At the City of Playford Civic Function Centre

EXERCISE CONCORD

A Bushfire Discussion Exercise

EXERCISE REPORT

Part A

Conducted on Thursday 1 October 2015

at the City of Playford Civic Function Centre.

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The Bushfire Discussion Exercise has been published in two parts:

Part A - The Exercise Report, and

Part B - The Exercise Notes (record of table discussion)

Item / Table of Contents / Page
1 / Executive Summary / 3
2 / Introduction / 3
3 / Funding Support / 4
4 / Aim / 4
5 / Objectives / 4
6 / Scope / 4
7 / Participating Councils / 4
8 / Evaluation / 4
9 / Immediate Actions Arising From the Exercise / 8
10 / Action Plan / 8
11 / Reference / 8
Appendix A - List of participating councils / 9
Appendix B - Grouped Issues Identified During Table Discussion / 10
Appendix C - Representative Comments from the Exercise Feedback Sheets / 12

1. Executive Summary

Exercise Concord examined council preparedness to participate in a major emergency including:

• Communication and notification processes
• Conclusion:The importance of communication and notification processes was acknowledged but further consideration and development is required.
• Provision of resources to emergency services
• Conclusion:Councils provide a wide range of resources during and after emergencies. Policies and procedures require adoption and implementation.
• Management of the response and recovery effort when multiple councils are involved.
• Conclusion:Resource sharing and incident management protocols require development,formalisation and endorsement.

Participant feedback indicated that the exercise:

• provided a valuable learning experience
• emphasised the need for holistic councilemergency response and recovery planning
• was an excellent networking opportunity
• highlighted the differences between rural and metropolitan councils
• should be conducted annually

A key learning for the Exercise Control Team was the importance of carefully matching objectives to the Special Idea Questions.

1. Introduction

The Sampson Flat bushfire (January 2015) required a multi-State, multi-agency and council response. Thirteen councils provided assistance in some form or other to the response and recovery effort, including heavy plant and equipment, liaison officers at the Incident Control Centre, facilities and support at the Relief Centre, and tree assessment and clearing.

The LGA captured the experiences and learnings of councils that participated in the event at a local government debrief. One of the recommendations arising out of the debrief report was that councils be encouraged to participate in a local government bushfire exercise.

The exercise was developed by anExercise Control Team comprising representatives from the LGA and the three councils that were directly impacted by the Sampson Flat Bushfire (Adelaide Hills Council, City of Playford and City of Tea Tree Gully).

The Exercise Control Team consisted of:

• Exercise Director – Neville Hyatt (LGA)
• Team members
• Scott Loechel (LGA)
• Rosemary Munslow (City of Playford)
• John McArthur (Adelaide Hills Council)
• Lauren Monteleone (City of Tea Tree Gully)

Exercise Concord was facilitated by Carla Leversedge (City of Tea Tree Gully).

Michael Shepherd of the Central Exercise Writing Team (CEWT) provided planning advice for the development of the exercise and observed the exercise for evaluation purposes.

In-kind support was provided by Adelaide Hills Council, City of Playford and City of Tea Tree Gully.

1. Funding Support

Exercise Concord was funded under the Natural Disaster Resilience Grant Program and the Local Government Association Research and Development Scheme.

1. Aim

To discuss the capability of local government to provide support in the response to a major emergency event.

1. Objectives

The objectives of Exercise Concord were to:

1. Discuss local government preparedness to provide support to a major emergency operation
2. Explore the process of communication, engagement and notification between State, local government and the community during a major emergency
3. Discuss local government capability to provide resources in support of the State in accordance with the i-Responda framework and/or other council emergency management arrangements during a major emergency
4. Explore the management of a local government response involving multiple councils during a major emergency.

1. Scope

Exercise Concord examined emergency response and recovery arrangements between the State and local government and was open to council representatives only.

The exercise did not include members of the public.

1. Participating Councils

Of the councils attending thirteen were from outside the metropolitan Zone Emergency Management Areas. Seventy four council staff attended the event (not including the Exercise Control Team and scribes).Staff functions ranged from Senior Management and Corporate Services, Engineering and Infrastructure, Environmental Health, Regulatory and Compliance Services, Bushfire Prevention, Horticultural and Open Space Services, Development, Human Resources, Risk Management and Community Services.

Refer to Appendix Afor list a of councils represented.

1. Evaluation

8.1Exercise management

1. Did the exercise format allow the achievement of the objectives?

1. Did the format of the exercise provide value given the resources allocated to it?

• Format of the exercise was appropriate given the resources available and the knowledge/experience of the Exercise Control Team
• Syndicate tables with mixture of councils/roles promoted discussion and a high level of participation, whilst providing a variety of information.
• Provided opportunity for networking and future relationships to flourish and share knowledge and resources.
• Simple, informal discussion format supported the Exercise objectives
• The six Special Ideas could be limited to fourwhilst achieving the same result

1. Did the level of involvement from Councils support the focus of the exercise?

• Level of participation was very high – both number of participants and number of councils represented
• The roles of the participants attending the exercise was wide and varied which is reflective of what would occur in a real emergency
• There was a good mixture of metropolitan and regional councils
• Participants appeared to be actively engaged in syndicate discussions which was evident during the group reports after each special idea
• Maintaining a local government focus, and excluding emergency services, supported the exercise concept, format and objectives.

