Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan

Brisbane City Council

Local Disaster Management Plan

Chapter 14: Isolated Communities Sub-plan

Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan Chapter 14 – Isolated Communities Sub-plan 2015

References The following table summarises a list of related documents that provide further information on emergency planning for isolated communities:

References

A. Australian Emergency Manual Series, Manual 17 – Multi-Agency Incident Management

B. Australian Emergency Manuals Series, Manual 43 – Emergency Planning

C. The Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003, current approved edition

D. Brisbane City Council Brisbane Incident Management System (BIMS), current approved edition

E. Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan, current approved edition

F. Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Coordination Centre SOP, current approved edition

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Table of Contents

of ii Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan Chapter 14 – Isolated Communities Sub-plan 2015

Introduction This Isolated Communities Sub-plan outlines the use of Community Support Centres by local communities that may become isolated. It is produced in accordance with the Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003 and the Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan. This sub-plan provides guidance on the role of the local community groups and organisations in establishing, coordinating and managing Community Support Centres. Note: Isolated communities do not necessarily require evacuation but instead shelter-in- location1. During isolation, a planned and coordinated local community response is paramount to ensure the community remains resilient to the consequences and impact of being isolated. Roles and Responsibilities

Community Support Centre’s Role Community Support Centres (CSCs) are community-led and operated facilities. The CSCs enable communities to be responsive and resilient through periods of isolation during a natural disaster or other event. Community Support Centres are not evacuation centres but provide information and support to shelter-in-location (isolated) communities and act as a hub for sharing information with the community. The CSC may also be used as a location for resupply, a meeting point, or a place for provision and distribution of stores to the community. It may also be used for the provisions of health care services and the coordination of persons requiring evacuation.

Brisbane City Council’s Role Council will provide, where necessary, oversight and input to the development of the Community Support Centre plan. Council will, where appropriate, assist with training and exercising of CSC volunteers. Where appropriate, representatives from Council’s Disaster Management Office Branch or relevant regional managers will attend CSC planning meetings. Where possible a regional Community Development Officer will be appointed as a Liaison Officer to the CSC planning group. The Liaison Officer will attend planning meetings where appropriate. The Community Development Officer will be a key point of contact during activation of the CSC. This includes monitoring, reporting, and escalation of information and issues as appropriate. Council will conduct annual inspections of Community Support Centres. Volunteers engaged in planning, training or activation of CSC plans will be deemed to be Council volunteers and covered by Council’s Volunteers’ Personal Accident Insurance and Council’s Public Liability Insurance.

1 Shelter-in-location: Residents are able to shelter in their own homes or homes nearby and are supported by the local community.

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Local Disaster Coordination Centre (LDCC) & EHSOT’s Role The Local Disaster Coordination Centre (LDCC) is Council’s dedicated facility for coordinating its response to disaster events. Where appropriate, the LDCC will coordinate and assist with matters that require urgent attention. The LDCC will coordinate requests for resupply of essential items. Council will maintain Standard Operating Procedures in support of this sub-plan. The Emergency Human Services Operational Team (EHSOT) is managed as a team within the Operations Group of the LDCC. During an event EHSOT manages Council’s Evacuation Sub-plan and SOP, Volunteer Coordination Sub-plan and SOP, Donations Sub-plan and SOP, and the Isolated Communities Sub-plan and SOP. This team will monitor the activities of Community Support Centres including liaison with the Community Development Officer, needs assessment and analysis, reporting, processing of requests for assistance, and escalation of information and issues as appropriate. EHSOT consists of the following positions in the LDCC:

 EHSOT Coordinator  Manager, Community Facilities & Venues  EHSOT Team Members

Responsibilities of EHSOT positions:  The EHSOT Coordinator is responsible for determining the need to scale the isolated community’s team structure up or down depending on the size and nature of the incident and the availability of resources.  The EHSOT Coordinator is responsible for the management of staffing levels and role selection across all levels of activation including fatigue management.  The Manager, Community Facilities and Venues is responsible for maintaining the register of officers available to fulfill isolated communities roles.  Members of the Isolated Communities team are responsible for: o Monitoring the activities of Community Support Centres including liaison with the Regional Incident Management Teams (RIMT) and external volunteer organisations as required; o Needs-based assessments and analysis, reporting, processing of requests for assistance, and escalation of information and issues as appropriate; o Coordinating and assisting, where appropriate, matters that require urgent attention; o Coordinating and processing requests for resupply of essential items; and o Providing support and administration assistance and tasking external community assistance organisations.

