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Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner

The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner provides leadership in emergency management for Victoria, with specific responsibility for ensuring the delivery of efficient, equitable and integrated fire and emergency services.

The Emergency Services Commissioner provides expert advice to government on the performance of the state’s emergency management arrangements and prescribed emergency service organisations.

The commissioner's responsibilities include:

• undertaking complex and sensitive investigations or inquiries into the activities of the agencies, or the state's emergency management arrangements
• providing advice on any issue in relation to emergency management to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, the Premier, and other ministers as required
• acting as principal advisor to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Department of Justice Executive on policy and strategic issues relating to the emergency management arrangements, and assisting the Minister in his capacity as the Coordinator in Chief of Emergency Management
• establishing and monitoring performance standards for the prescribed emergency service agencies and reporting to the Minister on the performance against the required standards
• overseeing more effective utilisation of the common resources of the emergency services and encouraging and facilitating cooperation between all agencies before, during and after an emergency
• advising the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Secretary for the Department of Justice on corporate management, policy and strategic issues relating to the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of the fire and emergency services and the funding of the prescribed emergency service agencies.

During the actual or imminent occurrence of a significant emergency the commissioner facilitates the activities of the Victoria Emergency Management Council as well as attending the Central Government Response Committee and Security and Emergencies Committee of Cabinet as the expert emergency management advisor to government.

The Emergency Services Commissioner works directly with communities before and after emergencies to ensure the community has the appropriate opportunity to speak directly with senior representatives of government, and to contribute to the planning and policy of the way emergencies are managed.

During international emergencies where the need to commit Victorian resources to an Australian overseas deployment occurs, the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner, in conjunction with Victoria Police, coordinates the bringing together all available Victorian resources.

Structure of the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner

There are four main areas in the Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner:

Policy and planning

The Policy and Planning branch develops and implements the following emergency management planning and policy initiatives:

• coordinates whole-of-government emergency processes
• provides support to the Victoria Emergency Management Council
• represents other state and national emergency management forums
• liaises with the Department of Justice and the Department of Premier and Cabinet about security, emergency and counter terrorism
• manages the Water Safety Program.

Performance and review

The Performance and Review branch establishes, maintains and reviews performance standards of Victoria's emergency services by:

• conducting specialised, non-financial performance audits and investigations, benchmarking and performance reporting
• developing major performance improvement projects such as processes, standards, systems, strategies and infrastructure
• establishing, monitoring and reviewing performance standards for telecommunications provided by Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA)
• promoting the use of spatial information and applications across the emergency management sector.
  

Strategic and financial services

The Strategic and Financial Services branch coordinates strategic and financial planning for the emergency services sector in the following ways:

• developing strategic policy directions for the emergency services sector
• coordinating the development of legislation
• providing strategic and financial support
• developing and coordinating submissions for the government's annual budget
• coordinating and administering the Community Safety Emergency Support Program (CSESP) and other emergency management grant programs
• providing assistance to emergency management agencies and statutory authorities in the areas of budget and finance, policy advice.

Community Relations

Community Relations provides advice and support to the Emergency Services Commissioner to enable him to meet statutory obligations, and supports the work of OESC by:

• supporting OESC to engage with communities on emergency management issues
• providing strategic advice about emerging public issues that may effect or influence emergency management policy and planning
• managing the reputation of the Commissioner and OESC.

Legislation

The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner is responsible for administering the following legislation:

• Country Fire Authority Act 1958
• Emergency Management Act 1986
• Metropolitan Fire Brigades Act 1958
• Victoria State Emergency Service Act 2005
• Emergency Service Telecommunications Authority Act 2004.