A dedicated Community Development Branch has been created within Emergency Management Australia (EMA) in Canberra to improve dialogue and increase coordination of the Australian Government’s training and liaison activities, with Local Governments and volunteer organisations on emergency response issues. This has resulted from the Australian Government’s announcement in 2004 to commit $49 million to establish a Local Government Security Partnership Program to enhance the capacity of communities to prepare for, react to and recover from disasters.
It also created a Volunteer Support Fund to boost the recruitment and skills base of volunteer organisations, many of whom operate in the Local Government environment.
A Division of the Australian Attorney General’s Department, EMA is recognised nationally and internationally as a leader in emergency management. Dedicated to the enhancement of safety and sustainability of Australian communities, EMA’s focus is primarily on consequence management.
EMA is working with all States and Territories and with the Australian Local Government Association to develop a National Strategic Plan to provide a community wide, all hazard planning framework to minimise the consequences of disasters.
The aim of the programme will be to minimise the effects of disasters through effective planning and preparedness strategies, supported by appropriate mitigation measures. It is anticipated that funding will also be available to assist Local Governments to develop and implement community risk management plans consistent with the National Strategic Plan.
Communities would be encouraged to adopt a common approach to emergency risk management while enabling councils to determine their own priorities for the implementation of cost effective strategies across the range of risks they are likely to face.
Associated with this initiative will be the establishment of a National Emergency Volunteer Support Fund to boost the recruitment, skills, and training base of volunteer organisations in the first responder role. Grants will be considered for a range of activities, such as to encourage emergency management volunteers to undertake formal emergency skills training.
Further information about EMA’s all hazard emergency management role can be found on web site at www.ema.gov.au
