How To Manage A Disaster In Qld

Transcription

1 Disaster Preparedness Group Disaster Management Functional Support Plan

2 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 2 of 26 Authorisation The Disaster Management Act 2003 forms the legislative basis for disaster management arrangements within all levels of government in Queensland. Queensland s whole-of-government disaster management arrangements are based upon partnerships between federal and state government agencies, local governments, government owned corporations, non-government organisations and commercial providers. These partnerships recognise the need for a collaborative approach to ensure effective coordination of planning, transfer of information and provision of resources necessary for comprehensive all-hazards disaster management. The state disaster management arrangements are described in the State Disaster Management Plan. The Director-General, Department of Housing and Public Works approves this departmental plan as a sub-plan under the State Disaster Management Plan for the provision of departmental support in the preparation for, response to and recovery from natural disasters and other incidents. Recommended John Rossiter Manager Disaster Preparedness Group, Department of Housing and Public Works Date: 15 December 2014 Endorsed Fiona Wright A/Assistant Director-General, Strategic Asset Management, Department of Housing and Public Works Date: 16 December 2014 Approved Neil Castles Director-General, Department of Housing and Public Works Date: 18 December 2014

3 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 3 of 26 Table of contents Authorisation... 2 Table of contents... 3 Foreword... 4 Corporate policy statement... 4 Distribution of the Plan... 5 Plan review... 5 Principles of departmental support in a disaster Disaster management arrangements Functional lead roles Appointment to disaster management positions HPW disaster management committees and planning responsibilities Activation of the department s functional support plan Departmental disaster coordination capability Delegations and reimbursement of costs Disaster management education and training Annexure A- Business area operational responsibility matrix Annexure B - Financial arrangements Annexure C - Disaster Management Definitions Annexure D HPW representation on Disaster Recovery Groups... 25

4 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 4 of 26 Foreword The purpose of Queensland s disaster management arrangements are to provide for a more resilient and sustainable, safer community and a better quality of life in Queensland through world class emergency response and disaster recovery services. The Department of Housing and Public Works (the department) is an integral part of Queensland s disaster management arrangements as the provider of functional and resource support to other agencies in the key role of building and engineering services. The department, through Housing Services and in collaboration with other agencies, also facilitates short and long term temporary housing assistance for disaster affected individuals, including both affected social housing tenants and those who would otherwise be ineligible for social housing assistance. The department s Disaster Management Functional Support Plan (the Plan) describes the department s disaster management roles, responsibilities and arrangements and provides the authority and direction for the development of subsequent plans and activities of a range of planning groups and committees. The Disaster Preparedness Group has been established in recognition of the department s key role in disaster management and is responsible for preparedness planning, training and exercising and coordination of the department s response to disasters and other incidents. It is responsible for the development and maintenance of the Plan. The Disaster Preparedness Group provides the operational interface between the State Disaster Coordination Centre, other state government departments and the department s business areas. The department maintains a regionally based operational arm for the delivery of building services and associated works on behalf of its client agencies, Building and Asset Services, and which is also responsible for coordination of the department s disaster management responsibilities in a Disaster District. Corporate policy statement When responding to a disaster, incident or other request for functional assistance, all departmental service areas are required to adhere to relevant legislation as well as all current departmental and whole-of-government policies. Applicable policies may cover a broad range of matters including, but not limited to: financial practices and delegations; procurement practices; human resource management and workplace health and safety procedures; building codes; business continuity management planning; and environmental initiatives. The department recognises that it may be necessary to assist in the emergency management and/or longer term recovery of a single facility or an entire community following a disaster or incident. The department also recognises that any such response may require immediate actions to ensure the protection of life and/or property.

5 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 5 of 26 Distribution of the Plan The Plan is available to all departmental service areas and their respective personnel who perform roles in disaster management and business continuity management through the departmental intranet site. The Plan is also available to other departments and agencies that form part of Queensland s disaster response and recovery arrangements to increase their knowledge of the department s disaster management roles and functions. Plan review The Plan is reviewed annually and a current version is maintained on the department s intranet site.

