MINUTES
LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL
COMMITTEE ROOM 2
MONDAY 2 JULY 2012
COMMENCING AT 10.00AM
PRESENT:
Michael Lathlean (THSC – Chair LEMC/LEMO) Tom Durick (NSW Trade & Investment) Evelyn Lester (SES)
Phil Baton (NSW Police Force – Hawkesbury LAC) Daren McMurray (Endeavour Energy)
Phillip Bow (NSW Rural Fire Service) Pat Hobday (Transroute Australia).
Daniel Kenner (NSW Police Force – DEMO)
Elaine Davey (Western Sydney Local Health District) Alex Scott (Fire & Rescue NSW)
Helen Dean (NSW Police Force – Castle Hill LAC) Stephanie Radnidge (Ambulance Service NSW)
1. WELCOME
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES
Glenn Streat (Australian Red Cross)
Jenny Young (NSW Police Force – Hawkesbury LAC) Jo Fuller (Community Health Services)
Philip Flogel (NSW Police Force – Hills LAC) Steve Coleman (THSC)
Jane Markham (Community Services) Phil Deale (Westmead Hospital)
3. ADOPTION OF MINUTES OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2011
Resolved: Minutes of the Local Emergency Management Committee Meeting held on 7 November 2011 be adopted.
4. COMMUNIQUE FROM DISTRICT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING
The District Emergency Management Committee meeting was held at Merrylands Park Hall on 24February 2012. A copy of the communiqué from the meeting will be distributed when available.
Resolved: The information be received.
5. LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE - MEMBERSHIP LIST A membership list was circulated at the meeting for updating.
Resolved: Changes to the membership list be noted and the updated list be received.
6. EMERGENCY EXPO FOR AUSTRALIA DAY 2013
The Australia Day Emergency Expo has been continually conducted in various forms over the past 21 years and has been the Committee’s major public
awareness activity. The event not only provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the roles our organisations play in emergency management but is a good training exercise for those organisations.
At the 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 2012 and on the day itself, all outside activities including the Expo had to be cancelled.
At this stage it is understood that the Australia Day activities are again planned for the Castle Hill Main Street Precinct in 2013.
Resolved: The information be received.
7. HAWKESBURY NEPEAN FLOOD EVENT
The DEMO and SES Controller provided a short debrief on the March flood event including details of road closures, evacuations and establishment of evacuation centres, and establishment of a District EOC at the Sydney Western Division of the SES.
The LEMO advised that an evacuation centre was established at Glenorie RSL for those Hills Shire residents living on the river from Sackville to Wisemans Ferry.
Fortunately only a few residents and visitors found it necessary to attend the centre. A letter had been sent to the RSL on behalf of the Committee thanking them for their assistance.
All agreed that one of the good things that came out of the flood was that it raised awareness of what can happen on the Nepean Hawkesbury river system when flooding occurs. Given that it has been more than 20 years since the last major flood, this event helped to raise community awareness, particularly for those newer residents.
Resolved: The information be received.
8. NORTH WEST RAIL LINK
On Monday 28 May a presentation was made to representatives of the North West Metropolitan District Emergency Management Committee, The Hills Shire and Hornsby/Kuringai Local Emergency Management Committees, on the North West Rail Link. The presentation included a general overview of the project and the design considerations for fire fighting and passenger evacuation.
The main concerns raised at the presentation appeared to be fire fighting and passenger evacuations along the 4km viaduct section of the rail link between the proposed Bella Vista and Rouse Hill stations. Members of the Project Team provided assurances that consultation with emergency services would continue as the detailed design of the project evolved.
LEMO advised that at the last District Emergency Management Committee meeting, the Transport for NSW representative indicated that a condition of the project’s final approval will require sign-off by the emergency services of both the design and operation of the project.
Resolved: The information be received.
9. NEW SOUTH WALES LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE
On 7June the Chair attended this conference that was convened by the Ministry of Police and Emergency Services and followed on from the annual NSW Shires Association Conference.
The conference was well attended and focussed on the theme of ‘Helping your Community to Prepare For and Recover From a Disaster’.
A number of presentations were made, with a particular focus on recent experiences with flooding across the state. Copies of those presentations are available to any interested members of the Committee.
A series of pilot courses on ‘Introduction to Recovery’ was also promoted at the conference. The Chair has submitted a nomination to attend one of these courses at Penrith on 18July.
Resolved: The information be received.
10. RELOCATION OF COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION CENTRE
The Chair advised that on 1June Council announced that it had purchased a new office building within the Norwest Business Park in Columbia Court (next to the Crowne Plaza hotel). The building would be used to permanently relocate the existing administration centre that will be significantly impacted upon by the North West Rail Link project. The fit-out of the new building will take about 18 months to complete.
In conjunction with the planning of the fit-out, the Chair has already flagged the need for facilities to be provided for an Emergency Operations Centre.
Resolved: The information be received 11. 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.
Resolved: The information to be received
12. REPORTS FROM MEMBER ORGANISATIONS DEMO
State Displan review still hasn’t been completed. It is understood that there is a working group working on it now. It should be out in six months time. District Risk Management Study should be completed this financial year.
NSW Police Force (Hawkesbury LAC)
Flood events in February March split the command into two. This created some challenges, particularly for officers living on different sides of the river. Operations conducted out of the Hawkesbury Fire Control Centre as well as Windsor police station. Overall the arrangements worked reasonably well.
Department of Primary Industries
Will table an issue at next meeting regarding flying foxes and the Hendra virus.
Issue. On the northern border of NSW a dog has picked up the Hendra virus.
Fire and Rescue NSW
Rural Fire Service
Very few bush and grass fires however winter fire safety in homes was still a problem. Had the opportunity to support the SES in the local flood issues. Also had the opportunity to send some of our volunteers to police information centre in the city. We sent crews away to help with floods.
Western Sydney Area Health Service
In regards to floods the main problem related to their own staff who lived on the western side of the Hawkesbury River and faced the dilemma of whether they would be able to return home from work.
Long term evacuation plans for nursing homes was spoken about at the Nursing Open Day.
EGIS Road Operations Australia Pty Limited
Our desktop exercise was conducted in April haven’t produced the report as yet, will have out by the end of the month.
In regards to the M2 upgrade they are running approximately four months behind due to bad weather. There will be a Windsor Road walk through on the 16th of July. The bridges at Beecroft Road and Murray Farm will be closed due to maintenance.
Endeavour Energy
Infared camera for helicopter has been purchased. The camera can identify ‘hot spots’ on the high voltage transmission lines that could result in interruptions to supply and be a fire hazard.
State Emergency Service Refer to Figure 1.
13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Local Emergency Management Committee will be held on Monday 5 November 2012 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.
Figure 1: SES Report
