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Planning for Emergencies

Dealing with emergencies in Victoria is not the sole responsibility of one single organisation. Emergency planning and management in Victoria brings together an integrated network of the resources of many agencies and individuals who can help:

• prevent or mitigate emergencies
• respond to emergencies
• assist recovery from emergencies

Victorian emergency management

Victoria's emergency management system is designed to deal with all hazards. The Victorian Government's Security and Emergencies Committee of Cabinet focuses on security and emergency management issues.

In an emergency, there are defined roles for the Minister for Police & Emergency Services, the Chief Commissioner of Police and various agencies, according to the Emergency Management Act 1986.

There are also a variety of roles in planning for emergencies. The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner responsible for maintaining the Emergency Management Manual Victoria, and departments and emergency agencies from the state to the local level also prepare emergency response or recovery plans.

This section includes information about:

• local government and their role in emergency management
• the Emergency Management Manual Victoria, a compilation of principal policy and planning documents for emergency management in Victoria
• the Emergency Resource Providers Support Scheme, which protects owners of private equipment used when working in an emergency situation if they suffer property damage or other loss.