6 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 6 of 26 Principles of departmental support in a disaster 1. Disaster management is a responsibility of all levels of government. The capacity of the department to respond to requests for assistance is not limitless and relies where practicable on all levels of government to establish and maintain a level of self-reliance in respect to meeting their own resource requirements. 2. Provision of functional support shall utilise pre-existing supplier arrangements. Where practicable the department shall utilise pre-existing supplier and, or, service arrangements to support disaster response or recovery operations. 3. Provision of functional support can require a prioritisation of the available resources across government. During all stages of a disaster or other incident, agencies can compete for access to the same resources. The department shall use the disaster management system for clarification on any prioritisation of resource support. 4. Disasters can adversely impact on the normal delivery of departmental services. Departmental service areas business continuity planning must encompass strategies for support of a disaster or incident response while maintaining critical outputs as best as possible. 5. Disaster management arrangements shall recognise the value of non-government organisations. Significant skills and resources exist within non-government organisations and the commercial sector. The department shall where practicable, identify opportunities to develop arrangements which can access the knowledge and expertise of these organisations in operational support of disasters or other incidents. 6. Disaster management planning shall recognise a comprehensive and scalable all hazards approach. Departmental planning is premised upon a single set of scalable all hazard disaster management response arrangements that shall cater for natural disasters, technological incidents, terrorism related incidents, human pandemics and plant or animal diseases. 7. Disaster events involve special funding arrangements. The department actively promotes the ongoing development of cost effective arrangements for the emergency acquisition of resources and services in response to a disaster or other incident, taking into account the variety of funding arrangements applicable during both the response and recovery phases of the event. 8. Impacts on departmental staff. Departmental planning shall incorporate measures to compensate for the unavailability of local departmental staff that may be personally impacted by the same disaster or other incident that it is attempting to provide a response to. 9. Training is an important and intrinsic component of disaster preparedness. The department shall provide the necessary support and resources to maintain a prepared workforce through the disaster training framework. 10. Provision of housing advise or assistance for affected members of a community. The department recognises the priority for the immediate provision of accommodation for individuals or families who have been displaced as a result of the disaster or other incident. Support and assistance will be provided in ways which maximize self-reliance with an initial focus on helping people unable to return to their homes or to find alternate accommodation. Priority is given to assisting the most vulnerable members of a community.

7 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 7 of Disaster management arrangements 1.1 Queensland disaster management arrangements The Disaster Management Act 2003, incorporating amendments under the Disaster Management Amendment Bill 2014, provides the legislative basis for disaster management arrangements in Queensland. The Queensland disaster management arrangements are based on a four-tiered system, incorporating the three levels of government (federal, state and local), with an additional state government tier, disaster districts. This structure recognises that when resources are inadequate or not available at local government level to effectively respond to a disaster or other incident, the Local Disaster Management Group can request assistance from the District Disaster Management Group. If the District Disaster Management Group is unable to meet the needs of the request, the request can then be forwarded to the State Disaster Coordination Centre for action. The State Disaster Coordination Group is established to support the QDMC through the State Disaster Coordinator (SDC) in preparation, response and recovery for disaster events. The State Disaster Coordination Group is the operational arm of Queensland s peak disaster management body the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC). The State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG) coordinates the operational delivery of the QDMC s legislative responsibilities for the purpose of facilitating disaster operations and disaster management for Queensland communities. The SDCG carries out the QDMC s strategic direction, concentrating the delivery of State, and where applicable, Australian Government support to disaster affected communities during response and recovery phases of disaster events. The SDCG reports to and is accountable to the Queensland Disaster Management Committee. The State Disaster Coordination Group membership is comprised of senior departmental representatives from across government, including DHPW, as well as representatives of other agencies. 1.2 Departmental disaster management arrangements At a local government level, the department can be requested to provide functional assistance during both the response and recovery phases of an event. When working directly on behalf of local government, commercialised departmental service areas may use normal fee for service provider arrangements where appropriate. At a disaster district level, Building and Asset Services, the department s regionally based maintenance and construction arm, will coordinate disaster response operations on behalf of the department. During the recovery of a community, the local Housing Service Centre in conjunction with the impacted local government and the District Disaster Human Social Recovery Group, will determine the need for temporary housing or other accommodation. Building and Asset Services, in conjunction with other stakeholders including the department s Portfolio Management and Operations and Government Employee Housing business areas, will be actively involved in the development of temporary accommodation solutions requested by the LDMG. The department s Functional Coordinator is nominated by the Director-General as the departmental representative on the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG). During an activation of the State

