2017-10-10 S&O Agenda - Attachment 1 to Item 7 - Noosa Local Disaster Management Plan 2018

9. Preparedness and Capacity Building
9.1    Preparedness and awareness overview
Effective disaster management and response activities begin with preparedness and awareness
raising activities conducted on an ongoing basis, in advance of any potential incident.
Preparedness activities include having arrangements or plans to deal with a threat, situation or a
disaster that is the mobilisation of the disaster response structure and resources.

Capacity is a combination of the capability and the resources available to the Local Group that can
reduce the level of risk or the effects of a disaster. Capacity can be built through activities that
ensure ongoing improvement of the disaster management arrangements, for example, planning
meetings, workshops and seminars, training, exercises and the development of community plans.

Local level capability is recognised as the frontline of disaster management. This local plan aims
to set out how this capability is to be enhanced.


9.2    Noosa Local Disaster Management Group meetings
The ordinary meetings of the Local Group constitute a key ongoing preparedness and capacity
building activity. The building of a strong network of disaster management personnel through the
meetings of the Local Group and District Group before disaster strikes will enhance the
effectiveness of the coordination of disaster operations and the management of the response
during periods of disaster and recovery.


9.3    Building response capacity
Within the Sunshine Coast District there are designated lead agencies who are responsible for the
initial response to an incident or event. It is their responsibility to plan for and coordinate the
response to a particular emergency or event.

Each agency, particularly lead agencies will report at meetings of the Local Group (or District
Group) on the status of their preparedness, and the extent of their response capability. These
reports are also to identify any gaps in the agency’s capability.

Each Local Group (and District Group) member agency is responsible for taking actions to
establish and sustain its own disaster response capability including providing equipment and a
suitable number of trained persons using the resources available to that agency to effectively deal
with or help another entity deal with an emergency or a disaster situation within the Noosa Shire or
District region.

During periods of Alert or Lean Forward, if additional resources are required by an agency to
ensure preparedness then this is to be brought to the attention of the LDC or the DDC.


9.4    Community resilience
The State Plan states that prepared and resilient communities are one of the five main principles of
disaster management which form the basis of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements.

Community resilience is a community’s capacity to change, grow and flourish. A disaster resilient
community knows the risks and hazards they face and has the ability to accept the aftermath of
such events and the impacts on their lives.



Noosa Local Disaster Management Plan 2018                                                    Page 50