MINUTES
THE HILLS SHIRE
LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
MONDAY 4
thNOVEMBER 2019 COMMENCING AT 1.00PM
THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL 3 COLUMBIA COURT, NORWEST
(NEXT TO RYDGES HOTEL) COMMUNITY MEETING ROOMS 1 & 2
PARK IN LEVEL B2 UNDERGROUND CARPARK AND THEN PROCEED VIA THE MAIN LIFTS (CLOSEST TO CARPARK ENTRANCE) TO THE GROUND FLOOR WHERE THE COMMUNITY
MEETING ROOMS ARE LOCATED
FOR 4WD EMERGENCY SERVICE VEHICLES, PLEASE BE AWARE OF CARPARK CEILING CLEARANCE HEIGHT. FOLLOWING RECENT TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT CHANGES ON SITE,
SURFACE PARKING IS NOW AVAILABLE ON NORTHERN SIDE OF BUILDING. PLEASE FOLLOW MAIN ACCESS ROAD AROUND BUILDING IN AN ANTI-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION.
All correspondence to be addressed to the:
Local Emergency Management Officer The Hills Shire Council, PO Box 7046, Norwest 2153
Telephone: (02) 9843 0205 Fax: (02) 9843 0409 [email protected]
1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS/OBSERVERS Michael Lathlean (The Hills Shire Council – Chair, LEMO)
Mark Colburt (The Hills Shire Council – Alternate LEMO) Jason Joyce (NSW Police Force – LEOCON)
Michael Brown (REMO) Jamie Horsfield (REMO)
Alex Scott (Fire & Rescue NSW) Malcolm Liston (SES)
Brendan Doyle (Rural Fire Service)
Martin Horwood (Greater Sydney Local Land Services) Caren Friend (Western Sydney Local Health District) Tom Molski (Transport for NSW)
Diane Anderson (St John Ambulance) Dave Wood (Castle Hill RSL Club Ltd) Craig Samuel (Transurban)
Henk Geerdink (Healthscope Norwest Private Hospital)
2. APOLOGIES
Glenn Streat (Red Cross) Heather Gwilliam (Anglicare)
3. LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP LIST
The list of the Committee’s current Members and Observers was circulated at the meeting for updating.
4. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 1ST JULY 2019
A copy of the minutes was attached.
Recommendation: The Committee adopt the Minutes of the LEMC Meeting of 1st July 2019.
Moved by Alex Scott and seconded by Jason Joyce 5. RESIGNATION OF THE HILLS SES UNIT CONTROLLER
It is with much sadness that the Chair reported to the Committee that Evelyn Lester, the long serving Unit Commander of The Hills SES, has announced her resignation. Evelyn has been Unit Commander (and before that Unit Controller) for over 10 years. Along with the rest of her leadership team Evelyn has been instrumental in making The Hills SES Unit one of, if not the largest SES Unit in the State.
At its meeting on 22 October 2019 Council formally farewelled Evelyn and presented her with a plaque recognising her efforts as the Local Commander. A further presentation to Evelyn is to be conducted as part of the SES Awards evening on 6th November which members and observers have been invited to.
A copy of the Mayoral Minute from the Council meeting was attached to the Agenda.
Recruitment of Evelyn’s replacement is currently underway by the SES Metro Zone. Until that process is finalised Malcolm Liston will be the Acting Unit Commander.
Recommendation: The advice on Evelyn Lester’s resignation as The Hills SES Unit Commander be received.
Moved by Michael Lathlean and seconded by Brendan Doyle.
6. OUTSTANDING MATTERS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
There was one outstanding action relating to the preparation of a Consequence Management Guide (CMG) for a Rail Land Transport Emergency. Refer to later item on Agenda.
Recommendation: The matter be noted.
Moved by Malcolm Liston and seconded by Jason Joyce.
7. REGIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
Since the last LEMC meeting there has been one REMC meeting at the Kuringai Fire Control Centre on Friday 18th October 2019. The LEOCON, LEMO and REMO all attended.
A verbal report was provided on the main issues discussed including:
update on the bushfire season;
Hawkesbury Nepean flood risk management strategy;
NorthConnex emergency planning.
Recommendation: The verbal report be received.
Moved by Michael Lathlean and seconded by Alex Scott.
8. AFRICAN SWINE FEVER
Members may be aware of recent publicity concerning the potential risk to the Australian pork industry from African Swine Fever (ASF) which has recently been confirmed in Timor Leste.
A copy of the first situation report prepared by the Department of Primary Industries was attached to the Agenda.
Martin Horwood from Local Land Services provided an update to members and observers.
Recommendation: The verbal report on African Swine Fever be received.
Moved by Jason Joyce and seconded by Michael Lathlean
9. EVACUATION CENTRES
There are currently 14 evacuation centres listed in Council’s EMPLAN located across The Hills Shire. They include a mixture of Council managed community centres, licensed clubs and recreation centres.
Council has recently contacted all evacuation centres to make sure that they are still available and that contact details are up to date.
For reasons discussed at the meeting, consideration is being given to no longer including one of the evacuation centres on the list.
