Overview

Response is the action taken immediately before, during and in the first period after an emergency to reduce the effects and consequences of the emergency on people, their livelihoods, wellbeing and property; on the environment; and to meet basic human needs.

When viewing the control agencies for response (Table 9) and support agencies for response (Table 10) tables, two response sections of the interactive and functional SEMP PDF should also be considered:

  1. the Response section under Emergency Management Phases
  2. the Response section under Emergency Management Arrangements.

Users (including response planners) should use the control agencies for response (Table 9) and support agencies for response (Table 10) tables to identify agencies and functional areas that should be considered and/or included in response plans. The tables do not list all agencies that may be involved in any particular emergency, nor do they list all potential emergencies.  

Control agencies for response

Control agencies for response are primarily responsible for managing the response to a specified form of emergency, and responsible for establishing the management arrangements for an integrated response to the emergency.

Control agencies for response (Table 9), which the Emergency Management Act 2013 (External link) (EM Act 2013) requires, identifies control agencies for response in a specified form of emergency, with sub-plans also listed for some emergencies, where applicable, but there are exceptions to the listing in certain circumstances. Where multiple control agencies are listed for the same emergency type, the control agency responsibility is delineated through legislation or administrative arrangements. 

Support agencies for response

Response support agencies provide services, personnel or material to support or assist a control and/or a coordination agency and/or members of the public. Support agencies for response (Table 10), which the EM Act 2013 requires, identifies key functional support areas for consideration during the response to an emergency, and the corresponding Lead Response Support Agencies.

The Lead Response Support Agency is the agency that is generally the most closely aligned to the function, with other agencies also having the potential to be response support agencies, if they have the skills, expertise or resources to contribute to the response to an emergency.

Where there is a key functional area required to manage an emergency but is not listed or there is uncertainty as to which agency may potentially support this function, the EMC or relevant emergency response coordinator may request any agency to lead this function.

Table 9: Control agencies for response  

 

Emergency: A disruption to an essential service

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Critical infrastructure damage or disruption VicPol 2
Electricity (see State Electricity and Gas Supply Sub-Plan) DEECA 2
Natural gas (see State Electricity and Gas Supply Sub-Plan) DEECA 2
Petroleum and liquid fuels DEECA 2
Public transport (see SEMP Public Transport Disruption Sub-Plan) DTP 2
Roads/bridges/tunnels/rail network DTP 2
Dam safety DEECA 2
Reticulated water and wastewater (sewerage) services DEECA 2
Cyber security DGS 2
 

Emergency: A warlike act or act of terrorism, hijack, siege or riot

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
A warlike act or act of terrorism, hijack, siege or riot VicPol 3
Other threats against persons, property or environment VicPol 2
 

Emergency: Fire and explosion

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Aircraft CFA / FRV 1
Aircraft (designated airports) ARFFS 2
Boilers and pressure vessels CFA / FRV 1
Explosion CFA / FRV 1
Explosive device VicPol 3
Fire (see SEMP Bushfire Sub-Plan) CFA / FRV / DEECA 1
Fire (designated airports) ARFFS 2
 

Emergency: Natural event

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Earthquake (see State Earthquake Sub-Plan) VICSES 1
Flood (see State Flood Sub-Plan) VICSES 1
Heat (see State Extreme Heat Sub-Plan) EMC 2
Storm (see State Storm Sub-Plan) VICSES 1
Tsunami (see State Tsunami Sub-Plan) VICSES 1
Landslide VICSES 1
 

Emergency: Plague or an epidemic or contamination 

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Emergency animal disease (includes bees and aquaculture) DEECA 2
Plant pest or disease DEECA 2
Marine pollution oil spills in Victorian coastal waters up to three nautical miles DTP / Port manager [1] 2
Wildlife affected by marine and fresh water pollution DEECA 2
Exotic marine pest incursion DEECA 2
Vertebrate pest/plagues DEECA 2
Retail food contamination DH 2
Food contamination (potential to cause harm to health) DH 2
Drinking water contamination DH 2
Human disease DH 2
Blue-green algae DEECA 2
Wildlife welfare arising from an emergency event DEECA 2
Non-hazardous pollution of inland waters DEECA 2
Shark hazard VFA 2
 