1. Assess the planning process for the exercise

1. Was the length of planning time appropriate?

• Planning started in June 2015 – allowing four months of planning time
• Length of time was sufficient given the resources available and the exercise concept/format

1. Were the number, sequence and nature of meetings appropriate?

• A total of seven meetings were held
• Number and sequence of meetings was appropriate – meetings were more frequent early in planning stage to finalise concept
• Distributing draft documents out of session was effective
• It was important to have an Agenda for each meeting to ensure the discussions stayed on topic
• Task list/action plan that allocated responsibility ensured activities occur out of the meetings.

1. Were appropriate tools and systems in place to support the planning process?

• The “Managing Exercises” handbook was a useful reference for the planning process, as there was no prior exercise documentation
• All members of the Exercise Control Team were engaged and committed to the process
• The Central Exercise Writing Team representative was a valuable resource for feedback and advice
• The mix of skills and knowledge of the Exercise Planning Team was a good balance.
• One member of the Exercise Planning Team had previously completed “Exercise Management” training as part of the Advanced Diploma in Public Safety (Emergency Management)

1. Assess the resources applied to the exercise

1. Was there adequate information and communications technology required to support the exercise (e.g. computers, data projectors, display boards etc)

• ICT equipment was adequately resourced
• There were issues with the battery capacity of some scribe laptops, which needed regular charging during breaks
• The inclusion of scribes at each table allowed electronic capture of the discussion
• The data projection screen was of a large enough size for the venue
• The white boards could have been better utilised to record the main issues that were raised in the syndicate reports
• Detailed expert comment could have been used to greater advantage and to tease out critical aspects of the discussion

1. Were the physical facilities adequate to support the exercise (e.g. venue, layout, catering)

• Venue was well equipped
• Layout of the room allowed for table discussions to take place, with ample room for participants to walk around during breaks
• Catering was well-received and the amount appropriate to the number of participants

8.2 Exercise objectives

Key questions (linked to exercise objectives)

1. Were local government entities adequately prepared to provide support to a major emergency operation?

• In general local government was committed to supporting a major emergency operation
• Variety of capacity and preparation levels for each council
• No consistency with Emergency Management Plans (or lack of)
• Positive influence of i-Responda was apparent in that trained councils applied principles when responding to special ideas
• Clear difference between metropolitan and rural councils
• Overall the awareness and understanding of councils’ role was good
• WHS principles were acknowledged in responses and well understood

1. What were the communication, engagement and notification processes between State, local government and the community?

• Notification and engagement protocols between the emergency services and councils were not adequately discussed nor explored
• The hierarchy / authority system was not raised (e.g. CFS requesting resources)
• Communication lines between CFS and council was acknowledged but could have been expanded upon
• Clear differences emerged between metropolitan and rural councils and the establishment of Zone Emergency Centres (ZEC). Metropolitan councils do not have access to a ZEC system
• I-Responda principles used in regard to utilising trained staff, and staff ability to say no to task
• Internal communication needs were reported – e.g. with staff and Elected Members
• Objective 2 was only partially achieved with Special Idea #2. The Exercise Team’s view is that the questions posed in this Special Ideas were not effectively aligned with the objective. This is an exampleof the need for very careful considerationto develop questions to ensure that the desired discussion and outcomes occur

1. Were local government entities capable of providing resources in support of the State in accordance with the i-Responda framework and/or other emergency management arrangements?

• The i-Responda framework was regularly referenced in syndicate responses with relevant principles utilised
• Existing plans and procedures were referenced, although there was some inconsistency between planning across councils
• WHS principles were referenced appropriately
• There was some lack of understanding regarding council role in response and recovery activities, in particular emergency relief centres and donated goods
• There was some confusion regarding command and control principles, which was more obvious with councils that had not been exposed to i-Responda
• It was not clear whether Councils (body corporate) had adequately adopted policies to formally endorse participation and support to emergencies

1. Was the management of a Local Government response involving multiple councils effective?

• Establishing networks and relationships was of high importance
• There were some questions regarding the supervision/responsibility when utilising resources (personnel and equipment) from other councils
• It was identified that a resource sharing protocol between councils would be beneficial
• Councils were open to collaborating with other councils and agencies in order to achieve tasks
• The need for an incident management system relevant to local government was identified
• Rural council’s shared how collaboration and resource sharing occurs as a result of the ZEC arrangements.

1. Was council communication and engagement with the community effective?

• A wide variety of communication mechanisms were indicated as being used
• Demonstrated understanding of Councils role in communication versus that of the emergency services
• Social media was recognised as being difficult to control and requires prior management planning
• There is a need for guidance regarding communication with public – e.g. social media, public information, recovery activities etc.

