Queensland Government
Q u e e n s l a n dS t a t e D i s a s t e r M a n a g e m e n t P l a n
D i s a s t e r M a n a g e m e n t Ac t 2 0 0 3
Reviewed September 2016
The Queensland Government supports and encourages the dissemination and exchange of information. However, copyright protects this document. The State of Queensland has no objection to this material being reproduced, made available online or electronically, but only if recognised as the owner of the copyright and this material remains unaltered. Copyright enquiries about this publication should be directed to Secretariat to the Queensland Disaster Management Committee, GPO Box 1425 Brisbane Qld 4001 or via email to [email protected] DISCLAIMER Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within these guidelines is accurate and where possible reflects current better practise. However, the Queensland Police Service does not give any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the content of material contained in this guide. © The State of Queensland (Queensland Police Service) 2016 Published September 2016
2016 State Disaster Management Plan
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Table of Contents Page No.
Authorisation .......................................................................................................................... iv Preface .................................................................................................................................... v Amendments ........................................................................................................................... vi PART I: STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE ................................................................................ 7
1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Queensland’s Disaster Management Arrangements .............................................................. 8 1.3 State Agency Plans .................................................................................................... 13 1.4 Private Sector and Non-Government Organisation Planning ................................................. 16 1.5 Australian Government Arrangements ............................................................................ 16 1.6 Risk Assessment ....................................................................................................... 17
PART II: PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS ......................................................................... 19 2.1 Prevention ............................................................................................................... 19 2.2 Preparedness ............................................................................................................ 21
PART III: RESPONSE AND RECOVERY ................................................................................... 25 3.1 Response ................................................................................................................ 25 3.2 Recovery ................................................................................................................ 37
Annexure A: State Level Group Membership and Structure ............................................................. 42 Annexure B: Agency Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................. 45 Annexure C: Levels of Activation for State Response Arrangements .................................................. 54 Annexure D: State Disaster Coordinator Role Statement ................................................................. 59 Annexure E: Glossary .............................................................................................................. 61 Annexure F: Acronyms and Abbreviations ................................................................................... 68
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Preface The State Disaster Management Plan (the Plan) has been prepared pursuant to s49 of the Disaster Management Act 2003. It is the result of a review (s51) of previous versions of the Plan. The revised Plan reflects:
o relevant findings of the reviews into disaster management and operations, including the appointment of the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator and a lead agency for disaster recovery, resilience and mitigation policy;
The Plan will continue to be reviewed annually unless otherwise required. The Queensland Disaster Management Committee acknowledges the support of key disaster management stakeholders in Queensland to review this document.
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Amendments Proposals for amendment or addition to the contents of the Plan are to be forwarded to: The Secretariat to the Queensland Disaster Management Committee Disaster Management Unit Queensland Police Service GPO Box 1425 Brisbane Qld 4001 or via email to [email protected]
To ensure currency of this Plan, holders should insert amendments to the Plan as soon as they are received. When an amendment is inserted into the Plan, the amendment should be recorded in the Amendment Schedule below.
Amendment Entered
Number Issued (date) Signature Date
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PART I: STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE
1.1 Introduction
Aim The aim of the 2016 Queensland State Disaster Management Plan (‘the Plan’) is to describe the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements (QDMA) that implement the guiding principles and objectives of the Disaster Management Act 2003 (the Act) along with the Emergency Management Assurance Framework (‘the Framework’). All events, whether natural or caused by human acts, should be managed in accordance with the Plan. The Plan is consistent with Queensland’s disaster management standards and disaster management guidelines (section 50 of the Act) and supported by supplementary hazard-specific plans and functional plans.
Governance Section 49 of the Act states that the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC) must prepare a state disaster management plan.
Monitoring and Review Section 51 of the Act states the QDMC may review, or renew, the Plan when the group considers appropriate. To ensure effectiveness of disaster management by the State, it is recommended that the Plan is reviewed annually and following disaster operations. The Inspector-General Emergency Management (IGEM) has the legislative responsibility to regularly review and assess the effectiveness of disaster management by the State, including the Plan and its implementation.1 IGEM has implemented the Emergency Management Assurance Framework (the Framework) to guide and support continuous improvement of entities’ disaster management programs across all phases of disaster management. The Framework provides the structure and mechanism for reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements. The Standard for Disaster Management in Queensland (the Standard) outlines the way in which entities responsible for disaster management in the State are to undertake disaster management.2 The Standard uses an outcome-based approach to ensure disaster management programs better meet the needs of the community. The elements of the Standard are the basis for improving performance across the QDMA.
Strategic Direction and Priorities The Act and Strategic Policy Framework (SPF) outline the intent and principles for disaster management in Queensland. The principles in s 4A of the Act guide the development and implementation of disaster management policy, plans and programs at State, district and local levels. The principles are executed through four priority areas: 1 Disaster Management Act 2003, s 16C (a), p 16. 2 The Standard is contained in the Emergency Management Assurance Framework 2014
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1. Risk Management - Disaster management in Queensland is risk based and comprehensive across the prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPRR) phases and those risks are communicated in the community;
2. Local Government Capability and Capacity - Local government is able to effectively prepare for, respond to and recover from disaster events in their community;
3. Community Capability and Capacity - Individuals, communities and businesses are able to effectively prepare for, respond to and recover from disaster events; and
4. Effective Disaster Operations - Provide for effective, flexible and scalable disaster management for the State.
Scope of disaster management and disaster operations The Act defines both these concepts with a scope that includes all four phases – prevention, preparation, response and recovery. Unless otherwise specified (e.g. ‘disaster response operations’), they have that meaning in this Plan.
1.2 Queensland’s Disaster Management Arrangements
Local Arrangements It is the function of a local government under s 80 of the Act to ensure it:
has a disaster response capability; approves its Local Disaster Management Plan (LDMP); promptly collects and disseminates information about an event or a disaster in its area to
the District Disaster Coordinator (DDC); and performs other functions given to local government under the Act. It is primarily the responsibility of local government to manage events in their local government area. Local Disaster Management Groups A local government must establish a Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) for the local government area. LDMGs are chaired by a councillor of the local government. A Local Disaster Coordinator is appointed by the Chairperson of the LDMG to manage disaster operations for the local government area. LDMG members are appointed by the relevant local government, and must include a person nominated by the Commissioner of QFES. Other persons (including state government department representatives) deemed relevant by the local group may be invited to attend and provide advice, acknowledging availability of staff. Further information on LDMGs is available in the Queensland Local Disaster Management Guidelines3 and under s30 – s37 of the Act.
3 Queensland Local Disaster Management Guidelines available at http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/Disaster-Resources/PGF.html
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Local Disaster Management Plans In accordance with s 57 of the Act, local government must prepare a LDMP for disaster management in their local government area. The development of a LDMP should be based on a comprehensive, all hazards approach to disaster management incorporating all aspects of PPRR and specific provisions under s 57 and s 58 of the Act. It should outline steps to mitigate the potential risks as well as response and recovery strategies.
Local Disaster Coordination Centres Councils are encouraged to establish Local Disaster Coordination Centres (LDCCs) to operationalise LDMG decisions, as well as plan and implement strategies and activities on behalf of the LDMG during disaster operations. The LDCC should have the capability to coordinate local resources and information and pass information and requests to the District Disaster Coordination Centre (DDCC).
District Arrangements
District Disaster Management Groups Functions, membership and the roles of the District Disaster Management Group (DDMG) are in accordance with s 23- s 28 of the Act. Critical to the coordination of disaster operations is the District Disaster Coordinator. Further information on DDMGs is available in the Queensland District Disaster Management Guidelines4. District Disaster Management Plans In accordance with s 53 of the Act, DDMGs must prepare a District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP) for disaster management in the disaster district. DDMPs detail the arrangements within the disaster district to provide whole-of-government planning and coordination capability to support local governments in disaster management. A DDMP should be developed in consideration of the LDMPs in the district to ensure the potential hazards and risks relevant to that area are incorporated. It should outline steps to mitigate the potential risks as well as response and recovery strategies.
District Disaster Coordination Centres DDCCs are established to support the DDMG in the provision of district and State level support and resources to local government. This includes the collection and prompt dissemination of relevant information between local government and the State Disaster Coordination Centre (SDCC) about disaster events occurring within their disaster district. The DDCC actions decisions of the DDC and DDMG as well as liaising with the SDCC to ensure the efficient and effective use of State and Australian Government resources in support of local government.
4 Queensland District Disaster Management Guidelines available at http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/Disaster-Resources/PGF.html
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State Arrangements
The Queensland Disaster Management Committee The Committee’s purpose is to provide clear and unambiguous senior strategic leadership in relation to disaster management across all four phases in Queensland. The Committee will facilitate communication between the Premier and relevant Ministers and Directors-General before, during and following disasters. The functions of the QDMC are prescribed in the Act (s18). These are:
(a) to develop a strategic policy framework for disaster management for the State; (b) to ensure effective disaster management is developed and implemented for the State; (c) to ensure arrangements between the State and the Commonwealth about matters
relating to effective disaster management are established and maintained; (d) to identify resources, in and outside the State, that may be used for disaster
operations; (e) to provide reports and make recommendations that the State group considers
appropriate about matters relating to disaster management and disaster operations; (f) to prepare, under section 49, the State disaster management plan; (g) to coordinate State and Commonwealth assistance for disaster management and
disaster operations; (h) to perform other functions given to the group under this or another Act; (i) to perform a function incidental to a function mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (h).
The QDMC is chaired by the Premier of Queensland, or his or her nominee. The Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment is the deputy chairperson and will generally chair during a recovery phase. It is comprised of a core group of Ministers who will be supported by their Directors-General. Additional Ministers, CEOs and external parties may be invited to the QDMC as required, at the discretion of the Chairperson of the QDMC. In accordance with s19 of the Act, the QDMC consists of the following members: - the persons prescribed by regulation; - other persons invited by the chairperson of the QDMC to be members of the group. Specific membership of the QDMC is outlined at Annexure A of this Plan. Invitations to join the QDMC are regularly reviewed to reflect any or all of the following: - government priorities; - the current disaster management arrangements for Queensland; - any disaster event that may occur, is occurring, or has occurred. The QDMC is required to prepare an annual report about disaster management in the State as soon as practicable after the end of each financial year. The annual report must be published on an appropriate website providing information to the public.
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Support for the QDMC The QDMC is supported by statutory arrangements in accordance with the following diagram:
These statutory arrangements are supported by administrative arrangements in accordance with the following diagram:
A more detailed itemisation of the functions under the QDMA of a range of government and non-government agencies are outlined in Annexure B of this Plan. The SDCG is particularly important in response phase. Specific membership of the SDCG is outlined at Annexure A of this Plan.
Queensland Disaster Management Committee
Response Recovery and Resilience Chair- Premier Chair – Deputy Premier
State Disaster Coordinator State Recovery Policy and Planning
Coordinator
District Disaster Management Group
Local Disaster Management Group
Notes: 1. Acknowledging that Local Disaster Coordinators have prime responsibility for disaster management, the QDMC may direct/advise subordinate Disaster Management Groups directly or through the SDC. 2. The QDMC Chair may request that local and District Disaster Coordinators report to the QDMC through the SDC during the response phase. 3. The Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services is a member of the QDMC, but is also depicted separately to illustrate the direct reporting arrangement of the IGEM.
Note 1
Note 2
Minister for Police, Fire
and Emergency
Services
Inspector General
Emergency Management
Note 3
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State Disaster Coordination Centre (SDCC) The SDCC supports the State Disaster Coordinator (SDC) through the coordination of a State level operational response capability during disaster operations. The SDCC also ensures information about an event and associated disaster operations is disseminated to all levels, including to the Australian Government.
The SDCC is a permanent facility located at the Emergency Services Complex at Kedron. Outside of activation it operates as a Watch Desk staffed and maintained in a state of operational readiness by QFES. The QPS Disaster Management Unit and a Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior forecaster are permanently situated at the Centre. On activation, QPS takes operational control of the SDCC and the additional staffing. During a disaster event, permanent staffing is supplemented by QPS, QFES and PSBA staff and where required other agency liaison officers from State government agencies in accordance with Queensland Public Service Commission’s “Directive 10/14 - Critical Incident Response and Recovery”5. The SDCC is also supported by non-government agencies and the Department of Defence. Operations in the SDCC are determined by the scale of the event as outlined in the indicative levels of activation for response arrangements at Annexure C of this Plan.
Functional Recovery Groups
Reporting to the QDMC via the Leadership Board, five CEO-led Functional Recovery Groups lead and coordinate the planning and implementation of whole-of-government recovery from significant disaster events:
Human and Social Recovery Group: coordinates the effective and efficient delivery of human and social recovery activities and is chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Economic Recovery Group: coordinates the effective and efficient delivery of economic activities and is chaired by the Director-General of the Department of State Development
Environment Recovery Group: coordinates the effective and efficient delivery of environment recovery activities and is chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Building Recovery Group: coordinates the effective and efficient delivery of building recovery activities and is chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Housing and Public Works
Roads and Transport Recovery Group: coordinates the effective and efficient delivery of road and transport recovery activities and is chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
5 Available at https://www.qld.gov.au/gov/directives-policies-and-guidelines
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Commonwealth Arrangements
Attorney-General’s Department The Attorney-General’s Department (AGD) is the nominated Commonwealth agency responsible for planning and coordinating Australian Government assistance to the States and Territories under the Australian Government Crisis Management Framework. In Queensland, liaison with the Australian Government and other States and Territories for disaster management purposes is undertaken through QFES and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA). An exception exists for hazard-specific primary agencies with a responsibility to communicate and maintain relationships with national-hazard specific counterparts.
Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre The Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC) coordinates the Australian whole-of-government response to major emergencies and participates in a range of multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional exercises to test and enhance consequence management arrangements. The CCC also participates in high-level consequence management committees and working groups to prepare for high profile visits, mass gathering events and the AGD’s international engagement.
1.3 State Agency Plans
The SDMP is supported by supplementary hazard-specific plans, functional plans and disaster management guidelines, developed and managed by State government agencies with hazard, functional or activity-specific responsibilities. While local governments retain the first responsibility for disaster response in their own areas, particular State agencies will have more involvement across all four phases in relation to certain types of disasters, as set out below.
Functional Plans The disaster management functional plans identify important services required before, during and after the impacts of a disaster, and help to identify and define an agency’s services and responsibilities in disaster operations. Functional plans are developed by lead agencies to address specific planning requirements attached to each function. Although the functional lead agency has primary responsibility, arrangements for the coordination of relevant organisations that play a supporting role are also to be outlined in these plans. Within the QDMA, coordination across disaster management functions is carried out through the QDMC, DDMGs and LDMGs. Agencies may also establish internal coordination centres to support their agencies delivery of this function. DDMPs and LDMPs should include relevant functions, and the arrangements and responsibilities for ensuring these functions are carried out. Partners (government, non-government organisations [NGOs] and industry) may be engaged across all levels of the QDMA to support the delivery of required services.
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The following table outlines the State Level Lead Agency for each of the emergency support functions.
Lead Agency Emergency Support Function
Department of Transport and Main Roads
Transport Systems Roads and Transport Recovery
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Warnings Emergency Supply Rapid Damage Assessments
Queensland Police Service Search and Rescue
Queensland Reconstruction Authority
Rapid Damage Assessments NDRRA Activation Recovery, Resilience and Mitigation Policy, Planning, Coordination and Monitoring
Department of Housing and Public Works
Building and Engineering Services Building Recovery
Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation Optus, Telstra, NBN Co.
Communication Services (call centre and government websites) Telecommunications Services Telecommunications Recovery Maintain & restore critical government ICT infrastructure
Queensland Health Public Health and Medical Services Emergency Medical Retrieval
Department of Energy and Water Supply
Electricity, Fuel, Gas, Reticulated Water Supply and Water Dam Safety Energy infrastructure (electricity, gas, fuel) Water Supply and Sewerage Infrastructure
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
External Affairs and Communication, including public information
Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
Land use planning (Temporary local planning instruments)
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Human and Social Recovery
Department of State Development Economic Recovery
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection Environmental Recovery
Local Governments Water Entities
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Hazard-Specific Plans These plans address specific hazards where State departments or agencies have primary responsibility to ensure that an effective plan is prepared. Hazard specific plans:
address the hazard actions across all PPRR phases; include information on how the QDMA links with the hazard-specific arrangements; and support the primary agency to manage the hazard-specific event.
Hazard-specific planning is required as coordination and operational procedures for specific hazards may be different to those for generic disaster management.
Agency-specific coordination centres may be established in addition to local, district and State coordination centres and internal structures, including the passage of information and resources may be managed using different processes. Where this occurs, the primary agency will inform the SDCC of such actions and is responsible for ensuring these arrangements are coordinated. Primary Agencies also have a role to ensure hazard-specific plans link to corresponding national hazard-specific plans and arrangements and that appropriate communication and relationships with counterparts at the national level are maintained. The following table outlines the primary agencies responsible for each specific hazard and the respective State and national level plans, where appropriate.
Primary Agency Hazard State and National Plans
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Animal and Plant Disease
Australian Veterinary Emergency Plan (AUSVETPLAN) Australian Aquatic Veterinary Emergency Plan (AQUAVETPLAN) Australian Emergency Plant Pest Response Plan (PLANTPLAN) Biosecurity Emergency Operations Manual (BEOM)
Queensland Health
Biological (human related)
State of Queensland Multi-agency Response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological Incidents
Heat Wave Heatwave Response Plan
Pandemic Queensland Pandemic Influenza Plan National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Bushfire Wildfire Mitigation and Readiness Plans (Regional)
Chemical State of Queensland Multi-agency Response to Chemical, Biological, Radiological Incidents
Transport and Main Roads Ship-Sourced Pollution
Queensland Coastal Contingency Action Plan National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies
Queensland Police Service Terrorism
Queensland Counter-Terrorism Plan National Counter-Terrorism Plan
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1.4 Private Sector and Non-Government Organisation Planning
The private sector plays a key role before, during and after a disaster. Many private sector organisations own and are responsible for operating and maintaining sections of Queensland’s Critical Infrastructure (CI) network. The requirement for CI owner/operators or essential services providers to manage foreseeable risk, including the development of disaster management plans, is currently coordinated through industry legislation or through codes of practice, typically at the national level. In addition, s48A of the Act directs Chairpersons of disaster management groups to engage essential service providers, where relevant, to help the group perform its functions. Disaster management guidelines endorsed by the QDMC also encourage DDMGs and LDMGs to consider which critical and essential service providers should be engaged with their group. Essential service providers can be members of or advisors to State, District and Local Groups.
Businesses are encouraged to recognise the role they play in supporting the community before, during and after a disaster and prepare plans that will assist them to either maintain a continuity of service during events, or re-establish services following a disaster to support the community through the recovery phase. Resources to assist businesses to prepare for disasters can be found at the Queensland Government’s ‘Business and Industry Portal’6.
NGOs and not-for-profit organisations also play important roles before, during and after a disaster, including assisting vulnerable members of the community to prepare for events, volunteer management and recovery support. These organisations typically have networks of clients who may be vulnerable members of the community. Their role in supporting the vulnerable members of the community should be recognised through all levels of disaster management arrangements.
1.5 Australian Government Arrangements Disaster management policy and operations between Queensland and the Australian Government is coordinated through the CCC. During disaster response operations, the SDCC is the interface with the Australian Government and other States and territories, coordinating requests for support to DDMGs and through them to LDMGs. Two exceptions to this exist: Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) Category One, where requests can be passed locally to an Australian Defence Force (ADF) Local Commander; and hazard specific arrangements requiring direct communication between the State Primary Agency and their counterparts at the Australian Government level. Under cooperative arrangements with the States and Territories, the Australian Government provides:
Support to the States and Territories in developing their capacity for dealing with emergencies and disasters across all hazards;
National coordination functions;
6 Preparing your business for natural disasters available at http://www.business.qld.gov.au/business/running/disaster-resilence-and-recovery/preparing-business-natural-disaster
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Assistance to States or Territories when requested; and
Financial assistance in the form of cost sharing arrangements for response and recovery expenditure7.
The AGD is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of a number of Australian Government emergency management plans. When necessary, Queensland Government involvement in the activation and operation of these plans will be conducted through the SDCC with direction from the SDCG and/or the QDMC as appropriate. Further information on these plans is available at the AGD’s ‘Australian Emergency Management’ website8.
1.6 Risk Assessment The functions for Risk Assessment and the Lead Agency are highlighted in the table below:
Lead Agency Functions
QFES Maintain State Wide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment Register
All agencies and QDMA stakeholders Risk Assessment
Generic Risk Assessment The definitions for risk assessment are highlighted in the table below:
Disaster risk assessment The process used to determine risk management priorities by evaluating and comparing the level of risk against predetermined standards, target risk levels or other criteria.
Hazard A source of potential harm or a situation with a potential to cause loss.
Risk assessment encompasses the activities of identifying risk, analysing risk, evaluating risk and determining risk priorities through communication, consultation, monitoring and review. Disaster risk assessment and management is undertaken based on the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines and the Australian/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines. Risk assessments should form the basis of disaster management group, agency and government planning and used to inform and identify:
priorities for prevention/mitigation, preparation, response and recovery operations; options for prevention/mitigation, preparation, response and recovery operations; vulnerable populations and facilities; opportunities for capability and capacity development; and residual risks* and thresholds.
* State agencies, in supporting local government, should assist the risk assessment process including the management of residual risk (risk remaining after risk treatment) beyond the capacity and capability of local and district arrangements.
7 Australian Emergency Management Arrangements available at https://www.aidr.org.au/media/1485/handbook-9-australian-emergency-management-arrangements.pdf 8 Australian Government Emergency Management Plans available at www.ag.gov.au/emergencymanagement
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State Wide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment QFES is responsible for ensuring the conduct of a State Wide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment to inform the development of the Queensland Natural Disaster Risk Register. The State Wide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment was initially conducted in 2011 and was reviewed in 2012. It is available on the Queensland Government Disaster Management website9. The assessment focused on Queensland’s natural hazards that have a significant impact on people and property: riverine and flash flooding, winds from tropical cyclones, hail from severe storms, bushfires, thunderstorm wind gusts, tornadoes, earthquakes, landslides and coastal hazards such as tsunamis, storm tide, and coastal erosion.
9 Information about the State Wide Natural Disaster Risk Assessment available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au/Disaster-Resources/emergency-risk-mgmt.
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PART II: PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS
2.1 Prevention Prevention activities eliminate or reduce the exposure to and/or reduce the impact of a hazard on communities at risk. Activities, such as the building of dams and levees, land use planning and improved building codes, are focused on reducing the likelihood and/or consequences of the hazard. Local and district disaster management groups and the QDMC each have responsibility for prevention activities.
Prevention Functions
Lead Agency Functions
Queensland Reconstruction Authority Disaster resilience and mitigation policy and planning
Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
Disaster mitigation and resilience funding Land Use Planning RACQ Get Ready Queensland program
Department of State Development Royalties for Regions
Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Resilience Hazard mitigation is the means taken in advance of, or after, a disaster aimed at decreasing or eliminating the impact on communities, the economy, buildings, roads and transport and the environment. As defined in the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience, 2014, disaster resilience is the ability of the Queensland Government, local governments, communities, businesses and individuals to prepare for, respond to, and manage potential hazards and disasters, thereby minimising impacts and rapidly recovering to emerge stronger and better able to cope with future disaster events. The implementation of appropriate and targeted mitigation and resilience initiatives can offer more sustainable cost savings to communities and government in the event of a disaster. They should be subject to rational cost/benefit and social investment decisions, with special considerations for remote, indigenous and other vulnerable communities. Mitigation and resilience strategies can include, but are not limited to:
Design improvements to reduce disaster risks and provide more resilient new infrastructure, update or to harden existing infrastructure or services;
Land use planning that recognises the potential hazard-scape;
Prepared communities and response agencies and arrangements in place and exercised;
Resilience activities including partnerships between sectors and the community; and
A clear understanding and communication of hazards, their behaviour, associated risks and interaction with vulnerable elements.
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The State Government and Australian Government provide local governments with support to undertake mitigation and resilience projects through financial support co-funding programs such as the Natural Disaster Resilience Program. Mitigation and resilience programs funded by the Queensland Government include, but are not limited to, the Community Resilience Fund - RACQ Get Ready Queensland, Building our Regions, the Queensland Betterment Fund and the Climate Change (Coastal Hazards) Adaptation Program. At the State level, mitigation and resilience measures should be considered in conjunction with analysis of the State Wide Natural Hazard Risk Assessment. This analysis will assist disaster managers to set treatment priorities according to community, environment and infrastructure vulnerability and potential economic impact. These measures at State level include policies for land use planning and building standards, financial assistance for resilient infrastructure, managing warning systems, community education and engagement, public awareness and hazard specific programs. All agencies have a responsibility to identify risks and treatment options and to mitigate against disasters. Agencies with a specific portfolio responsibility to influence mitigation and resilience should actively seek to do so with the full support of all other agencies. Some measures are able to be realised in the shorter term and overlap with preparedness. Other measures may be long term and should be built into corporate plans and disaster recovery plans. Land Use Planning Land use planning in Queensland is undertaken by local government and State agencies. Land use planning can avoid situating new development and community infrastructure in areas prone to coastal hazards, flooding, bushfires and landslide through planning undertaken in accordance with the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, and from July 2017, the Planning Act 2016. The State Planning Policy (SPP) requires local governments to identify the natural hazard, undertake a risk assessment and include appropriate provisions in their planning scheme to ensure that the risk is tolerable to their community. Guidance material is provided to assist local governments.10 Following a natural hazards event, the planning legislation (now and in the future) enables local governments to make Temporary Local Planning Instruments (TLPI’s) to assist with rapid recovery and rebuilding or to introduce planning provisions to reduce the severity of future loss. Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience The Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience, 2017 (the Strategy) is being developed and is based on the internationally accepted principles contained within the United Nations endorsed Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and will align with the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. The Strategy seeks to harness the considerable knowledge and experience that already exists across government and non-government organisations to deliver a comprehensive and coordinated all-hazards approach to building resilience throughout Queensland.
