Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
Brisbane City Council
Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12:
Pandemic Sub-plan
2015
Page ii of 16
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
Page ii of 16
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
References
Table 1 summarises a comprehensive list of related documents that provide authority for Council’s Pandemic Sub-plan.
Table 1 - Pandemic Sub-plan Reference List
References1. / The Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003, current approved edition
2. / Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan, current approved edition
3. / Australian Emergency Manual Series, Manual 17 – Multi-Agency Incident Management
4. / Australian Emergency Manual Series, Manual 43 – Emergency Planning
5. / Queensland Local Disaster Management Guidelines, September 2012
6. / Brisbane City Council Brisbane Incident Management System (BIMS), August 2011
7. / Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Coordination Centre SOP, current approved edition
8. / Queensland Pandemic Influenza Plan, 2009
9. / 2013-2014 Queensland State Disaster Management Plan
10. / National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic, 2011 (http://www.dpmc.gov.au/publications/pandemic)
11. / World Health Organisation Website (www.who.int/en/)
12. / Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza (www.flupandemic.gov.au/internet/panflu/publishing.nsf/)
13. / Qld Government and pandemic preparedness website (http://www.qld.gov.au/health/alerts/pandemic-influenza/)
Table of Contents
References i
Table of Contents ii
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Context 1
1.3 Potential Impacts of a Pandemic 2
1.4 Council’s Pandemic Planning Framework 2
1.5 Assumptions 3
2.0 Framework for Action 4
2.1 National Arrangements 4
2.2 Queensland Arrangements 4
2.3 Council’s Responsibilities 5
2.4 Levels of Alert 5
2.5 Response Phases 5
2.6 Activation and Escalation 6
2.7 Decision-making and Communication Paths 6
3.0 Council’s Role and Responsibilities 7
3.1 Council Responsibilities 7
3.2 Council Response 7
3.2.1 Coordination Groups 8
3.3 Significant Activities 8
3.4 Council Tasks 9
3.5 Corporate Communication 9
3.6 Disaster Management Office 9
4.0 Key Issues 11
4.1 Adoption of a graduated response 11
4.2 Maintaining business continuity for essential services 11
4.3 Managing community consequences 11
4.4 Communication strategy 11
4.5 Coordinating Council’s response with external agencies 12
Appendix 1: WHO Pandemic Phases 13
Appendix 2: Federal Government Pandemic Phases 14
Appendix 3: State Government Pandemic Phases 15
Appendix 4: Acronyms and Abbreviations 16
Page i of ii
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
Page i of ii
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
1.0 Introduction
Brisbane City Council (Council) has a legislative obligation to be able to respond to and recover from a broad range of natural and human-made disaster events.
This Pandemic Sub-plan is a twin document to Council’s Corporate Pandemic Plan. The two documents should be used in conjunction and updated accordingly.
1.1 Background
An influenza pandemic is a disease outbreak that occurs worldwide when:
· a new strain of influenza virus emerges, to which there is no, or very limited, immunity
· the virus causes disease in humans
· the virus is easily spread between humans.
In the absence of immunity, a new influenza strain can spread rapidly across the globe, causing worldwide epidemics or a pandemic, with high numbers of cases and deaths. It can also be of moderate severity as seen in the H1N1 (Human Swine) pandemic in 2009.
There have been regular but repeated occurrences of pandemics during the last century. The risk of a pandemic, whether it originates from the H1N1 or H5N1 (Avian) virus or some other source, will remain in the future, with the level of risk elevated by an increasingly mobile world population.
Prior planning and properly coordinated response measures can minimise the impacts of a Pandemic. The principal purpose of this Plan is to outline a management framework for:
· developing resilience so Council can continue to deliver essential services to the community despite pandemic conditions;
· fulfilling Council’s obligation to its employees to take all reasonable care to prevent their exposure to a pandemic;
· providing assistance to the community, within the context of a role in government, to withstand and recover from a pandemic; and
· ensuring management decisions and services are undertaken in coordination with the State and Federal Government’s pandemic response.