Emergency: Rescue

 

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Building, structure CFA/FRV/VICSES 1
Cave VicPol 2
Land VicPol 2
Lift, crane, scaffolding or amusement structure CFA (exc. cranes)/FRV 1
Mine/quarry VicPol 2
Trench or tunnel FRV 1
Water VicPol 2

 

 

Emergency: Road or other accident

 

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Aircraft VicPol 2
Aircraft (designated airports) ARFFS 2
Biological releases (including leaks and spills) DH 2
Gas leakage CFA/FRV 1
Hazardous materials, high consequence dangerous goods or dangerous goods (including leaks and spills) CFA/FRV 1
Lifts, cranes or scaffolding and amusement structures CFA (exc. cranes)/FRV 1
Building collapse CFA/FRV/VICSES 1
Marine (not including marine pollution, cetaceans or wildlife) VicPol 2
Military aircraft and ships ADF 2
Radioactive materials (including leaks and spills) DH 2
Road, rail, tram and industrial VicPol 2
Aircraft – inflight emergency Airservices Australia 2
Maritime casualty – non SAR (all vessels) in commercial and local port waters Commercial or local port manager [2] / TSV 2
Maritime casualty – non SAR (all vessels in coastal waters) not in commercial and local port waters TSV 2
Cetacean (whale and dolphin) stranding, entanglement and vessel strike DEECA 2

 

 

Emergency: Search

In some instances, this could be a support function. 

Form of emergency Control agency Class of major emergency
Land VicPol 2
Water VicPol / AMSA 2
Overdue aircraft AMSA 2
Distress beacon detection AMSA 2

Table 10: Support agencies for response 

Functional area Lead response support agency (RSA)
Agriculture DEECA
Animal welfare (livestock and companion animals) DEECA
Ambulance services/first aid/pre-hospital care AV
Business and industry DJSIR
Coronial services Coroners Court of Victoria
Corrections and consumer affairs DJCS
Courts Courts Services Victoria
Deceased person identification VicPol
Earth resources (mines) DEECA
Education DE
Emergency services telecommunications ESTA
Environmental impact (air, land and water quality) EPA
Fisheries (in Victorian waters) VFA
Food and grocery supply continuity DJSIR
Health services DH
Health protection – public health DH
Health command AV
Human services and community wellbeing DFFH
Insurance and risk advice VMIA
Local government DGS
Media/communications EMV
Public land DEECA
Public telecommunications DGS
Public transport DTP
Rail DTP
Rescue (aircraft, road, rail, tram, industrial)

CFA

FRV

VICSES

Volunteer Search and Rescue Organisations

Responder agencies

CFA

FRV

DEECA

VICSES

Roads DTP
Spatial data DEECA
Specific facilities (including secure facilities) Owner or manager
Threatened ecosystems and species DEECA
Tourism DJSIR
Transport (including ports and access to airports) DTP
Reticulated water and wastewater (sewerage) Water Corporations
Weather BoM
WorkSafe Victorian WorkCover Authority

Footnotes

  1. Port manager for the purpose of the control table are the Port of Hastings Development Authority, Port of Portland, Gippsland Ports and Ports Victoria.
  2. Commercial port manager for the purpose of the control table are the: Port of Portland, Gippsland Ports, Ports Victoria.

 

Updates to the SEMP following 2022 Machinery of Government (MoG) changes

Responsible Control and Support Agencies for Response have been updated in Tables 9 and 10 of the SEMP to reflect the Machinery of Government changes introduced in December 2022. Role Statements in the SEMP are currently being reviewed to reflect these MoG changes and are expected to be updated by mid-June 2023.