10 State Planning Policy - natural hazards, risk and resilience state interest, available at www.dilgp.qld.gov.au
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QRA leads the policy, planning, preparation, mitigation and prevention actions being undertaken by agencies to meet the objectives of the Strategy. The Strategy will be updated as required and following significant disaster events. 2.2 Preparedness
Disaster preparedness supports individuals, communities, businesses, industries, NGOs and government agencies to be aware of and be prepared for disasters. Preparedness is critical in assisting to minimise the consequences of an event on a community and ensuring effective and timely operational response and recovery. Disaster preparedness builds on existing community and individual awareness of risk and participation in disaster management activities to enhance resilience.
Local and district disaster management groups and the QDMC each have responsibility for preparedness.
Preparedness Functions Preparedness activities include community education and engagement, planning and arrangements, training and education, and exercises. Any preparedness activity which is hazard-specific is the responsibility of and undertaken by the Functional Lead Agencies in collaboration and coordination with key stakeholders, including local governments. Every agency is responsible for undertaking business continuity planning that considers disruption due to a disaster.
Community Education and Engagement Section 4(c) of the Act states communities should receive appropriate information about preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. In a disaster management context, community education has a range of objectives, which can include: developing awareness in communities of the nature and potential impact of hazards; promoting public self-reliance through personal responsibility for managing risks as much
as possible; and developing the community’s appreciation of the QDMA and understanding their role to
support and contribute to disaster management for example: building community awareness and understanding of local and State mitigation and
preparedness strategies; emergency warnings (delivery methods and community actions required); evacuation routes; and
accessing local information during disasters (radio, television, notice boards).
Activities and products such as publications, multimedia information packages, community information events and media releases are the responsibility of all levels of government, often working in partnership with other agencies and organisations. It is important for the community to receive consistent messages across all programs.
Each agency is responsible for educating its stakeholders, networks and communities on potential disaster risks, impacts, personal responsibilities and preparedness measures required to minimise
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risk and impact, relevant to each agency’s portfolio of responsibilities. Key agencies, for example the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) and the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), develop primary multi-hazard awareness and action messages that may be readily adapted by local government and other agencies. Queensland Health also develops pandemic plans and exercises State-wide. Refer to section 1.3 Hazard Specific Planning for a list of hazard specific plans and Primary Agencies for each hazard type.
The Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (DILGP) delivers the RACQ Get Ready Queensland campaign, a year-round, all-hazards disaster preparedness and resilience-building initiative. The program aims to unite all of the State’s preparedness and resilience activities under a single brand. The aims of RACQ Get Ready Queensland are to: position Queensland as Australia’s most disaster-resilient state integrate all preparedness activities year-round under one brand engage all Queenslanders to participate. Local government bodies receive funding through the initiative which enables disaster preparedness activities to be tailored to the needs of the regions and be delivered by councils. DILGP coordinates a consistent approach to disaster preparedness messaging by coordinating activities across the various levels of government.
Planning and Arrangements Disaster management plans and arrangements must be scalable and adaptable to change. Effective disaster management planning includes: documentation of how a community, group, organisation or entity intends to deal with the effects of hazards and disaster events across PPRR; an outline of arrangements and structures for disaster management; direction on communications and coordination; and identification of resourcing requirements. It also includes consultation with stakeholder groups to enable effective knowledge and communication of the arrangements. The Act requires the development of plans by disaster management groups. The content required for these plans is outlined in the Act, in the Standard for Disaster Management in Queensland and in a range of guidelines, and they are generally developed through:
identifying hazards; analysing the associated risks and the factors involved in treating those risks; identifying available resources and their limitations; detailing the concepts, principles, arrangements, responsibilities and processes for the
effective management of disasters in the affected area, including hazard specific arrangements; and
developing strategies for implementing the plan. Each agency and stakeholder of the QDMA is responsible for developing their own disaster management plan, including business continuity arrangements, operational duties and hazard-specific arrangements and develops the doctrine and guidelines to support disaster management planning. Planning should result in consistency between disaster management plans at State, district and local levels.
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QFES is responsible for ensuring that disaster management and disaster operations in the State are consistent with this Plan, and for providing advice and support to QDMC and district and local disaster management groups in relation to disaster management and disaster operations. To meet those obligations, QFES has representatives on each local and district group to provide advice and support, including advice with respect to disaster management plans. Training and Education Training and education activities are undertaken to maintain or enhance the QDMA. The Act provides the legislative requirement for those involved in disaster management to be appropriately trained. Training for disaster management stakeholders in Queensland is undertaken in accordance with the Queensland Disaster Management Training Framework (the Training Framework). The Training Framework outlines the core training courses and inductions relevant to the key disaster management stakeholders to support the effective performance of their role. Exercises Local and District groups and the QDMC have a legislative obligation to develop effective disaster management and to regularly review and assess that disaster management and exercises provide an opportunity for review and assessment. All agencies adopt a partnered approach with QDMC member agencies. For a consistent approach to building capability and capacity, QFES provides support and guidance to district and local groups. IGEM also has a statutory responsibility to review and assess the effectiveness of plans and groups, and uses the evaluation of exercises as one means of achieving this. Communication The Queensland Government Arrangements for Coordinating Public Information in a Crisis specify the establishment of a Crisis Communication Network (CCN), comprising the heads of communications in each department, to manage community information. The CCN provides a mechanism to assist agencies to coordinate their public information and communication activities without impeding, duplicating, complicating or complicating their work. The Director-General of the DPC will activate the arrangements, when required, to provide leadership for the many cross-government communication activities that occur as a result of an event, and to assist agencies to align their activities and messages. The DPC has arrangements in place to activate integrated Queensland Government content that supplements and links to other information and websites. This information will be a prominent link from the Queensland Government website (www.qld.gov.au) and from the DPC website (www.premiers.qld.gov.au). Individual departments retain responsibility for updating their websites to provide relevant information about an event. Media and communication officers remain within their departments and retain responsibility for their own communication plans, products, activities and stakeholder liaison. Agencies using social media retain responsibility for updating, maintaining and monitoring their presence. This is to be consistent with the Principles for the Official Use of Social Media
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Networks11. Agencies will retain responsibility for their own media monitoring activities during an event and will retain responsibility for deploying media and communication officers to the scene of an event as required for their purposes. During an event the emergency management system (EMS) will be utilised by all agencies. The EMS is a standardised reporting format and is the ‘single point of truth’ for government information concerning the event. The reporting format includes core fields such as summary, impacts, emerging issues and key messages. These fields produce the State update and Premier’s executive summary. The key messages within agency reports are consolidated by the Public Information Cell (PIC), from which the whole of government message is developed. The whole of government message is then distributed utilising the CCN. The PIC is coordinated by QFES and staffed by communication officers from across government who are trained in PIC processes.
12 Principles for the Official Use of Social Media Guideline available at www.qgcio.qld.gov.au-principles-for-the-use-of-social-media
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PART III: RESPONSE AND RECOVERY 3.1 Response
The response phase of disaster management involves the conduct of activities and appropriate measures necessary to respond to an event. Response activities will often involve a number of functions simultaneously. In accordance with s 4A of the Act, local governments are primarily responsible for managing events in their local government area. District and State levels provide local government with appropriate resources and support to help local governments carry out disaster operations. The State Response Functions table (9.1) below, details the lead State level agency, position or group responsible for performing a disaster management function in support of local government disaster operations.
State Response Functions
Lead Functions
All agencies Financial Management and NDRRA cost substantiation Damage and Impact Assessment Situational Reporting Debriefs, Review and Assessment
Queensland Police Service Declaration of disaster situation Activation of State Disaster Coordination Centre and Critical Incident Directives Evacuation Management Search and Rescue Mass Casualty and Mass Fatality Management State Disaster Coordinator
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Warnings Emergency Alert Resupply Logistics Support Emergency Supply Impact Assessment
Queensland Health (Department of Health & Queensland Ambulance Service)
Emergency Medical Retrieval Mass Casualty and Mass Fatality Management
Department of the Premier and Cabinet Offers of Assistance Crisis Communication Network
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Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Directing offers of volunteering through appropriate channels, specifically the Volunteering Community Response to Extreme Weather (CREW) Service
Local Government
Evacuation Management
Queensland Reconstruction Authority Offers of Assistance (managing arrangements with GIVIT12 for directing Corporate Offers and Offers of Goods to appropriate NGOs, charities and local governments) Financial Management and NDRRA cost substantiation Damage and Impact Assessment
Public Safety Business Agency
Public Information
Primary agencies responsible for specific hazards
Hazard Analysis and Modelling
Event Action Planning During disaster operations, event action planning identifies issues for resolution and results in the development of response options. Each disaster management group is responsible for developing an event action plan. Each agency is responsible for developing an incident action plan that defines the objectives and actions necessary to manage their roles and responsibilities in response to an incident during an operational period. Response Arrangements The QDMA ensure support and assistance is available to disaster affected communities through the escalation of requests for assistance from local to district and to the State level, if required. Activation of response arrangements at the State level may occur when there is a need to:
monitor potential threats or disaster operations; support or coordinate disaster operations being conducted by a designated Primary Agency; coordinate resources in support of disaster operations at local or district level; and/or coordinate State wide disaster operations activities. Activation of State level arrangements can be initiated by the Chairperson of the QDMC. State level action can commence in anticipation of activation at a district level or severe impacts at a local level. Activation does not necessarily mean the convening of disaster management groups; rather the provision of information to disaster management group members regarding the risks associated with a pending hazard impact. The QDMA are activated at all levels using a four phase model from alert, to lean forward, stand up and stand down. The movement of disaster 12 GIVIT is a not for profit organisation focussed on connecting people in need with people who are willing to give – http:www.givit.org.au
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management groups through these phases is not necessarily sequential. It is based on flexibility and adaptability to the location and event.
Level of Activation Definition
Alert A heightened level of vigilance and preparedness due to the possibility of an event in the area of responsibility. Some action may be required and the situation should be monitored by staff capable of assessing and preparing for the potential threat.
Lean forward An operational state prior to ‘stand up’ characterised by a heightened level of situational awareness of a disaster event (either current or impending) and a state of operational readiness. Disaster coordination centres are on stand-by; prepared but not activated.
Stand up The operational state following ‘Lean Forward’ whereby resources are mobilised, personnel are activated and operational activities commenced. Disaster coordination centres are activated.
Stand down Transition from responding to an event back to normal core business and/or recovery operations. There is no longer a requirement to respond to the event and the threat is no longer present.
Levels of activation, including triggers, actions and communications for State, district and local levels are outlined at Annexure C of this Plan. Information on district and local levels of activation is also included in the respective guidelines. Declaration of a Disaster Situation The Act makes provision for the declaration of a disaster situation by a DDC, with the approval of the Minister, for a district or a part of a district; or by the Premier and the Minister for the State or a part of the State. A declaration may be made if the person/s responsible for making it are satisfied a disaster has happened, is happening, or is likely to happen, and it will be necessary, or reasonably likely to be necessary, to exercise declared disaster powers to prevent or minimise the loss of human life, illness or injury to humans, property loss or damage, or damage to the environment. In accordance with the Act, a declaration must be in the approved form, or can be made orally if necessary to exercise declared disaster powers before an approved form can be obtained and completed. QPS prepare the disaster declaration and forward to the QPS Cabinet Liaison and Legislation Officer for processing. Part 4 of the Act outlines the provisions for declarations and disaster powers. Disaster management forms, including forms for disaster declaration, extension, request to end and for the authorisation of persons to exercise declared disaster powers are available from the Queensland Government Disaster Management website13.
13 Queensland Government Disaster Management Forms available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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State Disaster Coordinator The State Disaster Coordinator (SDC) is appointed by the Chairperson of the QDMC under s21B of the Act to coordinate disaster response operations for the QDMC. The Chairperson of the QDMC must consult with the Commissioner of Police before making the appointment. When appointed, the SDC has the responsibility for the following functions:
to coordinate disaster response operations for the QDMC; to report regularly to the QDMC about disaster response operations; to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that any strategic decisions of the QDMC about
disaster response operations are implemented; and to provide strategic advice on disaster response operations to DDC’s. By default the SDC will be a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The State Disaster Coordinator's Role Statement is contained in Annexure D. State Disaster Coordination Centre The SDCC provides an operational venue to provide State level support to disaster management operations in accordance with the decisions of the QDMC. The SDCC also ensures information about an event and disaster operations are communicated to all involved. Operations in the SDCC are determined by the scale of the event. The SDCC can be activated by the following personnel:
QFES, Deputy Commissioner Operations; Executive Officer (QPS), QDMC; and The SDC. The decision to activate the SDCC will occur in consultation between relevant functional lead agencies. Upon notification to activate, the State Duty Officers follow a standard operating procedure to activate the SDCC and notify key stakeholders. Under the Queensland Public Service Commission’s “Directive 10/14 - Critical Incident Response and Recovery”, identified State agencies will provide government staff to support response operations in the SDCC. Liaison officers form the point of contact between the SDCC and their parent agency during disaster operations. The liaison officer forms the conduit through which requests for assistance from the SDCC are distributed to their agency and information on agency activities is passed back to the SDCC. The liaison officer has a requirement to support disaster operations in accordance with their agency’s role and responsibility for disaster management. Liaison officers have the following key responsibilities:
Coordinating requests for assistance applicable to their agency; Providing advice and assistance on their agency’s tasks, capabilities and resources; and Communicating situational awareness to their agency.
