Minutes

LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ROOM 1/2

Monday 5th November 2012

COMMENCING AT 1.00pm

PRESENT:

Michael Lathlean (THSC – Chair LEMC/LEMO) Evelyn Lester (SES) Alex Scott (Fire & Rescue NSW) Daren McMurray (Endeavour Energy) Elaine Davey (Western Sydney Local Health District) Pat Hobday (EGIS Road Operation Australia) Glenwyne Baker (NSW Police – The Hills LAC) Andrew Ryabovitch (NSW Police – The Hills LAC) Phil Deale (Westmead Hospital) Phillip Bow (NSW Rural Fire Service) David Jones (NSW Police Hawkesbury) Stephanie Radnidge (Ambulance Service of New South Wales) Steve Coleman (THSC) Ian Beasley (St John Ambulance) Daniel Kenner (NSW Police – DEMO) Andrew Ryabovitch (NSW Police – The Hills LAC) Bryson Anderson (NSW Police – Hawkesbury LAC) David Jones (NSW Police – Hawkesbury LAC)

1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS/OBSERVERS

2. PRESENTATION

Mr. Sean Bilton, General Manager – Commercial of the Domain Principal Group, one of Australia’s largest providers of aged care services, provided a presentation to the Committee on the lessons to be learnt from the tragic Quakers Hill nursing home fire.

Sean Bilton - Domain Principal Group

3. APOLOGIES Henk Geerdick (Healthscope Norwest Private Hospital) Jennie Page (St John Ambulance) Philip Fogel (NSW Police – The Hills LAC) Glenn Streat (Australian Red Cross) Gary Bailey (NSW Police – The Hills LAC)

4. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 2nd JULY 2012

Resolved: The minutes of the Local Emergency Committee meeting held on 2 July 2012 be adopted.

5. COMMUNIQUE FROM DISTRICT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

COMMITTEE MEETING

The District Emergency Management Committee meeting was held at Merrylands Park Hall on 22nd June 2012. A copy of the communiqué from the meeting will be distributed if available.

Resolved: The information be received.

6. LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - MEMBERSHIP LIST

Attached is a list of current members of The Hills Local Emergency Management Committee. The list will be circulated at the meeting for updating.

Resolved: Changes to the membership list be noted and the updated list be received.

7. CRESTWOOD FAIR

On Sunday 16th September members of the Committee and their respective organisations participated in the annual Crestwood Fair at Crestwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills. The Police, SES and RFS had information displays and activities for the public to view and participate in, as well as a number of vehicles and items of equipment to inspect. Fire & Rescue NSW also had an appliance and crew on-site who, along with the other organisations, participated in a mock car crash rescue. First aid officers from St John Ambulance were also in attendance at the Fair and participated in the mock rescue. More importantly however they actually assisted with the treatment of injuries to several members of the public including one person who was hit by a car in Chapel Lane. Resolved: The information be received.

8. AUSTRALIA DAY EMERGENCY EXPO 2013

The Australia Day Emergency Expo has been continually conducted in various forms over the past 22 years and has been the Committee’s major public awareness activity. This event not only provides a form of entertainment but is a good training exercise for organisations involved as well as providing an opportunity for public education.

At a previous meeting in November 2011 it was agreed to conduct the 2012 Expo in the new Castle Hill Main Street Precinct in conjunction with the flag raising ceremony rather than the Fair at the Balcombe Heights Estate.

Due to heavy rain on the days leading up to Australia Day and on the day itself, all outside activities including the Expo had to be cancelled.

Australia Day activities are again planned for the Castle Hill Main Street Precinct in 2013 and the Committee’s views are sought as to whether it wishes to participate.

Resolved: The emergency services participate in the Expo if resources are available.

9. CASTLE HILL UNIT FIRE

In the early hours of Thursday 5th July, a fire in the underground carpark of a home unit block in Old Northern Rd, Castle Hill necessitated the evacuation of more than 20 residents. Some of the residents were quite elderly and from non-English speaking backgrounds. Fortunately the Pastor of St Columbia’s Presbyterian Church opposite the home unit block offered accommodation in the Church hall for evacuees until alternate accommodation arrangements could be made by the Strata Manager. The LEMO and Council staff assisted with the distribution of hot beverages and food donated by McDonalds at Castle Hill, to the evacuees. A letter was sent on behalf of the Committee to both the Church and McDonalds thanking them for their assistance in supporting the evacuees.