8 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 8 of 26 Disaster Coordination Centre the Functional Coordinator is the expert advisor to the Director-General regarding disaster management. The Functional Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of disaster management information for briefings to the Director-General during any response to and recovery from a disaster event. The Director-General shall also nominate suitable officers from the Disaster Preparedness Group to provide the department s representation to the State Disaster Coordination Centre. These Agency Rrepresentatives are the nominated delegates for the Functional Coordinator at the State Disaster Coordination Centre. During activations of the State Disaster Coordination Centre the Agency Representative/s will oversee the department s response of state level operations and provide a pivotal role in the dissemination of disaster related information obtained through nominated officers representing key departmental service areas. The Functional Coordinator and, or, SDCC Agency Rrepresentatives may work with other Agency Representatives within the SDCG or SDCC respectively in the development of strategies and plans for responding to community needs arising from the emergency response or recovery phases of a disaster event. The HPW Disaster Management Planning Group, chaired by the Assistant Director-General, Strategic Asset Management, is established to ensure the department s planning and preparedness activities in support of its responsibilities under the State Disaster Management Plan are effectively managed and implemented. The Functional Coordinator shall be kept informed of the progress of work undertaken by the Disaster Management Planning Group. Annexure D outlines the department s representation at the four levels of disaster management, both during response and recovery, within Queensland. 2.0 Functional lead roles The Queensland disaster management arrangements have adopted an approach whereby functional support agencies are identified on the basis of their core functions and their legislative and jurisdictional responsibilities. These agencies are assigned functional status within the State Disaster Management Plan (State Plan). Under the State Plan, HPW has been assigned the primary and pivotal support functional role of Building and Engineering Services. The department also has the responsibility of Building Recovery during the long recovery after an event. 2.1 Disaster management functional support activities The building and engineering services function provides support to local governments in responding to their disaster impacted communities through the District Disaster Management Groups and the State Disaster Coordination Group. The level of support required will reduce as the impacted local governments re-establish services and return to normal business operations. In a declared disaster event, this support is classified as counter disaster operations. Counter disaster operations are defined under the Queensland Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) guidelines as: activities undertaken by Local and State government agencies to provide direct assistance to, and in the protection of, the general public immediately before, during and in the immediate aftermath of a disaster event. The department uses its everyday knowledge and experience to deliver activities which are considered counter disaster operations. The provision of support provided by HPW will be guided by the departmental Plan and the Principles of departmental support in a disaster. A responsibility matrix for the counter disaster operational activities outlined below is provided in Annexure A.

9 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 9 of 26 In delivering its functional lead role the department will coordinate the acquisition and/or provision of building and engineering services in support of counter disaster operations including: maintenance of contact registers for: - professional service providers e.g. engineers (geotechnical, structural, civil etc.), heritage architects, other professional officers and consultants - specialist building contractors; service providers; and suppliers - building services and trade personnel to support regional based disaster response or recovery operations coordination of structural assistance grant (SAG) assessments (excluding caravans and vessels) on behalf of the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services coordination of the assessment of temporary housing needs post impact provision of temporary accommodation advise and services for impacted members of a community nonsocial housing clients and/or response/recovery teams maintenance of caches of departmentally owned temporary accommodation units in two separate holding locations (North Queensland and South West Queensland) which are available for immediate transport into an impacted region coordination of temporary office type accommodation for use by state government agencies and departments as forward command posts, recovery centres, local disease control centres, storage facilities and ablution facilities, including connection of building services coordination of temporary leased accommodation for state government agencies and departments coordination of technical advice on the structural suitability of buildings for use as community evacuation centres, places of refuge or cyclone shelters other building and engineering services tasks requested by a District Disaster Coordinator or the State Disaster Coordination Centre within the scope of the building and engineering services function coordination of emergency fleet vehicles, if available The department is also responsible for the provision of temporary transportable accommodation. Subsequent to a need being justified by Housing Services and the impacted Local Government the department s Building and Asset Services Division will provide expert guidance on alternative or temporary accommodation solutions for an impacted community to the Director-General (HPW). The information provided will assist in informing Queensland s peak disaster management body, the Queensland Disaster Management Committee, of the possible actions that may be taken to provide a range of temporary accommodation for displaced residents or to support disaster response and/or recovery workforces. Usual departmental activities which contribute to operational activities may include: the coordination of maintenance of public cyclone shelters owned by the Department of Education, Training and Employment to ensure that the buildings are maintained at a higher level of ongoing specialised maintenance and general upkeep in order for them to remain fully functional and fit for purpose during the cyclone season as public cyclone shelters coordination of damage assessment of government buildings and assets, including social housing assets coordination of technical advice on natural hazard mitigation measures as may apply to buildings coordination of alternative public servant accommodation solutions utilising government owned/operated built assets and/or access to private sector assets. 2.2 Building Recovery The Queensland Recovery Guidelines (the Guidelines) have been prepared to provide information and guidance to stakeholders on the governance and operational issues relating to recovery following a disaster.

