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Council’s Role in Emergency

Victorian Council's have a legislated role in emergency management. At Mount Alexander Shire Council we work closely with emergency services and community organisation's to better assist our community during the response and recovery phases to an emergency event. Mount Alexander Shire's Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee takes an ‘all hazards’ approach when planning prevention and mitigation activities that reduces risks or minimises the effects of emergencies that may occur within the Mount Alexander municipality.

Each Council must have a Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee that includes representatives of the council, response agencies (such as Victoria Police), recovery agencies (such as the Department of Human Services), and local community groups involved in emergency management issues.

This committee oversees the development and maintenance of a Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP) that outlines the strategies for how we will prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies within the shire. You can download a copy of the plan here:

We work collaboratively to minimise the risk of emergency events occurring, and prepare for emergencies in an integrated manner. This work is underpinned by a risk management framework that has identified the following emergency risks for the shire:
  • Bushfires
  • Floods (river floods, flash floods, or dam break)
  • Severe storms
  • Major road and rail transport accidents
  • Structure fires
  • Heatwaves
  • Hazardous material releases or spills
  • Industrial accidents or explosions
  • Human diseases / pandemics
  • Animal diseases / plagues
  • Riots
  • Earthquakes
  • Aircraft crashes
 
What We Do to Prevent / Prepare for an Emergency
  • Prepare, maintain, test / exercise, and train personnel in emergency management plans and procedures
  • Implement risk reduction and prevention measures, such as planning and building codes, private property fire prevention inspections, and roadside slashing
  • Contribute to community education and awareness to improve preparedness
  • Identify and prepare Emergency Relief Centres, Neighbourhood Safer Places, and Recovery Centres
 
What We Do During / After an Emergency
Depending on the nature of the emergency, and as appropriate, we will:
  • Provide assistance during response and recovery, such as clearing roads or blocked drains, removing trees, supporting the provision of mass vaccinations etc.
  • Provide facilities and staffing for the Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre (MECC), which brings together key agencies to coordinate resources during an emergency
  • Open and operate Emergency Relief Centres (short term) to provide basic, essential needs such as food, shelter, clothing and first aid to those affected by an emergency that do not have any other relocation options
  • Establish and staff Recovery Centres (medium-long term) to provide information regarding services such as financial support, insurance, personal support and material aid for those affected by the emergency
  • Conduct post-impact assessments and inspections to assess damage to buildings, sanitation infrastructure, waterways etc.
  • Coordinate clean-up and repair activities, such as the disposal of dead animals
Work with government agencies to provide community support and assistance in long-term recovery, such as counselling, advocacy, grants coordination and promotion

Municipal Fire Management Plan

Mount Alexander Shire Council has worked in partnership with the Country Fire Authority, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria Police and other agencies and community groups to develop a new three-year Municipal Fire Management Plan (MFMP).

The Plan focusses on bushfire risk. Future versions of the MFMP will includes information on prevention and management of structural fires, and on safe handling of hazardous materials.

The Plan was completed in September 2012.
Alternatively, here's a brief summary of the plan:
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If you need urgent emergency assistance now call:

  • 000 for police, fire or ambulance
  • 132 500 for flood and storm assistance

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