources.
The Plan’s vision is to be respectful and inclusive of people of all abilities and to acknowledge that people of all abilities want the same opportunities as everyone else, to feel connected to other people, to be involved in activities which provide meaning and purpose, to earn a living and to pursue the things they are interested in.
Over the next four years the Plan will play an integral role in guiding the CFS as a member of the South Australian Emergency Services Sector to embed this vision for its workforce and in the services that it provides for the people of South Australia.
Our Plan’s Vision
To be respectful and inclusive of people of all abilities.
Strategic Context
The Plan sets out the strategies, actions and measures that the CFS as a member of the South Australian Emergency Services Sector will adopt to support South Australia achieve the vision and aims contained in the Inclusive SA: State Disability Inclusion Plan.
Consultation
In preparing this Plan the Sector sought feedback from a range of persons and bodies representing the interests of people living with disability.
To facilitate this process a draft of the Plan was translated into a range of accessible formats and stakeholders were offered the opportunity to make submissions through the completion of an online or hard copy feedback form.
Overall the submissions received from this process supported the inclusion of the actions contained in the Plan.
In particular:
Action item 9: The creation of an Emergency Services Sector Disability Advisory Committee to drive the monitoring, implementation, reporting and consultation requirements relating to the Plan.
Action items 6: The implementation of Disability Awareness training for all Emergency Services Sector employees.
Action items 2, 3, 4 and 18: Public facing information and resources being provided in a range of alternate formats.
Action items 20 and 22: Improved website design systems and the embedding of accessible website solutions for both internal and external Agency websites.
Action Item 25: Increasing awareness amongst staff relating to the employment of people living with disability.
In response to the feedback received the Sector’s Disability Advisory Committee will play a key role in enhancing network and stakeholder engagement with the disability sector and supporting a consistent approach to the implementation of the Plan.
Implementation Process
The CFS as a member of the Emergency Services Sector will take practical measures to ensure that the actions contained in this Plan are positively promoted amongst its workforce and are implemented within the timeframe of the Plan.
The Sector’s Executive committee will also monitor and report on the operation and implementation of the Plan annually to the Chief Executive of the Department of Human Services.
Actions and measurable targets:
- Inclusive communities for all
- Leadership and collaboration
- Accessible communities
- Learning and employment