10 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 10 of 26 Under the auspices of the Guidelines the five pillars of recovery have been allocated functional lead agencies. The department has been assigned the responsibility for Building Recovery. The Director-General (HPW) chairs the Building Recovery Group (BRG) which coordinates the efficient and effective information exchange, issues identification and resolution between government agencies, local government, building industry and insurance providers to ensure the efficient and prioritised use of available resources. Member agencies of the BRG from across government and the building and insurance industry provide support to one or more of the following recovery functions through their services:assess damage to buildings across the impacted areas to obtain information describing the extent and severity of damage and insurance losses to assist recovery efforts and monitor recovery progress facilitate immediate, short-term and longer term temporary accommodation solutions for displaced community members and incoming relief/recovery workforce assess damage and coordinate the demolition, securing, cleanup, repair and restoration of state owned buildings and facilities (public schools, government buildings, government employee housing, public housing etc) provide information and advice to impacted homeowners and community members regarding how to clean-up, move back-in and organise the assessment, repair or rebuilding of their homes / properties provide advice and support regarding timely safety inspections and reconnection of utilities by providers as required coordinate the clean-up and disposal of hazardous building material and debris from public areas as required provide information and assistance to local and district recovery groups and councils regarding building reconstruction and recovery steps, activities and funding arrangements facilitate longer-term temporary accommodation solutions for community members who have been permanently displaced from their usual accommodation and do not have the means to re-establish their own housing needs without significant assistance provide information and advice to the building industry supply-chain (contractors, subcontractors and suppliers) regarding rebuilding materials, skills and trades, codes required for repair/rectification and rebuilding work monitor building / residence repair and reconstruction progress and standard of work to identify and remove emerging issues and obstacles to recovery provide information regarding how to improve the resilience of a building to future impacts from natural hazards. 3.0 Appointment to disaster management positions The department s disaster management arrangements include key positions that operate at state and regional levels enabling the department to undertake its assigned functional support role. 3.1 HPW Disaster Management Functional Coordinator The Director-General is responsible for the appointment of an appropriate senior departmental officer whom has the delegated authority to be able to commit the resources of the department at the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG). The nominee to the SDCG is also the HPW Disaster Management Functional Coordinator. The departmental Functional Coordinator and nominee to the State Disaster Coordination Group is the Deputy Director-General, Building and Asset Services. 3.2 SDCC Agency Representatives

11 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 11 of 26 To assist the Functional Coordinator at the SDCG Agency Representatives are appointed to the SDCC to provide detailed advice on DHPW s capacity and capability with relation to the preparation for, or response to, a disaster event. They must be able to access all areas of the department quickly, including out of hours, to provide the required information. At a state level the representatives from the Disaster Preparedness Group provide the operational interface with the Disaster Management system at the State Disaster Coordination Centre (SDCC) as the nominated Agency Representatives. 3.3 HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator The HPW regional coordination network is based on the five Building and Asset Services regions. The HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator shall manage regional operations in relation to repairs to damaged government buildings as well as coordination of any functional support to disaster response or recovery operations arising from its respective District Disaster Management Groups. The HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator is authorised to appoint officers within the region to undertake specific disaster management roles as outlined in Section 4.3 of this plan (Regional Disaster Management Functional Planning Committee). In large scale events the roles undertaken by a Regional Disaster Management Functional Planning Committee are to be considered interim full-time positions for the duration of operations. To ensure delivery of normal core business services BAS and Housing Services shall make arrangements to backfill key positions vacated by any staff involved in disaster operations using suitably qualified personnel either from within or outside the impacted region. 3.4 District Disaster Liaison Officers (DDLOs) DHPW maintains a regionally based operational network for the delivery of building services and associated works on behalf of its clients. This network also coordinates the department s disaster management responsibilities at a disaster district level. The department s regional network comprises separate operational areas including the five Building and Asset Services (BAS) Regional Offices and twenty-one Housing Service Centres. In accordance with the Disaster Management Act 2003, the Director-General shall formally appoint suitable senior officers from within the department s regional network as Liaison Officers on each of Queensland s 23 District Disaster Management Groups. District Disaster Liaison Officers are appointed from the Building and Asset Services regional network. 4.0 HPW disaster management committees and planning responsibilities The department recognises and acknowledges that planning is a key mechanism in fulfilling its roles and responsibilities as assigned under the State Disaster Management Plan. The department has well developed expertise to contribute in both the disaster response and recovery stages of a disaster or other incident.