External Liaison Officers EHSOT activities may also require multi-agency assistance and involvement. In these circumstances, LDCC functional groups will liaise regularly with strategic level staff from response agencies such as Australian Defence Force, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and Queensland Ambulance Service as well as state and federal departments including Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, Red Cross, and Department of Housing.

When necessary, a dedicated liaison officer from these agencies is to be requested to directly support the LDCC. Non-government organisations may also be requested to provide strategic level advice to the LDCC. Again, an appropriately experienced and authoritative liaison officer should be sought. Although external liaison officers will receive tasks and direction from their own department or agency, they need to ensure consistency of reporting and communication through the LDCC and the Brisbane LDMG.  Refer to Liaison Officer SOP for more information.

Queensland Police Service Officers in charge of local police stations will partner with local Councillor-led Disaster Advisory Groups to facilitate the maintenance and review of CSC plans. Police officers who are local residents may undertake volunteer coordination roles in Community Support Centres. Council recognises the need to work closely with the Queensland Police Service.

Emergency and Support Services Local emergency service providers such as the State Emergency Service (SES), Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Ambulance Service should be made aware of and, where appropriate, contribute to the CSC plan.

Where appropriate, additional support service providers should be made aware of the CSC plan.

Isolated Communities Sub-plan Approach

When EHSOT stands up, they are expected to provide support and assistance in coordinating Council’s Evacuation and Reception sub-plan.

Activation of Isolated Communities Sub-plan Triggers for opening the Community Support Centre will likely be as a result of one of the following:  Police request;  Council request;  Councillor request on behalf of the community; and/or  Decision by a CSC Coordinator based on local knowledge and circumstances.

At Risk Community Members The CSC plan should consider the needs of at-risk community members.  At-risk community members include those residents with special needs, such as the elderly, persons in aged-care facilities, and persons with disabilities. Culturally and Linguistically diverse residents should also be considered. For more information on CSC Operations and Communication refer to the Isolated Communities SOP.

Resupply Residents of communities vulnerable to isolation should undertake necessary planning and arrangements in order to be able to shelter-in-location for extended periods. This includes food and essential household and personal items (including medication). Depending on the period of isolation, or anticipated isolation, the resupply of food, medications and essential items is to be coordinated by the Community Support Centre. Items that need to be considered for resupply are identified in the CSC Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which is an internal document available on BIMS Online or through the Disaster Management Office. Requests for resupply are outlined in the Community Support Centre SOP and are to be made in accordance with existing disaster management arrangements.

Community Support Centre SOPs Standard Operating Procedures should be endorsed by all organisations that will be involved with, or provide support to, the Community Support Centre in the event that the CSC is activated. SOPs should be held by key stakeholder groups. SOPs should be reviewed annually. The following Community Support Centre SOPs are available on BIMS Online and are held by the relevant stakeholders:  Pullenvale Ward: Mt Crosby-Karana Downs  Pullenvale Ward: Moggill-Bellbowrie

Appendix 1 – Acronyms and Abbreviations

BIMS Online Brisbane Incident Management System Online Brisbane LDMG Brisbane City Local Disaster Management Group CDO Community Development Officer CSC Community Support Centre EHSOT Emergency Human Services Operational Team LDC Local Disaster Coordinator LDCC Local Disaster Coordination Centre LDMG Brisbane City Local Disaster Management Group MDMO Manager, Disaster Management Office SES State Emergency Service SOP Standard Operating Procedure