Caren Friend from the Western Sydney Local Health District asked to be provided with a list of the evacuation centres along with contact details.
Recommendation: The information be received and the Western Sydney Local Health District be provided with details of all evacuation centres.
Moved by Brendan Doyle and seconded by Alex Scott.
10. HAWKESBURY NEPEAN FLOOD STUDY
Since the Committee last Minute the Hawkesbury Nepean Regional Flood Risk Management Strategy has been released and is available on the Infrastructure NSW website at www.insw.com/flood-strategy
A new NSW SES Hawkesbury Nepean web page has also gone live at www.ses.nsw.gov.au/hawkesbury-nepean-floods
For The Hills Shire the main direct impacts of a major flood on the Hawkesbury Nepean River itself are limited to the lower reaches of Little Cattai Creek and Cattai Creek, on properties with a direct frontage to the Hawkesbury River as well as the Wisemans Ferry township. This includes a number of caravan parks and associated recreational facilities.
There will however be significant indirect impacts such as the evacuation of residents from the Hawkesbury City LGA, infrastructure damage etc.
Two videos relating to flooding of the Hawkesbury Nepean River were shown to members and observers.
Recommendation: The information be received.
Moved by Malcolm Liston and seconded by Jason Joyce.
11. SYDNEY METRO NORTHWEST
As reported at the previous meeting the Sydney Metro Northwest officially commenced operation on Sunday 26th May 2019. Despite some widely reported operational issues that were experienced during August, the Metro is continuing to be a great success with about 70,000 customer journeys each weekday.
During a planned shutdown on the weekend of 21st and 22nd September Metro Trains Sydney (MTS) conducted an emergency exercise involving a fire in a train carriage within the tunnel adjoining Hills Showground station (Operation Showground). This follows on from an exercise held at Kellyville station last March.
The aim of Exercise Showground was to provide the TMC, Police, Ambulance and FRNSW with the opportunity to become familiar with MTS procedures for safe access to the rail corridor, stations and trains, including their Emergency Exit Door Release operation and the evacuation of MTS customers into the rail corridor.
The REMO and other members will provide a verbal report on the success of the exercise and the lessons learnt.
A third exercise is planned for 2020 and is likely to be conducted in the section of tunnel further to the east of the Hills Shire within the Ryde City Council area.
Recommendation: The report on Operation Showground be received.
Moved by Alex Scott and seconded by Michael Lathlean
12. EMPLAN
As indicated at the previous meeting, amendments will need to be made to the EMPLAN to include reference to the new Sydney Metro Northwest stations and a Consequence management Guide (CMG) for a rail emergency.
Assistance was sought through the REMO for copies of similar CMGs that would have been prepared by other LEMCs that have underground or above ground rail systems within their areas. Such documents were subsequently received from Blue Mountains City Council and City of Parramatta Council.
This has enabled the attached Draft CMG to be prepared. Members are requested to review the CMG and provide any comments or suggested changes. The CMG will then be incorporated into the EMPLAN.
The REMO advised that RMS no longer exists as a separate government agency and any reference to it in the CMG should be changed to Transport for NSW.
Recommendation: Comments on or suggested changes to the CMG be provided to the LEMO by 30 November.
Moved by Michael Lathlean and seconded by Jason Joyce
13. TRAINING
As Members and Observers are reminded at all LEMC meetings, details on all emergency management training courses can be found on the Office of Emergency Management website at the following link:
www.emtraining.nsw.gov.au
Nominations for attendance at any of the courses can also be made through the website.
Recommendation: The information on training be received.
Moved by Brendan Doyle and seconded by Malcolm Liston.
14. LEMO LEAVE
The LEMO will overseas on leave between 13th November and 4th December inclusive and will not be contactable
During that period the Alternate LEMO Mark Colburt will be in the role.
Mark’s contact details are:
9843 0304 (W) 0412 705 083 (M)
15. REPORTS FROM MEMBER AND OBSERVOR ORGANISATIONS REMO
nothing major to report
design and manage an exercise course coming up NSW Police Force
nothing to report Fire and Rescue NSW
upgrade to Kellyville fire station completed
soon be commencing major program of community fire safety visits Rural Fire Service
local activity relatively quiet
currently managing major deployments of personnel to bushfires in northern NSW
residential burning still allowed using permits State Emergency Service
171 jobs since last LEMC meeting
new light storm truck expected to be delivered in December Greater Sydney Local Land Services
nothing major to report
Hills Private Hospital
nothing major to report Western Sydney Local Health District
preparing for completion of building works at Westmead precinct
preparing for music festival season Department of Family and Community Services
No representative Red Cross
No representative Anglicare
No representative Endeavour Energy
No representative Tollaust Pty Limited
opening date of NorthConnex may be bought forward to earlier than planned in 2020 St John Ambulance
bushfire awareness training for members Castle Hill RSL
recent Clubs NSW conference looking at how the industry can support farmers
$1.7M raised through Parma for a Farmer promotion 16. GENERAL BUSINESS
No general business 17. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Local Emergency Management Committee will be held on Monday 24th February 2020. Further details on a venue will be advised prior to the meeting.