12 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 12 of 26 The department, through its operational service areas, is responsible for ensuring functional support arrangements and plans are in place to support disaster response and recovery operations; provide assistance in determining temporary accommodation solutions; and that those arrangements are regularly reviewed, tested and revised. The department recognises that an effective means of all agency planning may involve representation on specialist whole-of-government committees and through standing departmental committees. 4.1 State level groups and committees Effective disaster management planning cannot be achieved in isolation. The department, as an integral part of Queensland s disaster management system, provides representation on a number of key cross agency state level planning committees including: the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC) the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG) the State Recovery Group (SRG) the chair of the Building Recovery Group (BRG) the State Human Social Recovery Group (SHSRG) the Queensland Counter Terrorism Committee (QCTC) the QCTC working groups. The department also provides representation on any ad-hoc state level committees or working groups established to address emergent disaster management matters, as required. 4.2 Departmental Disaster Management Planning Group The department maintains a Disaster Management Planning Group (the Planning Group) comprising a core membership of senior executive officers from departmental service areas that support disaster management. The Planning Group is chaired by the Assistant Director-General, Strategic Asset Management with other membership provided from: Disaster Preparedness Group (Executive Officer/secretariat roles) Accommodation Office Building and Asset Services Corporate Services-Finance Corporate Services-Communication and Engagement Unit Corporate Services-Information Services Government Employee Housing Housing Services Portfolio Management and Operations Procurement Transformation Office. The Planning Group shall be further supported by other departmental service area expertise, such as Human Resources and Legal Services as required. The department s Planning Group has responsibility: to provide reports and make recommendations to the Functional Coordinator and Director- General about matters relating to the preparedness of disaster management and disaster operations to identify resources that may be used for disaster operations, both those held in the department and those sourced through outside contacts

13 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 13 of 26 to ensure service areas of the department maintain a level of preparedness to provide functional support: in preparation for; or response to, and recovery from, a event to coordinate post event reviews of HPW service areas disaster operations, identify lessons learnt and ensure changes are made to improve actions in future situations make recommendations to the Functional Coordinator and Director-General where required to improve actions in future situations to establish disaster management task groups for specific actions / events as required and to develop plans and procedures to provide planning or other operational support to the Functional Coordinator and Director- General during any activation of the departments disaster management plan or other arrangements. The Planning Group shall also be responsible for the coordination of any disaster management plans or procedures as deemed necessary by the respective departmental service area. Other non-operational departmental service areas shall also maintain a level of preparedness to provide support to disaster operations. The range of services, advice or technical support to be provided by non-operational departmental service areas will in general be limited to their normal core business, albeit at a higher tempo, and accordingly no specialist plans will be required. 4.3 Regional disaster management functional planning committees In order to fulfil the department s roles and responsibilities at a district level, HPW Regional Disaster Coordinators shall establish and maintain a Regional Disaster Management Functional Planning Committee. The Regional Disaster Management Functional Planning Committees shall consist of: HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator (Chair) Regional Disaster Management Reporting Officer District Disaster Liaison Officers and deputies Building and Engineering Services Liaison Officer Housing Services representative/s Housing Portfolio Management and Operations representative (if available locally) Regional Disaster Management Financial Coordinator Regional Procurement Officer. The Regional Disaster Management Functional Planning Committee shall be responsible for: developing, ongoing maintenance, review and testing of a Regional Disaster Management Plan meeting at least once per year i.e. prior to the summer storm and tropical cyclone season to discuss disaster management issues meeting as required during disaster events or incidents to coordinate departmental regional support of disaster operations meeting, as required, after the activation of the Regional Disaster Management Plan to undertake an operational debrief. Plans shall be prepared to ensure local/individual regional requirements are met, and to provide an all hazards approach to disaster events and other incidents which require a whole-of-government response. HPW s existing Building and Asset Services and Housing Services regional networks provide a degree of additional robustness of planning and resources to support the response and recovery to any disaster.