1.2 Context
Internationally, the peak body is the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the United Nations. WHO maintains an extensive global monitoring program for all communicable diseases, including influenza. WHO developed the Pandemic Influenza Phases of Alert (see Appendix 1).
Within Australia, The Quarantine Act 1908 allows the Governor-General to declare an epidemic, providing extensive powers to the Minister for Health – powers that override State measures. Responsibility for implementing the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza lies with health services, emergency services and governments at all levels. It requires a whole of government response. Australia has adopted a modified form of the WHO Pandemic Influenza Phases of Alert. The national strategy (see Appendix 2) (echoed in Queensland planning documents) hinges on Containment for as long as possible. If this fails, the strategy switches to Maintenance of Essential Services.
A human influenza pandemic outbreak in Queensland will be a controlled notifiable condition under the Public Health Act 2005. The Director-General of Queensland Health is responsible for the overall management and control of the response to any public health emergency; however coordination with federal counterparts and public messaging is often undertaken by the Chief Health Officer. The Queensland Pandemic Influenza Plan (May 2009) provides a basis for the State’s response to a Pandemic. Community consequences will be managed using the disaster management arrangements as specified in the Disaster Management Act 2003 (Qld).
1.3 Potential Impacts of a Pandemic
The severity of pandemics is variable; therefore it is not possible to fully predict the gravity and range of impacts that Brisbane would suffer during a future pandemic.
The majority of pandemic planning (including WHO, Federal and State) is directly focussed on influenza, as this is the most likely form of pandemic. A severe influenza pandemic may:
· Last for 3 months
· Result in 40 per cent of the population displaying clinical signs of infection
· Lead to 50 per cent of staff not reporting for work during the peak of the pandemic
· Cause 2.5 per cent of those affected to die of the disease.
1.4 Council’s Pandemic Planning Framework
Council’s Pandemic planning framework has the following five components:
The Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan is the principal document outlining Council’s emergency response to a range of hazards and disaster events.
This Pandemic Sub-plan outlines Council’s emergency response during the pandemic to assist the City and the community.
The Corporate Pandemic Plan – sets out the framework for Council’s response to a pandemic. The focus of the Corporate Pandemic Plan is principally about the continuity of services.
The Crisis Communication SOP addresses the roles and responsibilities for ensuring the ongoing flow of up-to-date information to stakeholders during a crisis.
Critical Services’ Business Continuity Plan Pandemic Appendix provides contingency planning focussed at maintaining specific critical services during a pandemic. Contact Corporate Risk Management for more details.
1.5 Assumptions
Council’s pandemic planning is based on the following assumptions:
· That there will be some warning of the pandemic. In 2009 the outbreak was first identified in Mexico with the WHO communicating the identified spread to other countries.
· That the pandemic’s progress will follow a linear route through the alert phases.
· That the Australian Government, via the Chief Medical Officer of Australia, will announce the escalation from one alert phase to another.
· That the community consequences will be managed in accordance with the Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003 and Council’s Disaster Management arrangements.
· That the Queensland Government will provide frameworks to coordinate activities across jurisdictional boundaries, including:
o Activation of Queensland Disaster Management Committee on notification of suspected or confirmed cases;
o Liaison with federal and local governments to ensure consistent messages;
o Containment operations;
o Public communication;
o Maintenance of essential services;
o Social distancing measures; and
o Industrial relations legislation.
Page 3 of 16
Brisbane City Council Local Disaster Management Plan
Chapter 12 Pandemic Sub-plan 2015
2.0 Framework for Action
2.1 National Arrangements
The peak national planning body is the Office of Health Protection within the Australian Government Department of Social Services. Convened by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in the event of an influenza pandemic, the peak Australian implementation body is the National Pandemic Emergency Committee (NPEC). The NPEC has the role of overseeing the development and implementation of the National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic September 2011 (NAPHIP) and supporting the Council of Australian Governments in its role of achieving cooperation among governments.
