Return to normal view

Local Government and Emergency Management

Under the Emergency Management Act 1986, local governments (councils) play a key role in emergency management in Victoria as the closest level of government to communities. Councils have access to specialised knowledge about the environmental and demographic features of their districts and have an ongoing responsibility for the wellbeing of their communities as distinct from response and recovery agencies that are actively involved during and after an emergency.

Councils can implement strategies to reduce individual and community vulnerability to emergencies, and deliver on-ground services that other levels of government may be too distant and too large in size to deliver, such as providing relief, establishing recovery centres, and providing information via public meetings and newsletters.

As the managers of relevant resources and information about their communities, councils are also the focal point of local emergency planning. During emergencies, councils support their communities directly and indirectly by providing resources and information to emergency agencies, and providing these services directly to the community.

Councils' responsibilities

Under the Emergency Management Act 1986 each municipal council is required to:

• appoint a Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC)
• appoint one or more Municipal Emergency Resource Officers (MERO) to coordinate the use of municipal resources for emergency response and recovery
• prepare a Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMPlan) which must be audited by the Director, Victoria State Emergency Service every three years
• respond to an audit report within three months.

Emergency services and local councils

The State Emergency Service (SES) assists municipal councils with the provision of advice, education and training in relation to emergency management, before, during and after an emergency. Under the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 each council must appoint a Municipal Fire Prevention Officer (MFPO) and prepare and maintain a Municipal Fire Prevention Plan. Under the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Act 1958 councils in the metropolitan fire district must appoint a Fire Prevention Officer.

Municipal Emergency Management Enhancement Group

The Municipal Emergency Management Enhancement Group (MEMEG) represents the interests of municipal employees with an emergency management role. The group:

• helps employees update their emergency management skills
• fosters networks that support sharing of emergency management knowledge and skills
• investigates and promotes best practice in municipal emergency management.
  

Members include representatives from Victoria's emergency service agencies, including VICSES, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, the Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police.