14 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 14 of Critical staff contact registers The department s Disaster Preparedness Group shall maintain contact registers of key departmental disaster management personnel including service area Liaison Officers, HPW Regional Disaster Coordinators and District Disaster Liaison Officers (critical staff). HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator s shall advise the Disaster Preparedness Group of any changes to regional based critical staff and/or their contact details. Critical staff contact registers are to be: be updated prior to the start of the tropical cyclone season be confirmed prior to any normal time of high risk or when placed on alert conform to the department s Privacy Policy regarding security of access and staff consent if private contact and address details are recorded for disaster management purposes. The Disaster Preparedness Group shall consolidate the critical staff contact registers and distribute to key agency stakeholders by the first day of November each year. 4.5 Contractor/supplier contact registers The department recognises that the commercial sector can provide significant resources to support an acceleration of its core services as a response to a disaster and the ongoing delivery of the departments functional support role and in particular, the provision of temporary accommodation. All departmental service areas shall maintain a register of any contractor, service provider or supplier required to support the department s functional role. Specific attention shall be provided to the ongoing development of relationships with major construction and building service providers which maintain a scalable capacity to offer solutions to a range of building related tasks during a response to or recovery from a disaster. The range of outsourced work might include but not be limited to: damage assessment; temporary accommodation; community reconstruction; or, environmental remediation, including asbestos clean-ups. Registers shall incorporate contact names of persons in commercial organisations including business telephone and contact details, mobile phone numbers, after hours telephone numbers, fax numbers and any other relevant information including the types of services offered and/or the range of materials available. The registers are to be reviewed and updated as deemed necessary but prior to the first day of November each year. 4.6 Review of Disaster Management Functional Support plans All departmental disaster management plans and arrangements must be reviewed for currency prior to the commencement of the tropical cyclone season on 1 November each year. A review of the departmental plan shall be undertaken following an actual activation or training exercise to identify problems and remedy any key omissions in the plan and/or include any lessons and associated improvements. This approach is consistent with the requirements of the Disaster Management Act Any review must include input from all appropriate stakeholders and can normally be best achieved through an extraordinary meeting of the relevant committee. Any plan review meeting shall include an invitation to officers at an operational level who might be in a position to offer insights to arrangements at that level. Notification of any outcomes from reviews of plans shall be forwarded to the Disaster Preparedness Group.

15 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 15 of Activation of the department s functional support plan The department s Disaster Management Functional Support Plan will be activated to support disaster operations at state and/or district disaster levels. 5.1 Authority and requests to activate plan The authority to activate the department s Disaster Management Functional Support Plan or regional disaster management plans in response to a disaster event is vested in the following officers: the Director-General, HPW other HPW Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members departmental Functional Coordinator (State Disaster Coordination Group) any HPW Regional Disaster Coordinator, in consultation with the Director-General (HPW). External requests to activate the department s Disaster Management Functional Support Plan may be received from: the Executive Officer of the Queensland Disaster Management Committee a District Disaster Coordinator any other functional lead agency in conjunction with one of the officers listed above 5.2 Levels of activation Activation of Queensland s disaster management arrangements involves the following stages: Alert - Declared when it is known that a disaster event may occur. Monitor situation: no action required. Lean Forward - Declared when it is known a disaster event is imminent. Prepared but not activated. Information may be requested from service areas relating to departmental resources located in the potential impact area. Stand Up - Declared when a disaster event is highly likely, is occurring or has occurred. Service areas shall have a clear understanding and be able to report what the most likely impacts to the department will be. Stand-down - The winding back of services either because the risk of a disaster event occurring has passed or the event has occurred and the response and/or recovery phase is completed and local resources are sufficient to resolve any outstanding issues. Unpredicted events such as a sudden storm, earthquake, flash flooding or a terrorist attack will result in the first stage proceeding directly to Stand up. 5.3 Activation of the Disaster Management Planning Group For events that have a lead time, such as cyclones or floods, the Disaster Preparedness Group will advise the Chair of the Disaster Management Planning Group (the Planning Group) as soon as practicable that the State Disaster Coordination Centre (SDCC) has moved to the lean forward level of activation. The Chair will request all sitting members provide the status of assets and staff within the potential impact zone (pre-event reporting). 5.4 Reporting requirements during activation

