Strengthening bushfire recovery

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

A greater sharing of community recovery experiences and knowledge will strengthen bushfire recovery according to a report released today.

Inspector-General for Emergency Management Tony Pearce’s review into Community recovery following the 2013–14 Victorian bushfires made five recommendations to improve strategies for supporting and engaging communities after an emergency.

These recommendations focus on Emergency Management Victoria working with Local Government Victoria and other agencies to develop models for emergency recovery tailored to and involving each municipality.

Mr Pearce said that planning community recovery projects could be challenging after a major emergency and that preparing for recovery before a disaster could help in faster restoration for the community.

The report examined the experiences of residents of East Gippsland Shire and Hume City in the aftermath of the major Goongerah-Deddick and Mickleham-Kilmore fires in 2013-14.

“The telephone and online surveys gathered information from these communities on how they were involved in recovery strategies during and after the 2013-14 bushfires and how the local residents rated the effectiveness of the strategies,” Mr Pearce said.

“Representatives from the emergency management sector, subject matter experts and relevant research entities also helped us identify ways to improve emergency management arrangements for Victorian communities before and following emergencies.

“It is important to strengthen community recovery efforts as they can help people after an emergency reconnect and create a more positive view for the future.”

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