Resolved: The information be received.

10. BUSHFIRE SEASON BRIEFING On Tuesday 4th September the LEMO and some other members of the Committee attended a pre-season briefing at the RFS Headquarters at Homebush. The briefing covered a number of topics including the long term weather forecast and potential severity of the bushfire season, as well as a number of initiatives such as Neighbourhood Safer Places (NSPs) and the new public information campaign that at the time of the briefing, was close to being finalised. A full list of NSPs can be found on the RFS and Council websites. Resolved: The information be received.

11. INTRODUCTION TO RECOVERY COURSE

On Wednesday 18th July the LEMO attended a new ‘Introduction to Recovery’ Course at Penrith. The course has been developed by the Ministry of Police and Emergency Services to:

provide an understanding of basic recovery principles give participants an understanding of recovery arrangements

in NSW provide an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of

those involved in the recovery process

Members of the Committee that have an active role to play in recovery are encouraged to attend the course should an opportunity arise in the future. Resolved: The information be received.

12. EMERGENCY EVACUATION CENTRES

The Committee will recall that in 2011 the LEMO identified a number of venues that would be suitable for use as Emergency Evacuation Centres. Arrangements were put in place to ensure that these venues would be available for use should the need arise. To date only the Glenorie RSL has had to be used during the Hawkesbury floods earlier in the year. In August the LEMO wrote to each venue seeking to continue the arrangement. A number of positive responses have been received with further contact to be made with those venues that are yet to respond. Resolved: The information be received.

13. NORTH WEST METROPOLITAN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT PLAN (DISPLAN) The District has recently updated its DISPLAN. Copies can be downloaded from the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services website www.emergency.nsw.gov.au.

Resolved: The information be received.

14. TRAINING

Committee members are again reminded that details on the various emergency management training courses available can be found on the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services website www.emergency.nsw.gov.au. Of particular importance is the Emergency Management Arrangements (NSW) course which is one of the main pre-requisites for all other courses.

If not undertaken already, all members of the Committee are encouraged to submit a nomination for that course at the earliest opportunity. The DEMO advised that all nominations for courses need to be completed on-line through the website. Resolved: The information be received

15. REPORTS FROM MEMBER ORGANISATIONS DEMO There are some changes to the State Emergency & Rescue Management (SERM) Act that are about to go through Parliament. This will also result in some changes to other emergency service related legislation. The function of the LEMC will be specified to reflect modern practice. These include that an LEMC may:

In addition the Chair of the LEMC will now be the General Manager of the Council or his/her delegated nominee. This will have no impact on The Hills LEMC as the current Chair is already appointed through delegation by the General Manager. The Displan will also need to be changed at local and district levels NSW Police Force – Castle Hill

In terms of our preparedness, ensuring that first responders and constables are aware of the bushfire season and made aware of their responsibilities.

Fire and Rescue NSW

NSW Ambulance Service Annual airport exercises coming up that takes people from everywhere. Waiting on the state plan to come out in regards to bush fire preparedness but again we have started kicking that off already. Rural Fire Service Compared to this time last year there has been an increase in fires as well as MVA’s. In regards to fires we are starting to get a pattern in the Rouse Hill area. In regards to hazards reductions we have 24 burns in the local area. The new South Maroota fire station is nearly completed.

Endeavour Energy

Thanks to those that helped with the storms. Coming into the bush fire season Endeavour have inspected all lines.

State Emergency Service

Western Sydney Local Health District The Hills have new executive staff being announced. We’re working together on an updated disaster plan as well as plans for fire’s and hot weather. Westmead Hospital The entrance to Westmead hospital is been reconstructed. Hopefully the end result will provide a better flow for patience’s. We have our accreditation group process coming up for Westmead and Auburn. Ten thousand staff members have gone through fire training. EGIS Road Operation Australia Currently six months behind on the M2 widening however the majority of the work has been completed. Incident Management plan has been put together. East bound tube is running two by two configurations. St John Ambulance We have a strong, active group of people with 42 members in total including a combination of youth and experience. We have four accredited trainers. We have a good number of probationary members going through there accreditation as well.

16. GENERAL BUSINESS

No general business to discussd

17. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Local Emergency Management Committee will be held on Monday 4th March 2013 commencing at 1.00pm and preceded by lunch at 12.30pm.

Unless there is any desire by the Committee for a change in venue, it will again be held in committee Room 1 in the Council Administration Centre.