16 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 16 of 26 The flow of fast, accurate information, particularly during an event, is critical to ensure decisions are made with the lowest possible risk to the department. The Disaster Preparedness Group is responsible for the coordination of the verified, relevant and timely dissemination of event related information across the department. They are the primary and single point of truth for all disaster or incident related situational reporting, however, they are reliant on Disaster Management Planning Group members to act as conduits to the operational arms of respective service areas. Upon activation of the Plan, Disaster Management Planning Group members will nominate an appropriate person to be the point of truth for information from their service area relating to the impacts of the event. These nominated officers will prioritise the provision of information to the Disaster Preparedness Group as, and when, required. The Director-General will receive daily situational reports (sitrep) which will combine all reporting streams into a concise, high level brief outlining current departmental operations and predicted future needs. These sitreps will provide the basis for briefings to the Queensland Disaster Management Committee and State Disaster Coordination Centre from the department. 5.5 Debriefing Debriefings are the mechanism by which the effectiveness and appropriateness of processes and procedures employed during a disaster response or other incident can be critically and objectively assessed to identify areas requiring attention. Debriefing will be undertaken by a single service area or, in the case of wide scale events, by representatives of multiple departmental service areas. The Disaster Preparedness Group is available to assist in the facilitation of debriefing activities. 6.0 Departmental disaster coordination capability The department shall, as required, establish disaster coordination centres at state and/or district levels. The disaster coordination centres shall function as the focal point for the coordination of requests, information and support in response to disaster operations at state or disaster district level. The department s Disaster Preparedness Group maintains a highly mobile capability for the establishment of an appropriate incident coordination centre premised on the specific needs of the incident being addressed and any anticipated agency needs or special requirements. The mobile nature of the department s arrangements at the state level ensures the department s flexibility to respond to the broad spectrum of disaster events across Queensland. 6.1 Regional disaster coordination centres A Regional Disaster Coordination Centre established to support District Disaster Management Group operations shall, where practicable, utilise existing HPW facilities and resources. Procedures shall be developed for the activation and operation of the disaster coordination centres and shall be incorporated into HPW Regional Disaster Management Plans. Should primary locations of regional disaster coordination centres be impacted by the event, alternative accommodation arrangements as outlined in the HPW Regional Disaster Management Plans shall be activated and advice provided to stakeholders at both state and regional levels. 7.0 Delegations and reimbursement of costs

17 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 17 of 26 The department s disaster operations support the response and recovery activities through existing defined organisational, functional, authorisation and delegation structures and processes, albeit at a higher tempo. The allocation of resources and the need to commit funds can vary greatly depending on the scale of an event. Prior to any significant departmental resources being committed to the response and recovery effort, the Disaster Preparedness Group shall be contacted to ensure the financial risk to the department is minimized. In the event of a disaster impact at local government level only, e.g. event does not result in activation of disaster district arrangements, HPW regional offices may act as a contractor or as a convener of contract services to local governments and in such cases normal business communications, recording and cost recovery will apply. 7.1 Delegated authority The departmental Functional Coordinator, SDCC agency representatives, HPW Regional Disaster Coordinators and District Disaster Liaison Officers are authorised to commit the department s resources through existing arrangements in order to support disaster operations during response and recovery. The financial and purchasing delegations shall comply with all existing departmental and service areas policies. 7.2 Financial management and arrangements The State Disaster Management Plan section (9.1.17) states: All agencies involved in providing disaster management services across Queensland are required to safe guard public funds from fraud, waste or abuse. Queensland government agencies are required to discharge financial management responsibilities in accordance with the Financial Accountability Act 2009 and relevant departmental financial management standards. Expenditure of funds by agencies is to be met in the first instance by the agency requesting / requiring the resources from their normal operating budgets. It is important to note that not all expenditure incurred by agencies to provide effective disaster management services may be recoverable under existing disaster relief and recovery financial arrangements. In accordance with the above, the department shall not be responsible for incurring the costs of another agency or local government unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent them from meeting their financial obligations. The department will recover eligible costs for the provision of response and or recovery activities associated with a disaster or other incident (event) for which it is responsible. The mechanisms to recover these costs are governed by the requirements of the particular funding arrangement activated for the event. Annexure B provides a general summary of the various funding arrangements associated with events for which the department has had a previous involvement Chief Finance Officer The department s Chief Finance Officer (Corporate Services) provides high level advice on the department s financial policies and interacts with financial officers from other departments on financial arrangements associated with an event.

