Search and Rescue core capability | Emergency Management Victoria

Search and Rescue core capability

Deliver traditional and atypical search and rescue capabilities, including people and resources with the goal of saving the greatest number of endangered lives in the shortest time possible.

Critical Task Table 12: Agency roles mapped to the VPF, by critical tasks within the Search and Rescue core capability

Critical Task 12.1: Conduct search operations to locate persons.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
ADF	During an emergency event or incident involving ADF aircraft or vessels, as detailed in the National Search and Rescue Manual, ADF is the responsible control agency, in conjunction with state Police and the AMSA.	3.1, 12.3
LSV	Provide air, water and land-based search and rescue services to locate lost persons and vessels at sea and at inland waterways, supporting VicPol through rescue powercraft (rescue boats and rescue watercraft): Inshore search and rescue (up to 2 nautical miles) as well as offshore search and rescue (greater than 2 nautical miles); remote piloted aircraft systems (drones); helicopter services capable of winching persons over land and water; and all-terrain vehicles capable of driving on beaches.	3.1, 3.2, 10.1, 12.3
LSV	Provide both paid and volunteer water-based patrolling and observation services, including inshore, rescue and response services provided from LSV supported locations across Port Phillip Bay, the Victorian coastline and inland waterways.	3.1, 3.2, 12.3
PV	Search and rescue on land and in Victorian waters, particularly those managed by PV, under the direction of VicPol.	3.2
VicPol	Control agency for search and rescue on land and Victorian waters, other than for ADF ships and planes.	3.1, 12.3
VICSES	Provide continuous protection of life, property and the environment through providing support for: conducting search operations to locate persons conducting rescue of trapped or isolated persons search and rescue on land and water evacuations and incidents involving mass casualties. As Lead Response Support Agency (RSA) for the functional areas: responder agencies rescue: aircraft, building/structure collapse, vehicle into building/structure road, rail, industrial.	5.2, 8.2
Volunteer Search and Rescue Organisations	Support agency to VicPol for land, water and transport search and rescue .	3.2, 12.3

Critical Task 12.2: Coordinate spontaneous volunteers.

No activities identified.

Critical Task 12.3: Conduct rescue of trapped or isolated persons.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
ADF	During an emergency event or incident involving ADF aircraft or vessels, as detailed in the National Search and Rescue Manual, ADF is the responsible control agency, in conjunction with state Police and the AMSA.	3.1, 12.1
Airservices Australia	Combat agency for: ARFFS - rescue and firefighting at designated aerodromes Airservices Australia Air Traffic Control – inflight emergencies.	3.1, 7.2
CFA	Control agency for response: fire in the country area of Victoria, which is that part of Victoria which lies outside the FRV fire district, but does not include any State forest, national park or protected public land fire and explosion incidents, including those involving aircraft, marine vessels (outside designated Port of Melbourne Waters), boilers and pressure vessels hazardous materials, high consequence dangerous goods or dangerous goods (including leaks and spills) hazardous pollution of inland waters rescue incidents involving lifts, scaffolding or amusement structures, building/structure collapse and/or risk of collapse , rail and aircraft and industrial other accidents involving gas leakage, lifts, scaffolding and amusement structures.	3.1, 7.2
	Mines Rescue capability across Victoria in accordance with state arrangements.	3.2
	Protect life, property and the environment from the effects of fire, accidents and other hazards through rescue of persons from other emergencies, including fire; road, rail and aircraft accidents; industrial accidents and other emergencies (including provision of steep and high angle rescues).
	Provide key support for tunnel and trench rescue incidents.	3.2
	USAR capability across Victoria in accordance with state arrangements.	3.2
FRV	Control agency for fire and other emergencies (as identified in the Response table) for the FRV Fire District (including the Port of Melbourne and waters as defined in the Port Management Act 1995): other accidents involving gas leakage, lifts, cranes or scaffolding and amusement structures fire and explosion incidents, including those involving aircraft, marine vessels (including Port of Melbourne Waters), boilers and pressure vessels hazardous materials, high consequence dangerous goods or dangerous goods (including leaks and spills) hazardous pollution of inland waters rescue incidents involving rail and aircraft , industrial, lifts, cranes or scaffolding and amusement structures, USAR, trench or tunnel, and building/structure collapse and/or risk of collapse.	3.1, 7.2
	Protect life, property and the environment from the effects of fire, accidents and other hazards through rescue of persons from fire, road, rail and aircraft accidents, industrial accidents and other emergencies.	3.1
	Provide key support for swift water and maritime incidents.	3.2
LSV	Provide air, water and land-based search and rescue services to locate lost persons and vessels at sea and at inland waterways, supporting VicPol through rescue powercraft (rescue boats and rescue watercraft): Inshore search and rescue (up to 2 nautical miles) as well as offshore search and rescue (greater than 2 nautical miles); remote piloted aircraft systems (drones); helicopter services capable of winching persons over land and water; and all-terrain vehicles capable of driving on beaches.	3.1, 3.2, 10.1, 12.1
LSV	Provide both paid and volunteer water-based patrolling and observation services, including inshore, rescue and response services provided from LSV supported locations across Port Phillip Bay, the Victorian coastline and inland waterways.	3.1, 3.2, 12.1
VicPol	Control agency for rescues on water, in mines or quarries, caves and road (as per State Road Crash Rescue Arrangements 2023).	3.1
VicPol	Control agency for search and rescue on land and Victorian waters, other than for ADF ships and planes.	3.1, 12.1
VICSES	Control agency for: storm, flood, landslide, tsunami and earthquake incidents involving building damage rescue incidents involving rail, aircraft and industrial (as per State Road Crash Rescue Arrangements 2023).	3.1
VICSES	Provide continuous protection of life, property and the environment through rescue of persons from road crash, and rescue of persons endangered by steep and high angle incidents, swift water and other emergencies or dangerous situations.	3.1
Volunteer Search and Rescue Organisations	Support agency to VicPol for land, water and transport search and rescue.	3.2, 12.1

Critical Task 12.4: Coordinate the deployment of interstate, national and international people and resources.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
AMSA	Manager of the National Plan for Maritime Environmental Emergencies including management of oil spill response equipment stockpiles, an aerial dispersant capability and a national team of trained responders and emergency managers.	16.5
AV	Support the deployment of interstate, national and international pre-hospital health care resources, including health command, Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT) and USAR deployments where requested to do so.
ESTA	Dispatch appropriate emergency response resources and support them with situational awareness information through operational communication networks.	3.2, 7.3, 14.4
FRV	USAR capability across Victoria in accordance with state arrangements.	3.2
Services Australia	Implement agreements with States, Territories and Commonwealth agencies, and outline the arrangements in place with States, Territories and Commonwealth agencies for the provision of support services if resources are overwhelmed during an emergency. Note: Other agreements outline the arrangements between the department and policy agencies about how they will work together to deliver the best possible services (within their portfolio of responsibility) to the community.	1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 3.2, 7.3, 14.4
VicPol	Support other agencies in provision of personnel.	3.2, 8.3
VICSES	Provide continuous protection of life, property and the environment from the effects of fire, accidents and other hazards through USAR capability across Victoria in accordance with state arrangements.	3.2

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