Management Arrangements |
The ‘All Hazards Approach’ is simply one set of arrangements (plan) for any hazard. For example the State Health or Welfare Plan, once activated will suit any hazard, whether a cyclone, fire or severe storm. These arrangements or plans must also provide for the performance of humanitarian tasks, which may be required to protect the population from the dangers that might arise from an emergency. A hazard is defined as “A situation or condition with potential for loss or harm to the community or environment.”5 Australian communities live with a variety of hazards including natural and human-made hazards. |
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| Some major natural hazards such as bushfires and cyclones are seasonal and regional but other types of hazards, particularly those created by humans, are less predictable and could occur at anytime. | The distinction between hazards and risks needs to be clearly understood. Cyclones form seasonally in Australia’s northern waters. These hazards clearly create a risk to communities that lie within their paths or that may be affected by some of the conditions created by a cyclone, such as storm surge. |
Vulnerability is measured by the extent to which a community or an environment is susceptible or resilient to hazards.
Comprehensive Approach |
Australia’s comprehensive approach to emergency management recognises four types of activities that contribute to the reduction or elimination of hazards and to reducing the susceptibility or increasing the resilience to hazards of a community or environment6. Namely, prevention or mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery (PPRR) and advocates the development of emergency arrangements to embrace them.
| Prevention | The first element is to prevent or reduce the severity of a hazard impact. |
| Preparedness | The second element is to ensure preparation within the community. |
| Response | The third element is to provide an effective response. |
| Recovery | The fourth element is to provide for recovery of the community affected by the hazard’s impact. |
This
approach is best illustrated below:
It should be noted that Response and recovery activities occur at the same time
The All Agencies or Integrated Approach |
The ‘All Agencies’ or ‘Integrated approach’ can best be described as ‘arrangements for dealing with emergencies, involving an active partnership between Commonwealth, state/territory and local levels of government, statutory authorities and voluntary and community organisations’7
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This approach is necessary as emergencies recognise no boundaries, levels of response, organisations or timings. Their magnitude and scale of impact may affect all agencies at all levels. Under our federal system, state governments are responsible for the protection and preservation of the lives and property of our society. State governments exercise control over most of the functions which are essential for effective emergency prevention, preparedness, response and recovery through legislative and regulatory arrangements. |
The commonwealth government’s role is to provide support and guidance to the states and territories in developing their capacity for dealing with emergencies and providing assistance to a requesting state / territory when an emergency occurs that is beyond their capacity to respond.
Local government plays a
major role in the management partnership, as do many voluntary organisations,
which assist in dealing with emergencies. The development of a Local Emergency
Management Plan is an example of the ‘All Agencies’ or ‘Integrated
Approach’.
Organisations are expected to play an active role in this ‘integrated
approach’ through management of their own risks.
5
Emergency
Management Australia - Emergency Risk Management Applications Guide 2001
6
Emergency
Management Australia Manuals Series – Vol 1- Emergency Management Concepts
and Principles
7
Australian Counter Disaster Handbook Vol 1