18 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 18 of Disaster Preparedness Group The department s Disaster Preparedness Group is the central point of contact for all operational advice on the various funding arrangements activated in response to a disaster event. Before any extraordinary costs are incurred by service areas as a result of a disaster event, advice must be sought from the Disaster Preparedness Group. At the completion of the event the Disaster Preparedness Group can support service areas in the development of their claims against the appropriate funding arrangements Financial Services The Corporate Services Directorate (Finance) of the department is responsible for coordinating the reimbursement of costs on behalf of its service areas/business units with support provided by the Disaster Preparedness Group as required. Each service area/business unit shall nominate suitably qualified officers to act as Financial Coordinators who shall in turn liaise with Corporate Services (Finance) and the Disaster Preparedness Group as required Departmental service areas Individual departmental service areas are responsible for ensuring all response and recovery costs comply with and are captured in accordance with the requirements of the funding arrangements activated for an event. Service areas are also responsible for the development of claims against the appropriate funding arrangements with support and assistance from the Disaster Preparedness Group as required. 7.3 Critical incident directives The Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions Directive prescribes a range of entitlements and conditions for specified public service employees under defined circumstances including the declaration of a disaster. Application of the Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions Directive ensures that departmental employees receive appropriate entitlements and conditions for performing work tasks and work loads which are critical for effective and efficient response, recovery and rehabilitation. The ministerial directives which are directly affected by the Critical Incidents and Entitlements Directive are: overtime meal allowances domestic traveling and relieving expenses motor vehicle allowances normal work hours and overtime higher duties allowances field staff entitlements. All eligible personnel involved in a response to an event where the Critical Incident Entitlements and Conditions Directive has been invoked shall be remunerated in complete accordance with the directive and reimbursement of costs sought through the appropriate process Ready Reserve Staff Response and Recovery In accordance with the Commission Chief Executive Directive No. 09/12: Critical incident response and recovery, the department supports the government s commitment to response and recovery by redirecting the collective energies of the department s workforce from less critical priorities to the critical priorities of the protection of life and property and longer-term human -social recovery.

19 HPW Disaster Management Functional Support Plan 19 of 26 Pre-approved staff are deployed to support Queensland Fire and Emergency Service at the State Disaster Coordination Centre or to support the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services in the impacted region. These staff will make themselves available to undertake training and induction and to be deployed as determined by the relevant lead agency. The Disaster Preparedness Group ensures this capability is managed and maintained within the department. 8.0 Disaster management education and training The Disaster Preparedness Group, in partnership with all departmental service areas, is responsible for the oversight, development, delivery and maintenance of specialist training for departmental staff involved in disaster management activities at state and regional levels. The intent of the training is to provide staff with the skills and knowledge to fulfil the department s roles and responsibilities in support of Queensland s disaster management arrangements. The Disaster Preparedness Group can also provide training for external agencies on the department s roles and responsibilities as allocated under the State Disaster Management Plan. 8.1 Internal training The Disaster Preparedness Group shall maintain a training framework for departmental staff which takes a progressive approach beginning with basic introductory level courses and building upon these with internal training and exercises specific to the department s disaster management functional support role. The Disaster Preparedness Group in conjunction with departmental service areas shall ensure training is developed and conducted annually or as required for staff that have roles in supporting disaster operations. 8.2 External training External training is available through: Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Australian Emergency Management Institute other emergency response or functional support agencies. Queensland Fire and Emergency Service conducts short courses, generally one day, on a variety of subjects. The Introduction to Queensland s Disaster Management Arrangements has been developed as a resource for use by officers actively involved in disaster management as well as for those who may have a limited exposure or responsibility within this field. All new staff assigned a role in disaster management at either state or regional level are to undertake this introductory course as soon as is practicable. The Disaster Preparedness Group, in conjunction with departmental service areas shall actively promote the undertaking of the introductory course and other appropriate courses by all departmental disaster management staff. Successful completion of the Introduction to Queensland s Disaster Management Arrangements meets the minimum pre-requisite requirement for nominating to attend an Australian Emergency Management Institute training course. Details of Emergency Management Australia Institute courses and nomination procedures are available on its internet site Training register