The Council has an important role in emergency management. It is Council's role to ensure a Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) and effective Local Emergency Management Arrangements (LEMA) are in place.
The Town has an Emergency Services Co-ordinator who is the key link between all of the local emergency organisations in the area. It is this officer's job to prepare and educate the community, monitor and enforce regulations as well as coordinate the response of council resources during an emergency.
The Emergency Services Co-ordinator is supported by the Ranger Services team who are often the first to respond to local emergencies as they provide vital reconnaissance information that helps to determine the response to an emergency event. Rangers have a responsibility to enforce the Bush Fire Act and Regulations and perform the role of Bush Fire Control Officers. They are trained in law enforcement and the management of emergencies and provide a valuable service.
The Town also has a Recovery Coordinator whose role it is to manage the community needs following a major emergency. Specific Councillors, Council Officers and staff may be called on to assist during an emergency, for example Health, Building, Engineering, Administration and Maintenance staff can provide expertise in a range of issues and conditions.
Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC)
The role of the LEMC is to advise and assist the Town of Kwinana, and ensure local emergency management arrangements are established for the district. The committee also liaises with public authorities and other persons in the development, review and testing of our local emergency management arrangements. The Kwinana LEMC meet quarterly to review our emergency management arrangements and ensure they remain current, valid and in accordance with established procedures and protocols. Reviews and exercises to test arrangements are held on a regular basis and amended where appropriate.
Members of the committee provide a wide range of interests, skills and local knowledge with representation from Council Officers and Councillors, community members, FESA, local career and voluntary Fire & Rescue Services, Kwinana South & Mandogalup Bush Fire Brigades, Local State Emergency Service, Kwinana & District Police, Kwinana Industry, Kwinana Salvation Army and the Dept. for Child Protection.
Kwinana Police
In addition to their well known law enforcement and other services to the community, the Western Australian Police Service performs an important emergency coordination role under the State Emergency Management ACT. The State Emergency Coordinator is the Commissioner of Police, in our own district the “South Metropolitan District” the Superintendent of Police at Fremantle is the District Emergency Coordinator, and the Officer-in-Charge Kwinana Police is the Local Emergency Coordinator.
The police also a have a lead role with regard to; air and road transport emergencies, land and sea search and rescue, traffic and crowd control.
Fire and Emergency Services Authority of WA (FESA)
FESA is a statutory government authority established in 1999 to improve the delivery, coordination, planning, management and support of emergency services in Western Australia. FESA brought together the Fire & Rescue Service (FRS), the Bush Fire Service (BFS), the State Emergency Service (SES), Emergency Management Services (EMS) and Volunteer Marine Rescue Services (VMRS) under one umbrella.
The emergency services volunteers and career personnel who are supported by FESA respond to a range of hazards – bush and structural fires, incidents involving hazardous materials (chemical, biological, radiological), floods, storms, cyclones and earthquakes. Emergency services personnel also undertake searches and rescues on land and at sea.
With the introduction of the Emergency Services Levy (ESL), a State Government charge which is levied on rates notices issued by local governments, FESA was given the task of funding fire and emergency services. All ESL money collected by Councils is sent directly to FESA and 100% of it is used to fund fire and emergency services.
Hope Valley Fire and Rescue Service Station
The station, which became operational in August 2005, is crewed permanently twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It is strategically located to provide a timely emergency response to bush and structural fires, traffic accidents and hazardous materials incidents.
The Hope Valley Career Fire & Rescue Service Station and its crew are a great asset to the local community. In addition to responding to emergencies, the fire-fighters are actively involved in community safety campaigns, such as visits to local primary schools.
Hope Valley FRS Crews and management work closely with FESA and other emergency services including Kwinana Voluntary FRS and the towns Bush Fire Brigades of Kwinana South and Mandogalup.
Kwinana Voluntary Fire & Rescue Service (VFRS)
The town brigade consists of some 25 volunteers and it has loyally served Kwinana for many years. Kwinana VFRS is responsible, under the command of the Hope Valley FRS Station, for fire prevention and fire fighting within the residential areas of Kwinana and has equipment “on station” for the protection of people and property within the Kwinana Town fire area. The brigade works closely with other emergency services in protecting the Town of Kwinana.
In addition to their fire fighting and rescue role the brigade performs many hours of community service such as school education programmes and fire related inspections.
Kwinana Bush Fire Service (BFS)
Kwinana has two Bush Fire brigades; Kwinana South and Mandogalup with a volunteer membership of some 80 persons, along with the KVFRS our two bush fire brigades have loyally served Kwinana, which happens to be one of the busiest fire districts in Western Australia, for many years. The brigades are responsible for fire prevention and fire fighting in the rural areas of Kwinana gazetted as bush fire areas. Like the VFRS town brigade they have equipment “on station” for the protection of people and property. The brigades work closely with Kwinana Council, in particular Ranger Services, and with other emergency services in protecting the Town of Kwinana. Bush Fire Brigade members also perform many hours of community service.
Rockingham/Kwinana State Emergency Service Unit (SES)
The local unit covers the areas of Rockingham and Kwinana and has a volunteer membership of over 50 people. The SES performs a multi-faceted role primarily dealing with response to natural disasters such as severe storm, cyclone, flood, earthquake and tsunami. In addition the SES unit assists in the community by carrying out search and rescue operations when requested.
The SES provides support services to the WA Police Service and other emergency service organisations. These services can include radio communications, transport to, in and from hard to access areas and catering during emergencies.
Kwinana Industries Mutual Aid Operations Group (KOG)
In 1991 a number of major industries in the Kwinana Industrial Area (KIA) formed the mutual aid group - Kwinana Industries Mutual Aid Group (KIMAG) to provide a forum which was focussed on joint industry emergency response and public safety. In 2002 this structure this structure provided the basis for the establishment of the Kwinana Industries Public Safety Group (KIPS) with the aim of providing a similar cooperative approach on issues relating to the safety of the community, employees and the environment. With the formation of KIPS, KIMAG was reformed as the KIMA Operations Group (KOG), this group has the responsibility for maintaining the KIMA Resources Manual, cross training, initiating joint exercises and maintaining the KIA Emergency Access Route.
WA Ambulance Service
The ambulance service provides an emergency medical service throughout the State and a professional ambulance and first aid public service at local events. Professionally trained paramedics respond to both emergency and non emergency events relating to traffic, industrial, and domestic accidents and incidents.
Department of Child Protection (DCP)
During an emergency, this government department, with assistance from other groups such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army, can provide shelter, food, clothing and counselling services. Suitable welfare and evacuation centres have been identified and designated within the Town's local emergency arrangements and DCP will take a lead role in managing a centre when activated.
In the recovery phase following a major emergency DCP works closely with Kwinana's Recovery Committee in returning the affected community to normal.
Kwinana Salvation Army Community Church
The Salvation Army provides the Local Welfare Liaison Officer and volunteers to respond with refreshments and sustenance during an emergency event. If needed they work with DCP and other local churches to give spiritual and welfare support to those affected by an emergency, this could include emergency responders as well as community members.
An emergency trailer is maintained by the Salvation Army in Kwinana and this trailer is always available early at the event scene. Its primary purpose is to provide responding emergency personnel and volunteers with the basic requirements of hot or cold food and drink.
