Role statement - Victoria State Emergency Services

Victoria State Emergency Service

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) is a volunteer-based organisation that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, providing emergency assistance to minimise the impact of emergencies and strengthen the community’s capacity to plan, respond and recover, when emergencies occur. VICSES is the control agency for storm, flood, earthquake, tsunami and landslide throughout Victoria, and provides the largest road rescue network in Australia.

Mitigation (including preparedness)

Activity	Critical task alignment / activity source
Assist Councils in the development of emergency management plans for VICSES Control hazards including assistance to incorporate an all hazards risk management approach	1.2, 1.4
Increase individual capacity and capability of the community to prepare and respond by engaging with communities providing storm, flood, earthquake, tsunami and landslide risk information, community education and engagement	1.1, 2.1
Provide information to the community and government on risks, mitigating actions and incidents/events that may affect them	2.1
Prepare and implement, timely, accessible and relevant information and warnings	2.3
Assist emergency management planning committees in the facilitation of municipal risk assessments that consider and improve safety and resilience of the community from hazards and emergencies through the facilitation of Community Emergency Risk Assessment program	1.2, 1.3, 1.4
Support the multi-agency approach in the provision of advice, information, training and assistance to Councils and agencies in relation to emergency management principles and practice	1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.5, 4.6
Engage with communities to build their resilience in preventing and managing emergencies, through targeted and general education programs	6.4
Participating agency for the earthquake mitigation activity: community engagement, education and awareness	Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation
Participating agency for the following flood mitigation activities: community engagement, education and awareness flood emergency planning including readiness Total Flood Warning System as per Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy support dam safety management to mitigate potential flood risks from dam failure	Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation
Participating agency for the following storm mitigation activity: community engagement, education and awareness	Table 8: Participating agencies for mitigation
Maintain ICC and RCC facilities under VICSES responsibility	3.3

Response (including Relief)

Activity	Critical task alignment / activity source
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, 12.3 Table 9: Control agencies for response
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, 12.3
from the effects of fire, accidents and other hazards through USAR capability across Victoria in accordance with state arrangements	3.2, 12.4
from the effects of flood and storm, accidents and other hazards through initial impact assessment at the request and in support of, the state requirements	11.1
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)	12.1, 5.2, 8.2 Table 10: Support agencies for response
Provide the emergency response development function to each emergency response region	3.2
Support controller through providing human and other resources for relief and recovery activities where appropriate	3.2
Provide advice and support to DEECA for dam safety events, where they have the resources capacity, including operational resources and incident management support.	3.2, 11.3

Recovery

Activity	Critical task alignment / activity source
Assess, restore, clear and rehabilitate VICSES managed public buildings and assets (e.g. public amenities, unit buildings)	19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.7
Support the Controller by providing assistance and advice to individuals, families and communities who have been affected by flood, storm, tsunami, earthquake of landslide	20.6

Assurance and Learning

Activity	Critical task alignment / activity source
Maintain currency of Introduction to Emergency Management training package and facilitate delivery.	1.1