2015-06-23 I&S Agenda - Item 5 - Local Disaster Management Plan - Attachment 1

4.     Preparedness and Capacity Building
4.1    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.

4.2    Noosa Local Disaster Management Group meetings
The ordinary meetings of the NLDMG 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.
The Local Group will meet at least four times each year with meetings timed to take into
account higher risk periods. Local Group sub-groups will meet at least twice each year or
more frequently as required by the risk profile.

4.3    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.
Refer to local plan part 1.12 for the description of the roles and responsibilities (including
designation of the lead agencies) of members and agencies of the Local Group.
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 a emergency or a disaster situation
within the Noosa Shire or District Disaster 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 Local
Disaster Coordinator or the District Disaster Coordinator.

4.4    Community resilience
The Queensland State Disaster Management Plan (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.


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