The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria collaborate with the emergency management sector to develop a capacity model that considers current and future:
a) career and volunteer emergency management personnel requirements
b) identified and trained personnel for surge requirements
c) emergency risks and climate scenarios.
EMV will work with climate scientists to undertake a review of emergency risks under climate scenarios across a range of hazard types to inform future capacity requirements.
EMV is addressing this action through Phase 1 of the Victorian Emergency Risk Assessment project.
Historically, as IGEM noted in the 10 Year Review and the Phase 1 Report, the review of state-level emergency risks has occurred irregularly and with inconsistent methodology.
The VERA project aims to develop a risk assessment methodology based on Australian and international best practice and produce a consistent, repeatable risk assessment process. Risk assessments will incorporate both qualitative and quantitative data and incorporate climate change modelling and predictions.
EMV provided IGEM evidence of its work with DELWP, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and CSIRO to incorporate climate change data into risk assessments.
This work is in its early stages and IGEM will revisit this action in its next progress report.
EMV’s Chief Executive has approved a revised due date for this action of June 2023.
For more information on the VERA project, refer to 10YOR Action 2.6.