FAQs about preparing State, Regional and Municipal emergency management plans

Why do we need emergency management plans?

State, regional and municipal emergency management plans (SEMPs, REMPs and MEMPs) are required by Part 6A of the Emergency Management Act 2013 (External link) (the Act). Each emergency management plan provides an integrated, coordinated, and comprehensive approach to emergency management. It covers all relevant emergencies, and is tailored to the risks and needs of each planning level and its geographic footprint.

What are the requirements of a Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)?

A CEMP relates to a particular community or communities and is informed by the community’s assets, values and risks.

CEMPs are referenced, but not included in the Minister’s Guidelines, as the Act does not require a CEMP to be prepared.

While CEMPs are not required under the Act, Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committees (MEMPCs) must, during the course of preparing their Municipal Emergency Management Plans (MEMPs), have regard to any relevant CEMPs.

How often does an emergency management plan need to be reviewed?

Section 60AN of the Emergency Management Act 2013 details that the preparer of an emergency management plan must ensure that the plan is reviewed as required, and at least every 3 years.

In most cases, an updated plan will be prepared following each review. In rare occurrences, it is possible that the preparers of a plan consider that no update to the plan is required, particularly where, following the review it considers the plan still provides for a current, integrated, coordinated and comprehensive approach to emergency management.

Who is responsible for developing and maintaining emergency management plans?

SEMP

Relevant Preparer - Emergency Management Commissioner (EMC)
Relevant Approver - State Crisis and Resilience Council (SCRC)

SEMP Sub-Plans

Relevant Preparer - Control Agency on behalf of the EMC
Relevant Approver - SCRC

REMP

Relevant Preparer - REMPCs
Relevant Approver - EMC

REMP Sub-Plans (if required)

Relevant Preparer - Control Agency on behalf of, and in collaboration with, the REMPC
Relevant Approver - EMC

MEMP

Relevant Preparer - MEMPCs
Relevant Approver - REMPCs

MEMP Sub-Plans (if required)

Relevant Preparer - Control Agency on behalf of, and in collaboration with, the MEMPC
Relevant Approver - REMPCs

Where are approved MEMPs published?

Approved MEMPs or MEMP Sub-Plans are required to be published on the corresponding council's website, and they may also be uploaded directly to EM-COP.

MEMPs and MEMP Sub-Plans are approved by the relevant Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee (REMPC).

This website directs people to council websites for copies of MEMPs.

Is there a template for MEMPs that should be used?

While there is no set template for a MEMP, there is guidance material which provides optional wording and structure that the MEMPC may choose to use whilst preparing or reviewing its existing MEMP.

It is suggested that a MEMP table of contents reflect and align with the headings and order of the SEMP.

Are all MEMPC sub-groups sub-committees or can they be advisory committees, working groups, etc.? Do these have legislative requirements? Do all need a Terms of Reference?

MEMPCs may utilise sub-committees or working groups.

Sub-committees may be established where there is a need to maintain a continuous or longer-term body of work, such as hazard specific purposes (fire planning, or as a training and exercising sub-committee), where as working groups may be established with an express purpose and will generally be time limited (MEMP review sub-committee).
It is recommended a simple Terms of Reference is agreed to ensure the purpose and outputs are clear.

Who is the contact person for issues with or suggested changes to the SEMP?

EMV maintains an Issues Register that informs the scope of each formal SEMP review. Items on this register are considered and resolution sought during schedule SEMP Reviews.

Identified Issues can be sent to emergencyplanning@emv.vic.gov.au (External link)

Who do I need to consult when preparing or reviewing a SEMP sub-plan?

This information can be located within the advisory material located on the EMV Resource Library:

Is a sub-plan required for all hazards?

The Emergency Management Commissioner (EMC), Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee (REMPC) or Municipal Emergency Management Planning Committee (MEMPC) or control agency/ies may determine that a sub-plan is necessary to manage a risk.

As with the principal plans, sub-plans must:

be prepared collaboratively, efficiently, and effectively
be consistent with other existing in force emergency management plans and where possible not duplicate or conflict with those plans
adopt an integrated, coordinated, and comprehensive approach to emergency management
contain provisions providing for the mitigation of, response to, and recovery from emergencies, as well as specifying the roles and responsibilities of agencies in relation to emergency management
be assured, approved, and published every 3 years, or more frequently if required.

When determining if a sub-plan is required, the following factors should be considered:

the emergency risk assessment indicates the subject of the sub-plan is worthy of further attention
the primary plan requires clarification or variation for certain circumstances
the need for a multi-agency plan that will outline specific emergency arrangements
the need to outline more complex or specific arrangements than those provided in existing emergency management plans
if a sub-plan is necessary to manage a risk or consequence that is not the responsibility of a legislated control agency and where an integrated effort is required
if the sub-plan will not duplicate other plans
if the sub-plan will not create inconsistencies in other plans.

Sub-plans are intended to be multi-agency plans. Many pre-reform REMP and MEMP sub-plans reflect agency or council-specific arrangements, which would be considered complementary plans under the current emergency management planning arrangements.

Is there a SEMP Sub-Plan Template?

As the state-level sub-plans are prepared to specifically manage a risk that is the responsibility of a legislated control agency, there is no single template, as they are prepared by the control agencies on behalf of the EMC, using their own internal templates.

The best practice for a sub-plan is for its table of contents to reflect and align with the headings and order of the SEMP. Advisory material is provided to the agencies required to review Sub-plans.

Are the SEMPC meeting minutes made available to REMPCS and/or MEMPCs?

Currently, the SEMPC Meeting Minutes are distributed to members and attendees of each meeting. REMPC representatives form part of the SEMPC membership and are expected to provide relevant updates to REMPCs via their regular meetings, which should filter down to MEMPCs. At this time there has not been any direction for SEMPC meeting minutes to be directly provided to REMPCs and MEMPCs.

Published October 2024

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