The State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC)
Emergency Management involves a range of programs and arrangements designed to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from the effects of hazards impacting on the community.
The State Emergency Management Committee was established under the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act to ensure that New South Wales has a system to cope with emergencies which is robust, effective and flexible enough to deal with the range of hazards experienced in New South Wales. A hazard impacting on the community may result in an emergency.
Roles of the State Emergency Management Committee
The State Rescue and Emergency Management Act
identifies the SEMC as being responsible for the following emergency management
activities:
- identify, evaluate and monitor hazards and threats to life and property;
- establish and review appropriate emergency management structures at all levels;
- identify emergency resources both within and outside the State and make plans for the allocation and co-ordination of the use of those resources;
- establish and review systems for use in the control and co-ordination of emergency operations;
- review and recommend emergency management legislation including legislation and proposals for legislation of other agencies);
- advise the Minister on the creation of combined local government emergency management arrangements;
- establish communication networks within and between functional areas at all levels;
- review plans at all levels and within each emergency services organisation and functional area;
- produce specific hazard management guidelines;
- arrange emergency management training for individuals, including individuals employed in emergency services organisations and functional areas;
- produce and disseminate educational material on established emergency management policies and procedures;
- arrange the conduct of training exercises to periodically test emergency management plans;
- advise the Minister on the declaration of states of emergencies;
- advise on the efficient use of local government resources in relation to Displan;
- assist in the selection and training of district and local government personnel for appointment to relevant organisations under Part 2 of the Act;
- act as the single point of contact for Commonwealth support to emergency operations in New South Wales in the absence of other arrangements;
- produce standing orders and instructions and standing operating procedures under Displan;
- assist the Minister, as required, in the preparation and review of Displan; and
- arrange for graduated warnings of emergencies to the public.
In addition to these responsibilities the SEMC undertakes planning for the emergency management aspects of terrorist threats and critical infrastructure.
Structure
The SEMC presently comprises the
Chairperson, the State Emergency Operations Controller and nineteen (19)
representatives of relevant government and non‑government agencies, as
determined by the Minister. The current membership and member biographies
are contained in the SEMC Annual Report.
Functional Area Committees
The following Functional
Area Committees co-ordinate the provision of support for emergency
operations:
- Agriculture and Animal Services
- Communication Services
- Engineering Services
- Environmental Services
- Health Services
- Public Information Services
- Transport Services
- Energy and Utility Services
- Disaster Recovery - Human Services
In accordance with Schedule 2 of the Act the following sub committees assist the SEMC in the exercise of its functions:
- Chemical, Biological and Radiological (CBR) Sub Committee
- State Mitigation Sub Committee
- Standing Committee on Information Management
- Training Advisory Group
- Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Sub Committee