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Note that SDCC Liaison Officers are not the same as SDCG Agency Representatives, who can commit resources on behalf of their agencies. Dependent upon the scale and nature of the SDCC response requirements, the SDCC Commander will identify the agency-specific liaison officers required to perform functions within the SDCC. The requirement for activation of the identified liaison officers will be facilitated through the State Duty Officer standard operating procedures. When State level support is no longer required, the SDCC is deactivated. The SDCC can be deactivated by those officers responsible for activating the SDCC. Upon deactivation, the State Duty Officer/s follows a standard operating procedure to deactivate the SDCC.
Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions The Public Service Commission’s “Critical Incident Directive 06/16 - Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions” 14 applies to employees during a disaster event if they are identified as performing work essential to the resolution of the critical incident or QFES activation. The directive applies:
A. When a disaster event is determined to exist by the Minister or by the Commissioner QFES; or
B. When a disaster event is declared under the Act or another Act15; or
C. Where, subject to the provisions of the directive, an agency has gained approval to apply the directive from the Director-General of the department responsible for industrial relations.
Hazard Analysis and Modelling Predictive assessments are undertaken based on the advice of warning agencies and include an analysis of the hazard to determine the level and potential of the threat and modelling of the potential impact. These activities inform event action planning, warnings and public information. The PSBA Geographic Information System (GIS) Unit provides mapping services to the SDCC during operations to support the SDCG and QDMC to make decisions regarding disaster operations at the State level.
Warnings The SDCC will issue warnings and alerts to key stakeholders. Each agency/QDMA stakeholder is responsible for further disseminating these warnings and alerts through their communications networks. Multiple means of communicating warnings should be used. The agency identified as being primarily responsible for a specific hazard needs to include provision for communicating with the public in its planning; although this agency may not be responsible for issuing any alerts and warnings. This is primarily done through local governments. Providing warnings to the public is part of the wider activity of public information and must be closely aligned. A key issue is deciding how much information should be provided, and when it should be disseminated to the community. 14 Critical Incident Directive 06/16: Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions available at www.qld.gov.au 15 Relevant acts include the Public Health Act 2005; the State Transport Act 1938; and the Public Safety Preservation Act 1986.
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Standard Emergency Warning Signal The Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) is an alert signal to be played on public media to draw listeners’ attention in potentially affected areas to a following emergency warning. Responsibility for the management of the SEWS in Queensland rests with the Commissioner QFES in conjunction with the Queensland Regional Director of the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) for meteorological purposes. The Guidelines for the Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) and its use in Queensland outline the operational procedures for SEWS and can be found on the Queensland Government Disaster Management website16.
Emergency Alert Emergency Alert (EA) is one of the tools that can be used to warn communities of an impending emergency and is a critical element of emergency response. EA is a national telephone warning system used in Queensland to send voice messages to landlines and text messages to mobile phone within a defined area about likely or actual emergencies. EA relies on the telecommunication networks to send warning messages to mobile telephones. Each use of the system is known as a campaign. Text messages can be sent to the last known location of handsets at the time of the emergency. This includes visitors and travellers. The registered service address and telephone number comes from the Integrated Public Number Database which contains all public and private phone numbers in Australia. The management and administration of EA in Queensland is the responsibility of QFES. This includes ongoing maintenance, testing and capture of EA costs including measures for accountability and cost recovery, record-keeping and reporting. The State supports local government, where possible, to draft messages and prepare maps of potential alert areas. The Queensland EA Guidelines govern the use of EA in Queensland as well as providing template messages for various hazards. The guidelines can be found on the Queensland Government Disaster Management website16: www.disaster.qld.gov.au There are also non-government, commercial opt-in warning/alerting systems that provide SMS, landline, email, and social media alert messages. State agencies are encouraged to ensure warnings and notifications are consistent and integrate with any warning systems operated by local councils.
16 Guidelines for the Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS) and its use in Queensland available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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Resupply Communities or individuals can be temporarily isolated and this isolation can cause hardship. When these communities or individuals are isolated for an extended period from their normal sources of food and basic commodities, support is provided by the Queensland Government through the resupply of essential supplies. If assistance to resupply isolated communities, isolated rural properties and stranded persons is requested of the State Government, SDCC staff and the Logistics Capability cell (when the SDCC is activated) are responsible for processing the resupply request received through the request for assistance process. The supply of essential goods will fit into three distinctly different categories:
isolated communities, isolated rural properties, and the resupply of stranded persons. The procedures associated with the Queensland Resupply Guidelines (found on the Queensland Government Disaster Management website17) are designed for the effective management of resupply arrangements to alleviate any hardship to individuals and communities should they become isolated. Emergency Supply Emergency supply is the acquisition and management of emergency supplies and services in support of disaster operations. Emergency supply can include:
resource support in the establishment of forward command posts, community recovery centres and/or disease control centres including furniture, equipment and materials;
resource support for community evacuation centres including: furniture, bedding materials, health and hygiene products;
bottled and bulk potable water supplies; temporary structures i.e. marquee and portable ablution facilities; and small plant and equipment hire services.
To support local economies affected by disasters, every effort should be made to exhaust local supplier networks before requesting assistance from outside the impacted area. QFES coordinates, with the support of PSBA, the acquisition and management of emergency supplies and services in support of disaster operations - by the SDCC Watch Desk outside of activation of the SDCC, and by the Logistics Capability when the SDCC is activated. Departments and agencies are to utilise their own internal acquisition/supply and support resource capability before requesting support. Where agencies do not have an existing capability, or the resources are outside of those normally used in their core business, departmental support arrangements may be provided. The acquisition of specialist resources requiring a permit, licence or specific technical knowledge is the responsibility of the respective individual agency. (Note: It is 17 Queensland Resupply Guidelines available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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not a role of QFES to procure licensed goods on behalf of other agencies that have current licences/specialist supply arrangements in place).
Logistics Support Logistics is the range of operational activities concerned with supply, handling, transportation and distribution of materials, equipment and people. Logistics support occurs through the SDCC.
Deployment of Resources Logistics activity during large operations is coordinated under a framework that includes processes for requests, procurement, transport, staging, receipt, use and, if necessary, return of resources to suppliers. Logistics planning ensures the proactive identification and moving forward of requested resource needs. Logistics support activities apply at all levels of the disaster management arrangements. LDMGs should consider the ability for resource needs to be met locally prior to the escalation of support to the district level. Similarly, DDMGs should make all reasonable attempts for resource needs to be met from within the district prior to the escalation of support to State level. Deployment of Personnel Deployment of personnel in the lead up to, and aftermath of, an event are commonplace. The deployment of personnel is usually undertaken to do the following:
Assist local communities in preparation for an impending event; Support limited local resources in disaster affected communities; and Provide specialist skills when not locally available.
All deployments should be coordinated through, and requested by LDMGs and should not be a burden on local resources. The SDCC will coordinate deployments of State agency personnel. Larger deployments require detailed planning; coordination and all agencies will be responsible for managing the deployment of their staff during events, including the identification and training of staff, briefings and debriefings.
Evacuation Management LDMGs are able to, and have the responsibility to, make a decision to call for a ‘voluntary’ evacuation of persons from impacted areas and will coordinate evacuations in their area of responsibility. The powers necessary to authorise a directed evacuation rest with the DDC. The Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups outline the evacuation process within Queensland based on nationally agreed emergency management principles, and provide a guide to assist local government to develop and review local evacuation plans18. 18 Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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In instances where an evacuation exhausts the capability or capacity of the LDMG, a request for assistance may be directed to the SDCC through the appropriate DDMG. In these instances it is the responsibility of the SDCG to make informed decisions based on situational awareness and a risk based approach to advise the SDCC to provide appropriate planning, resources and support as requested, through the DDMG. Search and Rescue During a disaster event the occurrence of rescue operations is likely to increase and these operations form an activity of disaster operations. The QFES, QAS and the SES provide rescue assistance across a range of emergency situations. The QPS will provide the overall coordination of multi-agency response to search and rescue incidents. Emergency Medical Retrieval The Queensland Emergency Medical System Coordination Centre (QCC), a joint arrangement between QAS and Queensland Health under the Department of Health, will coordinate emergency medical retrieval covering primary response to an incident in a pre-hospital situation. Emergency medical retrieval covers a primary response to an incident in a pre-hospital situation. A primary response may involve road ambulance, aeromedical and specialist vehicles. Offers of Assistance Following disaster events the broader community generously offers assistance to affected people and communities in the form of financial donations, volunteers, goods and services. These offers of assistance provide significant support to the people and local communities affected by a disaster event. The role of government in offers of assistance is to:
facilitate activities that assist in the coordination of offers of goods and services; ensure appropriate mechanisms are in place for the registration, referral, training and health
and safety of volunteers and community groups; provide consistent and accurate messages to the public; and direct offers and volunteering through appropriate channels. Where possible, offers of assistance should be linked to requests for assistance made by local government in order to ensure the most appropriate distribution of resources. The Queensland Government has signed an agreement with the not-for-profit organisation GIVIT to manage offers of donated goods and services following disaster events. GIVIT is funded to provide an online virtual warehouse where offers of assistance or requests can be registered and matched. GIVIT works with councils, NGOs, charities and the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services (DCCSDS) to identify community needs.
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Response Financial Donation Management
DPC is responsible for the coordination and maintenance of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Queensland Government and Non-Government Organisations – Disaster Relief Appeal Management (MoU). Under this MoU, all financial donation collection and disbursement for disaster relief may be managed by non-government charitable organisations (NGOs). Should the Queensland Government choose to provide a donation for the purposes of disaster relief, it will be provided to NGO partners. In this case, anyone wishing to make a private financial donation will be encouraged to donate to these organisations. Corporate Donation Management
QRA is responsible for managing arrangements with GIVIT for directing offers of goods and services from corporate entities received at a State level to appropriate non-government organisations, local governments and charities. Corporate entities are defined as any form of incorporated entity, whether for-profit or not-for-profit. During disaster events QRA advises GIVIT of the current SDCC activation level and GIVIT scales its activities accordingly. GIVIT will establish a dedicated stand-by event page and activation page and activates its network of contacts, including businesses, local government, non-government agencies and charities. Volunteer Management
DCCSDS is responsible for directing offers of volunteering through appropriate channels. The department will also ensure that appropriate mechanisms are in place for the registration, referral, training and health and safety of volunteers and community groups. Volunteering Queensland’s (VQ) ‘Community Response to Extreme Weather’ (CREW) service acts as the default entry point for the registration and referral of volunteers. Upon activation of the SDCC, Volunteering Queensland will be the only avenue promoted for the registration and referral of volunteers. Local government will act as the managers of spontaneous volunteers in their jurisdiction, within local capacity. Volunteering Queensland’s CREW service may be utilised by local government if necessary.
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Financial Management and Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements Cost Substantiation All agencies involved in providing disaster management services across Queensland are required to safeguard public funds from fraud, waste or abuse. Queensland Government agencies are required to discharge financial management responsibilities in accordance with the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and relevant departmental financial management standards. Expenditure of funds by agencies is to be met in the first instance by the agency requesting / requiring the resources from their normal operating budgets. It is important to note that not all expenditure incurred by agencies to provide effective disaster management services may be recoverable under existing disaster relief and recovery financial arrangements. QRA is responsible for the processing of Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) submissions and providing advice on claim eligibility. The QRA will pre-deploy staff into disaster threatened areas to expedite the NDRRA process. For information on recoverable expenditure refer to the NDRRA Determination Guidelines available on the Queensland Government Disaster Management website19.
Situational Reporting A Situation Report (SITREP) is a brief report that is published and updated periodically during a disaster operation outlining the details of the disaster, the requirements generated, and the responses undertaken as they become known. SITREPs are produced at the local, district and state levels. SITREPs are to be updated in real time where practicable, by LDMGs, DDMGs, the SDCC and each state level stakeholder involved in disaster response. The cycle of SITREPS is based on the information flow and provides intelligence for decision makers. The Operations Capability cell in the SDCC produces state level situation reports for the SDCG and QDMC. As a result, the process is as follows:
SITREPs produced by State level agencies and entities are forwarded to the SDCC Operations Capability; and
SITREPS are produced by activated LDMGs and forwarded to both the: Activated DDMG for compilation into a district level picture of response operations. The
DDCC then forwards the district SITREP to the SDCC to inform the daily state level report; and
The SDCC Operations Capability for analysis and to corroborate aggregated operational risk.
Impact Assessment To make informed decisions, government requires information about the impact of disasters on communities. Impact assessments provide a timely and accurate understanding of the effects of a disaster and include: 19 Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) Guidelines available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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injuries and any other effects; details of any deaths; other human and social impacts; evacuations; damage to infrastructure, services and property; and significant environmental impacts.
