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It’s hard to believe, but it has been a year since the new Emergency and Disaster Management Practice Standards were released. Over the past 12 months, DSC has worked with around 500 providers to develop their emergency and disaster management plans, with most reporting feeling much more prepared this year.
It’s the Most Wonderful (and Riskiest) Time of the Year
While all this preparation is great, it’s important not to become complacent after the NDIS audit, especially as we enter the festive season.
Every season comes with its own challenges – and none more so than summer! With extreme heat, storms, bushfires, and the ever-present risk of flooding, power outages and road closures are just some of the possible flow-on effects.
Combine these conditions with the silly season where providers are running on reduced staff levels, increased disruption to standard support services, and the annual closure of many regular programs, and we have the perfect recipe for disaster. So, it is time to start looking at the plans you have for both individual participants and as an organisation to be sure that they are as tight as can be.
With participant support plans, this may involve checking to see whether emergency contacts are going to be away and arranging alternative contacts. Organisations need to consider whether core staff members who would normally lead the response to an emergency or disaster are going to be away or juggling more than one role. This might be a great time to run a test scenario of what happens if a significant event occurs on Christmas Day.
Emergency and disaster resources are also not static. There are new, nationally consistent fire rating levels which launched in September. All states and territories now use the four simplified alert levels of moderate, high, extreme, and catastrophic. Therefore, if you are in a bushfire-prone area, documents and training may need to be updated to reflect those changes.
Free Emergency and Disaster Planning Gifts
There are also a number of great resources that providers can use to assist with emergency and disaster planning and response. There are new and updated resources regularly released in response to learnings from recent community emergencies and as new state and federal funding becomes available.
Most information available is useful, irrespective of where you live, so be sure to check out what is available from the states and territories. Here are a few of our faves to get you started.
Disability specific resources
Collaborating 4 Inclusion
- Case studies – www.collaborating4inclusion.org
- Person-centred Emergency Preparedness (PCEP) resources – www.collaborating4inclusion.org/disability-inclusive-disaster-risk-reduction/p-cep-resource-package
- Rediplans (including Easy English) – https://www.redcross.org.au/emergencies/resources/
Victoria State
- Emergency preparedness for disability service providers – Emergency preparedness for disability service providers_20180410.docx (live.com)
Federal Emergency Management Administration (USA)
- Disaster preparation tips for people with disability - www.fema.gov/press-release/20210318/disaster-preparedness-people-disabilities
Bushfire
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
- Four simple steps to get ready – www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/resources/bush-fire-survival-plan
- Traveling in a bush fire prone area – www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/travelling-in-a-bush-fire-area
- AIDER (Assistance for infirm, disabled and elderly residents) – www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/243259/AIDER-Factsheet-May-2022.pdf
Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services
- Bushfire Plan Tool – www.dfes.wa.gov.au/hazard-information/bushfire/prepare
- Emergency kits for both evacuation and staying in place – www.dfes.wa.gov.au/hazard-information/bushfire/prepare#emergency-kit
Queensland Government
- Preparing your home for a bushfire – https://www.qld.gov.au/emergency/safety/prepare-home
House fire
New South Wales Rural Fire Service
- Home fire safety tips – www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/home-fire-safety
Floods and storms
Bureau of Meteorology
- Preparing for floods – www.bom.gov.au/australia/flood/knowledge-centre/preparing.shtml
- Be flood ready – www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/flood
Victoria State Emergency Service (SES)
- Plan and stay safe – www.ses.vic.gov.au/plan-and-stay-safe/emergencies/storm
- Flow chart of when to call SES and when to call 000 in a storm, landslide, or flood – www.ses.vic.gov.au/when-to-call
If you know of any other great resources you think we should share, please drop us a line so we can update this list.
Many councils are also setting up disaster dashboards which link with state agencies. With summer starting, now may be a good time to see what’s new.
DSC courses
Finally, check out DSC’s new online Emergency and Disaster Management course. We cover the requirements of the NDIS Emergency and Disaster Management standard in detail and include a useful gap analysis tool. Or if you are Support Coordinator wanting to explore your role in this area in more detail, please check out this workshop.
We wish you and yours a safe (and disaster-free) festive season.
