State Emergency Management Committee Annual Report fforor tthehe rreportingeporting pperioderiod eendingnding 3300 JJuneune 22012012 All correspondence regarding this report is to be directed to: Secretary SEMC SEMC Secretariat 20 Southport Street West Leederville WA 6007 Telephone: (08) 6552 5145 Email: [email protected] State Emergency Management Committee Annual Report Foreword The 2011/12 year was an extraordinarily busy and challenging one for all involved in emergency management in Western Australia. The Ellensbrook (Margaret River), Bindoon and Milyeannup (Nannup) bushfi res, South West land division storm and Tropical Cyclone Lua were just a few of the emergencies that required access to the emergency powers of the Emergency Management Act 2005. The year also saw a great deal of learning for Western Australian emergency management practitioners. Two Reports; Appreciating the Risk: Report of the Special Inquiry into the November 2011 Margaret River Bushfi re and the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee’s Report on Western Australia’s Readiness for the 2011/12 Bushfi re Season, were released during the year and made a number of key recommendations that directly impacted the way emergency management is practiced in the State. The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) carried out its functions under the Emergency Management Act 2005 in a dynamic environment. Change was being implemented at both a State and national level and SEMC, through the SEMC sub- committees and District and Local Emergency Management Committees, needed to respond by developing and implementing new policies, plans and procedures, which comprise the State’s emergency management arrangements. SEMC itself was also directly impacted by change and was re-constituted at the end of July 2012 to include an independent Chair and two other independent members. The Committee also includes the chief executives of the major agencies involved in Western Australia’s emergency management arrangements and a representative of local government. The re-constitution has provided a greater focus on preparedness and compliance through a clearer separation between the roles of the SEMC and the State Emergency Coordination Group (SECG), chaired by the Commissioner of Police. The SECG coordinates the response to specifi c emergencies, whereas the SEMC sets the policy framework. The re-constituted SEMC will provide a report on the State’s preparedness for large scale emergencies at the end of October 2012. As the incoming Chair and the incoming Executive Offi cer respectively, we would like to acknowledge the work undertaken by the previous SEMC and particularly the work undertaken by the Chair, the Commissioner of Police. We would also extend our thanks to Emergency Management Western Australia (EMWA)1 for their eff orts during 2011/12. This Annual Report is submitted to the Minister for Emergency Services in accordance with section 25 of the Emergency Management Act 2005. Annual Report for the reporting period ending 30 June 2012 Kerry Sanderson AO Michelle Reynolds Chair Executive Offi cer SEMC SEMC 1 EMWA, a portfolio of FESA, provided support to the SEMC. As part of the re-constitution of SEMC, EMWA was renamed the SEMC Secretariat in July 2012. State Emergency Management Committee Contents Glossary . 2 Enabling Legislation . 3 SEMC Membership . 3 Responsible Minister . 3 SEMC Members . 4 State Emergency Management Committee . 5 SEMC Committee Structure . 6 SEMC Sub-committees . 6 SEMC Strategic Plan . 7 Key Achievements against the SEMC Annual Business Plan 2011/12 . 8 Goal 1 – Horizon Scanning . 8 State Risk Assessment Framework Developed . 8 Spatial Information Capability Developed and Maintained . 8 Western Australian Representation on National Committees . 8 Goal 2 – Infl uencing Funding Policy for Emergency Management . 9 Western Australia Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (WANDRRA) . 9 Natural Disaster Resilience Program . 10 Goal 3 – Harness a State Capability. 10 Review of State Emergency Management Policy 4.1 – Operational Management . 10 State Alert / Emergency Alert . 10 State Exercise Program . 10 Recovery Management Post-Incident Is In Line With Policy . 11 Goal 4 – Developing Community Resilience . 11 Emergency Broadcasters Memorandum of Understanding . 11 Community Emergency Management Arrangements . 11 National Disaster Resilience Program (NDRP) Funding for Local Government Projects . 11 Case Study: City of Bunbury – Ready to Roll: U-4-72 . 11 Goal 5 – Infl uencing Land Use Planning and Building Codes . 12 Land Use Planning . 12 Goal 6 – Reinforcing / Integrating the Comprehensive EM Approach. 12 Traffi c Management during Emergencies . 12 Goal 7 – Policy and Governance . 13 Prescription of Hazard and HMA for Heatwave . 13 SEMC Emergency Management Framework . 14 Changes to the Emergency Management Regulations 2006 . 15 Changes to State Emergency Management Policies (SEMP) . 15 Changes to State Emergency Management Procedures . 15 Annual Report for the reporting period ending 30 June 2012 Changes to State Emergency Management Plan (Westplan) . 15 Status of State Emergency Management Plans – Westplans . 16 1 Status of State Function Support Plans . 17 State Emergency Coordination Group . 18 SECG Summary: Ellensbrook (Margaret River) fi re – November 2011 . 19 SECG Summary: Milyeannup (Nannup) fi re – November/December 2011 . 20 SECG Summary: Bindoon fi re – January 2012 . 20 SECG Summary: Tropical Cyclone Lua & Kalumburu Flood – March 2012 . 21 SECG Summary: South West Land Division Storm – June 2012 . 22 District Emergency Management Committees . 23 Compliance . 23 Signifi cant Emergencies by Emergency Management District . .. 24 Key achievements against district business plans . ..