Disaster affected communities may not have the resources locally to effectively carry out impact assessment and resources may need to be requested from outside the affected area. The QFES will support local government with impact assessments. Immediately following an event, the QFES may undertake a rapid damage assessment providing intelligence on the number of homes and other buildings damaged and the nature of the damage. QRA may provide support for this activity. This information is provided directly to local government by the QFES and included in daily State level SITREPs and planning. LDMGs, DDMGs and State agencies also provide information on impacts through daily situational reporting to the SDCC. In the longer term, assessments expand to include a broader social assessment together with an assessment of the impacts on the economy and the built and natural environment. This assessment could identify implications for business and government continuity and may alter the conduct of the recovery activities. The QRA may also support local governments with assessments of damage to infrastructure which may be subject to claims under NDRRA arrangements. Mass Casualty Management and Mass Fatality Management A mass casualty event is where casualties outnumber the trained responders and/or where the local infrastructure is unable to cope. Mass casualty management and mass fatality management includes: treatment of injured; management of deceased; notification and liaison with next of kin; transport and reception of injured; provision of health services; and provision of recovery services. Queensland Health and the QAS are responsible for the provision of an integrated response to mass casualty management. The QPS is responsible for the provision of disaster victim identification services, part of which may require the establishment of a temporary human remains holding area to assist in this function. These functions will be conducted under agency hazard specific or normal operational plans.
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Debriefs and Post Disaster Review Following any operational activity it is important to identify and adopt any lessons that can be learned and actions taken to continuously improve the QDMA. Debriefs, reviews and analysis should be conducted by all State agencies and be regarded as a routine practice following an event. Review and Assessment
Under s 16C of the Act, the Inspector-General Emergency Management has the role of continually reviewing and assessing the effectiveness of disaster management across all levels of the QDMA, including the SDMP and its implementation. Formal Handover
As recovery activities commence in conjunction with the standing down of the response phase, the transition to recovery requires detailed planning and this should include a handover between the SDC and the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator (SRPPC), where appropriate, to ensure continuity of disaster operations to the recovery phase. 3.2 Recovery
Disaster recovery is the coordinated process of supporting affected individuals and communities in the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure, restoration of the economy and the environment, and support for the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of those affected. The Queensland approach is based on the nationally agreed principles for recovery.
Stages of Recovery
Immediate Short Term Recovery Immediate/short-term recovery (relief) aims to address and support the immediate needs of individuals, businesses and the community affected by an event. This may occur during response while essential services are being restored to the level where response agencies are no longer required to maintain them. The transition from the response level of activation to the immediate/short-term recovery stage must be carefully managed. When this occurs it will be based on a combination of the following criteria:
the emergency is contained; search and rescue groups cease activity; public safety measures are in place and work effectively; no further hazard or secondary event is likely in the near future; initial rehabilitation has commenced; damage to community infrastructure has been assessed and/or restoration has commenced; temporary accommodation and services have been provided; local organisations which can provide services and/or a hub for services have been identified
and engaged; and/or
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local community organisations and cultural groups and their leaders have been identified and engaged.
Medium-Term Recovery Medium-term recovery continues the coordinated process of supporting affected communities in the reconstruction of physical infrastructure, restoration of the economy and of the environment, and support for the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of those affected. Long-Term Recovery Long-term recovery continues the reconstruction of physical infrastructure, restoration of the economy and of the environment, and support for the emotional, social, and physical wellbeing of those affected and can occur for months and years after the event.
Functions of Recovery
Under the current arrangements, aspects of recovery are conceptually grouped into five broad functional portfolios (Functional Recovery Groups) and two coordination functions. It is important to acknowledge that the goals of the five functions of recovery are independent but may overlap with those of other another functional line of recovery. Each function comprises the activities of discrete specialist agencies. Recovery arrangements must reflect the inter-relationships and dependencies between each of these functions and ensure resilience for future events is a key consideration. The State Government lead agencies for the functional portfolios and coordination functions are as follows:
Queensland Government Lead Agency
Function
Department of State Development
Economic Recovery
Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Environmental Recovery
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Human and Social Recovery
Department of Transport and Main Roads
Roads and Transport Recovery
Department of Housing and Public Works
Building Recovery
Department of Energy and Water Supply
Energy infrastructure (electricity, gas, fuel) Water Supply and Sewerage Infrastructure
Local government Water Entities Queensland Reconstruction Authority
NDRRA and SDRA coordination (coordination function)
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Disaster recovery, and Damage Assessment and Reconstruction Monitoring (DARM) – approximately 3 month intervals after the disaster Recovery planning, coordination and monitoring (coordination function)
State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator The Chief Executive Officer, QRA has been appointed to the newly established role of State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator (SRPPC) by the Premier. The SRPPC is effectively the standing state recovery coordinator and works collaboratively with all stakeholders to assist in ensuring that recovery programs provide the best possible service to the people of Queensland in terms of timeliness, quality of service and advice to government.
The SRPPC does not have powers to direct agencies or individuals.
In summary, the roles and responsibilities of the SRPPC include:
Engaging collaboratively with Queensland Government agencies, local governments, the Australian Government, local and district disaster coordinators and other disaster recovery stakeholders;
Ensuring continual improvements in disaster recovery policies, procedures and planning, maintaining recovery operations preparedness and the smooth transition from response to recovery operations;
Manage Disaster Recovery Coordinators (DRCs) when appointed, including development of a guide and induction program, maintenance of a register of potential DRCs and induction of the DRCs;
Report regularly to QDMC about coordination of recovery operations; and Ensuring a review of disaster recovery operations is conducted after an event to identify
potential improvements and engaging with relevant agencies to secure those improvements. The State Recovery Policy and Planning position description is at Annexure E.
Disaster Recovery Coordinator A Disaster Recovery Coordinator (DRC), referred to as a State Recovery Coordinator (SRC in the Act), may be appointed to coordinate recovery operations following a specific event.
Under section 21D (1) of the Act, the Chairperson of the QDMC may appoint one, or in severe and/or widespread events, multiple SRCs for a disaster if:
after consulting with the SRPPC, the Chairperson is satisfied that it is necessary for a SRC to be appointed; and
after consulting with the SRPPC, the Chairperson is satisfied the person/s has the necessary expertise or experience to perform the functions of the SRC.
An appointment must be in writing and may only be terminated in writing. The Chairperson of the QDMC must terminate an appointment, if the Chairperson decides, after consulting with the SRPPC, that it is no longer necessary for an SRC to coordinate disaster recovery operations for the QDMC (section 21D (2) and (3) of the Act). In the event that more than one recovery operation is underway at the same time, the SRPPC will ensure DRCs and relevant agencies collaborate to minimise duplication and to identify and maximise potential economies of scale and any other benefits.
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A DRC will report directly to QDMC on the disaster recovery operation for which the DRC was appointed. When more than one recovery operation is underway at the same time, the DRCS will report to QDMC about their respective operations.
Permanent Establishment of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) was legislated as a permanent feature of the QDMA in June 2015. The QRA is the lead agency responsible for disaster recovery, resilience and mitigation policy as well as the functional lead agency for the Commonwealth/State funded Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) and the Queensland funded State Disaster Relief Arrangement (SDRA) coordination. It develops State strategic disaster recovery plans and ensures the efficient and effective coordination of natural disaster efforts in transitioning from recovery to reconstruction wherever a disaster strikes across Queensland. The QRA manages the Queensland Government’s NDRRA and SDRA funding and assesses and recommends works as eligible for funding under the NDRRA. It supports the delivery of reconstruction projects through assessment, progress monitoring, expenditure reporting, provision of grant payments and program acquittal.
Recovery Financial Arrangements Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements The Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) is the Australian Government program intended to assist the recovery of communities whose social, financial and economic wellbeing has been severely affected by a natural disaster or terrorism event. These arrangements provide a cost sharing formula between the State and Australian Government and a range of pre-agreed relief measures.
State Disaster Relief Arrangements The State Disaster Relief Arrangements (SDRA) are a State-funded program to provide assistance in the relief of communities whose social wellbeing has been severely affected by a disaster event (natural or non-natural).
Distribution of NDRRA and SDRA funds The QRA is responsible for the distribution of NDRRA funds to state and local government agencies for disaster response and recovery activities and the reconstruction of infrastructure.
DCCSDS is responsible for the distribution of NDRRA and SDRA funds to individuals. This may be done by the DCCSDS directly, or by non-government organisations or other entities in partnership with the Department.
QRAA is responsible for the distribution of NDRRA and SDRA funds to primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations.
Other funds, such as freight subsidies for primary producers or community development, are sought as required by relevant agencies.
The QRA manages Queensland’s relationship with the Commonwealth in relation to NDRRA, ensuring the use or proposed of funds is in accordance with NDRRA so that the Commonwealth will reimburse as appropriate.
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Financial Donation Management The information provided above under ‘Response Financial Donation Management’ is also relevant to recovery.
Further information on Queensland’s disaster finance arrangements is available at the Queensland Government Disaster Management website20.
20 Queensland Government Disaster Finance Arrangements available at www.disaster.qld.gov.au
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Annexure A: State Level Group Membership and Structure
Queensland Disaster Management Committee Membership of the QDMC is established in accordance with s19 of the Act. Members of the QDMC are:
Standing Members (Ministers) 1. Premier and Minister for the Arts (Chairperson)
2. Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Trade and Investment (Deputy Chairperson)
3. Treasurer, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Minister for Sport
4. Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and Minister for Corrective Services
5. Minister for Transport and Commonwealth Games
6. Minister for Housing and Public Works
7. Minister for Main Roads, Road Safety and Ports and Minister for Energy, Biofuels and Water Supply
8. Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence
9. Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services
Officials (D-Gs/CEOs) 10. Department of the Premier and Cabinet 11. Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning 12. Queensland Treasury 13. Queensland Police Service
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14. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services 15. Queensland Ambulance Service 16. Chief Health Officer 17. Public Safety Business Agency 18. Department of Housing and Public Works 19. Department of Transport and Main Roads 20. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 21. Queensland Reconstruction Authority (State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator) 22. State Disaster Coordinator Observers 23. Inspector-General Emergency Management
24. Local Government Association of Queensland Note: Invitations may be extended to other government departments and/or external representatives by the chair of the QDMC.
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State Disaster Coordination Group Membership of the SDCG is comprised of representatives from government and non-government agencies, at senior officer level, that have a significant role in disaster management. From time to time the SDCG may establish working groups to progress key disaster management priorities. Members of the SDCG are: Standing members
1. Queensland Police Service (Chair) 2. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services 3. Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning 4. Department of State Development 5. Public Safety Business Agency 6. Department of Housing and Public Works 7. Department of Transport and Main Roads 8. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 9. Department of Environment and Heritage Protection 10. Department of Energy and Water Supply 11. Queensland Health 12. Queensland Ambulance Service 13. Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation 14. Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games 15. Queensland Reconstruction Authority 16. Department of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Partnerships 17. Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing 18. Department of Natural Resources and Mines 19. Department of Agriculture and Fisheries 20. Department of Education and Training 21. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 22. Department of the Premier and Cabinet 23. Queensland Treasury
Standing invitees 24. State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator 25. Australian Defence Force 26. Bureau of Meteorology 27. Local Government Association of Queensland 28. Australian Red Cross 29. Surf Life Saving Queensland 30. Telstra 31. Optus 32. Ergon 33. Energex 34. Powerlink 35. Insurance Council 36. Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Qld) 37. Salvation Army
Observer - Inspector-General Emergency Management
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Annexure B: Agency Roles and Responsibilities
MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Functional lead agency for public information Support and provide advice to the Premier as Chairperson of the Queensland
Disaster Management Committee and as leader of the government Coordinate and liaise with the Australian Government’s Crisis Coordination
Centre in relation to Queensland Government policy positions (when required)
Represent Queensland at meetings of the National Crisis Committee when initiated by the Australian Government
Coordinate and represent Queensland Government positions on national bodies such as the Australia–New Zealand National Emergency Management Committee and the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Council of Australian Governments
Maintain and coordinate any actions relating to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Queensland Government and Non-Government Organisations – Disaster Relief Appeal Management
Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning
Support disaster mitigation considerations in development planning, built environment and infrastructure design
Through the State Planning Policy ensure the state’s interest in natural hazards, risk and resilience are properly considered in all level of the planning system. Provide advice to assist delivery agencies to plan, sequence and prioritise work
Support the building of flood risk management and resilience in conjunction with the QRA.
Manage the development and implementation of disaster mitigation and resilience funding programs such as the Community Resilience Fund and the Natural Disaster Resilience Program.