1. Immediate Actions Arising From the Exercise

Distribute the Exercise report (Parts A & B) toindividual participants.

Publish the Report (Part A & B) through LGA Circular system

1. Action Plan

Action / Completed by
1 / Establish local government emergency management consultative group / Dec 15
2 / Conduct a sector wide emergency exercise annually / Jul 16
3 / Develop a communication plan to promote the i-Responda framework to councils and other levels of Government. / Jun 16
4 / Develop emergency management planning, response and recovery templates / Dec 16
5 / Prepare guidelines for managing social media in emergencies / Feb 16
6 / Publish a council emergency management resource sharing protocol / Dec 15
7 / Develop a contemporary incident management system suitable for council use but consistent with State arrangements / Dec 15
8 / Investigate better communication arrangements between the emergency services and councils during the response and recovery phase of emergencies / Apr 16
9 / Examine opportunities for raising the awareness of elected members to emergency management / Jun 16
10 / Publish a discussion paper on the role of local government in emergencies / Apr 16
11 / Run a council customer service staff bushfire awareness forum / Dec 15
12 / Publish a council emergency debrief template / Apr 16
13 / Examine human resource management issues arising out of councils supporting the emergency services / Jun 16

1. Reference

Managing Exercises Handbook 3, Australian Emergency Management Handbook Series, Commonwealth of Australia 2012

Appendix A: Participating Councils

Adelaide Hills Council / Alexandrina Council
DC of Barunga West / Berri Barmera Council
The City of Burnside / Campbelltown City Council
City of Charles Sturt / Clare & Gilbert Valleys Council
Eastern Health Authority / Town of Gawler
DC of Lower Eyre Peninsula / DC of Loxton Waikerie
City of Marion / City of Mitcham
Mount Barker DC / DC of Mount Remarkable
The Rural City of Murray Bridge / The City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters
City of Onkaparinga / City of Playford
City of Port Adelaide Enfield / Port Pirie Regional Council
DC of Renmark Paringa / City of Salisbury
City of Tea Tree Gully

Appendix B Grouped Issues Identified During Table Discussion

1. Policy

Adoption and implementation

1. Delegations and authorities

Emergency management team

Incident manager

1. Communications

Notification - Control agency, ZEC, Emergency Relief Functional Service

Council staff

Elected members

Community - meetings, social media, notice boards etc.

Managing social media

1. Incident Management

Command, control, coordination

Staff contact details and stand by arrangements

Shift management

Rostering

Briefings, situational awareness, fire reports, weather monitoring

Records management

Admin support

Tasking

Resource sharing

Staging points

Mapping & GIS

Local knowledge

Fire track mapping

Tree assessment

Managing contractors

Staff induction

Graders andfront end loaders accompanied by CFS Appliance

Resources eg phone chargers, laptops, printers,

LG Liaison Officer

Access to fire ground

Cost recovery

Water supply for firefighting

Provision of equipment

Traffic control

1. Relief centre

Resources eg phone chargers, laptops, printers,

Staff and rostering

Health and hygiene

Animal management

Donated goods

Coordination with agencies

Liaison and recovery with SRC

1. i-Responda

WH&S

Risk assessment

Employee training registers - competencies

Plant & equipment registers - fit for purpose

Personal Protective Equipment

GPS tracking

Staff support - food /psychological

1. Customer service role

Supporting front line staff during emergencies

Ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to perform during emergencies

1. Business continuity planning

1. Volunteers

Understanding limitations regarding spontaneous volunteers

Using council’s existing volunteers

1. Community

Doorknocking

Drinking water - rainwater tank contamination

Psychological assistance

Control of sightseers

Vulnerable people

1. Emergency management planning templates

Response

Recovery

Check lists

Incident logs/situational reports

1. Access to other Council debrief reports from incidents as a learning aid

Development of a Council debrief template

1. Human resource management

Job descriptions

Overtime payment and record keeping

Psychological counselling

1. CFS/Local Government relationship building

How do we achieve it?

Opportunities differ between metro and rural Councils

1. Bushfire Safer Precincts

Publicizing their existence and use to the community

Ensuring they are available during emergencies

1. Staff needs and concerns

They may live in fire impacted area

Appendix C Representative Comments from the Exercise Feedback Sheets

Planning for emergencies is critical to our response and recovery effort
Great event which has been able to draw on expertise and experiences of all who attended
An annual local government sector exercise for staff involved with emergency management
Checklists, guidelines and templates for response and recovery operations
Hearing different experiences and viewpoints was very informative
Planning, allocation and management of resources and training is imperative
Collaboration and understanding between councils and the emergency services is essential
Didn't realise the difference between metro and rural councils regarding ZECs
Understanding and adoption of the i-Responda framework has given councils confidence to support the emergency services
Effective communication and coordination is the key
Liked the idea of scribes to capture the table discussion
Get authorities and delegations in place before the emergency
More training in response and recovery is needed
The exercise was very informative and well run. I enjoyed it a lot and will use what I have learnt and the food was great as well
There would be value in having agencies present at the next exercise

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