Updated: Emergency Management

23 Jan 2020 9:13 AM -

What would you do if you were called upon to evacuate your home?  

Do you know where the Evacuation Centre and Neighbourhood Safer Place’s are located?

 

Here is some information on Emergency Management in the Coolamon Shire area that everyone should be aware of.

 

Depending on the emergency, under the NSW State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 (SERM Act) different combat agencies are required to manage the emergency e.g.:

Ø  NSW Police Force: Law enforcement during an emergency declaration

Ø  NSW Rural Fire Service: Bushfires

Ø  Fire & Rescue NSW: Urban fire / Hazardous materials / Major structural collapse

Ø  NSW State Emergency Service: Flood / Storm

Ø  NSW Health: Pandemic

Ø  NSW Department of Primary Industries: Animal and plant pests and disease

 

Represented within the Coolamon Shire, are the following combat agencies:

Ø  NSW Police Force: Coolamon, Ganmain and Ardlethan

Ø  NSW Ambulance: Coolamon and Ardlethan

Ø  Fire & Rescue NSW: Coolamon

Ø  NSW SES: Coolamon

Ø  NSW RFS: 13 rural fire brigades comprising 20 tankers are located within the Coolamon Shire area.

 

Local Emergency Management Committee: The SERM Act 1989 recognises that the involvement of local government in all stages of an emergency is critical (i.e. in prevention, preparation, response and recovery). Therefore, the emergency management structure and arrangements at local level are based on the Local Government Areas (LGAs) or combined Local Government Areas).

 

Emergency Management Plans (EMPLAN): are the main plans which outline the overarching management arrangements and documents the agreed roles and functions of various agencies. These are prepared at the State, Regional and Local Level. If an emergency is deemed significant, local Emergency Management Plans may be enacted.

 

Coolamon Shire Council is responsible for the Local Emergency Plan and this is managed by the Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) which is jointly manned by representatives from Coolamon & Junee Shires.   The current members from the Coolamon Shire are the Mayor, Clr John Seymour, Councillor David McCann, Mr Tony Donoghue (GM) and Mr Tony Kelly (Shire Engineer).   The responsibility of the LEMC is to support the Combat Agency and to facilitate support to the community during an emergency situation.

 

 

 

 

 

During an emergency Coolamon Shire Council can:

Ø  Provide a Local Emergency Management Officer (LEMO) to support the Local Emergency Operations Controller (LEOCON)

Ø  Provide and maintain an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC).

Ø  Provide a liaison officer to the EOC.

Ø  Provide trained staff for administrative duties when the EOC is operational.

Ø  Provide personnel, plant, equipment, services and material resources as available and required during emergency response and recovery operations.

Ø  Provide expertise and support, as requested, to the emergency services, combat agencies and functional areas identified in the Local Emergency Management Plan

Ø  Assume a lead role in Local recovery operations.

 

  

Evacuation Centre/s:  These is the place people will be directed towards when the Emergency Management Team determine it to be appropriate.  This place may vary depending on emergency type, location and population required.  When advised to evacuate, effected persons will be provided information as to where to go.

 

For major ‘incidents’, information will be provided by the relevant combat Agency and Council when and where required.

 

Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP): are a place of last resort during a bush fire emergency. They are to be used when all other options in your bush fire survival plan can't be put into action safely.

 

You should be aware of any NSP’s in your area, and note them in your bush fire survival plan before a bush fire occurs. You should also know how to get there, as well as alternate routes in case the road is blocked or too dangerous to drive on.

 

In the Coolamon Shire, the following NSP’s have been identified.

Title	Type	Location	LGA
Matong Rural Fire Brigade Station	Building	Matong Street, Matong	Coolamon
Langtry Oval	Open Space	Lyne Street, Marrar	Coolamon
Ganmain Hall	Building	Ford Street, Ganmain	Coolamon
Ardlethan Bowling Club Grounds	Open Space	Ariah Street, Ardlethan	Coolamon
Coolamon Sport and Recreation Club Car Park	Open Space	Lewis Street, Coolamon	Coolamon
Beckom Rural Fire Service Shed	Building	Moore Street, Beckom	Coolamon

 

It is important that everyone considers what they will do in the event of an emergency and plan accordingly.   At the very least, knowing where to go if an emergency situation strikes, or a call to evacuate is made is essential.