Manage the RACQ Get Ready Queensland program
Queensland Treasury Provide high level financial and economic management adviceQueensland Fire and Emergency Services
Functional lead agency for warnings Prepare guidelines on behalf of the QDMC as per s 63 of the Act Establish and maintain arrangements between the state and Commonwealth
about matters relating to effective disaster management Ensure that disaster management and disaster operations in the State are
consistent with the State group’s strategic policy framework; the State Disaster Management Plan, the disaster management standards and the disaster management guidelines
Ensure that persons performing functions under the Act in relation to disaster operations are appropriately trained
Provide advice and support to the State group and local and district groups in relation to disaster management and disaster operations
Planning and Logistics functions of the SDCC Provide situational monitoring of events and incidents across the State via
the SDCC Watchdesk Primary agency for bushfire response
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Primary agency for chemical / hazmat related incidents Provide control, management and pre-incident planning of fires (structural,
landscape and transportation) Provide rescue capability for persons trapped in any vehicle, vessel, by height
or in confined space Rescue of persons isolated or entrapped in swift-water / floodwater events Provide advice, chemical analysis and atmospheric monitoring at chemical /
hazmat incidents Provide mass and technical decontamination capabilities under State
Biological Disaster and State Radiological Disaster response Provide Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) capability for building collapse
events Support the Queensland Hazardous Materials Incident Recovery Plan Support the Queensland Coastal Contingency Action Plan – Chemical Spill
Response Plan (a supporting plan of the National Marine Chemical Spill Contingency Plan, and National Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan)
Provide impact assessment, and intelligence gathering capabilities
Perform the following responsibilities in support of disaster operations: Ensure the availability, maintenance and operation of the SDCC which
includes the following: The operation of the Intelligence, Logistics, Operations, Planning and
Aviation Capabilities Coordinate emergency supply Coordinate resupply operations Coordinate and implement the logistics support framework
Coordinate, support and manage the deployment of SES resources (as required, in consultation with local government, appoint a suitably experienced and/or qualified officer as SES Coordinator to support the coordination of SES operations
Queensland Police Service
Primary Agency responsible for terrorism response Provide executive support to the Queensland Disaster Management
Committee Preserve peace and good order Prevent crime Management of crime scenes and potential crime scenes Conduct investigations pursuant to the Coroners Act Provide a disaster victim identification capability Provide for the effective regulation of traffic Coordinate evacuation operations Control and coordinate search and rescue operations Manage the registration of evacuees and associated inquiries in conjunction
with the Australian Red Cross Provide security for damaged or evacuated premises Respond to and investigate traffic, rail and air incidents Coordinate the review and renewal of the SDMP Command the SDCC on activation Command the SDCC capabilities of operations and intelligence on activation
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Public Safety Business Agency
Provide the State Government owned Aircraft assets to the Disaster Response via the Queensland Government Air Service
Provide support to the SDCC for Logistics, Procurement, Finance, Information Technology and Human Resource management during Disaster Operations
Provide mapping services to the SDCC during operations to support the SDCC and QDMC decision-making
Department of Transport and Main Roads
Functional Lead Agency for transport systems Functional Lead Agency of the Roads and Transport Recovery Group Primary Agency for ship-sourced pollution where it impacts, or is likely to
impact, on Queensland Coastal Waters Provide information and advice on the impact of disruptive events on road,
rail, aviation and maritime infrastructure as it affects the transport system Enable an accessible transport system through reinstating road, rail and
maritime infrastructure Assist with the safe movement of people as a result of mass evacuation of a
disaster affected community Ensure the capability of logistics related industries are appropriately applied
to disaster response and recovery activities Department of Housing and Public Works
Functional Lead Agency for Building and Engineering Services Maintain contact registers for:
Professional service providers e.g. engineers (geotechnical, structural, civil) heritage architects, other professional officers and consultants
Specialist building contractors; service providers; and suppliers Building services and trade personnel to support regional based disaster
response or recovery operations Coordinate structural assistance grant assessments (excluding caravans and
vessels) on behalf of Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Provide temporary accommodation solutions and services for impacted members of a community – non-social housing clients and/or response/recovery teams
Coordinate temporary office type accommodation for use by State government agencies and departments as forward command posts, recovery centres, local disease control centres, storage facilities and ablution facilities, including connection of building services
Coordinate temporary leased accommodation for State government agencies and departments
Coordinate technical advice on the structural suitability of buildings for use as community evacuation centres, places of refuge or cyclone shelters
Other building and engineering services tasks requested by a District Disaster Coordinator or the State Disaster Coordination Centre within the scope of the building and engineering Services function
Coordinate emergency fleet vehicles Functional Lead Agency of the Building Recovery Group The Building Recovery Group coordinates the efficient and effective
information exchange, issues identification and resolution between government agencies, local government, building industry and insurance providers to ensure efficient and prioritised use of available resources in rebuilding dwellings following a disaster
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services
Functional lead agency for the Human and Social Recovery Group Provision of human and social relief and recovery information and advice
across all stages of disaster management; Administering personal financial assistance under the State Disaster Relief
Arrangements or the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements; Provision of support and resources to the local impacted area; Purchasing and coordinating the efforts of extraordinary relief, recovery and
resilience focused services following a disaster; Provision of State level human and social recovery reporting metrics; Maintain and coordinate the Queensland Government Ready Reserve human
and social Recovery workforce; Purchasing the registration of volunteers through the Volunteering
Queensland Community Response to Extreme Weather (CREW) online service and the referral of offers of assistance from spontaneous volunteers following a disaster;
Upon request source additional relief and recovery volunteers. Inspector-General Emergency Management
Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of disaster management by the State, including the State disaster management plan and its implementation
Regularly review and assess the effectiveness of disaster management by district and local groups, including district and local disaster management plans
Regularly review and assess cooperation between entities responsible for disaster management in the State, including whether systems and procedures employed by those entities are compatible and consistent;
Make disaster management standards; Regularly review and assess disaster management standards; Review, assess and report on performance by entities responsible for disaster
management in the State against disaster management standards; Work with entities performing emergency services, departments and
community to identify and improve disaster management capabilities, including volunteers capabilities;
Monitor compliance by departments with their disaster management responsibilities;
identify opportunities for cooperative partnerships to improve disaster management outcomes;
Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships
Share knowledge, information and advice on Indigenous communities, including advice on engagement and identification of disaster management issues affecting those communities.
Share knowledge, information and advice on multicultural stakeholders and culturally diverse communities including advice on engagement and identification of disaster management issues affecting those communities.
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Primary agency for the containment and eradication of emergency animal and plant diseases
Coordinate efforts to prevent, respond to, and recover from pests and diseases, and livestock welfare
Provide advice relative to stock Coordinate destruction of stock or crops in an emergency pest/disease
situation Administer NDRRA relief measures
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Department of Education and Training
Maintain the safety and wellbeing of students, staff and volunteers who work or participate in DET schools, institutes and workplaces
Ensure, as far as practicable, that all State Instructional Institutions and workplaces have a documented emergency management plan
Minimise interruption to essential services to allow teaching and learning to be maintained or resumed as a priority
Protect critical resources where possible Facilitate the return of State instructional institutions to normal operations as
soon as possible Department of Energy and Water Supply
Regulate the operation of energy and water supply industries Responsible for maintaining and developing a readiness for energy and water
supply emergencies, regardless of the hazard type (all hazards). These energy emergency supply responsibilities cover the electricity, liquid fuels and natural gas sectors, and involves: Develop and implement energy policies and plans to improve the
protection and resilience of Queensland’s energy systems; Develop the capability to coordinate action to mitigate against energy
supply deficiencies during any emergency evident (including a terrorist incident); and
Facilitate actions within, and across, the energy sectors in response to and emergency event.
DEWS water emergency responsibilities include: Ensure emergency action plans are in place for referable dams to ensure
appropriate action is taken in the event of incidents or failures of the dams;
Exercise dam safety emergency powers if needed to minimise the risk of failure of a dam or to minimise the consequences of failure; and
Oversight of drinking water and recycled water incident management. Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
Functional lead agency for the Environment Recovery Group Regulate the operation of mining, petroleum and gas, and other industrial
sites regarding their environmental impacts, and including water and waste treatment operations;
Provide situational monitoring of events and incidents across industrial sites, and authorise emergency waste water releases as necessary;
Monitor and advise on management of impacted native wildlife outside the national park estate, and reduce conflict and risks to the community due to their displacement;
Support the Queensland Coastal Contingency Action Plan – Chemical Spill Response Plan (a supporting plan of the National Marine Chemical Spill Contingency Plan, and National Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan);
Establish mechanisms for industry, landowners and local governments to receive necessary environmental approvals for recovery (eg. Temporary landfills, beach replenishment, replacement of coastal infrastructure, fill extraction for road repairs, port facility dredge spoil disposal, retrieval of hazardous materials, repairs to heritage listed places and dispensation to nature refuge holders);
Conduct investigations pursuant to the Environmental Protection Act and other environment and conservation legislation;
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Maintain and coordinate any actions relating to Memoranda of Understanding between relevant state and commonwealth departments and entities
Queensland Health Functional Lead Agency for health response Primary agency for heatwave and pandemic influenza, biological and
radiological incidents Protect and promote health in accordance with Hospital and Health Boards
Act 2011, Hospital and Health Boards Regulation 2012, Health and Public Health Act 2005, other relevant legislation and regulations
Queensland Health provides a whole-of-health emergency incident management and counter disaster response capability to prevent, respond to, and recover from a State declared emergency or disaster event
Hospital and health services provide coordinated multidisciplinary support for disaster response and recovery including specialist health services and specialist health knowledge representation
Provide State representation at the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee
Provide clinical and State wide and forensic services support for disaster and response recovery
Promote optimal patient outcomes Provide appropriate on-site medical and health support Clinically coordinate aeromedical transport throughout the State. In a
disaster situation provide staff to the Emergency Helicopter Tasking Cell Provide health emergency incident information for media communications
Queensland Ambulance Provide, operate and maintain ambulance services Access, assess, treat and transport sick and/or injured persons Protect persons from injury or death, during rescue and other related
activities Coordinate all volunteer first aid groups during for major emergencies and
disasters Provide and support temporary health infrastructure where required Collaborate with Queensland Clinical Coordination Centre in the provision of
paramedics for rotary wing operations Participate in search and rescue, evacuation and victim reception operations Participate in health facility evacuations Collaborate with Queensland Health in mass casualty management systems Provide disaster, urban search and rescue (USAR), chemical hazard (Hazmat),
biological and radiological operations support with specialist logistics and specialist paramedics
Department of Justice and Attorney-General
Provide high level legal advice to the Government Deployment and coordination of low-risk prisoners to assist response and
recovery operations
Department of National Parks, Sport and Racing
Provide for the safety of national parks and agency owned recreational centre users including issuing warnings in extreme conditions, closing areas where necessary and coordinating evacuations with QPS.
Provide advice on the management of national parks and expert knowledge of national parks to responding agencies
Lead fire-fighting on the protected area State and State forests where there is no threat to life or property
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Department of Natural Resources and Mines
Manage impacts on unallocated State land including leading fire-fighting where there is no threat to life or property
Provide spatial information for data sets that are owned and managed by DNRM
Maintain DNRM stream gauges that provide stream height, flow and rainfall utilised by BoM
Assist in flood planning, management and study Provide assistance to QFES, PSBA in the capture of spatial imagery and spatial
information analysis and product production as necessary Queensland Reconstruction Authority
Lead Agency for disaster recovery, resilience and mitigation policy Lead agency for flood risk management and resilience, including the
Brisbane River Catchment Flood Study and the Flood Warning Gauge Network Review
Lead Agency for recovery coordination and monitoring, including developing event-specific recovery plans and reporting to government and the community on recovery progress.
Functional Lead Agency for the administration of the NDRRA and SDRA relief measures and negotiations with the Commonwealth for natural disaster funding arrangements in consultation with DPC and Queensland Treasury
When requested, support the QFES with rapid damage assessments of housing in disaster impacted areas
Provide input as required by QFES to state-wide risk-based planning Support QFES to coordinate whole-of-government disaster management
data and data management policy Undertake damage assessments of public infrastructure in collaboration with
local governments. Liaise with local governments and state agencies to gather information to
ensure NDRRA disaster activations meet Commonwealth Government criteria and prepare briefs to request activation of the NDRRA and the SDRA.
Share knowledge and innovative solutions to build resilience, sustainability and self-reliance across governments, industry and communities.
Drive the enhancement of disaster resilience throughout Queensland, ensuring that the State’s resilience goals and objectives are achieved, including implementation of the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience
Facilitate activities that assist in the coordination of offers of goods and services through its partnership with the not for profit organisation, GIVIT.
Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation
Functional lead agency for coordination of telecommunications providers in relation to the availability and restoration of critical infrastructure;
Provide storm tide and wave height information and expertise; Provide community call centre operations and government websites for the
provision of public information about major events and/or disasters in partnership with relevant content/franchise owners;
Actively manage whole-of-government ICT infrastructure, including data centres and networks;
Provide whole of government and agency specific services that contribute to the government’s frontline service-delivery priorities
Department of State Development
Functional lead agency for the Economic Recovery Group
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Assist business and industry in business resilience and recovery strategies (in conjunction with Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games (DTESB)
Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games
Advocate / point of contact for tourism industry and tourism-related businesses
Advocate/ point of contact for small business community Initial situation reporting of impacts on tourism infrastructure Initial situation reporting of impacts on tourists in affected zones and
referral to appropriate agencies for response Initial situation reporting of impacts on small business and major events
(Assisted by DSD with localised reporting and intelligence through the ‘Regional Services Queensland’ partnership)
Assist business and industry in building resilience and recovery strategies QRAA Distribute NDRRA and SDRA funds to primary producers, small businesses
and non-profit organisations.