The Australian Government’s roles are to:
· implement the national plan
· ensure policies and strategies are developed beforehand to guarantee a quick response
· assume a central coordination role, especially with regard to national surveillance and a national response
· report to jurisdictions on the spread of the virus
· redefine priorities for vaccines and anti-virals
· provide leadership in virus isolation and typing, and molecular work throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
While the NAPHIP outlines how the Commonwealth, State, Territories, and Local Government have agreed to work together, the detailed plan that the combined governments will follow is provided in the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza December 2009.
2.2 Queensland Arrangements
The Queensland Pandemic Influenza Plan May 2009 outlines the State’s response to a pandemic. Implementation will be coordinated by Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Disaster Management Committee (QDMC) which includes representatives from each of the major State Government departments and the Local Government Association of Queensland.
Queensland Health (QH) will be the lead Queensland Government agency during an influenza pandemic. QH will have a strong leadership role within QDMC, particularly because most government policy responses will have regard to expert health advice about the nature of the virus and how it can best be contained and managed.
The community consequences will be managed within the disaster management framework specified in the Disaster Management Act 2003 (Qld).
The Queensland Government responsibilities of relevance to Council (as outlined in the NAPHIP) are to:
· determine and maintain appropriate policies, legislation and plans
· report influenza outbreaks and action taken
· maintain a response and recovery capability
· have primary responsibility for public and animal health monitoring, surveillance and response
· maintain business continuity plans for the State’s essential services
· maintain cooperative relationships with owners and operators of critical infrastructure regarding preparedness, continued operation and recovery
· have primary responsibility to respond and recover from a pandemic influenza outbreak
· implement agreed preparedness strategies and administer emergency management arrangements
· work with local government, business and the community to respond to and recover from an influenza pandemic
· work with the Commonwealth Government and the local government to develop public education material.
2.3 Council’s Responsibilities
Brisbane City Council’s responsibilities as a local government body (as outlined in the NAPHIP) are to:
· determine and maintain pandemic influenza policies and plans consistent with the role of local government and complementing relevant State, Territory and National policies and plans;
· maintain business continuity plans to enable the delivery of local government essential services;
· support National, State and Territory response and recovery by representing the needs of local communities and contributing to their continuing viability;
· support State and Territory emergency management frameworks;
· work with business and the community;
· in partnership with State and Territory governments, inform the public of planning and preparation under way and maintain information to the public during the response to, and recovery from, an influenza pandemic; and
· work with the Queensland State Government to develop public education material and ensure effective ‘bottom up’ information exchange is undertaken.
2.4 Levels of Alert
Australia has adopted a modified version of the WHO definitions for pandemic preparedness. The WHO monitors global pandemic risks and provides regular updates of alert phases. The Chief Medical Officer of Australia is guided by WHO and will determine the relevant Australian Phase. The WHO (Appendix 1), Australian Government (Appendix 2), and Queensland Government (Appendix 3), Pandemic Alert Phase charts can be found in this chapter’s appendices.
The Australian and Queensland plans do not have an equivalent phase to match the WHO’s Phase 1 and 2. The Queensland and Australia “Alert” phase equates closely to the WHO Phase 3.
It is not necessary, nor is it likely during the early stages of a pandemic, that each system of Alert would be set at an equivalent phase. Depending upon the timing, location and the severity of the outbreak a different WHO and Australian phase alert can be expected. However, it is expected that a high degree of uniformity will occur between the Australian and Queensland alert phases, since pandemics will spread rapidly through Australia.
2.5 Response Phases
The national strategy relies on Delay and then Containment for as long as possible. If this strategy is unsuccessful, the strategy changes to that of Sustaining Essential Services. This may be varied in the event of a milder form of pandemic as experienced during the 2009 Human Swine Influenza outbreak, when a new PROTECT phase was developed to address a pandemic of milder impact.
The strategy has identified key milestones that signal the need to consider changes in the whole-of-government operational approach during a pandemic:
· Identification of a new human influenza pandemic virus that has sustained human-to-human community transmission anywhere in the world