To help councils deliver emergency management services, we are supporting and implementing a number of projects to improve the capability of the local government sector to perform its increasing emergency management role.
Capability building project
We are developing programs, activities, self-sustaining tools and resources to build the capability of councils in their emergency management role.
Projects include the development of the Local government emergency management handbook and the creation of a local government emergency management e-library.
Performance measurement
An important aspect of capability improvement is the on-going measurement of performance against realistic standards.
We are developing effective performance measurement regimes for emergency management in local government that meet internal and external requirements.
Municipal Emergency Management Enhancement Group
We are a member of the Municipal Emergency Management Enhancement Group (MEMEG), a state-level committee of local government and other emergency management agencies.
The group supports and advises local government emergency management practitioners, and advocates on behalf of the local government sector on emergency management strategy and policy.
MEMEG has developed a number of practice notes including:
- sourcing supplementary response resources
- operation of a municipal emergency coordination centre
- developing standard municipal emergency contacts
Incident management system – MECC Central
We procured an incident management software application that will provide a cost-effective system for Victorian councils to use in incident management.
The application is a web-based system that interacts with mobile devices and mapping. It also enables improved task tracking, resource management, record management and financial reporting, which reduces the reliance on paper-based systems.
Datalink Internet Systems was selected as the successful supplier with their MECC Central product.
Resource sharing protocol
The protocol for inter-council emergency management resource sharing was developed by us and MEMEG.
It facilitates an agreed position among councils regarding the provision of municipal resources to assist other councils with response and recovery tasks during and after emergencies.
Most Victorian councils are now signatories.
Emergency Recovery Fund
Following the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires and the 2011 January – February flood events, we activated the MAV Emergency Recovery Fund to coordinate the collection and distribution of donations from local government authorities across Australia.
The fund is only open to contributions from local government authorities.