Local Government Association of Queensland
Advocate on behalf of local governments at State level Provide representation and facilitate collaboration with (and between) local
government Australian Red Cross Is an auxiliary to government in the humanitarian field
Provide advice and support to the QDMC, DDMGs and LDMGs in relation to disaster management planning and disaster operations
Provide preparedness activities and resources to assist people to be better prepared for, better connected, and more resilient to emergencies
Work with partner agencies to ensure basic human needs are met during the response stage of a disaster, with a particular focus on assisting local government authorities with sheltering (evacuation centres and cyclone shelters)
Assist Queensland Police Service in the management of Register.Find.Reunite.– the registration of evacuees and associated enquiries
Provide support to Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services in the provision of psychosocial support and community development activities during recovery Provide teams of well trained volunteers to assist communities prepare for, respond to and recover from a disaster
Australian Defence Force
Provide niche capabilities, when available.
Bureau of Meteorology
Commonwealth agency responsible for provision of forecasts, warnings and long term outlooks on environmental phenomena that affect the safety, prosperity and resilience of Australians
Surf Life Saving Queensland
Queensland’s peak beach safety and rescue authority and one of the largest volunteer based community service organisations in Australia
Provides advice on coastal and aquatic rescue management to government (State and local) agencies across the State
Provides a network of support and advice to the QDMC, DDMG and LDMG in relation to disaster and emergency response via volunteer surf life savers,
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MEMBER AGENCY / INVITEE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
professional lifeguards, and the Westpac Life Saver Helicopter Rescue Service.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Monitoring the responsible care of animals, provide standards of care for animals and protect animals from unjustifiable, unnecessary or unreasonable pain.21
Collaboration with partner agencies and others to ensure effective prevention, preparedness, response and recovery strategies and priorities for disaster management within a community.
Assisting in identifying and addressing immediate, medium and long term animal welfare recovery needs so as to enhance the capacity of the local community to recover from a disaster.
21 Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 (Qld) https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/A/AnimalCaPrA01.pdf
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 54
Annexure C: Levels of Activation for State Response Arrangements QDMA Activations Table
QDMC DDMG LDMG
Triggers Actions Communication Triggers Actions Communicati
on Triggers Actions Communication
Alert Advice from warning authority
Operational advice from
DDC Staged
activation of LDMG/S and/or DDMG/S
Hazard identified & risks analysed
Notify stakeholders via matrix in SDCC SOPs
SDCC staff on stand by
Conduct appreciation and prepare operations plan
SDC begins to coordinate/oversee preparations for disaster response operations
Recovery agencies placed on Alert
SDCC contact through Watch Desk
State Duty Manager on mobile
One or more LDMGs operational
Awareness that threat may be widespread
XO brief DDC on activation level of LDMG/s
Analysis of threat
Contact LDC/s
DDC and XO are communicating with each other and monitoring the need for DDMG activation.
Awareness of a hazard that has the potential to affect the local government area
Hazard & risks identified
Information sharing with warning agency
LDC contacts QFES
Initial advice to all stakeholders
Chair and LDC on mobile remotely
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 55
QDMA Activations Table QDMC DDMG LDMG
Triggers Actions Communication Triggers Actions Communicati
on Triggers Actions Communication
Lean Forward
Staged activation of LDMG/s and/or DDMG/s
SDCC staff on stand by
Rosters promulgated
Conduct appreciation & prepare operations plan
SDCC Liaison Officers identified22
Watch Desk supported by State Duty Manager
Recovery agencies placed on Alert
SDCC contact through Watch Desk supported by State Duty Manager, present at SDCC
State agencies on mobile & monitor email
Ad-hoc reporting
Potential requirement for DDMG to coordinate disaster operations or provide support because of threat level or resource requirements
Maintain contact with LDC/s
Communication procedures established
Planning commenced for support to DDCC
Advise State regarding status of DDMG
Establish contacts & set up communication systems
Receipt of Sitreps from LDMG/s
Brief DDMG core members
Warning orders given to DDMG
Planning for potential support to LDMG/s
DDC support staff briefed
DDC and / or XO contact DDMG members as per district level arrangements. The DDMG monitors the situation and may take some action to prepare for ‘stand-up’ level of activation
Ad-hoc reporting
There is a likelihood that threat may affect local government area
Threat is quantified but may not yet be imminent
Need for public awareness
LDMG is now to manage the event
QFES and LDC conduct analysis of predictions
Chair and LDC on watching brief
Confirm level & potential of threat
Check all contact details
Commence cost capturing
Conduct meeting with available LDMG
Council staff prepare for operations
Determine trigger point to stand up
Prepare LDCC for operations
Establish regular communications with warning agency
First briefing core members of LDMG
LDC advises DDC of lean forward & establishes regular contact
Chair, LDC and LDMG members on mobile and monitoring email remotely
Ad-hoc reporting
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 56
QDMA Activations Table QDMC DDMG LDMG
Triggers Actions Communication Triggers Actions Communicati
on Triggers Actions Communication
Warning orders to response agencies
Public information & warning initiated
QDMA Activations Table QDMC DDMG LDMG
Triggers Actions Communication Triggers Actions Communicatio
n Triggers Actions Communication
Stand Up
Significant activations of LDMG/s and/or DDMG/s
State wide hazard
Significant BoM warnings
Prolonged operations
Cross agency coordination of tasks required
Collation of information & intelligence requirements
SDCC activated Operations
plan implemented
SITREPS initiated for QDMC
Critical Incident Directive activated
Appointment of State Recovery Coordinator considered by QDMC
SDCC through land lines & generic email addresses
State agencies present at SDCC, on landlines and/or mobiles, monitoring email and producing agency SITREPS
Request for support received from LDCC/s
Large threat is imminent with impact in District
Coordinated support required
Significant State resources committed
Develop situational awareness
Pass on urgent warnings
Initial Sitrep to SDCC
DDCC activated with required staff
Roster developed and commenced for DDCC
Forward planning commenced
DDCC contact through established land lines and generic email addresses
DDC, XO and DDMG members may present at DDCC (dependant on local arrangements), contact is through established land lines and/or mobiles/ emails
Threat is imminent
Community will be or has been impacted
Need for coordination in LDCC
Requests for support received by LDMG agencies or to the LDCC
The response requires coordination
Meeting of LDMG Core Group
LDCC activated Rosters for
LDCC planned & implemented
Commence operational plans
Local government shifts to disaster operations
LDMG takes full control
SOPs activated
LDCC contact through established land lines and generic email addresses
Chair, LDC and LDMG members present at LDCC, on established land lines and/or mobiles, monitoring emails
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 57
SDCC advised DDMG stood up
Regular Sitreps provided to SDCC
Logistics, operations, planning and administrative cells in place
Coordination of State support commenced
Receive advice from State Disaster Coordinator (if appointed)
Core group of LDMG located in LDCC
Commence SITREPs to DDMG
Distribute contact details
DDMG advised of potential requests for support
Stand Down
Response activities are concluded
Final Sitrep to QDMC
Debrief of SDCC staff
Transition from response and recovery to recovery
Financial reconciliation
Watch Desk resumes watching brief
Agencies not involved in recovery resume standard business & contact arrangements
LDMG/s stood down from response
Recovery arrangements functioning
Final checks for outstanding requests
Assist LDMG/s to transition to recovery
Debrief of staff in DDCC & DDMG members
Consolidate financial records
Final situation report sent to SDCC
Hand over to Recovery Coordinator (If appointed)
Return to core business
DDMG members not involved in recovery operations resume standard business and after hours contact arrangements
Recovery updates provided to DDMG members
No requirement for coordinated response
Community has returned to normal function
Recovery taking place
Final checks for outstanding requests
Implement plan to transition to recovery
Debrief of staff in LDCC
Debrief with LDMG members
Consolidate financial records
Hand over to Recovery Coordinator for reporting
Return to local government core business
Final situation report sent to DDMG
LDMG members not involved in recovery operations resume standard business and after hours contact arrangements
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 58
2016 State Disaster Management Plan Page 59
Annexure D: State Disaster Coordinator Role Statement AUTHORITY Sections 21B and 21C of the Disaster Management Act 2003 outline the specific details of the appointment, termination and functions of the State Disaster Coordinator (SDC). This Role Statement applies to the person appointed as the SDC (or person delegated to perform the functions of the SDC (Disaster Management Act 2003, s143 [5]).
APPOINTMENT AND TERMINATION OF SDC POSITION Appointment A SDC will be appointed if the Chair of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC) is satisfied after consultation with the Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service (QPS). A Deputy Commissioner, QPS is identified as the default SDC. The appointment of a non QPS official as the SDC could be dependent on the nature of the hazard and presenting risks associated with that event. However the Chair QDMC, after consulting the Commissioner, QPS, may appoint a senior public official from another State agency if considered more appropriate. For example, this may occur for hazard specific events where a State agency is legislated to manage the response. If the preferred SDC appointee is from a State agency other than the QPS, the Chair of the QDMC should also consult with the relevant Chief Executive of the preferred SDC Elect prior to making the appointment. Process of appointing the SDC
The Chair of the QDMC will contact the executive Officer QDMC to make the administrative arrangements for the appointment of the SDC. The SDC appointment must be made in writing (Disaster Management Act 2003, s21B [3]) and all stakeholders advised of the appointment. Where the SDC will be located During response operations, the SDC will generally be accommodated within the SDCC, located at Park Road, Kedron; however it is acknowledged that the SDC may be required to deploy to affected areas of the State to perform their functions. Termination of SDC appointment If the Chair of the QDMC wishes to terminate the appointment of the SDC, the termination must be made in writing (Disaster Management Act 2003, s 21B(3)). The termination of appointment will be coordinated by the executive officer QDMC.
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Debrief The SDC should be available to attend the post-event debrief, which will be organised at a suitable time after the conclusion of the ‘stand down’ phase of response (as described in the SDMP).
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The SDC’s specific functional roles and responsibilities are listed below: Legislated Functions of the SDC The SDC has the following functions (Disaster Management Act 2003, s21C [1]) to: (a) Coordinate the disaster response operations for the State group; (b) Report regularly to the State group about disaster response operations; (c) Ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that any strategic decisions of the State group
about disaster response operations are implemented; and (d) Provide strategic advice on disaster response operations to District Disaster Coordinators. Other Roles and Responsibilities of the SDC The following roles and responsibilities will assist the SDC to effectively perform their functions. These include: 1. Attending extraordinary meetings of the QDMC; 2. Maintaining situational awareness of an impending event(s); 3. As required, maintaining regular communication with:
members of the QDMC; the SRPPC and the DRCs when appointed; members of the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG); SDCC; District Disaster Coordinators (DDC’s); and Local Disaster Coordinators (LDC’s).
4. Providing leadership and support to the members of the SDCG and their respective agencies;
5. Providing guidance and strategic advice to the SDCC Commander and staff of the SDCC; 6. Ensuring open and functional relationships exist with commonwealth agencies and approve
requests for commonwealth assistance (e.g. DACC request), in accordance with standing arrangements.
7. Managing media and conducting media interviews relating to State level disaster response operations; and
8. Following termination of their SDC appointment for an event, preparation and submission of a briefing note to the Chair, QDMC, detailing: activities undertaken; background issues; and recommendations in terms of issues suitable for review and improvement.
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Annexure E: State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator Position Description The role of the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator (SRPPC) is to ensure the coordination of
recovery policy and planning throughout the year.
Note: This role is not the role of the State Recovery Coordinator (also known as the Disaster Recovery Coordinator) established by the Disaster Management Act 2003. The Act sets out a disaster-specific state-wide operational role which has proven effective following numerous disasters since it was inserted into the Act in 2010. In short, the role of the State Recovery Coordinator/Disaster Recovery Coordinator coordinates recovery operations following a disaster; the SRPPC ensures the coordination of recovery policy and planning, throughout the year.
BACKGROUND A standing SRPPC would facilitate better planning for recovery operations, and a more efficient transition from response into recovery following a disaster. Outside of a disaster, the SRPPC role will coexist with the role of a senior official (CEO QRA). If the scale of a recovery operation requires, a local or regional disaster recovery coordinator (DRC) will still be appointed for the event, responsible for recovery operations in a defined area. The SRPPC will therefore be required full time in the event of a disaster only until shortly after a DRC is appointed, which should be as early as possible.
PURPOSE The SRPPC’s purpose is to achieve: (1) Better preparedness, by government entities and the community, for recovery operations (2) Smoother transition from response operations to recovery operations (3) Better coordination between recovery operations, in the event that more than one recovery
operation is underway at the same time AUTHORITY The SRPPC has a policy, planning, and where applicable, high-level operations coordination role. It does not require any special powers and therefore does not need any statutory authority. The SRPPC will not usurp the existing recovery-related roles or responsibilities of any agency. The SRPPC will, amongst other things, assist those agencies by, for example, helping to ensure that recovery planning retains an appropriate profile all year round. The responsibility to manage the internal functions of State agencies remains with the relevant chief executives, who will work collaboratively with the SRPPC. APPOINTMENT AND TERMINATION
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The CEO, QRA has been appointed SRPPC by the Premier. The appointment may be for a fixed period, or ongoing. It may be subject to conditions set out in the appointment, or by the Premier at any later time. Nothing prevents more than one SRPPC being appointed for concurrent periods, provided the conditions of each appointment clarify how they are each to contribute towards the totality of this role description. The appointment may be terminated at any time by the Premier. Appointments and terminations are to be in writing. Advice of an appointment or a termination is to be provided promptly to disaster management stakeholders by either the QDMC Secretariat or the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The SRPPC’s roles and responsibilities are: (1) Engage collaboratively with all of the following:
(a) the lead Queensland Government agency for recovery, and any lead agency for any specific aspect of recovery;
(b) all other Queensland Government agencies, including statutory bodies and government-owned corporations;
(c) local governments;
(d) local and district disaster coordinators;
(e) chairs of local and district disaster management groups;
(f) the Australian Government;
(g) relevant non-government organisations (private and not-for-profit sectors); and
(h) the State Disaster Coordinator (SDC).
(2) Ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that each disaster management stakeholder, including the Queensland Government as a whole:
(a) continually improves disaster recovery policies, procedures and planning;
(b) maintains a preparedness for recovery operations; and
(c) maintains a preparedness for a smooth transition from response operations to recovery operations.
(3) Ensure development and maintenance of a guide and an induction program for Disaster
Recovery Coordinators (DRCs).
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Note: A DRC will have the functions of a State Recovery Coordinator under the Act – see section 21E.
(4) Maintain a register of potential DRCs. (5) In the lead-up to a disaster (if possible), and during disaster response operations:
(a) attend QDMC and State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG) meetings, and liaise with the SDC, to:
(i) provide leadership and support regarding disaster recovery activities to the members of the QDMC and their respective agencies,
(ii) contribute to deliberations by ensuring recovery and transition-to-recovery considerations are taken into account in decision-making, and
(iii) gather information that will be helpful for a DRCs; and
Note: This role description has been endorsed by the QDMC Chair and therefore an appointment as SRPPC constitutes an invitation to assist QDMC pursuant to section 19A(2)(a) of the Act.
(b) provide advice to the QDMC Chair in relation to the appointment of a DRC.
Note: Nothing prevents the SRPPC from being appointed as a DRC if the SRPPC has the
capacity at the time to perform the functions of a DRC.
(6) Induct a newly-appointed DRC and be reasonably available to be consulted by a DRC for the duration of the DRC’s appointment.
(7) In the event that more than one recovery operation is underway at the same time – ensure
DRCs and relevant agencies collaborate to minimise duplication and to identify and maximise potential economies of scale and any other benefits.
(8) Following a transition from response to recovery, ensure a review of the transition is
conducted with a view to identifying potential improvements, and engage with relevant agencies to secure those improvements.
(9) Following a recovery operation, ensure a review of the operation is conducted with a view
to identifying potential improvements, and engage with relevant agencies to secure those improvements.
(10) Attend QDMC at other times as invited by the Chair.
(11) Report to QDMC, the Chair, or the Premier, proactively or as requested, during disaster
response or recovery operations or otherwise, on any aspect of disaster recovery.
Notes: A DRC will report directly to QDMC on the disaster recovery operation for which the DRC was appointed, as per section 21E of the Act. There is no need for the SRPPC to add an extra layer of bureaucracy and time lag in a disaster recovery
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operation. However, the SRPPC should be provided with copies of reports and will have the opportunity to provide comments and suggestions for future reporting. Where more than one recovery operation is underway at the same time, the DRCs will report to QDMC about their respective recovery operations, and the SRPPC will report regularly to QDMC about coordination between the recovery operations.
SUPPORT Administrative support: The SRPPC will rely on his or her own agency (currently the QRA) for administrative support, unless other arrangements are set out in the appointment. Policy capacity: The SRPPC would be supported by the lead agency for recovery or any aspect of recovery, and other agencies as appropriate, as negotiated with the chief executive of the agency from time to time, or as set out in the appointment.
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Annexure F: Glossary
Alert A heightened level of vigilance due to the possibility of an event in the area of responsibility. Some action may be required. The situation should be monitored by someone capable of assessing the potential of the threat.
Community A group of people with a commonality of association and generally defined by location, shared experience, or function.
Community resilience
A resilient community is one that possesses the capacities, skills and knowledge that enable it to prepare for, respond to, and recover effectively from a disaster and adapt positively to a changing environment. It is a community that works together to understand and manage the risks and vulnerabilities that it confronts, and enhances its capacity to address its vulnerabilities to all hazards (Queensland Government, Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience, 2014).
Coordination The bringing together of organisations to ensure effective disaster management before, during and after an event. It is primarily concerned with systematic acquisition and application of resources (people, material, equipment, etc) in accordance with priorities set by disaster management groups. Coordination operations horizontally across organisations and agencies.
Coordination centre A centre established at State, district or local government level as a centre of communication and coordination during times of disaster operations.
Disaster A serious disruption in a community, caused by the impact of an event that requires a significant coordinated response by the State and other entities to help the community to recover from the disruption (The Act).
Disaster district Part of the State prescribed under a regulation as a disaster district.Disaster management
Arrangements about managing the potential adverse effects of an event, including, for example, arrangements for mitigating, preventing, preparing for, responding to and recovering a disaster (The Act).
Disaster management functions
The services essential to managing the impacts and consequences of an event.
Disaster mitigation The taking of preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of an event occurring or, if an event occurs, to reduce the severity of the event.
Disaster operations Activities undertaken before, during or after an event happens to help reduce loss of human life, illness or injury to humans, property loss or damage, or damage to the environment, including, for example, activities to mitigate the adverse effects of an event (The Act).
Disaster preparedness
The taking of preparatory measures to ensure that, if an event occurs, communities, resources and services are able to cope with the effects of the event.
Disaster research May be broadly understood as a systematic inquiry, before and after a disaster, into a relevant disaster management problem. (Emergency Management Queensland, Disaster Management Strategic Policy Framework, 2010).
Disaster response
The taking of appropriate measures to respond to an event, including action taken and measures planned in anticipation of, during, and immediately after an event to ensure that its effects are minimised and that persons affected by the event are given immediate relief and support.
Disaster response capability
The ability to provide equipment and a suitable number of persons, using the resources available to the local government, to effectively deal with, or help another entity to deal with, an emergency situation or a disaster in the local government’s area (The Act).
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Disaster response operations
The phase of disaster operations that relates to responding to a disaster.
Disaster recovery operations
The phase of disaster operations that relates to recovering from a disaster.
Disaster relief The provision of immediate shelter, life support and human needs of persons affected by, or responding to, a disaster. (Emergency Management Queensland, Disaster Management Strategic Policy Framework, 2010).
Disaster risk assessment
The process used to determine risk management priorities by evaluating and comparing the level of risk against predetermined standards, target risk levels or other criteria. (Emergency Management Queensland, Disaster Management Strategic Policy Framework, 2010).
District Disaster Coordinator
A person appointed under The Act who is responsible for the coordination of disaster operations in the disaster district for the District Disaster Management Group.
Emergency It should be noted that in some jurisdictions the term emergency is used interchangeably with disaster. In Queensland the terms disaster, disaster management and disaster operations are used as defined in the Disaster Management Act 2003.
Event Any of the following: (a) A cyclone, earthquake, flood, storm, storm tide, tornado, tsunami, volcanic
eruption or other natural happening; (b) An explosion or fire, a chemical, fuel or oil spill, or a gas leak; (c) An infestation, plague or epidemic; (d) A failure of, or disruption to, an essential service or infrastructure; (e) An attack against the Sate; (f) Another event similar to an event mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e). An event may be natural or caused by human acts or omissions (The Act).
Functional lead agency
An agency allocated responsibility to prepare for and provide a disaster management function and lead relevant organisations that provide a supporting role.
Guidelines Guidelines are developed under s63 of The Act to inform the QDMC, DDMGs and local governments about the preparation of disaster management plans, matters to be included in disaster management plans and other appropriate matters about the operation of a DDMG or LDMG.
Hazard A source of potential harm, or a situation with a potential to cause loss. (Emergency Management Australia, 2004).
Lean forward An operational State prior to ‘stand up’ characterised by a heightened level of situational awareness of a disaster event (either current or impending) and a State of operational readiness. Disaster coordination centres are on stand by; prepared but not activated.
Local Disaster Coordinator
A person appointed under The Act who is responsible for the coordination of disaster operations for the Local Disaster Management Group.
Post-disaster assessment
Addresses performance during and the risks revealed by a disaster event in order to improve future development of mitigation measures. Post-disaster assessment forms part of continuous improvement of the whole system. (Adapted from COAG, Natural Disasters in Australia: Reforming mitigation, relief and recovery arrangements: 2002).
Primary agency An agency allocated responsibility to prepare for and respond to a specific hazard based on their legislated and/or technical capability and authority.
QDMA The Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements (QDMA) provide a structure for disaster management in Qld. The QDMA are made up of several key
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management and coordination structures, legislation, policy and guidelines through which the functions of disaster management in Qld are achieved. The QDMA are based upon partnership arrangements between State and local government and are designed to support and empower local governments to manage disasters that may affect their communities.
Recovery The taking of preventative measures to recover from an event, including action taken to support disaster-affected communities in the reconstruction of infrastructure, the restoration of emotional, social, economic and physical wellbeing, and the restoration of the environment.
Relief The provision of immediate shelter, life support and human needs of persons affected by, or responding to, an emergency.
Residual risk The risk remaining after risk treatment. Residual risk can contain unidentified risk. Residual risk can also be known as ‘retained risk’. (ISO Guide 73:2009 Risk management – Vocabulary)
Risk The effect of uncertainty on objectives. (ISO Guide 73:2009 Risk management – Vocabulary)
Risk identification The process of finding, recognising and describing risks. (ISO Guide 73:2009 Risk management – Vocabulary)
Risk management Coordinated activities to direct and control a community or organisation with regard to risk. (Adapted from ISO Guide 73:2009 Risk management – Vocabulary)
Risk management process
The systematic application of management of policies, procedures and practises to the tasks of communicating, consulting, establishing the context, and identifying, analysing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and reviewing risk. (National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines)
Risk reduction Actions taken to lessen the likelihood, negative consequences, or both, associated with a risk. (Adapted from ISO Guide 73:2009 Risk management – Vocabulary)
Risk register A listing of risk Statements describing sources of risk and elements at risk with assigned consequences, likelihoods and levels of risk.
Risk treatment Process of selection and implementation of measures to modify risk. (National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines)
Serious disruption Serious disruption means: (a) loss of human life, or illness or injury to humans; or (b) widespread or severe property loss or damage; or (c) widespread or severe damage to the environment.
Stand down Transition from responding to an event back to normal core business and/or recovery operations. There is no longer a requirement to respond to the event and the threat is no longer present.
Stand up The operational State following ‘lean forward’ whereby resources are mobilised, personnel are activated and operational activities commenced. Disaster coordination centres are activated.
State Disaster Coordinator
A person appointed under The Act who is responsible for the coordination of disaster response operations for the Queensland Disaster Management Committee.
State Recovery Coordinator
A person appointed under The Act who is responsible for the coordination of disaster recovery operations for the Queensland Disaster Management Committee.
Vulnerability The conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazards. (National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines).
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Annexure F: Acronyms and Abbreviations
BoM Australian Bureau of Meteorology CCC Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre DACC Defence Assistance to the Civil Community DDC District Disaster Coordinator DDCC District Disaster Coordination Centre DDMG District Disaster Management Group DILGP Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning DMCC Disaster Management Cabinet Committee DRC Disaster Recovery Coordinator (also known as State Recovery Coordinator [SRC]) HazMat Hazardous Materials (in the context of emergency response) IGEM Inspector-General Emergency Management IMT Incident Management Team LDC Local Disaster Coordinator LDCC Local Disaster Coordination Centre LDMG Local Disaster Management Group NDRP National Disaster Resilience Program NDRRA Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements NGOs Non-Government Organisations PPRR Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery PSBA Public Safety Business Agency QAS Queensland Ambulance Service QDMA Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements QDMC Queensland Disaster Management Committee QFES Queensland Fire and Emergency Services QPS Queensland Police Service QRA Queensland Reconstruction Authority RSPCA Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals SDCC State Disaster Coordination Centre SDCG State Disaster Coordination Group SDMG State Disaster Management Group SDMP State Disaster Management Plan SDRA State Disaster Relief Arrangements SES State Emergency Service SRC State Recovery Coordinator (also known as Disaster Recovery Coordinator [DRC]) SRPPC State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator Smart Service Smart Service Queensland the Framework Emergency Management Assurance Framework the Minister The Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services the Plan State Disaster Management Plan the State Group Queensland Disaster Management Committee XO Executive Officer
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